द्विविधो विषयान्धश्च राजसस्तामसः स्मृतः । अशास्त्रज्ञस्तामसश्च शास्त्रज्ञो राजसः स्मृतः
There are two kinds of blindness to objects: one is called rajasic, the other tamasic. The one ignorant of scripture is called tamasic; the one who knows scripture is called rajasic.
शास्त्रं च द्विविधं मार्गं दर्शयेत्सुरपुङ्गव । प्रवृत्तिबीजमेकं च निवृत्तेः कारणं परम्
Scripture, O best of the gods, reveals two paths: one is the seed of engagement in the world, the other is the supreme cause of withdrawal.
चरन्ति जीविनश्चादौ प्रवृत्तेर्दुःखवर्त्मनि । स्वच्छन्दं च प्रसन्नं च निर्विरोधं च सन्ततम्
At first, living beings follow the path of activity, which is filled with suffering; yet it appears free, pleasant, and always without opposition.
आयाति मधुनो लोभात्क्लेशेन सुखमानितः । परिणामे नाशबीजे जन्ममृत्युजराकरे
Drawn by desire for honey, one pursues happiness through hardship; but in the end, it brings destruction, sowing the seeds of birth, death, and old age.
अनेकजन्मपर्यन्तं कृत्वा च भ्रमणं मुदा । स्वकर्मविहितायां च नानायोन्यां क्रमेण च
Thus, wandering joyfully through countless births, each according to their own karma, they take birth in various wombs, one after another.
ततश्चेशानुगहाग्रच्च सत्सङ्गं लभते च सः । सहस्रेषु शतेष्वेको भवाब्धिपारकारणम्
Then, by the supreme grace of the Lord, one attains the company of the virtuous; among thousands and hundreds, only one finds the means to cross the ocean of becoming.
साधुस्तत्त्वप्रदीपेन मुक्तिमार्गं प्रदर्शयेत् । तदा करोति यत्नं च जीवो बन्धनखण्डने
A holy person, with the lamp of truth, shows the path to liberation; then the soul strives to break its bonds.
अनेकजन्मयोगेन तपसानशनेन च । तदा लभेन्मुक्तिमार्गं निर्विघ्नं सुखदं परम्
Through the accumulation of many births, through austerity and fasting, one then attains the path of liberation, which is unobstructed and supremely blissful.
इदं श्रुतं गुरोर्वक्याद्यत् पृच्छसि पुरन्दर । मुनेस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा वीतरागो बभूव सः
This is what you have heard from the words of the guru, O Purandara; hearing the sage's teaching, he became free from passion.
वैराग्यं वर्धयामास तस्य ब्रह्मन् दिने दिने । मुनेः स्थानाद् गृहं गत्वा स ददर्शामरावतीम्
Day by day, his dispassion increased, O Brahman; leaving the sage's abode, he went home and saw Amaravati.
दैत्यैरसुरसङ्घैश्च समाकीर्णां भयाकुलाम् । विषमोपप्लवां पुत्रबन्धुहीनां च कुत्रचित्
He saw it filled with hosts of demons and asuras, overwhelmed by fear, afflicted by calamities, and in some places bereft of sons and relatives.
पितृमातृकलत्रादिविहीनामतिचञ्चलाम् । शत्रुग्रस्तां च तां दृष्ट्वा जगाम वाक्पतिं प्रति
Deprived of father, mother, wife, and others, exceedingly unstable, seized by enemies—seeing her thus, he went to the Lord of Speech.
शक्रो मन्दाकिनीतीरे ददर्श गुरुमीश्वरम् । ध्यायमानं परं ब्रह्म गङ्गातोये स्थितं परम्
On the bank of the Mandakini, Shakra saw his guru, the Lord, absorbed in meditation on the Supreme Brahman, standing in the waters of the Ganga, transcendent.
सूर्याभिसम्मुखं पूर्वमुखं च विश्वतोमुखम् । साश्रुनेत्रं पुलकिनं परमानन्दसंयुतम्
Facing the sun, facing east, facing all directions, his eyes filled with tears, his body thrilled, united with supreme bliss.
वरिष्ठं च गरिष्ठं च धर्मिष्ठं श्रेष्ठसेवितम् । प्रेष्ठं च बन्धुवर्गाणामतिश्रेष्ठं च ज्ञानिनाम्
Most excellent, most venerable, most righteous, served by the best, dearest to his kin, and supreme among the wise.
ज्येष्ठं च भ्रातृवर्गाणामनिष्टं सुरवैरिणाम् । दृष्ट्वा गुरुं जपन्तं च तत्र तस्थौ सुरेश्वरः
Eldest among his brothers, unwelcome to the enemies of the gods; seeing his guru reciting mantras, the Lord of the gods stood there.
प्रहरान्ते गुरुं दृष्ट्वा चोत्थितं प्रणनाम सः । प्रणम्य चरणाम्भोजे रुरोदोच्चैर्मुहुर्मुहुः
At the end of the day, seeing his guru rise, he bowed down; bowing at his lotus feet, he wept aloud again and again.
वृत्तान्तं कथयामास ब्रह्मशापादिकं तथा । पुनर्वरोपलब्धिं च ज्ञानप्राप्तिं सुदुर्लभाम्
He recounted the events, including Brahma's curse, and also the regaining of his boon and the attainment of knowledge, which is most rare.
वैरिग्रस्तां च स्वपुरीं क्रमेणैव सुरेश्वरः । शिष्यस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा सुबुद्धिर्वदतां वरः
Hearing his disciple's words, the wise lord of the gods, best among speakers, gradually returned to his own city, now seized by the enemy.
बृहस्पतिरुवाचेदं कोपसंरक्तलोचनः । गुरुरुवाच श्रुतं सर्वं सुरश्रेष्ठ मा रोदीर्वचनं शृणु
With eyes reddened by anger, Brihaspati, the revered teacher, spoke these words: 'All has been heard, O best of gods; do not weep, but listen to my words.'
न कातरो हि नीतिज्ञो विपत्तौ च कदाचन । सम्पत्तिर्वा विपत्तिर्वा नश्वरा श्रमरूपिणी
One who knows policy is never fearful in adversity; both prosperity and misfortune are transient and bring toil.
पूर्वस्य कर्मायत्ता च स्वयं कर्ता तयोरपि । सर्वेषां च भवत्येव शश्वज्जन्मनि जन्मनि
Both are dependent on previous actions, though one acts for oneself in each; for all beings, in every birth, this is always so.
चक्रनेमिक्रमेणैव तत्र का परिदेवना । उक्तं हि स्वकृतं कर्म भुज्यतेऽखिलभारते
Just as the rim of a wheel turns in order, what cause is there for lamentation? It is said in the great Bharata that one must experience the results of one's own deeds.
शुभाशुभं च यत्किञ्चित्स्वकर्मफलभुक् पुमान् । नाभुक्तं क्षीयते कर्म कल्पकोटिशतैरपि
Whatever is auspicious or inauspicious, a person must enjoy the fruit of their own actions; karma does not perish without being experienced, even in hundreds of millions of aeons.
अवश्यमेव भोक्तव्यं कृतं कर्म शुभाशुभम् । इत्येवमुक्तं वेदे च कृष्णेन परमात्मना
One must certainly experience the results of good and bad actions performed; thus it is declared in the Veda by Krishna, the Supreme Self.
सामवेदोक्तशाखायां सम्बोध्य कमलोद्भवम् । जन्मभोगावशेषे च सर्वेषां कृतकर्मणाम्
In the branch of the Sama Veda, addressing the lotus-born one, it is said that all beings must experience, according to their actions, the remainder of birth and enjoyment.
अनुरूपं हि तेषां च भारतेऽन्यत्र चैव हि । कर्मणा ब्रह्मशापं च कर्मणा च शुभाशिषम्
Accordingly, both in Bharata and elsewhere, by action one receives the curse of Brahma or a blessing.
कर्मणा च महालक्ष्मीं लभेद्दैन्यं च कर्मणा । कोटिजन्मार्जितं कर्म जीविनामनुगच्छति
By action one attains Mahalakshmi, and by action, poverty; the karma accumulated over millions of births follows living beings.
न हि त्यजेद्विना भोगं तच्छायेव पुरन्दर । कालभेदे देशभेदे पात्रभेदे च कर्मणाम्
It does not leave without being experienced, O Purandara, just like a shadow; with differences of time, place, and recipient, there is also difference in the results of actions.
न्यूनताधिकभावोऽपि भवेदेव हि कर्मणा । वस्तुदानेन वस्तूनां समं पुण्यं दिने दिने
Even increase or decrease in the result arises from action; by giving objects, the merit is equal each day.