शिष्टप्रोक्तं प्रकर्तव्यं पूजनीयास्तपस्विनः । हन्तव्या दस्यवः क्रूरा इन्द्रियाणां तथा जयः
One should act according to what the wise declare; ascetics are to be honored. Cruel bandits are to be slain, and likewise, the senses must be conquered.
कर्तव्यं कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थं राज्ञा पुत्र सदैव हि । मन्त्रस्तु सर्वथा गोप्यः कर्तव्यः सचिवैः सह
A king must always act for the accomplishment of his duties, O son. The counsel must be kept absolutely secret, together with the ministers.
नोपेक्ष्योऽल्पोऽपि कृतिना रिपुः सर्वात्मना सुत । न विश्वसेत्परासक्तं सचिवं च तथा नतम्
Even a minor enemy must never be neglected by a wise person, O son. One should not trust a minister who is attached elsewhere or who is subservient to others.
चाराः सर्वत्र योक्तव्याः शत्रुमित्रेषु सर्वथा । धर्मे मतिः सदा कार्या दानं दद्याच्च नित्यशः
Spies must be employed everywhere, among both enemies and friends, in every way. One should always keep the mind set on righteousness and give charity continually.
शुष्कवादो न कर्तव्यो दुष्टसङ्गं च वर्जयेत् । यष्टव्या विविधा यज्ञाः पूजनीया महर्षयः
One should not engage in empty talk and must avoid bad company. Various sacrifices are to be performed, and great sages are to be honored.
न विश्वसेत्स्त्रियं क्वापि स्त्रैणं द्यूतरतं नरम् । अत्यादरो न कर्तव्यो मृगयायां कदाचन
One must never trust a woman anywhere, nor a man devoted to women or gambling. Excessive fondness for hunting should never be indulged in.
द्यूते मद्ये तथा गेये नूनं वारवधूषु च । स्वयं तद्विमुखो भूयात् प्रजास्तेभ्यश्च रक्षयेत्
One should certainly avoid gambling, drinking, singing, and courtesans. He should himself shun these, and also protect his subjects from them.
ब्राह्मे मुहूर्ते कर्तव्यमुत्थानं सर्वथा सदा । स्नानादिकं सर्वविधिं विधाय विधिवद्यथा
Rising at the Brahma-muhurta must always be done in every way. Afterward, one should perform bathing and all prescribed rites properly, as enjoined.
पराशक्तेः परां पूजां भक्त्या कुर्यात्सुदीक्षितः । पुत्रैतज्जन्मसाफल्यं पराशक्तेः पदार्चनम्
With deep devotion, one should worship the Supreme Power with utmost attention. O son, the true fulfillment of birth is to worship the feet of the Supreme Power.
सकृत्कृत्वा महापूजां दैवीपादजलं पिबन् । न जातु जननीगर्भे गच्छेदिति विनिश्चयः
Having performed the great worship even once and drinking the water from the Divine feet, one is assured never to enter the mother's womb again.
सर्वं दृश्यं महादेवी द्रष्टा साक्षी च सैव हि । इति तद्भावभरितस्तिष्ठेन्निर्भयचेतसा
All that is seen is the Great Goddess; she alone is the seer and the witness. Thus, filled with this awareness, one should remain with a fearless mind.
कृत्वा नित्यविधिं सम्यग्गन्तव्यं सदसि द्विजान् । समाहूय च प्रष्टव्यो धर्मशास्त्रविनिर्णयः
Having properly performed the daily rites, one should go to the assembly of the twice-born. After gathering them, one should inquire into the decision of the law scriptures.
सम्पूज्य ब्राह्मणान्पूज्यान्वेदवेदान्तपारगान् । गोभूहिरण्यादिकं च देयं पात्रेषु सर्वदा
One should honor the venerable Brahmins who are learned in the Vedas and Vedanta, and always give cows, land, gold, and the like to worthy recipients.
अविद्वान्ब्राह्मणः कोऽपि नैव पूज्यः कदाचन । आहारादधिकं नैव देयं मूर्खाय कर्हिचित्
A Brahmin who is ignorant must never be honored at any time. One should never give more than food to a fool.
न वा लोभात्त्वया पुत्र कर्तव्यं धर्मलङ्घनम् । अतः परं न कर्तव्यं क्वचिद्विप्रावमाननम्
O son, you must never violate righteousness out of greed. Beyond this, one should never show disrespect to Brahmins anywhere.
ब्राह्मणा भूमिदेवाश्च माननीयाः प्रयत्नतः । कारणं क्षत्रियाणां च द्विजा एव न संशयः
Brahmins and the deities of the earth are to be honored with great effort. The very reason for the Kshatriyas is indeed the twice-born, without doubt.
अद्भ्योऽग्निर्ब्रह्मणः क्षत्रमश्मनो लोहमुत्थितम् । तेषां सर्वत्रगं तेजः स्वासु योनिषु शाम्यति
From water comes fire, from Brahmins comes the Kshatriya, and from stone comes iron. Their power, present everywhere, subsides in their own sources.
तस्माद्राज्ञा विशेषेण माननीया मुखोद्भवाः । दानेन विनयेनैव सर्वथा भूतिमिच्छता
Therefore, a king who desires prosperity must especially honor those born from the mouth, by charity and humility in every way.
दण्डनीतिः सदा कार्या धर्मशास्त्रानुसारतः । कोशस्य संग्रहः कार्यो नूनं न्यायागतस्य ह
The policy of punishment must always be carried out in accordance with the law of righteousness; the collection of the treasury should certainly be done justly.
त्रिशङ्कूपाख्यानवर्णनम् एवं प्रबोधितः पित्रा त्रिशङ्कुः प्रणतो नृपः । तथेति पितरं प्राह प्रेमगद्गदया गिरा
Triśaṅku’s story is described. Thus, having been instructed by his father, Triśaṅku, the king, bowed and replied to his father, saying 'So be it,' with words trembling from affection.
विप्रानाहूय मन्त्रज्ञान्वेदशास्त्रविशारदान् । अभिषेकाय सम्भारान् कारयामास सत्वरम्
He quickly summoned the Brahmins who were skilled in mantras and expert in the Vedas and scriptures, and arranged the materials for the consecration.
सलिलं सर्वतीर्थानां समानाय्य विशांपतिः । प्रकृतीश्च समाहूय सामन्तान्भूपतींस्तथा
The lord of the people brought water from all the sacred places, and called together his ministers, as well as the vassals and other kings.
पुण्येऽह्नि विधिवत्तस्मै ददावासनमुत्तमम् । अभिषिच्य सुतं राज्ये त्रिशङ्कुं विधिवत्पिता
On an auspicious day, according to proper rites, he gave him the highest seat; the father consecrated his son Triśaṅku as king, in accordance with the prescribed procedure.
तृतीयमाश्रमं पुण्यं जग्राह भार्यया युतः । वने त्रिपथगाकूले चचार दुश्चरं तपः
He entered the third, holy stage of life together with his wife, and performed difficult austerities in the forest, on the bank of the threefold river.
काले प्राप्ते ययौ स्वर्गं पूजितस्त्रिदशैरपि । इन्द्रासनसमीपस्थो रराज रविवत्सदा
When the time came, he went to heaven, honored even by the gods; seated near Indra’s throne, he shone always like the sun.
राजोवाच पूर्वं भगवता प्रोक्तं कथायोगेन साम्प्रतम् । सत्यव्रतो वसिष्ठेन शप्तो दोग्ध्रीवधात्किल
The king said: Previously, as told by the revered one in the story, Satyavrata was cursed by Vasiṣṭha because of the killing of a milch cow.
कुपितेने पिशाचत्वं प्रापितो गुरुणा ततः । कथं मुक्तः पिशाचत्वादित्येतत्संशयः प्रभो
Then, angered, the teacher made him a Piśāca; how was he freed from that state? This, O master, is my question.
न सिंहासनयोग्यो हि भवेच्छापसमन्वितः । मुनिना मोचितः शापात्केनान्येन च कर्मणा
One who is afflicted by a curse is not fit for the throne; he was freed from the curse by the sage, and also by another act.
एतन्मे ब्रूहि विप्रर्षे शापमोक्षणकारणम् । आनीतस्तु कथं पित्रा स्वगृहे तादृशाकृतिः
Tell me this, O sage among Brahmins: the cause of the release from the curse; and how he was brought by his father to his own house in such a form.
व्यास उवाच - वसिष्ठेन च शप्तोऽसौ सद्यः पैशाचतां गतः । दुर्वेषश्चातिदुर्धर्षः सर्वलोकभयङ्करः
Vyāsa said: He was cursed by Vasiṣṭha and immediately became a Piśāca, extremely hostile and difficult to restrain, terrifying to all the worlds.