आश्रमाश्चतुरो ह्येतान्पूर्ववत्स्थापयन्प्रभुः
The Lord established these four ashramas as before.
कृतकर्म्म कृतावासा आश्रमादुपभुञ्जते
Those who have performed their duties and reside in the ashramas enjoy the fruits thereof.
निर्द्दिदेश ततस्तेषां ब्रह्मा धर्मान्प्रभा षते
Brahma distinctly prescribed the dharmas for them.
चतुर्वर्णात्मकः पूर्वं गृहस्थस्याश्रमः स्थितः
Previously, the householder's ashrama was established as consisting of the four castes.
यथाक्रमं च वक्ष्यामि व्रतैश्च नियमैस्तथा
I shall now explain in due order, along with the vows and disciplines.
इत्येष वै गृहस्थस्य समासाद्धर्मसंग्रहः
Thus, this is the concise collection of duties for a householder.
गुरुशुश्रूषणं भैक्ष्यंविद्यार्थी ब्रह्मचारिणः
Service to the teacher and alms-seeking are the duties of a student seeking knowledge.
उभे संध्ये वगाहश्च होमश्चारण्यवासिनाम्
For forest-dwellers, both twilights, bathing, and the fire ritual are prescribed.
अप्रमादो ऽव्यवायश्च दया भूतेषु च क्षमा
Vigilance, abstention from sensuality, compassion for beings, and forgiveness.
दशलक्षणको ह्येष धर्मः प्रोक्तः स्वयंभूवा
This tenfold Dharma has been declared by the Self-born.
तेषां स्थानान्यशुष्मिं च संस्थिताना मचष्ट सः
He described the places of those established in each of these.
स्मृतं तेषां तु यत् स्थानं तदेव गुरुवासिनाम्
The place remembered for them is indeed that of those dwelling with the teacher.
प्राजापत्यं गृहस्थानां न्यासिनां ब्रह्मणःक्षयम्
For householders, it is called prājāpatya; for renunciants, the dissolution into Brahman.
स्थानान्याश्रमिणस्तानि ब्रह्मस्थानस्थितानि तु
The stations of the other āśramas are indeed established in the station of Brahman.
पंथानः पितृयानास्तु समृताश्चत्वार एव ते
The paths of the ancestors are said to be four in number.
तथैव पितृयानानां चन्द्रमा द्वारमुच्यते
Likewise, for those on the ancestral path, the moon is said to be the gateway.
यदा प्रजा ना वर्द्धंत वर्णधर्मसमासिकाः
When beings who uphold the duties of their classes do not increase,
आत्मनस्तु शरीरेभ्यस्तुल्याश्चैवात्मना तु ताः
From his own self, from his own body, they were equal to himself.
ततो ऽन्यां मानसीं सो ऽथ प्रजाः स्रष्टुं प्रचक्रमे
Then he began to create other mental offspring.
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां वार्त्तानां साधकाश्च याः
Those who are the accomplishers of Dharma, Artha, Kāma, Mokṣa, and the means of livelihood.
युगानुरूपा धर्मेण यैरिमा वर्द्धिताः प्रजाः
By whom, in accordance with the age and with righteousness, these beings were increased.
अभिध्याय प्रजा ब्रह्मा नानावीर्याः स्वमानसीः
Brahmā, meditating, created various mental offspring from his own mind.
कल्पे ऽतीते पुराण्यासीद्देवाद्यास्तु प्रजा इह
In a previous kalpa, the first beings here were the progeny beginning with the gods.
मन्वंतरक्रमेणेह कनिष्ठाः प्रथमेन ताः
In the succession of Manvantaras, those beings were at first the youngest.
कुशलाकुशलैः कंदैरक्षीणैस्तैस्तदा युताः
At that time, they were joined by actions, both virtuous and unvirtuous, which did not diminish.
देवासुरपितॄंश्चैव यक्षैर्गन्धर्वमानुषैः
Gods, asuras, ancestors, as well as yakshas, gandharvas, and humans—
आहारार्थं प्रजानां वै विदात्मानो विनिर्ममे
For the sake of the nourishment of beings, the knower of the self created them.
तच्छरीरसमुत्पन्नैः कार्यैस्तैः कारणैः सह
With those effects arising from that body, along with those causes—
ततो देवासुरपितॄन्मनुष्यांश्च चतुषृयम्
Then, from that, the fourfold groups of gods, asuras, ancestors, and humans—
युक्तात्मनस्ततस्तस्य तमोमात्रासमुद्भवः
Then, from him, whose self was united, arose a portion consisting of darkness.