केनायुर् लभते दीर्घं कर्मणा पुरुषः प्रभो तपसा वापि देवेश केनायुर् लभते महत्
By what action does a person, O Lord, obtain long life? Or by what austerity, O Lord of gods, does one gain a great lifespan?
क्षीणायुः केन भवति कर्मणा भुवि मानवः विपाकं कर्मणां देव वक्तुम् अर्हस्य् अनिन्दित
By what deed does a person’s lifespan diminish upon earth, O faultless one? You ought to declare, O god, the result of actions.
अपरे च महाभाग्या मन्दभाग्यास् तथा परे अकुलीनाः कुलीनाश् च संभवन्ति तथा परे
Some are greatly fortunate, others are of little fortune; some are of noble lineage, others are not—such differences also occur.
दुर्दर्शाः केचिद् आभान्ति नराः काष्ठमया इव प्रियदर्शास् तथा चान्ये दर्शनाद् एव मानवाः
Some men appear hard to look upon, like figures made of wood; others are pleasing to the eye, and some are attractive merely by their presence.
दुष्प्रज्ञाः केचिद् आभान्ति केचिद् आभान्ति पण्डिताः महाप्रज्ञास् तथा चान्ये ज्ञानविज्ञानभाविनः
Some appear dull-witted, others learned; some possess great wisdom, and others are endowed with knowledge and discernment.
अल्पवाचास् तथा केचिन् महावाचास् तथा परे दृश्यन्ते पुरुषा देव ततो व्याख्यातुम् अर्हसि
Some are of few words, others are eloquent; such men are seen, O god, so you ought to explain the reason.
हन्त ते ऽहं प्रवक्ष्यामि देवि कर्मफलोदयम् मर्त्यलोके नरः सर्वो येन स्वं फलम् अश्नुते
Now, I shall declare to you, O goddess, the arising of the fruits of actions, by which every man in the mortal world receives his own result.
प्राणातिपाती योगीन्द्रो दण्डहस्तो नरः सदा नित्यम् उद्यतशस्त्रश् च हन्ति भूतगणान् नरः
A man who is a slayer of living beings, a master of yogis, always bearing a staff, ever ready with weapon in hand, kills groups of creatures.
निर्दयः सर्वभूतेभ्यो नित्यम् उद्वेगकारकः अपि कीटपतंगानाम् अशरण्यः सुनिर्घृणः
He is merciless toward all beings, always causing distress; even to insects and flying creatures, he is utterly pitiless and offers no refuge.
एवंभूतो नरो देवि निरयं प्रतिपद्यते विपरीतस् तु धर्मात्मा स्वरूपेणाभिजायते
Such a man, O goddess, attains hell; but the opposite, the righteous one, is born in his true form.
निरयं याति हिंसात्मा याति स्वर्गम् अहिंसकः यातनां निरये रौद्रां सकृच्छ्रां लभते नरः
The violent one goes to hell, the nonviolent attains heaven; in hell, a man receives fierce and painful torments.
यः कश्चिन् निरयात् तस्मात् समुत्तरति कर्हिचित् मानुष्यं लभते वापि हीनायुस् तत्र जायते
Whoever at some time rises from hell may obtain human birth, but is born there with a diminished lifespan.
पापेन कर्मणा देवि युक्तो हिंसादिभिर् यतः अहितः सर्वभूतानां हीनायुर् उपजायते
Through sinful action, O goddess, involving violence and the like, being harmful to all beings, one is born with a shortened life.
शुभेन कर्मणा देवि प्राणिघातविवर्जितः शुभेन कर्मणा देवि प्राणिघातविवर्जितः निक्षिप्तशस्त्रो निर्दण्डो न हिंसति कदाचन
Through virtuous action, O goddess, avoiding the killing of living beings, through virtuous action, O goddess, avoiding the killing of living beings, laying aside weapons, without a staff, he never harms anyone.
न घातयति नो हन्ति घ्नन्तं नैवानुमोदते सर्वभूतेषु सस्नेहो यथात्मनि तथा परे
He does not kill, nor strike, nor approve of killing; he is affectionate toward all beings, as toward himself and others.
ईदृशः पुरुषो नित्यं देवि देवत्वम् अश्नुते उपपन्नान् सुखान् भोगान् सदाश्नाति मुदा युतः
Such a person always attains divinity, O goddess, and enjoys appropriate pleasures and delights, ever filled with joy.
अथ चेन् मानुषे लोके कदाचिद् उपपद्यते एष दीर्घायुषां मार्गः सुवृत्तानां सुकर्मणाम् प्राणिहिंसाविमोक्षेण ब्रह्मणा समुदीरितः
If at any time he is born in the human world, this is the path of those with long life, of the well-behaved and virtuous, declared by Brahma as abstaining from violence to living beings.
किंशीलः किंसमाचारः पुरुषः कैश् च कर्मभिः स्वर्गं समभिपद्येत संप्रदानेन केन वा
What character, what conduct, and by what actions does a person attain heaven? Or by what act of giving?
दाता ब्राह्मणसत्कर्ता दीनार्तकृपणादिषु भक्षभोज्यान्नपानानां वाससां च महामतिः
He is a giver, one who honors Brahmins, and is compassionate toward the poor, the distressed, and others; he is wise regarding food, offerings, drinks, and clothing.
प्रतिश्रयान् सभाः कुर्यात् प्रपाः पुष्करिणीस् तथा नित्यकादीनि कर्माणि करोति प्रयतः शुचिः
He should make shelters and assembly halls, drinking places and ponds as well; he diligently performs daily and other prescribed acts with purity.
आसनं शयनं यानं गृहं रत्नं धनं तथा सस्यजातानि सर्वाणि सक्षेत्राण्य् अथ योषितः
He gives seats, beds, vehicles, houses, jewels, wealth, all kinds of crops, fields, and also women.
सुप्रशान्तमना नित्यं यः प्रयच्छति मानवः एवंभूतो नरो देवि देवलोके ऽभिजायते
A man who, with a mind always very peaceful, gives in this way, O goddess, such a person is born in the world of the gods.
तत्रोष्य सुचिरं कालं भुक्त्वा भोगान् अनुत्तमान् सहाप्सरोभिर् मुदितो रमित्वा नन्दनादिषु
There, after residing for a long time and enjoying unsurpassed pleasures, delighted with celestial nymphs, he sports in Nandana and other gardens.
तस्माच् च्युतो महेशानि मानुषेषूपजायते महाभागकुले देवि धनधान्यसमाचिते
Falling from there, O great goddess, he is born among humans in a highly fortunate family, O goddess, endowed with abundant wealth and grain.
तत्र कामगुणैः सर्वैः समुपेतो मुदान्वितः महाकार्यो महाभोगो धनी भवति मानवः
There, endowed with all objects of desire and filled with joy, the man becomes a doer of great deeds, greatly prosperous, and wealthy.
एते देवि महाभागाः प्राणिनो दानशालिनः ब्रह्मणा वै पुरा प्रोक्ताः सर्वस्य प्रियदर्शनाः
These, O goddess, are the highly fortunate beings devoted to giving, declared by Brahma of old, delightful to all.
अपरे मानवा देवि प्रदानकृपणा द्विजाः ये ऽन्नानि न प्रयच्छन्ति विद्यमाने ऽप्य् अबुद्धयः
Other men, O goddess, are stingy in giving, even though they have food, O twice-born, and do not give due to lack of understanding.
दीनान्धकृपणान् दृष्ट्वा भिक्षुकान् अतिथीन् अपि याच्यमाना निवर्तन्ते जिह्वालोभसमन्विताः
Seeing the poor, the blind, the distressed, beggars, and even guests, when asked they turn away, filled with greed for taste.
न धनानि न वासांसि न भोगान् न च काञ्चनम् न गाश् च नान्नविकृतिं प्रयच्छन्ति कदाचन
They never give wealth, clothing, enjoyments, gold, cows, or any kind of food preparation.
अप्रलुब्धाश् च ये लुब्धा नास्तिका दानवर्जितः एवंभूता नरा देवि निरयं यान्त्य् अबुद्धयः
Those who are not greedy, yet are greedy, who are atheists and devoid of giving—such men, O goddess, lacking understanding, go to hell.