सामासिकमिमं धर्मं चातुर्वर्ण्ये ऽब्रवीन्मनुः
Manu declared this concise dharma for the four varṇas.
स्थानमैन्द्रं क्षत्रियाणां संग्रामेष्वपलायिनाम्
The station of Indra is for kṣatriyas who do not flee in battle.
गान्धर्वं शूद्रजातीनां परिचारेण वर्तताम्
The Gandharva realm is for those of the śūdra class who live by service.
स्मृतं तेषां तु यत्स्थानं तदेव गुरुवासिनाम्
The place prescribed for them is that of those who dwell with their teacher.
प्राजापत्यं गृहस्थानां स्थानमुक्तं स्वयंभुवा
The householder's station is called prājāpatya, as declared by the self-born.
हैरण्यगर्भं तत् स्थानं यस्मान्नावर्तते पुनः
That station is called Hiraṇyagarbha, from which there is no return.
आनन्दमैश्वरं धाम सा काष्ठा सा परागतिः
The abode of bliss and lordship—that is the highest state, the supreme goal.
चत्वारो ह्याश्रमाः प्रोक्ता योगिनामेक उच्यते
Four āśramas are taught, but for yogins, only one is said.
य आस्ते निश्चलो योगी स संन्यासी न पञ्चमः
The yogi who sits unmoving is a renunciant; there is no fifth (state).
ब्रह्मचार्युपकुर्वाणो नैष्ठिको ब्रह्मतत्परः
He who observes the vow of brahmacharya, whether as an upakurvāṇa or a naiṣṭhika, is devoted to the essence of Brahman.
उपकुर्वाणको ज्ञेयो नैष्ठिको मरणान्तिकः
The upakurvāṇa is to be known as such; the naiṣṭhika continues until death.
कुटुम्बभरणे यत्तः साधको ऽसौ गृही भवेत्
The practitioner who is engaged in supporting his family is called a householder.
एकाकी यस्तु विचरेदुदासीनः स मौक्षिकः
He who wanders alone, indifferent, is called a seeker of liberation.
स्वाध्याये चैव निरतो वनस्थस्तापसो मतः
He who is devoted to self-study in the forest is regarded as an ascetic.
सांन्यासिकः स विज्ञेयो वानप्रस्थाश्रमे स्थितः
He who abides in the forest-dweller stage is to be known as a renunciant.
ज्ञानाय वर्तते भिक्षुः प्रोच्यते पारमेष्ठिकः
The mendicant who pursues knowledge is called a supreme renunciant.
सम्यग् दर्शनसंपन्नः स योगी भिक्षुरुच्यते
He who is endowed with true vision is called a yogi and a mendicant.
कर्मसन्यासिनः केचित् त्रिविधाः परामेष्ठिकाः
Some renouncers of action are of three kinds, known as supreme renunciants.
तृतीयोत्याश्रमी प्रोक्ती योगमुत्तममास्थितः
The one established in the highest yoga is said to be in the third and last stage of life.
तृतीये चान्तिमा प्रोक्ता भावना पारमेश्वरी
In the third stage, the supreme contemplation is declared to be the final one.
सर्वेषु वेदशास्त्रेषु पञ्चमो नोपपद्यते
In all the Vedic scriptures, a fifth (āśrama) is not admitted.
दक्षादीन् प्राह विश्वात्मा सृजध्वं विविधाः प्रजाः
The all-pervading Self said to Daksha and the others: 'Create various beings.'
असृजन्त प्रजाः सर्वा देवमानुषपूर्विकाः
They created all beings, beginning with the gods and humans.
अहं वै पालयामीदं संहरिष्यति शूलभृत्
I indeed protect this (world); the wielder of the trident will dissolve it.
रजः सत्त्वतमोयोगात् परस्य परमात्मनः
From the union of rajas, sattva, and tamas arises the Supreme Self.
अन्योन्यं प्रणताश्चैव लीलया परमेश्वराः
The Supreme Lords bow to one another and merge in play.
तिस्त्रस्तु भावना रुद्रे वर्तन्ते सततं द्विजाः
O twice-born, three forms of meditation are always present in Rudra.
द्वितीया ब्रह्मणः प्रोक्ता देवस्याक्षरभावना
The second is declared to be the meditation on the imperishable of the god Brahman.
विभज्यस्वेच्छयात्मानं सो ऽन्यर्यामीश्वरः स्थितः
Dividing himself by his own will, that Lord abides as the inner ruler of others.
पुरुषः परतो ऽव्यक्ताद् ब्रह्मत्वं समुपागमत्
The Supreme Person, beyond the unmanifest, attained the state of Brahman.