Garuda Purana

सत्येन रक्ष्यते धर्मो विद्या योगेन रक्ष्यते । मृजया रक्ष्यते पात्रं कुलं शलिन रक्ष्यते ॥ १,११३.

Righteousness is protected by truth, knowledge by yoga, a vessel by cleanliness, and a lineage by good conduct.

वरं विन्ध्याटव्यां निवसनमभुक्तस्य मरणं वरं सर्पाकीर्णे शयनमथ कूपे निपतनम् । वरं भ्रान्तावर्ते सभयजलमध्ये प्रविशनं न तु स्वीये पक्षे हि धनमणु देहीति कथनम् ॥ १,११३.

Better to dwell in the Vindhya forest, to die unfed, to sleep among snakes, to fall into a well, to enter turbulent waters, than to say 'Give me even a little wealth' to one's own kin.

भाग्यक्षयेषु क्षीयन्ते नोपभोगेन सम्पदः । पूर्वार्जिते हि सुकृते न नश्यन्ति कदाचन ॥ १,११३.

Wealth diminishes not through enjoyment, but when fortune is exhausted; good deeds performed in the past never perish at any time.

विप्राणां भूषणं विद्या पृथिव्या भूषणं नृपः । नभसो भूषणं चन्द्रः शीलं सर्वस्य भूषणम् ॥ १,११३.

Knowledge is the ornament of Brahmins, the king is the ornament of the earth, the moon is the ornament of the sky, and character is the ornament of all.

एते ते चन्द्रतुल्याः क्षितिपतितनया भीमसेनार्जुनाद्याः शुराः सत्यप्रतिज्ञा दिनकरवपुषः केशवेनोपगूढाः । ते वै दुष्टग्रहस्थाः कृपणवशगता भैक्ष्यचर्यां प्रयाताः को वा कस्मिन्समर्थो भवति विधिवशाद्भ्रामयेत्कर्मरेखा ॥ १,११३.

These sons of kings, equal to the moon—Bhīma, Arjuna, and others—heroes of truthful vows, embraced by Kṛṣṇa of solar form, fell under evil stars, became destitute, and took up begging. Who is capable, and in what, when fate turns the lines of action?

ब्रह्मा येन कुलालवन्नियमितो ब्रह्माण्डभाण्डोदरे विष्णुर्येन दशावतारगहने क्षिप्तो महासङ्कटे । रुद्रोयेन कपालपाणिपुटके भिक्षाटनं कारितः सूर्यो भ्राम्यति नित्यमेव गगने तरमै नमः कर्णणे ॥ १,११३.

By whom Brahmā is restrained like a potter, within the vessel of the universe; by whom Viṣṇu was cast into the peril of ten incarnations; by whom Rudra was made to beg with a skull in hand; by whom the sun ever circles the sky—salutations to that fate, the doer of all.

दाता बलिर्याचकको मुरारिर्दानं मही विप्रमुखस्य मध्ये । दत्त्वा फलं बन्धनमेव लब्धं नमोऽस्तु ते दैव यथेष्टकारिणे ॥ १,११३.

Bali is the giver, Murāri the beggar; the earth is given in the midst of Brahmins. Having given, the fruit received was bondage. Salutations to you, O fate, who acts as you wish.

माता यदि भवेल्लक्ष्मीः पिता साक्षाज्जनार्दनः । कुबुद्धौ प्रतिपत्तिश्चैत्तस्मिन्दण्डः पतेत्सदा ॥ १,११३.

Even if one's mother is Lakṣmī and one's father is Janārdana himself, if one acts with evil intent, punishment will always fall upon him.

येनयेन यथा यद्वत्पुरा कर्म सुनिश्चितम् । तत्तदेवान्तरा भुङ्क्ते स्वयमाहितमात्मना ॥ १,११३.

Whatever actions were certainly performed in the past, in whatever manner and by whom, one experiences their results, self-imposed, in due course.

आत्मना विहितं दुः खमात्मना विहितं सखम् । गर्भशय्यामुपादाय भुङ्क्ते वै पौर्वदैहिकम् ॥ १,११३.

Suffering is created by oneself, and so is companionship; taking up the bed of the womb, one experiences the results of deeds from previous bodies.

न चान्तरिक्षे न समुद्रमध्ये न पर्वतानां विवरप्रवेशे । न मातृमूर्ध्नि प्रधृतस्तथाङ्के त्यक्तुं क्षमः कर्म कृतं नरो हि ॥ १,११३.

Neither in the sky, nor in the midst of the ocean, nor by entering the crevices of mountains, nor when held on a mother's head or lap—nowhere can a man escape the consequences of his actions.

दुगस्त्रिकूटः परिखा समुद्रो रक्षांसि योधाः परमा च वृत्तिः । शास्त्रञ्च वै तूशनसा प्रदिष्टं स रावणः कालवशाद्विनष्टः ॥ १,११३.

A fort with three peaks, a moat, the ocean, guards, warriors, and the greatest resources, and even the science taught by Ushanas—Ravana was destroyed by the force of time despite all these.

यस्मिन्वयसि यत्काले यद्दिवा यच्च वा निशि । यन्मुहूर्ते क्षणे वापि तत्तथा न तदन्यथा ॥ १,११३.

At whatever age, at whatever time, by day or by night, in whatever moment or instant—what is destined happens exactly so, not otherwise.

गच्छन्ति चान्तरिक्षे वा प्रविशन्ति महीतले । धारयन्ति दिशः सर्वा नादत्तमुपलभ्यते ॥ १,११३.

Whether they travel through the sky or enter the earth, or hold all the directions—what is not given to one cannot be obtained.

पुराधीता च या विद्या पुरा दत्तञ्च यद्धनम् । पुरा कृतानि कर्माणि ह्यग्रे धावन्ति धावतः ॥ १,११३.

Knowledge learned long ago, wealth given long ago, and deeds performed long ago—all these run ahead of a person as he runs forward.

कर्माण्यत्र प्रधानानि सम्यगृक्षे शुभग्रहे । वसिष्ठकृतलग्नापि जानकी दुः खभाजनम् ॥ १,११३.

Here, actions are primary, whether at an auspicious time or under a favorable star; even Janaki, though her marriage was set by Vasishtha, became a recipient of suffering.

स्थूलजङ्घो यदा रामः शब्दगामी च लक्ष्मणः । घनकेशी यदा सीता त्रयस्ते दुः खभाजनम् ॥ १,११३.

When Rama had thick thighs, Lakshmana was guided by sound, and Sita had dense hair—these three became recipients of suffering.

न पितुः कर्मणा पुत्रः पिता वा पुत्रकर्मणा । स्वयं कृतेन गच्छन्ति स्वयं बद्धाः स्वकर्मणा ॥ १,११३.

A son does not go by the actions of his father, nor a father by those of his son; each proceeds bound by his own actions.

कर्मजन्यशरीरेषु रोगाः शरीरमानसाः । शरा इव पतन्तीह विमुक्ता दृढधन्विभिः ॥ १,११३.

In bodies born of karma, diseases—both physical and mental—fall like arrows released by strong archers.

अन्यथा शास्त्रगार्भिण्या धिया धीरोर्ऽथमीहते । स्वामिवत्प्राक्कृतं कर्म विदधाति तदन्यथा ॥ १,११३.

Otherwise, even a wise person, though pregnant with the knowledge of the scriptures, strives for wealth; but like a servant, he performs the karma previously set, and not otherwise.

बालो युवा च वृद्धश्च यः करोति शुभाशुभम् । तस्यान्तस्यामवस्थायां भुङ्क्ते जन्मनिजन्मनि ॥ १,११३.

Whether a child, a youth, or an old man—whoever does good or evil—he enjoys the results in that very state, in birth after birth.

अनीक्षमाणोऽपि नरो विदेशस्थोऽपि मानवः । स्वकर्मपातवातेन नीयते यत्र तत्फलम् ॥ १,११३.

Even if a man does not see, even if he is in a foreign land, he is carried by the wind of his own karma to where its fruit is.

प्राप्तव्यमर्थं लभते मनुष्यो देवोऽपि तं वारयितुं न शक्तः । अतो न शोचामि न विस्मयो मे ललाटलेखा न पुनः प्रयाति (यदस्मदीयं न तु तत्परेषाम् ॥ १,११३.

A person attains what is destined for him; even a god is not able to prevent it. Therefore, I do not grieve nor am I astonished; the line on the forehead does not return again (what is mine is not another's).

सर्पः कूपे गजः स्कन्धे बिल आखुश्च धावति । नरः शीघ्रतरादेव कर्मणः कः पलायते ॥ १,११३.

A snake in a well, an elephant on its shoulder, and a mouse running into a hole—who among men can flee faster than karma?

नाल्पा भवति सद्विद्या दीयमानापि वर्धते । कूपस्थमिव पानीयं भवत्येव बहूदकम् ॥ १,११३.

True knowledge, even if given in small measure, grows; like water in a well, it becomes abundant.

येर्ऽथा धर्मेण ते सत्या येऽधर्मेण गताः श्रियः । धर्मार्थो च महांल्लोके तत्स्मृत्वा ह्यर्थकारणात् ॥ १,११३.

Wealth obtained by righteousness is true; riches gained by unrighteousness are not. Remembering that dharma and artha are great in the world, one should act for the sake of wealth accordingly.

अन्नार्थो यानि दुः खानि करोति कृपणो जनः । तान्येव यदि धर्मार्थो न भूयः क्लेशभाजनम् ॥ १,११३.

The sufferings a wretched person endures for the sake of food and wealth—if these are for the sake of dharma and artha, they no longer become a source of pain.

सर्वेषामेव शौचानामन्नशौचं विशिष्यते । योऽन्नार्थैः शुचिः शौचान्न मृदा वारिणा शुचिः ॥ १,११३.

Of all forms of purity, purity of food is considered the highest; one who is pure in relation to food is truly pure, not merely by earth or water.

सत्यं शौचं मनः शौचं शौचमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः । सर्वभूते दया शौचं जलशौचञ्च पञ्चमम् ॥ १,११३.

Truthfulness is purity, purity of mind is purity, purity is control of the senses, compassion toward all beings is purity, and purity of water is the fifth.