ळशक्तस्तु क्षमते नित्यमशक्तः क्रुध्यते नरः। दुर्जनः सुजनं द्वेष्टि दुर्बलो बलवत्तरम्
He who is strong always forgives; the weak man becomes angry. The wicked hate the good, and the powerless hate the powerful.
रूपवन्तमरूपी च धनवन्तं च निर्धनः। अकर्मी कर्मिणं द्वेष्टि धार्मिकं च नधार्मिकः
The ugly hate the beautiful, the poor hate the wealthy; the idle hate the active, and the unrighteous hate the righteous.
निर्गुणो गुणवन्तं च पुत्रैतत्कलिलक्षणम्। विपरीतं च राजेन्द्र एतेषु कृतलक्षणम्
The unvirtuous hate the virtuous—this, my son, is the mark of the wicked; the opposite is the mark of the good, O king.
ब्राह्मणो वाथ वा राजा वैश्यो वा शूद्र एव वा। प्रशस्तेषु प्रसक्ताश्चेत्प्रशस्यन्ते यशस्विनः
Whether a Brahmin, king, merchant, or even a servant—if they are devoted to the noble, they are praised as illustrious.
तस्मात्प्रशस्ते राजेन्द्र नरः सक्तमना भवेत्। अलोकज्ञा ह्यप्रशस्ता भ्रातरस्ते ह्यबुद्धयः
Therefore, O king, a man should set his mind on the noble; those not devoted to the noble are ignorant, as are your brothers.
त्वं हि धर्मविदो राजन्कत्थसे धर्मसुत्तमम्। कथयस्व पुनर्मेऽद्य लोकवृत्तान्तमुत्तमम्
You, O king, know the law and boast of supreme righteousness; tell me again today the highest tale of worldly conduct.
अक्रोधनः क्रोधनेभ्यो विशिष्ट- स्तथा तितिक्षुरतितिक्षोर्विशिष्टः। अमानुषेभ्यो मानुषाश्च प्रधाना विद्वांस्तथैवाविदुषः प्रधानः
He who does not get angry is superior to the angry; likewise, the patient is superior to the impatient. Among non-humans, humans are foremost; the learned are foremost among the unlearned.
आक्रुश्यमानो नाकोशेन्मन्युरेव तितिक्षतः। आक्रोष्टारं निर्दहति सुकृतं चास्य विन्दति
When insulted, the patient man does not respond with harsh words; he burns the abuser and attains merit.
नारुन्तुदः स्यान्न नृशंसवादी न हीनतः परमभ्याददीत। ययाऽस्य वाचा पर उद्विजेत न तां वदेद्रुशतीं पापलोक्याम्
One should not be a reviler nor speak cruel words; nor should one take from those who are inferior. If one's speech causes another to be disturbed, one should not utter such harsh, blameworthy words.
अरुन्तुदं पुरुषं तीक्ष्णवाचं वाक्कण्टकैर्वितुदन्तं मनुष्यन्। विद्यादलक्ष्मीकतमं जनानां मुखे निबद्धां निर्ऋतिं वहन्तम्
A person who is a reviler, whose words are sharp, who wounds others with verbal thorns, who is the most devoid of fortune among people, bears ruin bound upon his mouth.
सद्भिः पुरस्तादभिपूजितः स्या- त्सद्भिस्तथा पृष्ठतो रक्षितः स्यात्। सदाऽसतामतिवादांस्तितिक्षे- त्सतां वृत्तं चाददीतार्यवृत्तः
He should be honored by the virtuous from the front, and protected by the virtuous from behind. He should always endure the excessive words of the wicked, and adopt the conduct of the virtuous, following the noble path.
वाक्सायका वदनान्निष्पतन्ति यैराहतः शोचति रात्र्यहानि। परस्य ये मर्मसु संपतन्ति तान्पण्डितो नावसृजेत्परेषु
Words like arrows emerge from mouths; those struck by them grieve day and night. Those that strike another's vital points, a wise person should not release upon others.
नहीदृशं संवननं त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते। दया मैत्री च भूतेषु दानं च मधुरा च वाक्
Nowhere in the three worlds is there such harmony as this: compassion, friendship toward beings, generosity, and sweet speech.
तस्मात्सान्त्वं सदा वाच्यं न वाच्यं परुषं क्वचित्। पूज्यान्संपूजयेद्दद्यान्न च याचेत्कदाचन
Therefore, one should always speak soothing words, never harsh words anywhere. One should honor those worthy of honor, give to others, and never beg from anyone.
सर्वाणि कर्माणि समाप्य राजन् गृहं परित्यज्य वनं गतोऽसि। तत्त्वां पृच्छामि नहुषस्य पुत्र केनासि तुल्यस्तपसा ययाते
Having completed all duties, O King, you have left your home and gone to the forest. I ask you, son of Nahusha, by what austerity are you equal to Yayati?
नाहं देवमनुष्येषु गन्धर्वेषु महर्षिषु। आत्मनस्तपसा तुल्यं कंचित्पश्यामि वासव
Among gods, humans, gandharvas, and great sages, I do not see anyone equal to myself in austerity, O Vasava.
यदाऽवमंस्थाः सदृशः श्रेयसश्च अल्पीयसश्चाविदितप्रभावः। तस्माल्लोकास्त्वन्तवन्तस्तवे मे क्षीणे पुण्ये पतिताऽस्यद्य राजन्
When you disregarded those who were your equals, superior, or inferior, whose power was unknown, therefore your worlds have come to an end; with your merit exhausted, you have fallen today, O King.
सुरर्षिगन्धर्वनरावमाना- त्क्षयं गता मे यदि शक्रलोकाः। इच्छाम्यहं सुरलोकाद्विहीनः सतां मध्ये पतितुं देवराज
Because my heavenly realms have perished due to disrespecting gods, sages, gandharvas, and men, I wish, deprived of the world of the gods, to fall among the virtuous, O king of the gods.
सतां सकाशे पतिताऽसि राजं- श्च्युतः प्रतिष्ठां यत्र लब्धासि भूयः। एतद्विदित्वा च पुनर्ययाते त्वं माऽवमंस्थाः सदृशः श्रेयसश्च
You have fallen among the virtuous, O King, where you have regained your standing. Knowing this, O Yayati, do not again disregard those who are your equals or superiors.
ततः प्रहायामरराजजुष्टा- न्पुण्याँल्लोकान्पतमानं ययातिम्। संप्रेक्ष्य राजर्षिवरोऽष्टकस्त- मुवाच सद्धर्मविधानगोप्ता
Then, seeing Yayati falling from the blessed worlds enjoyed by the king of the immortals, the foremost royal sage Ashtaka, protector of righteous conduct, spoke to him.
कस्त्वं युवा वासवतुल्यरूपः स्वतेजसा दीप्यमानो यथाऽग्निः। पतस्युदीर्णाम्बुधरान्धकारा- त्खात्खेचराणां प्रवरो यथाऽर्कः
Who are you, young man, equal in form to Vasava, shining with your own brilliance like fire? You fall from the darkness of the storm clouds, the foremost among sky-dwellers, like the sun.
दृष्ट्वा च त्वां सूर्यपथात्पतन्तं वैश्वानरार्कद्युतिमप्रमेयम्। किं नु स्विदेतत्पततीति सर्वे वितर्कयन्तः परिमोहिताः स्मः
Seeing you falling from the path of the sun, with immeasurable radiance like fire and the sun, all of us are bewildered, wondering what it is that is falling.
दृष्ट्वा च त्वां धिष्ठितं देवमार्गे शक्रार्कविष्णुप्रतिमप्रभावम्। अभ्युद्गतास्त्वां वयमद्य सर्वे तत्त्वं प्रपाते तव जिज्ञासमानाः
Seeing you standing on the path of the gods, with a splendor equal to Indra, the sun, and Vishnu, we have all approached you today, eager to know the truth of your descent.
न चापि त्वां धृष्णुमः प्रष्टुमग्रे न च त्वमस्मान्पृच्छसि ये वयं स्मः। तत्त्वां पृच्छामि स्पृहणीयरूप कस्य त्वं वा किंनिमित्तं त्वमागाः
Nor do we dare to ask you first, nor do you ask us who we are. Therefore, I ask you, O one of desirable form, whose are you, or for what reason have you come?
भयं तु ते व्येतु विषादमोहौ त्यजाशु चैवेन्द्रसमप्रभाव। त्वां वर्तमानं हि सतां सकाशे नालं प्रसोढुं बलहाऽपि शक्रः
Let your fear depart, abandon sorrow and confusion at once, O one of Indra-like splendor. Even Indra, though powerful, could not endure you dwelling among the virtuous.
सन्तः प्रतिष्ठा हि सुखच्युतानां सतां सदैवामरराजकल्प। ते सङ्गताः स्थावरजङ्गमेशाः प्रतिष्ठितस्त्वं सदृशेषु सत्सु
The virtuous are the refuge for those deprived of happiness, always like the king of the immortals among the good. Gathered together, whether stationary or moving, you are established among those who are your equals, among the virtuous.
प्रभुरग्निः प्रतपने भूमिरावपने प्रभुः। प्रभुः सूर्यः प्रकाशित्वे सतां चाभ्यागतः प्रभुः
Agni is sovereign in burning, the earth is sovereign in sustaining, the sun is sovereign in shining, and among the virtuous, the guest is sovereign.
अहं ययातिर्नहुषस्य पुत्रः पूरोः पिता सर्वभूतावमानात्। प्रभ्रंशितः सुरसिद्धर्षिलोका- त्परिच्युतः प्रपताम्यल्पपुण्यः
I am Yayati, son of Nahusha, father of Puru, cast down from the world of gods, siddhas, and sages, fallen because I disrespected all beings, now descending, my merit exhausted.
अहं हि पूर्वो वयसा भवद्भ्य- स्तेनाभिवादं भवतां न प्रयुञ्जे। यो विद्यया तपसा जन्मना वा वृद्धः स पूज्यो भवति द्विजानाम्
Indeed, I am older than you in age, and so I do not offer you my salutation; among twice-born, one is honored who is elder by knowledge, austerity, or birth.
अवादीस्त्वं वयसा यः प्रवृद्धः स वै राजन्नाभ्यधिकः कथ्यते च। यो विद्यया तपसा संप्रवृद्धः स एव पूज्यो भवति द्विजानाम्
You have spoken, and he who is advanced in age is called superior, O King; but among twice-born, only he who is advanced in knowledge and austerity is truly worthy of honor.