प्रायश्चित्तोपभोगाभ्यां विना नाशो न जायते
Without expiation or enjoyment of the results, destruction does not occur.
तत्सर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तन्मे विस्तरतो वद
'I wish to hear all of that; please tell me in detail.'
कर्म पञ्चविधं प्राहुर्दुष्कृतं धरणीपतेः
They say that the king's misdeeds are of five kinds.
चतुष्पदो ऽण्डजाब्जाश्च तिर्यचो ऽनस्थिकास्तथा
Quadrupeds, those born from eggs, those born from moisture, and boneless creatures as well.
दशपञ्चत्रिरेकार्धमानुपूर्व्यादिदं भवेत्
This should be according to the sequence: ten, five, three, one and a half.
पितृमातृगुरुस्वामि पुत्राणां चैव निष्कृतिः
The expiation for father, mother, teacher, master, and sons as well.
दशब्राह्मणभृत्यर्थमेकं हन्याद्द्विजं नृपः
For the sake of ten Brahmins or servants, a king may kill one twice-born.
पञ्चब्रह्मविदामर्थे त्रैश्यमेकं तु दण्डयेत्
For the sake of five Brahmin scholars, he should punish one of the Vaiśya class.
तथा शतविशामर्थे द्विजमेकं तु दण्डयेत्
In matters valued at a hundred, a single Brahmin should be punished.
तच्छतार्थं तु वा वैश्यं तद्दशार्द्धं तु शूद्रकम्
For that same hundred, a Vaiśya; for half of ten, a Śūdra.
अर्थं कलत्रपुत्रार्थे स्वात्मार्थे न तु किञ्चन
For the sake of wife, children, or oneself, nothing is to be taken.
गां वा तुरगमन्यं वा हत्वा दोषैर्न लिप्यते
One who kills a cow, horse, or another animal is not tainted by fault.
क्रमाद्दशगुणो दोषो रक्षणे च तथा फलम्
The fault increases tenfold in order, and likewise the reward for protection.
एकद्विपञ्चाशदथायुतं च स्यान्निष्कृतिश्चेति वदन्ति संतः
They say that atonement may be one, two, fifty, or ten thousand, as appropriate.
तेषां च दर्शनविधौ नमने चकार्ये शूश्रूषणे ऽपि चरतां सदृशांश्च तेषाम्
In the prescribed manner of seeing, bowing, serving, and acting, their equals should do likewise.
नृपो हन्याच्च सततं देवार्थे ब्राह्मणार्थके
The king should always kill for the sake of the gods or for the sake of Brahmins.
आपत्स्वात्मार्थके चापि हत्वा मेध्यानि भक्षयेत्
In times of distress, for one's own sake, having killed pure animals, one may eat them.
देवार्थे ब्राह्मणार्थे वा पचमानो न लिप्यते
Cooking for the sake of the gods or Brahmins does not bring fault.
ससर्ज सर्वदेवांश्च तथैवासुरमानुषान्
He created all the gods, as well as the demons and humans.
यज्ञाश्च तद्विधानानि कृत्वा चैनानुवाच ह
Having established sacrifices of that kind, he instructed them accordingly.
इष्टानि ये प्रदास्यन्ति पुष्टास्ते यज्ञभाविताः
Those who offer the prescribed gifts, nourished by sacrifice, will be fulfilled.
दरिद्रो नारकश्चैव भवेज्जन्मनि जन्मनि
The poor and the hell-bound are born so, birth after birth.
महदागमने चैव हन्यान्मेध्यान्पशून्द्विजः
At the coming of a great offering, a Brahmin may kill pure animals.
विहितानि तु कार्याणि प्रतिषिद्धानि वर्जयेत्
Prescribed actions should be performed; forbidden ones should be avoided.
ममायमिति देवानां कलहः समजायत
‘This is mine,’ thus arose quarrel among the gods.
विभज्यैकैकशः प्रदाद्ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः
Brahma, the grandfather of the worlds, divided and gave to each separately.
कुपिताभूत्ततो ब्रह्मा तामुवाच नयान्वितः
Then Brahma, angered, spoke to her with measured words.
प्राञ्जलिः प्रणतस्तुत्वा प्रसीदेति पुनः पुनः
With joined palms, bowing repeatedly, he praised her and begged for her favor.
त्वयैतदखिलं कर्म निर्मितं सुशुभाशुभम्
All these actions, auspicious and inauspicious, have been created by you.
त्वयैव कल्पिता यागा मन्मुखात्तु महाक्रतौ
The sacrifices themselves were devised by you, though performed by me in the great ritual.