कृत्वा गृहाश्रमं पुत्र सुखिनं कुरु मां शुक । आशा मे महती पुत्र पूरयस्व महामते
‘By becoming a householder, make me happy, Śuka, my son; fulfill my great hope, O wise one.’
तपस्तप्त्वा महाघोरं प्राप्तोऽसि त्वमयोनिजः । देवरूपी महाप्राज्ञ पाहि मां पितरं शुक
‘Having performed terrible austerities, you were born without a mother, O wise one with a divine form; protect me, your father, Śuka.’
सूत उवाच इति वादिनमभ्याशे प्राप्तः प्राह शुकस्तदा । विरक्तः सोऽतिरक्तं तं साक्षात्पितरमात्मनः
Sūta said: As Vyāsa was speaking thus, Śuka, who had arrived, replied; though detached, he was deeply devoted to his father, who was like his very self.
शुक उवाच किं त्वं वदसि धर्मज्ञ वेदव्यास महामते । तत्त्वेन शाधि शिष्यं मां त्वदाज्ञां करवाण्यलम्
Śuka said: ‘Why do you say this, O knower of dharma, O Vedavyāsa, O wise one? Instruct me truly, your disciple; I am ready to carry out your command.’
व्यास उवाच त्वदर्थे यत्तपस्तप्तं मया पुत्र शतं समाः । प्राप्तस्त्वं चातिदुःखेन शिवस्याराधनेन च
Vyāsa said: For your sake, my son, I performed austerities for a hundred years; you were obtained with great hardship and by propitiating Śiva.
ददामि तव वित्तं तु प्रार्थयित्वाथ भूपतिम् । सुखं भुंक्ष्व महाप्राज्ञ प्राप्य यौवनमुत्तमम्
I will give you wealth, having requested it from the king; enjoy happiness, O most wise one, having attained the prime of youth.
शुक उवाच किं सुखं मानुषे लोके ब्रूहि तात निरामयम् । दुःखविद्धं सुखं प्राज्ञा न वदन्ति सुखं किल
Śuka said: What happiness in the human world is truly free from affliction? Tell me, father. The wise do not call that happiness which is touched by suffering.
स्त्रियं कृत्वा महाभाग भवामि तद्वशानुगः । सुखं किं परतन्त्रस्य स्त्रीजितस्य विशेषतः
If I take a wife, O most fortunate one, I will become subject to her will; what happiness is there for one who is dependent, especially one conquered by a woman?
कदाचिदपि मुच्येत लोहकाष्ठादियन्त्रितः । पुत्रदारैर्निबद्धस्तु न विमुच्येत कर्हिचित्
One bound by iron or wooden restraints may sometimes be freed; but one bound by children and wife is never released.
विण्मूत्रसम्भवो देहो नारीणां तन्मयस्तथा । कः प्रीतिं तत्र विप्रेन्द्र विबुधः कर्तुमिच्छति
This body is born of filth and urine, and so too is a woman's body; O best of Brāhmaṇas, what wise person would wish to take delight in that?
अयोनिजोऽहं विप्रर्षे योनौ मे कीदृशी मतिः । न वाञ्छाम्यहमग्रेऽपि योनावेव समुद्भवम्
I am not born from a womb, O sage among Brāhmaṇas; what attachment could I have to the womb? Even in the future, I do not desire birth from a womb.
विट्सुखं किमु वाञ्छामि त्यक्त्वाऽऽत्मसुखमद्भुतम् । आत्मारामश्च भूयोऽपि न भवत्यतिलोलुपः
Why would I desire the pleasure of excrement, abandoning the wondrous joy of the Self? One who delights in the Self does not become excessively greedy.
प्रथमं पठिता वेदा मया विस्तारिताश्च ते । हिंसामयास्ते पतिताः कर्ममार्गप्रवर्तकाः
I first studied the Vedas and explained them to you; but they are filled with violence and lead to the path of ritual action.
बृहस्पतिर्गुरुः प्राप्तः सोऽपि मग्नो गृहार्णवे । अविद्याग्रस्तहृदयः कथं तारयितुं क्षमः
Bṛhaspati, the guru, was attained, but he too is sunk in the ocean of household life; his heart seized by ignorance, how can he save others?
रोगग्रस्तो यथा वैद्यः पररोगचिकित्सकः । तथा गुरुर्मुमुक्षोर्मे गृहस्थोऽयं विडम्बना
Just as a physician afflicted by disease treats the illness of others, so too is a householder as a guru for one seeking liberation—a contradiction.
कृत्वा प्रणामं गुरवे त्वत्समीपमुपागतः । त्राहि मां तत्त्वबोधेन भीतं संसारसर्पतः
Having bowed to my guru, I have come to you; save me, who am afraid of the serpent of worldly existence, by the knowledge of truth.
संसारेऽस्मिन्महाघोरे भ्रमणं नभचक्रवत् । न च विश्रमणं क्यापि सूर्यस्येव दिवानिशि
In this terrible world, wandering is like the movement of the sun in the sky; there is no rest at any time, just as for the sun day and night.
किं सुखं तात संसारे निजतत्त्वविचारणात् । मूढानां सुखबुद्धिस्तु विट्सु कीटसुखं यथा
What happiness, father, is there in worldly life apart from inquiry into one's true nature? The happiness of fools is like the pleasure of worms in filth.
अधीत्य वेदशास्त्राणि संसारे रागिणश्च ये । तेभ्यः परो न मूर्खोऽस्ति सधर्मा श्वाश्वसूकरैः
Those who study the Vedas and scriptures but remain attached to worldly life are not superior to fools; they are like dogs, donkeys, and pigs.
मानुष्यं दुर्लभं प्राप्य वेदशास्त्राण्यधीत्य च । बध्यते यदि संसारे को विमुच्येत मानवः
Having attained the rare human birth and studied the Vedas and scriptures, if one is still bound in worldly existence, who among humans can be freed?
नातः परतरं लोके क्वचिदाश्चर्यमद्भुतम् । पुत्रदारगृहासक्तः पण्डितः परिगीयते
There is no greater wonder or marvel in the world than this: a person attached to children, wife, and home is praised as a wise man.
न बाध्यते यः संसारे नरो मायागुणैस्त्रिभिः । स विद्वान्स च मेधावी शास्त्रपारं गतो हि सः
He who is not afflicted in worldly life by the three qualities of Māyā—he is wise, he is intelligent, he has truly mastered the scriptures.
किं वृथाध्ययनेनात्र दृढबन्धकरेण च । पठितव्यं तदेवाशु मोचयेद्भवबन्धनात्
What is the use of pointless study here, which only strengthens bondage? One should quickly recite that which liberates from the bonds of worldly existence.
गह्णाति पुरुषं यस्माद्गृहं तेन प्रकीर्तितम् । क्व सुखं बन्धनागारे तेन भीतोऽस्म्यहं पितः
Because it binds a person, it is called a house. Where is happiness in a prison of bondage? Therefore, father, I am afraid.
येऽबुधा मन्दमतयो विधिना मुषिताश्च ये । ते प्राप्य मानुषं जन्म पुनर्बन्धं विशन्त्युत
Those who are ignorant, dull-minded, and deceived by fate, after attaining human birth, again enter bondage.
व्यास उवाच न गृहं बन्धनागारं बन्धने न च कारणम् । मनसा यो विनिर्मुक्तो गृहस्थोऽपि विमुच्यते
Vyasa said: The house is not a prison, nor is it the cause of bondage. One who is freed in mind, even while living as a householder, is liberated.
न्यायागतधनः कुर्वन्वेदोक्तं विधिवत्क्रमात् । गृहस्थोऽपि विमुच्येत श्राद्धकृत्सत्यवाक् शुचिः
A householder who acquires wealth lawfully, acts according to the Vedic injunctions, performs rites, speaks truth, and is pure, can also be liberated.
ब्रह्मचारी यतिश्चैव वानप्रस्थो व्रतस्थितः । गृहस्थं समुपासन्ते मध्याह्नातिक्रमे सदा
Brahmacharins, ascetics, forest-dwellers, and those observing vows always approach the householder after midday.
श्रद्धया चान्नदानेन वाचा सूनृतया तथा । उपकुर्वन्ति धर्मस्था गृहाश्रमनिवासिनः
Those established in righteousness assist householders with faith, by giving food, with truthful speech, and generosity.
गृहाश्रमात्परो धर्मो न दृष्टो न च वै श्रुतः । वसिष्ठादिभिराचार्यैर्ज्ञानिभिः समुपाश्रितः
No higher dharma than the householder's is seen or heard, even by teachers like Vasistha and other wise ones who have followed it.