यन्त्रितः कार्यकरणैः षड्भागकृतलक्षणः ग्राम्यधर्मान् न सेवेत स्वच्छन्देनार्थकोविदः
Restrained by duties and actions, marked by sharing a sixth part, he should not follow village customs, but freely pursue knowledge of wealth.
ऋतुकाले तु धर्मात्मा पत्नीम् उपाश्रयेत् सदा सदोपवासी नियतः स्वाध्यायनिरतः शुचिः
At the proper time, the righteous one always approaches his wife, ever fasting, disciplined, devoted to study, and pure.
वहिस्कान्तरिते नित्यं शयानो ऽस्ति सदा गृहे सर्वातिथ्यं त्रिवर्गस्य कुर्वाणः सुमनाः सदा
Always sleeping apart from his wife, ever dwelling at home, cheerfully performing all hospitality for the threefold aims of life.
शूद्राणां चान्नकामानां नित्यं सिद्धम् इति ब्रुवन् स्वार्थाद् वा यदि वा कामान् न किंचिद् उपलक्षयेत्
Declaring that cooked food is always ready for Shudras who desire it, whether for his own sake or theirs, he should not notice anything else.
पितृदेवातिथिकृते साधनं कुरुते च यत् स्ववेश्मनि यथान्यायम् उपास्ते भैक्ष्यम् एव च
For the sake of ancestors, gods, and guests, he prepares what is needed in his own house, and, as appropriate, subsists on alms.
द्विकालम् अग्निहोत्रं च जुह्वानो वै यथाविधि गोब्राह्मणहितार्थाय रणे चाभिमुखो हतः
Twice daily, he offers oblations to the sacred fire as prescribed, and, for the welfare of cows and Brahmins, faces death in battle.
त्रेताग्निमन्त्रपूतेन समाविश्य द्विजो भवेत् ज्ञानविज्ञानसंपन्नः संस्कृतो वेदपारगः
By entering with the mantras of the Tretā fire, purified, one becomes a twice-born; endowed with knowledge and realization, refined, and accomplished in the Vedas.
वैश्यो भवति धर्मात्मा क्षत्रियः स्वेन कर्मणा एतैः कर्मफलैर् देवि न्यूनजातिकुलोद्भवः
A Vaiśya becomes righteous in soul, a Kṣatriya by his own action; by the fruits of these actions, O Goddess, one born in a lower caste may rise.
शूद्रो ऽप्य् आगमसंपन्नो द्विजो भवति संस्कृतः ब्राह्मणो वाप्य् असद्वृत्तः सर्वसंकरभोजनः
Even a Śūdra, accomplished in the scriptures, becomes a twice-born when refined; or a Brāhmaṇa of bad conduct, eating with all, loses his status.
स ब्राह्मण्यं समुत्सृज्य शूद्रो भवति तादृशः कर्मभिः शुचिभिर् देवी शुद्धात्मा विजितेन्द्रियः
Such a one, abandoning Brāhmaṇa-hood, becomes a Śūdra by those very deeds; but, O Goddess, through pure actions, a pure-souled, self-controlled person rises.
शूद्रो ऽपि द्विजवत् सेव्य इति ब्रह्माब्रवीत् स्वयम् स्वभावकर्मणा चैव यत्र शूद्रो ऽधितिष्ठति
Even a Śūdra is to be served like a twice-born—so Brahmā himself declared; and by his own natural actions, wherever a Śūdra stands.
विशुद्धः स द्विजातिभ्यो विज्ञेय इति मे मतिः न योनिर् नापि संस्कारो न श्रुतिर् न च संततिः
He, being purified, is to be known as superior to the twice-born—this is my view; neither birth, nor refinement, nor learning, nor lineage is the cause.
कारणानि द्विजत्वस्य वृत्तम् एव तु कारणम् सर्वो ऽयं ब्राह्मणो लोके वृत्तेन तु विधीयते
The causes of being twice-born are only conduct; indeed, all are called Brāhmaṇa in this world by conduct alone.
वृत्ते स्थितश् च शूद्रो ऽपि ब्राह्मणत्वं च गच्छति ब्रह्मस्वभावः सुश्रोणि समः सर्वत्र मे मतः
Even a Śūdra, established in conduct, attains Brāhmaṇa-hood; the nature of Brahman, O lovely one, is, in my view, equal in all.
निर्गुणं निर्मलं ब्रह्म यत्र तिष्ठति स द्विजः एते ये विमला देवि स्थानभावनिदर्शकाः
Where the qualityless, pure Brahman abides, that is the twice-born; these, O Goddess, are the pure ones, showing the marks of their station.
स्वयं च वरदेनोक्ता ब्रह्मणा सृजता प्रजाः ब्रह्मणो हि महत् क्षेत्रं लोके चरति पादवत्
And this was declared by the boon-giving Brahmā himself, creator of beings; for the great field of Brahman moves in the world like a footprint.
यत् तत्र बीजं पतति सा कृषिः प्रेत्य भाविनी संतुष्टेन सदा भाव्यं सत्पथालम्बिना सदा
Whatever seed falls there, that is the crop that will come after death; one should always be content, always adhering to the good path.
ब्राह्मं हि मार्गम् आक्रम्य वर्तितव्यं बुभूषता संहिताध्यायिना भाव्यं गृहे वै गृहमेधिना
One desiring wisdom must follow the Brāhmaṇa path; a householder studying the Saṃhitā should act accordingly in his home.
नित्यं स्वाध्याययुक्तेन न चाध्ययनजीविना एवंभूतो हि यो विप्रः सततं सत्पथे स्थितः
Always engaged in self-study, not living by study alone—such a Brāhmaṇa, ever established on the good path, is as he should be.
आहिताग्निर् अधीयानो ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ब्राह्मण्यं देवि संप्राप्य रक्षितव्यं यतात्मना
One who maintains the sacred fire and studies becomes fit for Brahmanhood; having attained Brāhmaṇa-hood, O Goddess, one must protect it with self-restraint.
योनिप्रतिग्रहादानैः कर्मभिश् च शुचिस्मिते एतत् ते गुह्यम् आख्यातं यथा शूद्रो भवेद् द्विजः ब्राह्मणो वा च्युतो धर्माद् यथा शूद्रत्वम् आप्नुयात्
By birth, acceptance, and actions, O fair-smiling one, this secret has been told to you: how a Śūdra becomes a twice-born, and how a Brāhmaṇa, fallen from dharma, becomes a Śūdra.
भगवन् सर्वभूतेश सुरासुरनमस्कृत धर्माधर्मे नृणां देव ब्रूहि मे संशयं विभो
O Lord, master of all beings, honored by gods and demons, tell me, O mighty one, my doubt concerning dharma and adharma among men.
कर्मणा मनसा वाचा त्रिविधैर् देहिनः सदा बध्यन्ते बन्धनैः कैर् वा मुच्यन्ते वा कथं वद
By actions, mind, and speech—the threefold bonds—embodied beings are always bound; by which of these are they freed, and how? Tell me.
केन शीलेन वै देव कर्मणा कीदृशेन वा समाचारैर् गुणैः कैर् वा स्वर्गं यान्तीह मानवाः
By what character, O God, or by what kind of action, or by what conduct and qualities do humans attain heaven here?
देवि धर्मार्थतत्त्वज्ञे धर्मनित्ये उमे सदा सर्वप्राणिहितः प्रश्नः श्रूयतां बुद्धिवर्धनः
O goddess, knower of the essence of righteousness and purpose, ever steadfast in dharma, O Uma, always intent on the welfare of all beings—may this question, which increases wisdom, be heard.
सत्यधर्मरताः शान्ताः सर्वलिङ्गविवर्जिताः नाधर्मेण न धर्मेण बध्यन्ते छिन्नसंशयाः
Those who delight in truth and righteousness, who are peaceful, free from all marks of distinction, are not bound by unrighteousness or righteousness, their doubts having been cut away.
प्रलयोत्पत्तितत्त्वज्ञाः सर्वज्ञाः सर्वदर्शिनः वीतरागा विमुच्यन्ते पुरुषाः कर्मबन्धनैः
Those who know the truth of dissolution and creation, who are all-knowing and all-seeing, free from passion, are released from the bonds of action.
कर्मणा मनसा वाचा ये न हिंसन्ति किंचन ये न मज्जन्ति कस्मिंश्चित् ते न बध्नन्ति कर्मभिः
Those who do not harm anything by deed, mind, or speech, who do not become immersed in anything—these are not bound by actions.
प्राणातिपाताद् विरताः शीलवन्तो दयान्विताः तुल्यद्वेष्यप्रिया दान्ता मुच्यन्ते कर्मबन्धनैः
Those who refrain from taking life, who are virtuous, endowed with compassion, equal toward those they love and those they dislike, self-controlled—these are freed from the bonds of action.
सर्वभूतदयावन्तो विश्वास्याः सर्वजन्तुषु त्यक्तहिंस्रसमाचारास् ते नराः स्वर्गगामिनः
Those who are compassionate to all beings, trustworthy among all creatures, who have abandoned violent conduct—these people are destined for heaven.