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.
पुष्करे भास्करक्षेत्रे दशलक्षगुणं फलम्
At Pushkara and in the field of the Sun, the fruit is a hundred thousand times ten.
सामान्यब्राह्मणे दानं सममेव फलं लभेत्
Giving to an ordinary Brahmin yields the same fruit.
विष्णुमन्त्रोपासके च बुधे कोटिगुणं फलम्
But to a wise devotee engaged in Vishnu-mantra worship, the fruit is a crore-fold.
यथा दण्डेन सूत्रेण शरावेण जलेन च
Just as with a stick, a thread, a vessel, or with water—
तथैव कर्मसूत्रेण फलं धाता ददाति च
So too, by the thread of karma, the Creator bestows the fruit.
स विधाता विधातुश्च पातुः पाता जगत्त्रये
He is the Creator, the ordainer, the protector, and the sustainer of the three worlds.
महाविपत्तौ संसारे यः स्मरेन्मधुसूदनम् 2.37.
In great calamity, in the cycle of existence, whoever remembers Madhusudana—
इत्येवमुक्त्वा जीवश्च समालिङ्ग्य सुरेश्वरम्
Having thus spoken, the soul embraced the lord of the gods.
नारायण उवाच बृहस्पतिं पुरस्कृत्य सर्वैः सुरगणैः सह
Narayana said: With Brihaspati at their head, together with all the hosts of gods—
शीघ्रं गत्वा ब्रह्मलोकं दृष्ट्वा च कमलोद्भवम्
They quickly went to Brahma's world and saw the lotus-born one.