वेदाहं तात बालाऽपि धर्माणां यदिहान्तरम्। अक्रोधे चातिवादे च वेद चापि बलाबलम्
I know, dear one, even as a child, the distinction among dharmas here; I know the difference between anger and excessive speech, and also strength and weakness.
स्ववृत्तिमननुष्ठाय धर्ममुत्सृज्य तत्त्वतः।' शिष्यस्याशिष्यवृत्तेस्तु न क्षन्तव्यं बुभूषता
One who does not follow his own conduct, who abandons true dharma, and whose behavior is unworthy of a disciple—such a one should not be tolerated by one seeking virtue.
प्रेष्यः शिष्यः स्ववृत्तिं हि विसृज्य विफलं गतः।' तस्मात्संकीर्णवृत्तेषु वासो मम न रोचते
A servant or disciple who abandons his proper conduct becomes fruitless; therefore, I do not like to dwell among those of mixed behavior.
पुमांसो ये हि निन्दन्ति वृत्तेनाभिजनेन च। न तेषु निवसेत्प्राज्ञः श्रेयोऽर्थी पापबुद्धिषु
Those men who insult others by conduct or lineage—one seeking good should not live among the wicked-minded.
ये त्वेनमभिजानन्ति वृत्तेनाभिजनेन वा। तेषु साधुषु वस्तव्यं स वासः श्रेष्ठ उच्यते
But those who recognize him by conduct or lineage—among such virtuous people one should dwell; that dwelling is said to be best.
सुयन्त्रितपरा नित्यं विहीनाश्च धनैर्वराः। दुर्वृत्ताः पापकर्माणश्चण्डाला धनिनोपि च
Those who are always controlled by others, deprived of wealth, of bad conduct, evil deeds, and even wealthy outcastes—
नैव जात्या हि चण्डालाः स्वकर्मविहितैर्विना। धनाभिजनविद्यासु सक्ताश्चण्डालधर्मिणः
Outcastes are not so by birth alone, but by actions prescribed by their own conduct; those attached to wealth, lineage, or learning, yet possessing outcaste behavior.
अकारणाश्च द्वेष्यन्ति परिवादं वदन्ति ते। साधोस्तत्र न वासोस्ति पापिभिः पापतां व्रजेत्
They hate without cause and speak slander; among such, the virtuous do not dwell, for associating with the wicked leads to wickedness.
सुकृते दुष्कृते वापि यत्र सज्जति यो नरः। ध्रुवं रतिर्भवेत्तस्य तस्माद्द्वेषं न रोचयेत्
Wherever a man becomes attached, whether to good or evil deeds, surely he finds delight there; therefore, one should not foster hatred.
वाग्दुरुक्तं महाघोरं दुहितुर्वृषपर्वणः। मम मथ्नाति हृदयमग्निकाम इवारणिम्
The harsh words spoken by Vṛṣaparvan's daughter strike my heart like fire kindled upon wood.
न ह्यतो दुष्करतरं मन्ये लोकेष्वपि त्रिषु। यः सपत्नश्रियं दीप्तां हीनश्रीः पर्युपासते
I do not think there is anything more difficult in all three worlds than one who, lacking prosperity, must serve the blazing fortune of a rival.
मरणं शोभनं तस्य इति विद्वज्जना विदुः। `अवमानमवाप्नोति शनैर्नीचसमागमात्
The wise know that for such a person, death is preferable; he gradually suffers humiliation through association with the lowly.
अतिवादा वक्त्रतो निःसरन्ति यैराहतः शोचति रात्र्यहानि। परस्य वै मर्मसु ते पतन्ति तस्माद्धीरो नैव मुच्येत्परेषु
Harsh words, once spoken, come forth from the mouth; wounded by them, a person grieves day and night. They strike at the vital points of another; therefore, the wise never let themselves be loosed upon others.
निरोहेदायुधैश्छिन्नं संरोहेद्दग्धमाग्निना। वाक्क्षतं च न संरोहेदाशरीरं शरीरिणाम्
A wound cut by weapons can heal, a burn from fire can heal; but a wound inflicted by words does not heal in the bodies of living beings.
संरोहित शरैर्विद्धं नवं परशुना हतम्। वाचा दुरुक्तं बीभत्सं न संरोहेत वाक्क्षतम्
A wound pierced by arrows can heal, a fresh cut by an axe can heal; but a terrible, harsh word does not heal—the wound of speech does not close.
ततः काव्यो भृगुश्रेष्ठः समन्युरुपगम्य ह। वृषपर्वाणमासीनमित्युवाचाविचारयन्
Then Kavi, the foremost of the Bhṛgus, approached, filled with anger, and spoke thoughtfully to Vṛṣaparvan, who was seated.
नाधर्मश्चरितो राजन्सद्यः फलति गौरिव। शनैरावर्त्यमानो हि कर्तुर्मूलानि कृन्तति
Unrighteousness, O King, does not bear fruit immediately, like a cow; but as it is turned over slowly, it cuts at the roots of the doer.
पुत्रेषु वा नप्तृषु वा न चेदात्मनि पश्यति। फलत्येव ध्रुवं पायं गुरुभुक्तमिवोदरे
If not in one's sons or grandsons, then surely in oneself, the fruit of sin is seen—just as food eaten by a teacher surely bears fruit in the belly.
अधीयानं हितं राजन्क्षमावन्तं जितेन्द्रियम्।' यदघातयथा विप्रं कचमाङ्गिरसं तदा। अपापशीलं धर्मज्ञं शुश्रूषुं मद्गृहे रतम्
O King, why did you have the Brahmin Kacha, son of Angiras, killed—he who was devoted to study, self-controlled, patient, sinless, learned in dharma, eager to serve, and attached to my household?
शर्मिष्ठया देवयानी क्रूरमुक्ता बहु प्रभो। विप्रकृत्य च संरम्भात्कूपे क्षिप्ता मनस्विनी
O lord, Devayānī was cruelly insulted by Śarmiṣṭhā with many harsh words, and, in anger, the high-minded girl was thrown into a well.
सा न कल्पेत वासाय तयाहं रहितः कथम्। वसेयमिह तस्मात्ते त्यजामि विषयं नृप
She is not fit to dwell with her; how can I, deprived of her, remain here? Therefore, O King, I renounce your realm.
वधादनर्हतस्तस्य वधाच्च दुहितुर्मम। वषपर्वन्निबोधेयं त्यक्ष्यामि त्वां सबान्धवम्। स्थातुं त्वद्विषये राजन्न शक्ष्यामि त्वया सह
Because of the undeserved killing of that one, and the harm done to my daughter, know this, Vṛṣaparvan: I will abandon you and your kin. I cannot remain in your realm, nor can I stay with you.
मा शोच वृषपर्वंस्त्वं मा क्रुध्यस्व विशांपते। स्थातुं ते विषये राजन्न शक्ष्यामि तया विना। अस्या गतिर्गतिर्मह्यं प्रियमस्याः प्रियं मम
Do not grieve, Vṛṣaparvan, nor be angry, lord of men. I cannot remain in your realm without her. Her fate is my fate; what is dear to her is dear to me.
यदि ब्रह्मन्घातयामि यदि वा क्रोशयाम्यहम्। शर्मिष्ठया देवयानीं तेन गच्छाम्यसद्गतिम्
Whether I kill a Brahmin or cry out in grief, if Śarmiṣṭhā has wronged Devayānī, by that act I go to a bad end.
अहो मामभिजानासि दैत्य मिथ्याप्रलापिनम्। यथेममात्मनो दोषं न नियच्छस्पुपेक्षसे
Alas, you think me, O Daitya, a speaker of falsehoods, since you do not restrain or correct this fault of yours, but disregard it.
नाधर्मं न मृषावादं त्वयि जानामि भार्गव। त्वयि धर्मश्च सत्यं च तत्प्रसीदतु नो भवान्
O Bhārgava, I know in you neither unrighteousness nor falsehood. In you are both righteousness and truth; may you be gracious to us.
यद्यस्मानपहाय त्वमितो गच्छसि भार्गव। समुद्रं संप्रवेक्ष्यामि पूर्वं मद्बान्धवैः सह
If you, O Bhārgava, leave us and go from here, I will enter the ocean first, together with my kin.
पातालमथवा चाग्निं नान्यदस्ति परायणम्। यद्येव देवान्गच्छेस्त्वं मां च त्यक्त्वा ग्रहाधिप। सर्वत्यागं ततः कृत्वा प्रविशामि हुताशनम्
Or I will enter the underworld or fire; there is no other refuge. If you, lord of planets, go to the gods, abandoning me, then, having renounced everything, I will enter the blazing fire.
समुद्रं प्रविशध्वं वा दिशो वा द्रवतासुराः। दुहितुर्नाप्रियं सोहुं शक्तोऽहं दयिता हि मे
Enter the ocean, or flee to the directions, O Asuras! I am not able to bear any harm to my daughter, for she is dear to me.
प्रसाद्यतां देवयानी जीवितं यत्र मे स्थितम्। योगक्षेमकरस्तेऽहमिन्द्रस्येव बृहस्पतिः
Let Devayānī be appeased, for my life depends on her. I am your protector of welfare, as Bṛhaspati is for Indra.