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.
अन्यो धनं प्रेतगतस्य भुङ्क्ते वयांसि चाग्निश्च शरीरधातून्। द्वाभ्यामयं सह गच्छत्यमुत्र पुण्येन पापेन च वेष्ट्यमानः
Another enjoys the wealth of the departed; birds and fire consume the body's elements; only merit and sin accompany a person to the next world, enveloping him.
उसृज्य विनिवर्तन्ते ज्ञातयः सुहृदः सुताः। अपुष्पानफलान्वृक्षान्यथा तात पतत्रिणः
Relatives, friends, and sons turn away and depart, just as birds leave trees that bear neither flowers nor fruit, O dear one.
अग्नौ प्रास्तं तु पुरुषं कर्मान्वेति स्वयं कृतम्। तस्मात्तु पुरुषो यत्नाद्धर्मं सञ्चिनुयाच्छनैः
The actions performed by a person, when offered into fire, follow him; therefore, a person should diligently accumulate righteousness, little by little.
अस्माल्लोकादूर्ध्वममुष्य चाधो महत्तमस्तिष्ठति ह्यन्धकारम्। तद्वै महामोहनमिन्द्रियाणां बुद्ध्यस्व मा त्वां प्रलभेत राजन्
Above this world and below it lies a vast darkness; it is the great delusion of the senses—be wise, O King, let it not ensnare you.
इदं वचः शक्ष्यसि चेद्यथाव- न्निशम्य सर्वं प्रतिपत्तुमेव। यशः परं प्राप्स्यसि जीवलोके भयं नचामुत्र नचेह तेऽस्ति
If you are able to fully understand and act upon these words as spoken, you will attain supreme fame among the living, and neither here nor hereafter will you have fear.
आत्मा नदी भारत पुण्यतीर्था सत्योदया धृतिकूला दयोर्मिः। तस्यां स्नातः पूयते पुण्यकर्मा पुण्यो ह्यात्मा नित्यमलोभ एव
The self is a river, O Bharata, with holy fords, truth as its sunrise, firmness as its banks, and compassion as its waves; one who bathes in it, performing virtuous deeds, is purified, for the self is ever pure and free from greed.
कामक्रोधग्राहवतीं पञ्चेन्द्रियजलां नदीम्। नावं धृतिमयीं कृत्वा जन्मदुर्गाणि संतर
Make a boat of firmness and cross the river whose waters are the five senses, and whose crocodiles are desire and anger, thereby overcoming the dangers of birth.
प्रज्ञावृद्धं धर्मवृद्धं स्वबन्धुं विद्यावृद्धं वयसा चापि वृद्धम् । कार्याकार्ये पूजयित्वा प्रसाद्य यः संपृच्छेन्न स मुह्येत्कदाचित्
One who, after honoring and pleasing a relative advanced in wisdom, righteousness, learning, or age, asks about what should or should not be done, will never be confused.
धृत्या शिश्रोदरं रक्षेत्पाणिपादं च चक्षुषा । चक्षुःश्रोत्रे च मनसा मनो वाचं च कर्मणा
With firmness, protect the mouth of a child, the hands and feet with the eyes, the eyes and ears with the mind, and the mind and speech with actions.
नित्योदकी नित्ययज्ञोपवीती नित्यस्वाध्यायी पतितान्नवर्जी । सत्यं ब्रुवन्गुरवे कर्म कुर्व- न्न ब्राह्मणश्र्यवते ब्रह्मलोकात्
Always pure, always wearing the sacred thread, always studying, avoiding fallen food, speaking truth to the teacher, and performing duties—such a Brahmin attains the world of Brahma.
अधीत्य वेदान्परिसंस्तीर्य चाग्नी- निष्ट्वा यज्ञैः पालयित्वा प्रजाश्च। गोब्रह्मणार्थं शस्त्रपूतान्तरात्मा हतः सङ्ग्रामे क्षत्रियः स्वर्गमेति
A Kshatriya, after studying the Vedas, establishing fires, performing sacrifices, protecting the people, and, with a mind purified by weapons for the sake of cows and Brahmins, dying in battle, attains heaven.
वैश्योऽधीत्य ब्राह्मणान्क्षत्रियांश्च धनैः काले संविभज्याश्रितांश्च। त्रेतापूतं धूममाघ्राय पुण्यं प्रेत्य स्वर्गे दिव्यसुखानि भुङ्क्ते
A Vaishya, after studying Brahmins and Kshatriyas, distributing wealth to dependents at the proper time, and inhaling smoke purified by the Treta fire, enjoys heavenly, divine pleasures after death.
ब्रह्म क्षत्रं वैश्यवर्णं च शूद्रः क्रमेणैतान्न्यायतः पूजयानः। तुष्टेष्वेतेष्वव्यथो दग्धपाप- स्त्यक्त्वा देहं स्वर्गसुखानि भुङ्क्ते
A Shudra, honoring the Brahmin, Kshatriya, and Vaishya castes in order and according to propriety, when they are pleased, is free from distress and sin, and after leaving the body, enjoys heavenly happiness.
चातुर्वर्ण्यस्यैष धर्मस्तवोक्तो हेतुं चानुब्रुवतो मे निबोध। क्षात्राद्धर्माद्धीयते पाण्डुपुत्र- स्तं त्वं राजन्राजधर्मे नियुङ्क्ष
This is the duty of the four castes as told to you; listen also to the reason as I explain it. The son of Pandu is led by the duty of Kshatriyas; therefore, O King, appoint him to the royal duty.
एवमेतद्यथा त्वं मामनुशासनि नित्यदा। ममापि च मतिः सौम्य भवत्येवं यथात्थ माम्
Thus it is, as you always instruct me; gentle one, my mind too becomes as you wish when you speak to me.
सा तु बुद्धिः कृताप्येवं पाण्डवान्प्रति मे सदा। दुर्योधनं समासाद्य पुनर्विपरिवर्तते
Even when my mind is thus resolved regarding the Pandavas, upon encountering Duryodhana, it turns again.
न दिष्टमभ्यतिक्रान्तुं शक्यं भूतेन केनचित्। दिष्टमेव ध्रुवं मन्ये पौरुषं तु निरर्थकम्
No being can transgress what is destined; destiny alone is certain, I consider effort to be fruitless.
अनुक्तं यदि ते किञ्चिद्वाचा विदुर विद्यते। तन्मे शुश्रूषतो ब्रूहि विचित्राणि हि भाषसे
If there is anything you have not yet spoken, O Vidura, tell it to me as I am eager to listen; for you speak in many ways.
धृतराष्ट्र कुमारो वै यः पुराणः सनातनः। तनत्सुजातः प्रोवाच मृत्युर्नास्तीति भारत
Dhritarashtra's son, who is ancient and eternal, that is Sujata, spoke, saying, 'There is no death,' O Bharata.
स ते गुह्यान्प्रकाशांश्च सर्वान्हृदयसंश्रयान्। प्रवक्ष्यति महाराज सर्वबुद्धिमतां वरः
He will tell you all the secret and open matters that dwell in the heart, O great king, for he is foremost among the wise.