न बुद्धिर्धनलाभाय न जाड्यमसमृद्धये। लोकपर्यायवृत्तान्तं प्राज्ञो जानाति नेतरः
Intelligence is not for gaining wealth, nor is dullness the cause of failure; the wise understand the workings of the world, but others do not.
विद्याशीलवयोवृद्धान्बुद्धिवृद्धांश्च भारत। धनाभिजातवृद्धांश्च नित्यं मूढोऽवमन्यते
O Bharata, the fool always disrespects those advanced in learning, conduct, age, wisdom, wealth, or noble birth.
अनार्यवृत्तमप्राज्ञमसूयकमधार्मिकम्। अनर्थाः क्षिप्रमायान्ति वाग्दुष्टं क्रोधनं तथा
Misfortune quickly befalls one who acts ignobly, unwisely, with envy, unrighteously, who speaks harshly, or is prone to anger.
अविसंवादनं दानं समयस्याव्यतिक्रमः । आवर्तयन्ति भूतानि सम्यक्प्रणिहिता च वाक्
Truthfulness, generosity, keeping agreements, and well-directed speech—these cause beings to flourish.
अविसंवादको दक्षः कृतज्ञो मतिमानृजुः । अपि संक्षीणकोशोऽपि लभते परिवारणम्
One who is truthful, capable, grateful, intelligent, and upright—even if his treasury is depleted—still gains support.
धृतिः शमो दमः शौचं कारुण्यं वागनिष्ठुरा। मित्राणां चानभिद्रोहः सप्तैताः समिधः श्रियः
Steadfastness, tranquility, self-control, purity, compassion, gentle speech, and non-betrayal of friends—these seven are the fuels of prosperity.
असंविभागी दुष्टात्मा कृतघ्नो निरपत्रपः । तादृङ्वराधिपो लोके वर्जनीयो नराधिप
A king who is selfish, wicked, ungrateful, and shameless—such a ruler should be avoided by men.
न च रात्रौ सुखं शेते ससर्प इव वेश्मनि। यः कोपयति निर्दोषं सदोषोऽभ्यन्तरं जनम्
He who, though guilty, angers innocent people within his house, sleeps uneasily at night, like a man with a snake in his dwelling.
येषु दुष्टेषु दोषः स्याद्योगक्षेमस्य भारत। सदा प्रसादनं तेषां देवतानामिवाचरेत्
O Bharata, when there is fault among the wicked regarding security and welfare, one should always act to please them, as one would the gods.
येऽर्थाः स्त्रीषु समायुक्ताः प्रमत्तपतितेषु च। ये चानार्ये समासक्ताः सर्वे ते संशयं गताः
All those possessions bound up with women, with the reckless and the fallen, and those attached to the ignoble—all these are subject to doubt.
यत्र स्त्री यत्र कितवो बालो यत्रानुशासिता। मञ्जन्ति तेऽवशा राजन्नद्यामश्मप्लवा इव
Where there is a woman, a gambler, a child, or one who is ruled over, O King, they are helpless and sink like stones in a river.
प्रयोजनेषु ये सक्ता न विशेषेषु भारत। तानहं पण्डितान्मन्ये विशेषा हि प्रसङ्गिनः
Those who are attached to purposes, not to distinctions, O Bharata—I consider them wise, for distinctions lead to entanglement.
यं प्रशंसन्ति कितवा यं प्रशंसन्ति चारणाः । यं प्रशंसन्ति बन्धक्यो न स जीवति मानवः
He whom gamblers praise, whom minstrels praise, whom prostitutes praise—that man does not truly live.
हित्वा तान्परमेष्वासान्पाण्डवानमितौजसः। आहितं भारतैश्वर्यं त्वया दुर्योधने महत्
Abandoning those supremely powerful Pandavas, you have placed the great burden of the Bharata kingdom upon Duryodhana.
तं द्रक्ष्यसि परिभ्रष्टं तस्मात्त्वमचिरादिव। ऐश्वर्यमदसंमूढं बलिं लोकत्रयादिव
You will see him fallen from that state, bewildered by the pride of power, like Bali cast down from the three worlds.
योऽभ्यर्चितः मद्भिरसञ्जमानः करोत्यर्थं शक्तिमहापयित्वा। क्षिप्रं यशस्तं समुपैति मन्त- मलं प्रसन्ना हि सुखाय सन्तः
He who is worshipped by us, yet acts without restraint, abandoning his strength for the sake of gain—such a person quickly acquires fame, for the virtuous, being pleased, bring happiness.
महान्तमप्यर्थमधर्मयुक्तं यः मन्त्यजत्यनपाकृष्ट एव। सुखं सुदुःखान्यवमुच्य शेते जीर्णां त्वचं सर्प इवावमुच्य
He who considers even great wealth, if gained unrighteously, as unworthy and untouched, sleeps peacefully, having cast off severe sorrows as a snake sheds its worn-out skin.
अनृते च समुत्कर्पो राजगामि च पैशुनम् । गुरोश्चालीकनिर्बन्धः समानि ब्रह्महत्यया
Falsehood, excessive pride, slander directed at kings, and persistent enmity toward one's teacher—these are equal to the sin of killing a Brahmin.
असूयैकपदं मृत्युरतिवादः श्रियो वधः। अशुश्रूषा त्वरा श्लाघा विद्यायाः शत्रवस्त्रः
Envy is the very abode of death; harsh speech is the destruction of prosperity; disobedience, haste, and boasting are the enemies of knowledge.
आलस्यं मदमोहौ च चापलं गोष्ठिरेव च। स्तब्धता चाभिमानित्वं तथा त्यागित्वमेव च । एते वै सप्त दोषाः स्युः सदा विद्यार्थिनां मताः
Laziness, intoxication, delusion, restlessness in assemblies, arrogance, pride, and also fickleness—these seven are always considered faults in those who seek knowledge.
सुखार्थिनः कुतो विद्या नास्ति विद्यार्थिनः सुखं। सुखार्थी वा त्यजेद्विद्यां विद्यार्थी वा त्यजेत्सुखम्
How can one who seeks pleasure gain knowledge? There is no happiness for the seeker of knowledge. Let the pleasure-seeker abandon learning, or the knowledge-seeker abandon pleasure.
नाग्निस्तृप्यति काष्ठानां नापगानां महोदधिः। नान्तकः सर्वभूतानां न पुंसां वामलोचना
Fire is never satisfied with wood, nor the ocean with rivers; death is never satisfied with all beings, nor a woman with men.
आशा धृतिं हन्ति समृद्धिमन्तकः क्रोधः श्रियं हन्ति यशः कदर्यता । अपालनं हन्ति पशूंश्च राज- न्नेकः क्रुद्धो ब्राह्मणो हन्ति राष्ट्रम्
Desire destroys resolve, death destroys prosperity, anger destroys wealth, miserliness destroys fame; neglect destroys cattle, and a single angry Brahmin destroys a kingdom, O king.
अजाश्च कांस्यं रजतं च नित्यं मध्वाकर्षः शकुनिः श्रोत्रियश्च । वृद्धो ज्ञातिरवसन्नः कुलीन एतानि ते सन्तु गृहे सदैव
Goats, bronze, and silver always; honey, dice, and a learned Brahmin; an aged, impoverished kinsman of noble birth—may these ever be present in your house.
अजोक्षा चन्दनं वीणा आदर्शो मधुसर्पिषी । विषमौदुम्बरं शङ्खः स्वर्णनाभोऽथ रोचना
A goat, a bull, sandalwood, a lute, a mirror, honey, clarified butter, an uneven fig tree, a conch with a golden center, and yellow pigment—
गृहे स्थापयितव्यानि धन्यानि मनुरब्रवीत्। देवब्राह्मणपूजार्थमतिथीनां च भारत
These auspicious things should be kept in the house, so said Manu, for the worship of gods and Brahmins, and for the sake of guests, O descendant of Bharata.
इदं च त्वां सर्वपरं ब्रवीमि पुण्यं पदं तात महाविशिष्टम्। न जातु कामान्न भयान्न लोभा- द्धर्मं जह्याज्जीविस्यापि हेतोः
And now I tell you, my son, the highest and most virtuous path: never abandon righteousness for the sake of desire, fear, or greed, not even for the sake of life itself.
नित्यो धर्मः सुखदुःखे त्वनित्ये जीवो नित्यो धातुरस्य त्वनित्यः। त्यक्त्वाऽनित्यं प्रतितिष्ठस्व नित्ये संतुष्य सन्तोषपरा हि सन्तः
Righteousness is eternal, but pleasure and pain are not; the soul is eternal, but the body is not. Abandon the transient and stand firm in the eternal; the wise are always content with contentment.
महाबलान्पश्य महानुभावान् प्रशास्य भूमिं धनधान्यपूर्णाम्। राज्यानि हित्वा विपुलांश्च भोगान्। गतान्नरेन्द्रान्वशमन्तकस्य
See those of great strength and noble conduct, who ruled lands filled with wealth and grain; having renounced kingdoms and vast enjoyments, they have all gone under the sway of Death.
मृतं पुत्रं दुःखपुष्टं मनुष्या उत्क्षिप्य राजन्स्वगृहान्निर्हरन्ति। तं मुक्तकेशाः करुणं रुदन्ति चितामध्ये काष्ठमिव क्षिपन्ति
When a son dies, nourished by sorrow, people lift him from their house, O king, and carry him out; with hair disheveled, they weep bitterly, and place him on the funeral pyre like a log.