स चेन् मनुष्यतां गच्छेद् यदि कालस्य पर्ययात् बह्वाबाधापरिक्लिष्टे कुले जयति सो ऽधमे
If he attains human birth, after the passage of time, he is born in a low family, afflicted by many hardships.
लोकद्विष्टो ऽधमः पुंसां स्वयं कर्मकृतैः फलैः एष देवि मनुष्येषु बोद्धव्यो ज्ञातिबन्धुषु
Despised by people, the lowest among men, he suffers the results of his own actions; O Devi, this should be understood among relatives and kin.
अपरः सर्वभूतानि दयावान् अनुपश्यति मैत्री दृष्टिः पितृसमो निर्वैरो नियतेन्द्रियः
Another, compassionate, regards all beings with kindness, looks with friendship, like a father, free from enmity, and with controlled senses.
नोद्वेजयति भूतानि न च हन्ति दयापरः हस्तपादैश् च नियतैर् विश्वास्यः सर्वजन्तुषु
He does not disturb beings, nor harm them, devoted to compassion, with restrained hands and feet, trustworthy among all creatures.
न रज्ज्वा न च दण्डेन न लोष्टैर् नायुधेन च उद्वेजयति भूतानि शुभकर्मा दयापरः
One who is devoted to compassion and virtuous deeds does not disturb living beings, neither with rope, nor staff, nor clods, nor weapons.
एवं शीलसमाचारः स्वर्गे समुपजायते तत्रासौ भवने दिव्ये मुदा वसति देववत्
A person of such character and conduct is born in heaven, and there, in a divine abode, he dwells joyfully like a god.
स चेत् स्वर्गक्षयान् मर्त्यो मनुष्येषूपजायते अल्पायासो निरातङ्कः स जातः सुखम् एधते
If, after the exhaustion of his heavenly merit, he is born among humans, he is born with little effort and free from trouble, and prospers happily.
सुखभागी निरायासो निरुद्वेगः सदा नरः एष देवि सतां मार्गो बाधा यत्र न विद्यते
Such a man partakes of happiness, is free from toil and anxiety at all times; O goddess, this is the path of the virtuous, where no affliction is found.
इमे मनुष्या दृश्यन्ते ऊहापोहविशारदाः ज्ञानविज्ञानसंपन्नाः प्रज्ञावन्तो ऽर्थकोविदाः
These men are seen to be skilled in reasoning and inference, endowed with knowledge and wisdom, intelligent and adept in practical matters.
दुष्प्रज्ञाश् चापरे देव ज्ञानविज्ञानवर्जिताः केन कर्मविपाकेन प्रज्ञावान् पुरुषो भवेत्
But others, O god, are of poor understanding, lacking knowledge and wisdom; by what result of actions does a man become wise?
अल्पप्रज्ञो विरूपाक्ष कथं भवति मानवः एवं त्वं संशयं छिन्धि सर्वधर्मभृतां वर
How does a man become of little understanding or with deformed eyes? Thus, dispel this doubt, O best of upholders of all dharmas.
जात्यन्धाश् चापरे देव रोगार्ताश् चापरे तथा नराः क्लीबाश् च दृश्यन्ते कारणं ब्रूहि तत्र वै
Some are seen to be congenitally blind, others afflicted by disease, and some are impotent; tell me the cause of this, indeed.
ब्राह्मणान् वेदविदुषः सिद्धान् धर्मविदस् तथा परिपृच्छन्त्य् अहरहः कुशलाकुशलं सदा
Day after day, people question learned Brahmins, those accomplished in the Vedas and knowers of dharma, always about what is auspicious and inauspicious.
वर्जयन्तो ऽशुभं कर्म सेवमानाः शुभं तथा लभन्ते स्वर्गतिं नित्यम् इह लोके यथासुखम्
Avoiding unwholesome actions and engaging in virtuous ones, they attain the path to heaven and happiness in this world as well.
स चेन् मनुष्यतां याति मेधावी तत्र जायते श्रुतं यज्ञानुगं यस्य कल्याणम् उपजायते
If such a person attains human birth, he is born intelligent; for him, learning, sacrifice, and good fortune arise.
परदारेषु ये चापि चक्षुर् दुष्टं प्रयुञ्जते तेन दुष्टस्वभावेन जात्यन्धास् ते भवन्ति हि
Those who direct a wicked gaze toward the wives of others, by that evil nature, are born blind from birth.
मनसापि प्रदुष्टेन नग्नां पश्यन्ति ये स्त्रियम् रोगार्तास् ते भवन्तीह नरा दुष्कृतकारिणः
Those men who, even in mind, look upon a naked woman with wicked intent, become afflicted by disease as a result of their evil deeds.
ये तु मूढा दुराचारा वियोनौ मैथुने रताः पुरुषेषु सुदुष्प्रज्ञाः क्लीबत्वम् उपयान्ति ते
But those who are deluded, of bad conduct, and indulge in unnatural intercourse, being of very poor understanding among men, become impotent.
पशूंश् च ये वै बध्नन्ति ये चैव गुरुतल्पगाः प्रकीर्णमैथुना ये च क्लीबा जायन्ति वै नराः
Those who bind animals, those who violate the teacher's bed, those who engage in indiscriminate intercourse—all these are born as impotent men.
अवद्यं किं तु वै कर्म निरवद्यं तथैव च श्रेयः कुर्वन्न् अवाप्नोति मानवो देवसत्तम
But, O best of the gods, by performing blameless deeds and avoiding blameworthy ones, a man attains the highest good.
श्रेयांसं मार्गम् अन्विच्छन् सदा यः पृच्छति द्विजान् धर्मान्वेषी गुणाकाङ्क्षी स स्वर्गं समुपाश्नुते
He who, always seeking the better path, questions the twice-born about dharma, desiring virtue, attains heaven.
यदि मानुष्यतां देवि कदाचित् संनियच्छति मेधावी धारणायुक्तः प्राज्ञस् तत्रापि जायते
If ever such a wise and attentive person is born as a human, he is born endowed with intelligence.
एष देवि सतां धर्मो गन्तव्यो भूतिकारकः नृणां हितार्थाय सदा मया चैवम् उदाहृतः
O Goddess, this is the righteous path of the virtuous, which brings prosperity; I have always declared it for the welfare of people.
अपरे स्वल्पविज्ञाना धर्मविद्वेषिणो नराः ब्राह्मणान् वेदविदुषो नेच्छन्ति परिसर्पितुम्
Other men, of little understanding and hostile to righteousness, do not wish to associate with Brahmins who are learned in the Vedas.
व्रतवन्तो नराः केचिच् छ्रद्धादमपरायणाः अव्रता भ्रष्टनियमास् तथान्ये राक्षसोपमाः
Some men observe vows but are devoted to false faith; others are without vows, fallen from discipline, and are like demons.
यज्वानश् च तथैवान्ये निर्मोहाश् च तथा परे केन कर्मविपाकेन भवन्तीह वदस्व मे
There are also others who perform sacrifices, and some who are free from delusion; by what result of actions do they become so—tell me this.
आगमालोकधर्माणां मर्यादाः पूर्वनिर्मिताः प्रमाणेनानुवर्तन्ते दृश्यन्ते ह दृढव्रताः
The boundaries of the righteous ways, as seen in the scriptures, were established in ancient times; those firm in vows are seen to follow them as authority.
अधर्मं धर्मम् इत्य् आहुर् ये च मोहवशं गताः अव्रता नष्टमर्यादास् ते नरा ब्रह्मराक्षसाः
Those who, out of delusion, call unrighteousness righteousness, who are without vows and have lost all boundaries—such men are Brahma-rakshasas.
ये वै कालकृतोद्योगात् संभवन्तीह मानवाः निर्होमा निर्वषट्कारास् ते भवन्ति नराधमाः
Those men who, due to the influence of time, are born here without offering oblations or uttering the sacred 'vaṣaṭ'—they become the lowest of men.
एष देवि मया सर्वसंशयच्छेदनाय ते कुशलाकुशलो नॄणां व्याख्यातो धर्मसागरः
O Goddess, for the removal of all your doubts, I have explained to you this ocean of righteousness, both good and bad, as it pertains to men.