ब्राह्मणः प्रचरेद्भैक्षं क्षत्रियः परिपालयेत्। वैश्यो धनार्जनं कुर्याच्छूद्रः परिचरेच्च तान्
A Brahmin should practice alms, a Kshatriya should protect, a Vaishya should acquire wealth, and a Shudra should serve them.
भैक्षं विप्रतिषिद्धं ते कृषिर्नैवोपपद्यते । क्षत्रियोऽसि क्षतात्राता बाहुवीर्योपजीविता
For you, alms are forbidden, and agriculture is not fitting; you are a Kshatriya, a protector from harm, living by the strength of your arms.
पित्र्यमंशं महाबाहो निमग्नं पुनरुद्धर । साम्ना भेदेन दानेन दण्डेनाथ नयेन वा
O mighty-armed one, raise up again the ancestral share that has sunk—by conciliation, division, gift, punishment, or policy.
इतो दुःखतरं किं नु यदहं दीनबान्धवा। परपिण्डमुदीक्षे वै त्वां सूत्वा मित्रनन्दन
What could be more painful than this, that I, with helpless relatives, look to another's food, having given birth to you, O joy of your friends?
युध्यस्व राजधर्मेण मा निमञ्जीः पितामहान् । मा गमः क्षीणपुण्यस्त्वं सानुजः पापिकां गतिं
Fight according to royal duty; do not let your ancestors sink; do not, with your brothers, go to an evil fate with merit exhausted.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । विदुलायाश्च संवादं पुत्रस्य च परन्तप
Here too they cite an ancient story, O scorcher of foes, the conversation of Vidula and her son.
ततः श्रेयश्च भूयश्च यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि । यशस्विनी मन्युमती कुले जाता विभावरी
Therefore, you should properly speak what is better and more beneficial; illustrious, intelligent, born in a noble family, and radiant.
क्षत्रधर्मरता दान्ता विदुला दीर्घदर्शिनी । विश्रुता राजसंसत्सु श्रुतवाक्या बहुश्रुता
Devoted to the duty of warriors, self-controlled, Vidula, far-sighted, renowned among royal assemblies, learned in many sayings.
विदुला नाम राजन्या जगर्हे पुत्रमौरसम् । निर्जितं सिन्धुराजेन शयानं दीनचेतसम्
A royal woman named Vidula rebuked her own son, who was defeated by the king of Sindhu, lying down with a dejected heart.
अनन्दन मया जात द्विषतां हर्षवर्धन । न मया त्वं न पित्रा च जातः क्वाभ्यागतोह्यसि
Unfortunate one, you were born from me, but you increase the joy of enemies; neither from me nor from your father were you born—where have you come from?
निर्मन्युश्चाप्यसङ्ख्येयः पुरुषः क्लीबसाधनः । यावज्जीवं निराशोऽसि कल्याणाय धुरं वह
A man who is free from anger, countless in number, and of impotent means, lives his whole life without hope—bear the burden for what is good.
माऽऽत्मानमवमन्यस्व मैनमल्पेन बीभरः । मनः कृत्वा सुकल्याणं मा भैस्त्वं प्रतिसंहर
Do not belittle yourself, nor bear fear for a small thing; set your mind on what is truly good—do not be afraid, withdraw yourself.
उत्तिष्ठ हे कापुरुष मा शेष्वैवं पराजितः। अमित्रान्नन्दयन्सर्वान्निर्मानो बन्धुशोकदः
Rise up, O coward, do not lie there defeated; delighting all your enemies, you bring grief to your kin, stripped of honor.
सुपूरा वै कुनदिका सुपूरो मुषिकाञ्जलिः । सुसंतोषः कापुरुषः स्वल्पकेनैव तुष्यति
A small river may be full, a handful of grain for a mouse may be plenty; a coward is easily satisfied with little.
अप्यहेरारुजन्दंष्ट्रामाश्वेव निधनं व्रज । अपि वा संशयं प्राप्य जीवितेऽपि पराक्रमेः
Even if you meet death, like a serpent baring its fangs, or like a horse rushing to its end, or if you face uncertainty, show your valor even in life.
अप्यरेः श्येनवच्छिद्रं पश्येस्त्वं विपरिक्रमन् । विवदन्वाऽथवा तूष्णीं व्योम्नीवापरिशङ्कितः
Even if you see a gap in the enemy's ranks, like a hawk swooping down, advance boldly—whether arguing or silent, like the sky, without fear.
त्वमेवं प्रेतवच्छेषे कस्माद्वज्रहतो यथा। उत्तिष्ठ हे कापुरुष मा स्वाप्सीः शत्रुनिर्जितः
Why do you lie there like one dead, as if struck by a thunderbolt? Rise up, O coward, do not sleep conquered by your enemies.
माऽस्तं गमस्त्वं कृपणो वि श्रूयस्व स्वकर्मणा । मा मध्ये मा जघन्ये त्वं माऽधो भूस्तिष्ठ गर्जितः
Do not fade away in misery, do not be known for your own deeds as wretched; do not remain in the middle or the lowest—stand tall, resounding.
अलातं तिन्दुकस्येव मुहूर्तमपि हि ज्वल । मा तुषाग्निरिवानर्चिर्धूमायस्व जिजीविषुः
Burn, even for a moment, like the firebrand of the tinduka tree; do not, wishing to live, smolder like a fire of chaff, without flame.
मुहूर्तं ज्वलितं श्रेयो न च धूमायितं चिरम् । मा ह स्म कस्यचिद्गेहे जनी राज्ञः स्वरीमृदुः
It is better to blaze for a moment than to smolder in smoke for long; let no one in a king's house be born as a woman with a soft heart.
कृत्वा मानुष्यकं कर्म सृत्वाऽऽजिं यावदुत्तमम् । धर्मस्यानृण्यमाप्नोति न चात्मानं विगर्हते
Having performed the duty of a human, having waged the best battle, one becomes free of debt to righteousness and does not reproach oneself.
अलब्ध्वा यदि वा लब्ध्वा नानुशोचति पण्डितः । आनन्तर्यं चारभते न प्राणानां धनायते
Whether he gains or fails to gain, the wise do not grieve; they undertake what is lasting, and do not value life for the sake of wealth.
उद्भावयस्वं वीर्यं वा तां वा गच्छ ध्रुवां गतिम् । धर्मं पुत्राग्रतः कृत्वा किंनिमित्तं हि जीवसि
Awaken your strength, or else go to that certain end; having placed righteousness before your sons, for what reason do you live?
इष्टापूर्तं हि ते क्लीब कीर्तिश्च सकला हता । विच्छिन्नं भोगमूलं ते किंनिमित्तं हि जीवसि
Your sacrifices and gifts, O coward, and all your fame are destroyed; the root of your enjoyment is cut off—why do you still live?
शत्रुर्निमञ्जता ग्राह्यो जङ्घायां प्रपतिष्यता। विपरिच्छिन्नमूलोऽपि न विषीदेत्कथंचन
Even when the enemy is sinking, he must be seized; even when falling, one must strive—though his roots are cut, he should never despair.
उद्यम्य धुरमुत्कर्षेदाजानेयकतं स्मरन्। कुरु सत्वं च मानं च विद्धि पौरुषमात्मनः
Take up the burden and strive, remembering the valor of the sons of Ajā; show courage and honor, and know your own manliness.
उद्भावय कुलं मग्नं त्वत्कृते स्वयमेव हि। यस्य वृत्तं न जल्पन्ति मानवा महदद्भुतम्
Raise up your family, which has sunk because of you, by your own effort; whose conduct is not spoken of by men as great and wondrous?
राशिवर्धनमात्रं स नैव स्त्री न पुनः पुमान् । दाने तपसि सत्ये च यस्य नोच्चरितं यशः
He is merely a heap of flesh, neither woman nor man, in whom no fame is spoken of in giving, in austerity, or in truth.
विद्यायामर्थलाभे वा मातुरुच्चार एव सः। श्रुतेन तपसा वाऽपि श्रिया वा विक्रमेण वा
Whether in acquiring knowledge or wealth, it is merely the utterance of the mother; through learning, austerity, prosperity, or valor.
जनान्योऽभिभवत्यन्यान्कर्मणा हि स वै पुमान् । न त्वेव जाल्मीं कापालीं वृत्तिमेषितुमर्हसि
A man surpasses others by his actions; but you should not seek a base and shameful livelihood.