मेनका त्रिदशेष्वेव त्रिदशाश्चानु मेनकाम्। ममैवोद्रिच्यते जन्म दुष्यन्त तव जन्मतः
Menaka is among the gods, and the gods are with Menaka; my birth is exalted, Dushyanta, compared to yours.
क्षितौ चरसि राजंस्त्वमन्तरिक्षे चराम्यहम्। आवयोरन्तरं पश्य मेरुसर्षपयोरिव
You walk upon the earth, O king, while I move in the sky; see the distance between us, like that between Mount Meru and a mustard seed.
महेन्द्रस्य कुबेरस्य यमस्य वरुणस्य च। भवनान्यनुसंयामि प्रभावं पश्य मे नृप
I have visited the palaces of Indra, Kubera, Yama, and Varuṇa; witness my power, O King.
पुरा नरवरः पुत्र उर्वश्यां जनितस्तदा। आयुर्नाम महाराज तव पूर्वपितामहः
Long ago, O best of men, a son was born to Urvaśī, named Āyus; he was your ancient forefather, O great king.
महर्षयश्च बहवः क्षत्रियाश्च परन्तपाः। अप्सरःसु ऋषीणां च मातृदोषो न विद्यते
Many great sages and mighty kṣatriyas, O subduer of foes, have been born from apsarases; among the sages, there is no fault in having such mothers.
सत्यश्चापि प्रवादोऽयं प्रवक्ष्यामि च ते नृप। निदर्शनार्थं न द्वेषाच्छ्रुत्वा तत्क्षन्तुमर्हसि
I will also tell you, O King, a saying that is true; hear it for the sake of illustration, not out of malice, and you should forgive it.
विरूपो यावदादर्शे नात्मनो वीक्षते मुखम्। मन्यते तावदात्मानमन्येभ्यो रूपवत्तरम्
As long as a deformed man does not see his own face in a mirror, he considers himself more handsome than others.
यदा तु रूपमादर्शे विरूपं सोऽभिवीक्षते। तदा ह्रीमांस्तु जानीयादन्तरं नेतरं जनम्
But when he sees his ugly form reflected in the mirror, then he feels shame within himself, not because of other people.
अतीव रूपसंपन्नो न कंचिदवमन्यते। अतीव जल्पन्दुर्वाचो भवतीह विहेतुकः
One who is exceedingly handsome does not look down on anyone; but one who is excessively talkative and harsh in speech becomes a troublemaker here.
पांसुपातेन हृष्यन्ति कुञ्जरा मदशालिनः। तथा परिवदन्नन्यान्हृष्टो भवति दुर्मतिः
Elephants in rut rejoice when dust is thrown upon them; likewise, a wicked person becomes delighted when he slanders others.
सत्यधर्मच्युतात्पुंसः क्रुद्धादाशीविषादिव। सुनास्तिकोप्युद्विजते जनः किं पुनरास्तिकः
Even a confirmed non-believer is disturbed by a man who has fallen from truth and righteousness, just as one is by an angry venomous serpent—how much more so a believer?
स्वयमुत्पाद्य पुत्रं वै सदृशं योऽवमन्यते। तस्य देवाः श्रियं घ्नन्ति तत्रैनं कलिराविशेत्
If a man, after producing a son like himself, despises him, the gods destroy his prosperity, and misfortune enters him.
अभव्येऽप्यनृतेऽशुद्धे नास्तिके पापकर्मणि। दुराचारे कलिर्ह्याशु न कलिर्धर्मचारिषु
Misfortune quickly enters one who is unworthy, untruthful, impure, atheistic, wicked in deeds, or of bad conduct; but not those who walk in righteousness.
मूर्खो हि जल्पतां पुंसां श्रुत्वा वाचः शुभाशुभाः। अशुभं वाक्यमादत्ते पुरीषमिव सूकरः
A fool, upon hearing the words of men—good or bad—takes up the bad speech, just as a pig takes up filth.
प्राज्ञस्तु जल्पतां पुंसां श्रुत्वा वाचः शुभाशुभाः। गुणवद्वाक्यमादत्ते हंसः क्षीरमिवाम्भसि
But a wise man, upon hearing the words of men—good or bad—takes up the virtuous speech, just as a swan extracts milk from water.
आत्मनो दुष्टभावत्वं जानन्नीचोऽप्रसन्नधीः। परेषामपि जानाति स्वधर्मसदृशान्गुणान्
One who knows his own wicked nature, being low and of troubled mind, also recognizes in others the qualities that accord with their own nature and duty.
दह्यमानास्तु तीव्रेण नीचाः परयशोग्निना। अशक्तास्तद्गतिं गन्तुं ततो निन्दां प्रकुर्वते
The lowly, burning with intense fire from others' fame, are unable to reach that state, and so they resort to slander.
अन्यान्परिवदन्साधुर्यथा हि परितप्यते। तथा परिवदन्नन्यान्हृष्टो भवति दुर्जनः
Just as a virtuous person is pained when slandered by others, so too does a wicked person feel joy when he slanders others.
अपवादरता मूर्खा भवन्ति हि विशेषतः। नापवादरताः सन्तो भवन्ति स्म विशेषतः
Fools are especially fond of slander; the virtuous, on the other hand, are never devoted to slander.
अभिवाद्य यथा वृद्धान्साधुर्गच्छति निर्वृतिम्। एवं सज्जनमाक्रुश्य मूर्खो भवति निर्वृतः
Just as a virtuous man, after greeting elders, attains satisfaction, so too does a fool feel content after insulting a good person.
सुखं जीवन्त्यदोषज्ञा मूर्खा दोषानुदर्शिनः। यथा वाच्याः परैः सन्तः परानाहुस्तथाविधान्
Those ignorant of faults live happily, while fools who scrutinize faults do not; as the virtuous are spoken of by others, so do others speak of such people.
अतो हास्यतरं लोके किंचिदन्यन्न विद्यते। यदि दुर्जन इत्याहुः सज्जनं दुर्जनाः स्वयम्
There is nothing more laughable in this world than if the wicked call the virtuous wicked, while they themselves are wicked.
दारुणाल्लोकसंक्लेशाद्दुःखमाप्नोत्यसंशयम्।।' कुलवंशप्रतिष्ठां हि पितरः पुत्रमब्रुवन्
Without doubt, one suffers sorrow from the harsh afflictions of the world; for the ancestors spoke to their son about the preservation of the family lineage.
उत्तमं सर्वधर्माणां तस्मात्पुत्रं तु न त्यजेत्। स्वपत्नीप्रभवाँल्लब्धान्कृतान्समयवर्धितान्
Therefore, among all duties, the son should not be abandoned; those obtained from one's own wife, raised according to proper agreements.
क्रीतान्कन्यासु चोत्पन्नान्पुत्रान्वै मनुरब्रवीत्। `ते च षड्वन्धुदायादाः षडदायादबान्धवाः
Manu declared that sons born of purchased wives and those begotten on maidens are heirs; six are heirs by kinship, six by inheritance.
धर्मकृत्यवहा नॄणां मनसः प्रीतिवर्धनाः। त्रायन्ते नरकाज्जाताः पुत्रा धर्मप्लवाः पितॄन्
Sons carry out religious duties for men, increase the joy of the mind; born as the lifeboats of righteousness, they rescue their fathers from hell.
स त्वं नृपतिशार्दूल न पुत्रं त्यक्तुमर्हसि। तस्मात्पुत्रं च सत्यं च पालयस्व महीपते
Therefore, O tiger among kings, you should not abandon your son; thus, O ruler, protect both your son and truth.
उभयं पालयस्वैतन्नानृतं वक्तुमर्हसि।' आत्मानं सत्यधर्मौ च पालयेथा महीपते। नरेन्द्रसिंह कपटं न हि वोढुं त्वमर्हसि
Protect both these—yourself and the law of truth; you should not speak falsehood, O king; preserve yourself and the law of truth, O ruler; lion among kings, you should not bear deceit.
वरं कूपशताद्वापी वरं वापीशतात्क्रतुः। वरं क्रतुशतात्पुत्रः सत्यं पुत्रशताद्वरम्
A pond is better than a hundred wells, a sacrifice is better than a hundred ponds, a son is better than a hundred sacrifices, and truth is better than a hundred sons.
अश्वमेधसहस्रं च सत्यं च तुलया धृतम्। अश्वमेधसहस्राद्धि सत्यमेव विशिष्यते
If a thousand horse sacrifices and truth are weighed together, truth surpasses a thousand horse sacrifices.