विषण्णबान्धवां चैव बन्धुहीनां च कुत्रचित्
He saw some with sorrowful relatives, and some who were without relatives.
शत्रुग्रस्तां च दृष्ट्वा तामगमद्वाक्पतिं प्रति
Seeing her afflicted by enemies, he approached the lord of speech.
ध्यायमानं परं ब्रह्म गङ्गातोये स्थितं परम्
He saw the Supreme Brahman, absorbed in meditation, standing in the waters of the Gaṅgā.
साश्रुनेत्रं पुलकितं परमानन्दसंयुतम्
With tearful eyes, thrilled, filled with supreme bliss.
श्रेष्ठं च वन्धुवर्गाणामतिश्रेष्ठं च मानिनाम्
Foremost among relatives, and the most excellent among the proud.
दृष्ट्वा गुरुं जपन्तं च तत्र तस्थौ सुरेश्वरः
Seeing the guru reciting, the lord of the gods stood there.
प्रणम्य चरणाम्भोजे रुरोदोच्चैर्मुहुर्मुर्हुः 2.37.
Having bowed to the lotus feet, he wept aloud again and again.
पुनर्वरो मया लब्धो ज्ञानिनामपि दुर्लभाम्
Once more, I have obtained a boon that is difficult even for the wise to attain.
शिष्यस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा सतां बुद्धिमतां वरः
Hearing the words of the disciple, the best among the virtuous and wise,
बृहस्पतिरुवाच न कातरो हि नीतिज्ञो विपत्तौ स्यात्कदाचन
Bṛhaspati said: One who knows what is right is never fearful in adversity.
सम्पत्तिर्वा विपत्तिर्वा नश्वरा स्वप्नरूपिणी
Prosperity or adversity is perishable, like a dream.
सर्वेषां च भ्रमत्येव शश्वज्जन्मनि जन्मनि
For all beings, it constantly wanders from birth to birth.
भुङ्क्ते हि स्वकृतं कर्म सर्वत्रापि च भारते
Indeed, one enjoys the results of one's own actions everywhere, even in Bhārata.
नाभुक्तं क्षीयते कर्म कल्पकोटिशतैरपि
No action remains without being experienced, even in hundreds of millions of aeons.
इत्येवमुक्तं वेदे च कृष्णेन परमात्मना
Thus it has been declared in the Veda by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Self.
जन्म भोगावशेषे च सर्वेषां कृतकर्मणाम्
At the end of enjoyment in birth, for all who have acted,
कर्मणा ब्रह्मशापं च कर्मणा च शुभाशिषम् 2.37.
By action comes the curse of Brahmā, and by action also comes auspicious blessing.
कोटिजन्मार्जितं कर्म जीविनामनुगच्छति
The karma accumulated over millions of births follows living beings.
कालभेदे देशभेदे पात्रभेदे च कर्मणाम्
With the change of time, place, and recipient, the results of actions differ.
वस्तुदाने च वस्तूनां समं पुण्यं समे दिने
When giving objects on the same day, the merit is equal for those objects.
समदेशे च वस्तूनां दाने पुण्यं समं वृषन्
When giving objects in the same place, O bull among men, the merit is likewise equal.
समे पात्रे समं पुण्यं वस्तूनां कर्तुरेव च
When the recipient is the same, the merit for the giver is equal, whatever the object.
यथा फलन्ति सस्यानि न्यूनान्यप्यधिकानि च
Just as crops yield fruit, whether less or more,
सामान्यदिवसे विप्रे दानं समफलं भवेत् चातुर्मास्यां पौर्णमास्यामनन्तफलमेव च
On an ordinary day, a gift to a brāhmaṇa yields equal fruit, but during the cāturmāsya or on the full moon, it yields infinite fruit.
ग्रहणे शशिनः कोटिगुणं च फलमेव च
At the lunar eclipse, the fruit is multiplied a crore-fold.
अक्षयायामक्षयं चाप्यसंख्यफलमुच्यते
And at the time of the inexhaustible (period), the result is said to be countless and imperishable.
यथा दाने तथा स्नाने जपे वै पुण्यकर्मसु 2.37.
Just as in giving, so also in bathing, recitation, and acts of merit.
सामान्यदेशे दानं च विप्रे समफलं भवेत्
In an ordinary place, giving to a Brahmin yields equal fruit.
गङ्गायां वै कोटिगुणं क्षेत्रे नारायणेऽव्ययम्
But in the Ganges, the fruit is a crore-fold, and in the field of Narayana, it is inexhaustible.
यथा च वै कोटिगुणं तथा वै विष्णुमन्दिरे
And just as it is a crore-fold, so also in the temple of Vishnu.