दुर्ज्ञेया किल देवानां मानवानां च का कथा । यदा समुत्थितं चैतद्ब्रह्माण्डं त्रिगुणात्मकम्
Indeed, the Divine is difficult to comprehend for the gods; what then of humans? When this universe, composed of the three gunas, arose—
कर्मणैव समुत्पत्तिः सर्वेषां नात्र संशयः । अनादिनिधना जीवाः कर्मबीजसमुद्भवाः
All beings arise solely through karma; there is no doubt of this. Living beings, without beginning or end, are born from the seed of karma.
नानायोनिषु जायन्ते म्रियन्ते च पुनः पुनः । कर्मणा रहितो देहसंयोगो न कदाचन
They are born in various wombs and die again and again; never does embodiment occur without karma.
शुभाशुभैस्तथा मिश्रैः कर्मभिर्वेष्टितं त्विदम् । त्रिविधानि हि तान्याहुर्बुधास्तत्त्वविदश्च ये
Indeed, this is enveloped by auspicious, inauspicious, and mixed actions; those who know reality, the wise, declare these threefold kinds.
सञ्चितानि भविष्यन्ति प्रारब्धानि तथा पुनः । वर्तमानानि देहेऽस्मिंस्त्रैविध्यं कर्मणां किल
There are accumulated, future, and operative karmas; this threefold nature of actions exists in the body.
ब्रह्मादीनां च सर्वेषां तद्वशत्वं नराधिप । सुखं दुःखं जरामृत्युहर्षशोकादयस्तथा
O King, for Brahma and all beings, everything is subject to that power: happiness and sorrow, old age and death, delight and grief, and so on.
कामक्रोधौ च लोभश्च सर्वे देहगता गुणाः । दैवाधीनाश्च सर्वेषां प्रभवन्ति नराधिप
Desire and anger, greed—all qualities residing in the body—O King, arise in all beings under the dominion of fate.
रागद्वेषादयो भावाः स्वर्गेऽपि प्रभवन्ति हि । देवानां मानवानाञ्च तिरश्चां च तथा पुनः
Emotions such as attachment and aversion arise even in heaven, indeed, among gods, humans, and animals alike.
विकाराः सर्व एवैते देहेन सह सङ्गताः । पूर्ववैरानुयोगेन स्नेहयोगेन वै पुनः
All these modifications are joined with the body, due to the continuation of former enmities and the bonds of affection.
उत्पत्तिः सर्वजन्तूनां विना कर्म न विद्यते । कर्मणा भ्रमते सूर्यः शशाङ्कः क्षयरोगवान्
The birth of all beings does not occur without karma; by karma the sun moves, the moon wanes, afflicted by wasting disease.
कपाली च तथा रुद्रः कर्मणैव न संशयः । अनादिनिधनं चैतत्कारणं कर्म विद्यते
And Rudra, the skull-bearer, likewise—by karma alone, without doubt. This cause, karma, is beginningless and endless.
तेनेह शाश्वतं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम् । नित्यानित्यविचारेऽत्र निमग्ना मुनयः सदा
Therefore, all this world, moving and unmoving, is governed eternally by that; the sages are always immersed here in the discernment of the eternal and the non-eternal.
न जानन्ति किमेतद्वै नित्यं वानित्यमेव च । मायायां विद्यमानायां जगन्नित्यं प्रतीयते
They do not know whether this is eternal or truly non-eternal; while māyā exists, the world appears as eternal.
कार्याभावः कथं वाच्यः कारणे सति सर्वथा । माया नित्या कारणञ्च सर्वेषां सर्वदा किल
How can the absence of an effect be spoken of when the cause always exists? Māyā is eternal and ever the cause of all.
कर्मबीजं ततोऽनित्यं चिन्तनीयं सदा बुधैः । भ्रमत्येव जगत्सर्वं राजन्कर्मनियन्त्रितम्
Therefore, the seed of karma is impermanent and should always be contemplated by the wise; O King, the entire world wanders, governed by karma.
नानायोनिषु राजेन्द्र नानाधर्ममयेषु च । इच्छया च भवेञ्चन्म विष्णोरमिततेजसः
O King of kings, in various wombs and in various states filled with different dharmas, birth occurs by the will of the infinitely radiant Vishnu.
युगे युगेष्वनेकासु नीचयोनिषु तत्कथम् । त्यक्त्वा वैकुण्ठसंवासं सुखभोगाननेकशः
How, in the many ages and in many lowly births, after abandoning the residence in Vaikuntha and countless enjoyments of happiness—
विण्मूत्रमन्दिरे वासं संत्रस्तः कोऽभिवाञ्छति । पुष्पावचयलीलां च जलकेलिं सुखासनम्
Who, terrified, would desire to dwell in a house of urine and excrement, or to play at gathering flowers, to sport in water, or to sit comfortably?
त्यक्त्वा गर्भगृहे वासं कोऽभिवाच्छति बुद्धिमान् । तूलिकां मृदुसंयुक्तां दिव्यां शय्यां विनिर्मिताम्
Who, being wise, would desire after leaving the womb to dwell in a bed made of divine, soft cotton?
त्यक्त्वाधोमुखवासं च कोऽभिवाञ्छति पण्डितः । गीतं नृत्यञ्च वाद्यञ्च नानाभावसमन्वितम्
Who, being learned, would wish after leaving the downward-facing abode for songs, dances, and music of various kinds?
मुक्त्वा को नरके वासं मनसापि विचिन्तयेत् । सिन्धुजाद्भुतभावानां रसं त्यक्त्वा सुदुस्त्वजम्
Who, after escaping the residence in hell, would even mentally contemplate abandoning the wondrous nectar of the ocean for something exceedingly unpleasant?
विण्मूत्ररसपानञ्ज क इच्छेन्मतिमान्नरः । गर्भवासात्परो नास्ति नरको भुवनत्रये
What wise person would desire to drink the essence of urine and feces? There is no hell in the three worlds worse than dwelling in the womb.
तद्भीताश्च प्रकुर्वन्ति मुनयो दुस्तरं तपः । हित्वा भोगञ्च राज्यञ्च वने यान्ति मनस्विनः
Fearing this, sages undertake arduous austerities, and those of discerning mind abandon pleasures and kingdoms to go into the forest.
यद्भीतास्तु विमूढात्मा कस्तं सेवितुमिच्छति । गर्भे तुदन्ति कृमयो जठराग्निस्तपत्यधः
Who, being bewildered in mind, would wish to serve that place out of fear? In the womb, worms bite and the fire of digestion burns below.
वपासंवेष्टनं कूरं किं सुखं तत्र भूपते । वरं कारागृहे वासो बन्धनं निगडैर्वरम्
What happiness is there, O king, in being tightly wrapped in flesh? Better is the residence in a prison, better is bondage with chains.
अल्पमात्रं क्षणं नैव गर्भवासः क्वचिच्छुभः । गर्भवासे महद्दुःखं दशमासनिवासनम्
Not even for a brief moment is dwelling in the womb ever auspicious; the suffering is great in residing there for ten months.
तथा निःसरणे दुःखं योनियन्त्रेऽतिदारुणे । बालभावे तदा दुःखं मूकाज्ञभावसंयुतम्
Likewise, there is suffering in the harsh mechanism of birth; and in infancy, there is suffering, joined with dumbness and ignorance.
क्षुतृष्णावेदनाशक्तः परतन्त्रोऽतिकातरः । क्षुधिते रुदिते बाले माता चिन्तातुरा तदा
Helpless to sensations of hunger and thirst, utterly dependent and fearful; when the child cries from hunger, the mother is anxious.
भेषजं पातुमिच्छन्ती ज्ञात्वा व्याधिव्यथां दृढाम् । नानाविधानि दुःखानि बालभावे भवन्ति वै
Desiring to administer medicine, knowing the child's severe pain from disease; various kinds of suffering arise in infancy.
किं सुखं विबुधा दृष्ट्वा जन्म वाञ्छन्ति चेच्छया । संग्रामममरैः सार्धं सुखं त्यक्त्वा निरन्तरम्
What happiness, seeing this, would the wise wish for birth by their own will? Abandoning constant happiness, who would desire battle with immortals?