मर्यादा सर्वरक्षार्थं कृता वेदेषु सर्वशः । अन्यथा धर्मनाशः स्यात्सौगतानामिवानघ
Boundaries were established in the Vedas for the protection of all; otherwise, the destruction of dharma would occur, as happened among the Buddhists, O sinless one.
धर्मनाशे विनष्टः स्याद्वर्णाचारोऽतिवर्तितः । अतो वेदप्रदिष्टेन मार्गेण गच्छतां शुभम्
When dharma is destroyed, the conduct of the castes is lost and transgressed; therefore, auspiciousness comes to those who follow the path prescribed by the Vedas.
शुक उवाच सन्देहो वर्तते राजन्न निवर्तति मे क्वचित् । भवता कथितं यत्तच्छृण्वतो मे नराधिप
Śuka said: O King, doubt persists in me and never ceases; what you have spoken, as I listen, does not resolve it, O ruler of men.
वेदधर्मेषु हिंसा स्यादधर्मबहुला हि सा । कथं मुक्तिप्रदो धर्मो वेदोक्तो बत भूपते
In Vedic dharma, violence is found, and it is full of unrighteousness; how can the dharma spoken in the Vedas bestow liberation, O King?
प्रत्यक्षेण त्वनाचारः सोमपानं नराधिप । पशूनां हिंसनं तद्वद्भक्षणं चामिषस्य च
Directly, improper acts are seen: drinking soma, O King, killing animals, and likewise eating flesh.
सौत्रामणौ तथा प्रोक्तः प्रत्यक्षेण सुराग्रहः । द्यूतक्रीडा तथा प्रोक्ता व्रतानि विविधानि च
In the Sautrāmaṇī rite, drinking liquor is prescribed directly; gambling is also mentioned, along with various vows.
श्रूयते स्म पुरा ह्यासीच्छशबिन्दुर्नृपोत्तमः । यज्वा धर्मपरो नित्यं वदान्यः सत्यसागरः
It is heard that long ago there was Śaśabindu, O foremost king; he was devoted to sacrifice, always righteous, generous, and an ocean of truth.
गोप्ता च धर्मसेतूनां शास्ता चोत्पथगामिनाम् । यज्ञाश्च विहितास्तेन बहवो भूरिदक्षिणाः
He was the protector of the bridges of dharma and the ruler of those who strayed from the path; he performed many sacrifices, giving abundant gifts.
चर्मणां पर्वतो जातो विन्ध्याचलसमः पुनः । मेघाम्बुप्लावनाज्जाता नदी चर्मण्वती शुभा
From skins, a mountain arose, equal to the Vindhya range; from the washing of clouds and water, the auspicious river Carmanvatī was born.
सोऽपि राजा दिवं यातः कीर्तिरस्याचला भुवि । एवं धर्मेषु वेदेषु न मे बुद्धिः प्रवर्तते
That king too went to heaven, and his fame is immovable on earth; thus, regarding dharma in the Vedas, my mind does not incline.
स्त्रीसङ्गेन सदा भोगे सुखमाप्नोति मानवः । अलाभे दुःखमत्यन्तं जीवन्मुक्तः कथं भवेत्
Through association with women and constant enjoyment, a man attains happiness; in their absence, he suffers greatly—how then can one be liberated while living?
जनक उवाच हिंसा यज्ञेषु प्रत्यक्षा साहिंसा परिकीर्तिता । उपाधियोगतो हिंसा नान्यथेति विनिर्णयः
Janaka said: Violence in sacrifice is apparent, yet it is called non-violence; violence arises due to conditions, and this is the settled conclusion.
यथा चेन्धनसंयोगादग्नौ धूमः प्रवर्तते । तद्वियोगात्तथा तस्मिन्निर्धूमत्वं विभाति वै
Just as smoke arises in fire from the presence of fuel, so, when that is absent, the fire appears without smoke.
अहिंसां च तथा विद्धि वेदोक्तां मुनिसत्तम । रागिणां सापि हिंसैव निःस्पृहाणां न सा मता
Understand, O best of sages, that nonviolence as taught in the Vedas is itself violence for those who are attached; for those free from desire, it is not considered so.
अरागेण च यत्कर्म तथाहङ्कारवर्जितम् । अकृतं वेदविद्वांसः प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः
Whatever action is performed without attachment and without ego, the wise and learned in the Vedas declare it as not truly done.
गृहस्थानां तु हिंसैव या यज्ञे द्विजसत्तम । अरागेण च यत्कर्म तथाहंकारवर्जितम्
For householders, O best of twice-born, the violence involved in sacrifice is indeed present; but whatever action is performed without attachment and without ego—
साहिंसैव महाभाग मुमुक्षूणां जितात्मनाम्
That is true nonviolence, O illustrious one, for seekers of liberation who have mastered themselves.
शुकस्य विवाहादिकार्यवर्णनम् शुक उवाच सन्देहोऽयं महाराज वर्तते हृदये मम । मायामध्ये वर्तमानः स कथं निःस्पृहो भवेत्
Description of Śuka's marriage and related rites Śuka said: O great king, a doubt remains in my heart: How can one living amidst illusion become free from desire?
शास्त्रज्ञानं च सम्प्राप्य नित्यानित्यविचारणम् । त्यजते न मनो मोहं स कथं मुच्यते नरः
Even after attaining scriptural knowledge and discerning the eternal from the transient, the mind does not abandon delusion; how then is a person liberated?
अन्तर्गतं तमश्छेत्तुं शास्त्राद्बोधो हि न क्षमः । यथा न नश्यति तमः कृतया दीपवार्तया
Scriptural understanding is not capable of cutting away the darkness within; just as darkness does not vanish merely by lighting a lamp.
अद्रोहः सर्वभूतेषु कर्तव्यः सर्वदा बुधैः । स कथं राजशार्दूल गृहस्थस्य भवेत्तथा
Non-injury toward all beings should always be practiced by the wise; but how, O tiger among kings, can this be maintained by a householder?
वित्तैषणा न ते शान्ता तथा राज्यसुखैषणा । जयैषणा च सङ्ग्रामे जीवन्मुक्तः कथं भवेः
The desire for wealth is not calmed, nor the longing for royal pleasures; the urge for victory in battle persists—how then can one be liberated while living?
चौरेषु चौरबुद्धिस्तु साधुबुद्धिस्तु तापसे । स्वपरत्वं तवाप्यस्ति विदेहस्त्वं कथं नृप
Among thieves, there is the mind of a thief; among ascetics, the mind of a saint; the sense of 'mine' and 'other' exists for you as well—how then, O king, can you be free from embodiment?
कटुतीक्ष्णुकषायाम्लरसान्वेत्सि शुभाशुभान् । शुभेषु रमते चित्तं नाशुभेषु तथा नृप
You experience harsh, sharp, bitter, and sour tastes, and perceive both auspicious and inauspicious things; your mind delights in what is auspicious, but not so in what is inauspicious, O king.
जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्तिश्च तव राजन् भवन्ति हि । अवस्थास्तु यथाकालं तुरीया तु कथं नृप
Waking, dreaming, and deep sleep are your states, O king; these occur according to time—how then, O king, can the fourth state be attained?
पदात्यश्वरथेभाश्च सर्वे वै वशगा मम । स्वाम्यहं चैव सर्वेषां मन्यसे त्वं न मन्यसे
Foot soldiers, horses, chariots, and elephants are all under my control; I am the master of all—do you think so, or do you not think so?
मिष्टमत्सि सदा राजन्मुदितो विमनास्तथा । मालायां च तथा सर्पे समदृक् क्व नृपोत्तम
You are always pleased, O king, when eating delicious food, and likewise distressed; whether with a garland or a snake, where is equanimity, O best of kings?
विमुक्तस्तु भवेद्राजन् समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः । एकात्मबुद्धिः सर्वत्र हितकृत्सर्वजन्तुषु
One who is liberated, O king, regards earth, stone, and gold alike; with a single-minded awareness everywhere, he acts for the welfare of all beings.
न मेऽद्य रमते चित्तं गृहदारादिषु क्वचित् । एकाकी निःस्पृहोऽत्यर्थं चरेयमिति मे मतिः
Today my mind does not delight anywhere in home, wife, or other things; my resolve is to wander alone, utterly free from desire.
निःसङ्गो निर्ममः शान्तः पत्रमूलफलाशनः । मृगवद्विचरिष्यामि निर्द्वन्द्वो निष्परिग्रहः
Detached, free from possessiveness, peaceful, eating leaves, roots, and fruits, I shall roam like a deer, without duality and without possessions.