चलचित्तमनात्मानमिन्द्रियाणां वशानुगम्। अर्थाः समभिवर्तते हंसाः शुष्कं सरो यथा
When the mind is unsteady and follows the senses, objects overwhelm it just as swans flock to a dried-up lake.
अकस्मादेव कुप्यन्ति प्रसीदन्त्यनिमित्ततः । शीलमेतदसाधूनामभ्रं पारिप्लवं यथा
The wicked become angry without cause and are pleased for no reason; their nature is as fickle as clouds tossed by the wind.
सत्कृताश्च कृतार्थाश्च मित्राणां न भवन्ति ये । तान्मृतानपि क्रव्यादाः कृतघ्नान्नोपभुञ्जते
Those who, though honored and fulfilled, do not remain friends—even when dead, flesh-eating beasts will not consume such ungrateful ones.
अर्थयेदेव मित्राणि सति वाऽसति वा धने। नानर्थयन्प्रजानाति मित्राणां सारफल्गुताम्
A person seeks out friends only in times of prosperity or adversity; one who does not seek them does not understand the true worth of friendship.
सन्तापाद्भ्रश्यते रूपं सन्तापाद्भ्रश्यते बलम्। सन्तापाद्भ्रश्यते ज्ञानं सन्तापाद्व्याधिमृच्छति
From grief, beauty fades; from grief, strength declines; from grief, wisdom is lost; from grief, disease arises.
अनवाप्यं च शोकेन शरीरं चोपतप्यते। अमित्राश्च प्रहृष्यन्ति मा स्म शोके मनः कृथाः
Unattainable desires burn the body with sorrow; enemies rejoice—do not let your mind dwell in grief.
पुनर्नरो म्रियते जायते च पुनर्नरो हीयते वर्धते च। पुनर्नरो याचति याच्यते च पुनर्नरः शोचति शोच्यते च
A person dies and is born again; a person declines and grows; a person begs and is begged from; a person grieves and is grieved for.
सुखं च दुःखं च भवाभवौ च लाभालाभौ मरणं जीवितं च। पर्यायशः सर्वमेते स्पृशन्ति तस्माद्धीरो न च हृष्येन्न सोचेत्
Happiness and sorrow, existence and non-existence, gain and loss, death and life—all these touch everyone in turn; therefore, the wise should neither exult nor despair.
चलानि हीमानि षडिन्द्रियाणि तेषां यद्यद्वर्धते यत्रयत्र। ततस्ततः स्रवते बुद्धिरस्य च्छिद्रोदकुम्भादिव नित्यमम्भः
Indeed, the six senses are unstable; as each one grows stronger in its domain, so too does the mind flow after it, just as water constantly leaks from a pot with holes.
तनुरुद्धः शिखी राजा मिथ्योपचरितो मया। मन्दानां मम पुत्राणां युद्धेनान्तं करिष्यति
The king, restrained and fiery, has been falsely honored by me; through battle, he will bring an end to my foolish sons.
नित्योद्विग्नमिदं सर्वं नित्योद्विग्रमिदं मनः। यत्तत्पदमनुद्विग्नं तन्मे वद महामते
All this is ever troubled, and the mind is ever restless; tell me, O wise one, of that state which is free from agitation.
नान्यत्र विद्यातपसो नान्यत्रेन्द्रियनिग्रहात्। नान्यत्र लोभसन्त्यागाच्छान्तिं पश्यामि तेऽनघ
I see no peace except through knowledge and austerity, through control of the senses, and through the abandonment of greed, O sinless one.
बुद्ध्या भयं प्रणुदति तपसा विन्दते महत्। गुरुशुश्रूषया ज्ञानं शान्तिं भोगेन विन्दति
By wisdom, one dispels fear; by austerity, one attains greatness; by serving the teacher, one gains knowledge; by enjoyment, one attains peace.
अनाश्रिता दानपुण्यं वेदपुण्यमनाश्रिताः। रागद्वेषविनिर्मुक्ता विचरन्तीह मोक्षिणः
Liberated ones here wander free from attachment to the merit of charity or Vedic study, and released from passion and hatred.
स्वधीतस्य सुयुद्धस्य सुकृतस्य च कर्मणः । तपसश्च सुतप्तस्य तस्यान्ते सुखमेधते
At the end, happiness comes to one who has studied well, fought bravely, acted virtuously, and practiced true austerity.
स्वास्तीर्णानि शयनानि प्रपन्ना न वै भिन्ना जातु निद्रां लभन्ते। न स्त्रीषु राजन्रतिमाप्नुवन्ति न मागधैः स्तूयमाना न सूतैः
Those who are divided never find sleep, even on well-spread beds; they do not find pleasure with women, nor delight in being praised by bards or minstrels, O King.
न वै भिन्ना जातु चरन्ति धर्मं न वै सुखं प्राप्नुवन्तीह भिन्नाः । न वै भिन्ना गौरवं प्राप्नुवन्ति न वै भिन्नाः प्रशमं रोचयन्ति
Those who are divided never follow righteousness, nor do they find happiness here; they do not attain honor, nor do they desire tranquility.
न वै तेषां स्वदते पथ्यमुक्तं योगक्षेमं कल्पते नैव तेषाम्। भिन्नानां वै मनुजेन्द्र परायणं न विद्यते किञ्चिदन्यद्विनाशात्
For them, wholesome advice is not pleasing, nor does security arise; O king of men, for the divided, there is no refuge except destruction.
संपन्नं गोषु संभाव्यं संभाव्यं ब्राह्मणे तपः। संभाव्यं चापलं स्त्रीषु संभाव्यं ज्ञातितो भयं
Cows are to be honored when prosperous; asceticism is to be honored in a Brahmin; restlessness is to be expected in women; fear is to be expected from relatives.
धूमायन्ते व्यपेतानि ज्वलन्ति सहितानि च। धृतराष्ट्रोल्मुकानीव ज्ञातयो भरतर्षभ
When separated, embers smoke; when together, they blaze—just as the relatives of Dhritarashtra, O bull among Bharatas.
ब्राह्मणेषु च ये शूराः स्त्रीषु ज्ञातिषु गोषु च। वृन्तादिव फलं पक्वं धृतराष्ट्र पतन्ति ते
Those who are valiant among Brahmins, women, relatives, and cows—like ripe fruit falling from its stem—fall away from Dhritarashtra.
महानप्येकजो वृक्षो बलवान्सुप्रतिष्ठितः। प्रसह्य एव वातेन सस्कन्धो मर्दितुं क्षणात्
A single great tree, strong and well-rooted, can be broken and crushed in a moment by the wind, even with its branches.
अथ ये सहिता वृक्षाः सङ्घशः सुप्रतिष्ठिताः। ते हि शीघ्रतमान्वातान्सहन्तेन्योन्यसंश्रयात्
But trees that stand together in groups, well-rooted, withstand even the swiftest winds by mutual support.
एवं मनुष्यमप्येकं गुणैरपि समन्वितम्। शक्यं द्विषन्तो मन्यन्ते वायुर्द्रुममिवैकजम्
In the same way, even a person endowed with virtues, if alone, is considered vulnerable by enemies—like a solitary tree to the wind.
अन्योन्यसमुपष्टम्भादन्योन्यापाश्रयेण च। ज्ञातयः संप्रवर्धन्ते सरसीवोत्पलान्युत
Relatives grow and flourish through mutual support and reliance, just as lotuses thrive together in a pond.
अवध्या ब्राह्मणा गावो ज्ञातयः शिशिवः स्त्रियः। येषां चान्नानि भुञ्जीत ये च स्युःक शरणागताः। महत्यप्यपराधेऽपि तेषां दण्डो विसर्जनम्
Brahmins, cows, relatives, children, and women are not to be harmed; nor those whose food one eats, nor those who seek refuge. Even for a great offense, their punishment is only dismissal.
न मनुष्ये गुणः कश्चिद्राजन्सधनतामृते। अनातुरत्वाद्भद्रं ते मृतकल्पा हि रोगिणः
O king, no virtue in a person is of value without wealth; may you be free from illness, for the sick are as good as dead.
अव्याधिजं कटुकं शीर्षरोगि पापानुबन्धं परुषं तीक्ष्णमुष्णम् । सतां पेयं यन्न पिबन्त्यसन्तो मन्युं महाराज पिब प्रशाम्य
That which is bitter, harsh, sharp, hot, born of disease, associated with sin, and causes headaches—good people drink it, but the wicked do not. O great king, drink your anger and calm yourself.
रोगार्दिता न फलान्याद्रियन्ते न वै लभन्ते विषयेषु तत्त्वम्। दुःखोपेता रोगिणो नित्यमेव न बुध्यन्ते धनभोगान्नसौख्यम्
Those afflicted by disease do not value pleasures, nor do they grasp the truth in worldly matters; always beset by suffering, the sick never find happiness in wealth or enjoyment.
पुरा ह्युक्तं नाकरोस्त्वं वचो मे द्यूते जितां द्रौपदीं प्रेक्ष्य राजन्। दुर्योधनं वारयेत्यक्षवत्यां कितवत्वं पण्डिता वर्जयन्ति
Once, I told you not to act when you saw Draupadi lost in dice, O king; I urged you to restrain Duryodhana at the gaming table. The wise avoid gambling.