अधीत्य वेदवेदान्तान्दत्त्वा च गुरुदक्षिणाम् । समावृत्तस्तु गार्हस्थ्ये सदारो निवसेन्मुनिः
Having studied the Vedas and Vedāntas, and given the teacher his due, he should return and, with a wife, dwell in the householder's stage.
न्यायवृत्तिस्तु सन्तोषी निराशी गतकल्मषः । अग्निहोत्रादिकर्माणि कुर्वाणः सत्यवाक्शुचिः
He should live righteously, content, free from expectation, purified of faults, performing rituals like agnihotra, speaking truth, and remaining pure.
पुत्रं पौत्रं समासाद्य वानप्रस्थाश्रमे वसेत् । तपसा षड्रिपूञ्जित्वा भार्यां पुत्रे निवेश्य च
Having obtained a son and grandson, he should enter the forest-dweller's stage, subduing the six enemies through austerity and entrusting his wife to his son.
सर्वानग्नीन्यथान्यायमात्मन्यारोप्य धर्मवित् । वसेत्तुर्याश्रमे श्रान्तः शुद्धे वैराग्यसम्भवे
Having properly transferred all sacred fires into himself, being learned in dharma, he should, when weary, dwell in the fourth stage, in purity and detachment.
विरक्तस्याधिकारोऽस्ति संन्यासे नान्यथा क्वचित् । वेदवाक्यमिदं तथ्यं नान्यथेति मतिर्मम
Only one who is detached is eligible for renunciation, never otherwise; this is the true statement of the Vedas, and this is my conviction.
शुकाष्टचत्वारिशद्वै संस्कारा वेदबोधिताः । चत्वारिंशद्गृहस्थस्य प्रोक्तास्तत्र महात्मभिः
O Śuka, the Vedas declare forty-eight sacraments; of these, forty are prescribed for the householder by the great sages.
अष्टौ च मुक्तिकामस्य प्रोक्ताः शमदमादयः । आश्रमादाश्रमं गच्छेदिति शिष्टानुशासनम्
Eight qualities, beginning with tranquility and self-control, are prescribed for one who seeks liberation; the instruction of the wise is to proceed from one stage of life to the next.
शुक उवाच उत्पन्ने हृदि वैराग्ये ज्ञानविज्ञानसम्भवे । अवश्यमेव वस्तव्यमाश्रमेषु वनेषु वा
Śuka said: When dispassion arises in the heart and knowledge along with realization is attained, one must certainly dwell in the stages of life or in the forests.
जनक उवाच इन्द्रियाणि बलिष्ठानि न नियुक्तानि मानद । अपक्वस्य प्रकुर्वन्ति विकारांस्ताननेकशः
Janaka said: The senses are powerful, O bestower of honor, and if not restrained, they cause many disturbances in one who is not mature.
भोजनेच्छां सुखेच्छां च शय्येच्छामात्मजस्य च । यती भूत्वा कथं कुर्याद्विकारे समुपस्थिते
How can one who has become a renunciant, when desires for food, pleasure, bed, or offspring arise, avoid being disturbed when such changes occur?
दुर्जरं वासनाजालं न शान्तिमुपयाति वै । अतस्तच्छमनार्थाय क्रमेण च परित्यजेत्
The web of desires is hard to overcome and does not lead to peace; therefore, for the sake of its pacification, one should gradually renounce them.
ऊर्ध्वं सुप्तः पतत्येव न शयानः पतत्यधः । परिव्रज्य परिभ्रष्टो न मार्गं लभते पुनः
One who is lying down does not fall downward, but one who is sleeping above does fall; similarly, a renunciant who falls from the path does not easily regain the way.
यथा पिपीलिका मूलाच्छाखायामधिरोहति । शनैः शनैः फलं याति सुखेन पदगामिनी
Just as an ant climbs from the root to the branch slowly, step by step, it reaches the fruit with ease, moving at its own pace.
विहङ्गस्तरसा याति विघ्नशङ्कामुदस्य वै । श्रान्तो भवति विश्रम्य सुखं याति पिपीलिका
A bird flies swiftly, disregarding obstacles, but becomes weary; the ant, resting as needed, reaches its goal comfortably.
मनस्तु प्रबलं काममजेयमकृतात्मभिः । अतः क्रमेण जेतव्यमाश्रमानुक्रमेण च
The mind, being strong in desire, cannot be conquered by those lacking self-mastery; therefore, it must be subdued gradually, following the order of the stages of life.
गृहस्थाश्रमसंस्थोऽपि शान्तः सुमतिरात्मवान् । न च हृष्येन्न च तपेल्लाभालाभे समो भवेत्
Even while established in the householder's stage, one who is peaceful, wise, and self-controlled should remain unaffected by gain or loss, neither rejoicing nor grieving, maintaining equanimity.
विहतं कर्म कुर्वाणस्त्यजंश्चिन्तान्वितं च यत् । आत्मलाभेन सन्तुष्टो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः
Performing one's duties, abandoning attachment and anxiety, and being content with self-realization, one is liberated—of this there is no doubt.
पश्याहं राज्यसंस्थोऽपि जीवन्मुक्तो यथानघ । विचरामि यथाकामं न मे किञ्चित्प्रजायते
See, even though I am established in kingship, I am liberated while living, O sinless one; I wander as I please, and nothing arises in me.
भुञ्जानो विविधान्भोगान्कुर्वन्कार्याण्यनेकशः । भविष्यामि यथाहं त्वं तथा मुक्तो भवानघ
Enjoying various pleasures and performing many duties, I remain as I am; in the same way, O sinless one, you too will become free.
कथ्यते खलु यद्दृश्यमदृश्यं बध्यते कुतः । दृश्यानि पञ्चभूतानि गुणास्तेषां तथा पुनः
Whatever is seen or unseen is said to be bound—how could it be otherwise? The visible things are the five elements, and their qualities as well.
आत्मा गम्योऽनुमानेन प्रत्यक्षो न कदाचन । स कथं बध्यते ब्रह्मन्निर्विकारो निरञ्जनः
The self is known through inference, never directly perceived; how then, O Brahmin, could that changeless, stainless one be bound?
मनस्तु सुखदुःखानां महतां कारणं द्विज । जाते तु निर्मले ह्यस्मिन्सर्वं भवति निर्मलम्
The mind is the chief cause of pleasure and pain, O twice-born; when it becomes pure, everything indeed becomes pure.
भ्रमन्सर्वेषु तीर्थेषु स्नात्वा स्नात्वा पुनः पुनः । निर्मलं न मनो यावत्तावत्सर्वं निरर्थकम्
Wandering to all the sacred places and bathing again and again, unless the mind is purified, all else is useless.
न देहो न च जीवात्मा नेन्द्रियाणि परन्तप । मन एव मनुष्याणां कारणं बन्धमोक्षयोः
Neither the body, nor the individual soul, nor the senses, O scorcher of foes, but the mind alone is the cause of bondage and liberation for human beings.
शुद्धो मुक्तः सदैवात्मा न वै बध्येत कर्हिचित् । बन्धमोक्षौ मनःसंस्थौ तस्मिञ्छान्ते प्रशाम्यति
The self is always pure and free, never bound at any time; bondage and liberation reside in the mind, and when it is peaceful, they cease.
शत्रुर्मित्रमुदासीनो भेदाः सर्वे मनोगताः । एकात्मत्वे कथं भेदः सम्भवेद्द्वैतदर्शनात्
Enemy, friend, and indifferent—all distinctions are mental; how can division arise in unity, except through the perception of duality?
जीवो ब्रह्म सदैवाहं नात्र कार्या विचारणा । भेदबुद्धिस्तु संसारे वर्तमाना प्रवर्तते
The individual soul is always Brahman; there is no need for further inquiry here. The notion of difference operates only in worldly existence.
अविद्येयं महाभाग विद्या चैतन्निवर्तनम् । विद्याविद्ये च विज्ञेये सर्वदैव विचक्षणैः
This ignorance, O noble one, is dispelled by knowledge; the wise must always discern between knowledge and ignorance.
विनातपं हि छायाया ज्ञायते च कथं सुखम् । अविद्यया विना तद्वत्कथं विद्यां च वेत्ति वै
Just as shade cannot be known without sunlight, so without ignorance, how can one know knowledge?
गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्ते भूतानि च तथैव च । इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषु को दोषस्तत्र चात्मनः
Qualities act among qualities, and beings likewise; the senses engage with their objects—what fault is there in the self regarding this?