Kurma Purana

प्राणानेवात्तुमिच्छन्ति नवान्नामिषगृद्धिनः

Those greedy for new grain or meat wish only to sustain their own lives.

पितॄंश्चैवाष्टकास्वर्चन् नित्यमन्वष्टकासु च

And one should always honor the ancestors at the Aṣṭakā rites and at the recurring Anvaṣṭakā rites.

त्रयाणामिह वर्णानां गृहस्थाश्रमवासिनाम्

Of the three classes here, those who dwell in the householder stage,

यजेत वा न यज्ञेन स याति नरकान् बहून्

If he does not perform sacrifice, he goes to many hells.

कुम्भीपाकं वैतरणीमसिपत्रवनं तथा

To Kumbhīpāka, Vaitaraṇī, and also the forest of sword-leaves.

अन्त्यजानां कुले विप्राः शूद्रयोनौ च जायते

O Brahmins, he is born in the family of outcastes, or in the womb of a Śūdra.

आधायाग्निं विशुद्धात्मा यजेत परमेश्वरम्

Having established the sacred fire, with a purified mind, he should worship the Supreme Lord.

तस्मादाराधयेन्नित्यमग्निहोत्रेण शाश्वतम्

Therefore, one should always worship the eternal with the Agnihotra sacrifice.

सो ऽसौ मूढो न संभाष्यः किं पुनर्नास्तिको जनः

Such a fool is not to be spoken with, much less a person who is an atheist.

अधिकं चापि विद्येत स सोमं पातुमर्हति

And if he knows more, he is worthy to drink Soma.

सोमेनाराधयेद् देवं सोमलोकमहेश्वरम्

With Soma, he should worship the god, the great lord of the Soma world.

समो वा विद्यते तस्मात् सोमेनाभ्यर्चयेत् परम्

Or if he is equal, therefore he should worship the supreme with Soma.

धर्मो विमुक्तये साक्षाच्छ्रौतः स्मार्तो द्विधा पुनः

Dharma is directly for liberation; Vedic and Smṛti rites are its twofold form.

श्रेयस्करतमः श्रौतस्तस्माच्छ्रौतं समाचरेत्

Of all, the Vedic rite is the most beneficial; therefore, one should perform the Vedic rite.

शिष्टाचारस्तृतीयः स्याच्छ्रतिस्मृत्योरलाभतः

The conduct of the learned is the third authority, in the absence of Veda and Smṛti.

ते शिष्टा ब्राह्मणाः प्रोक्ता नित्यमात्मगुणान्विताः

Those are called learned Brāhmaṇas who are always endowed with inner virtues.

स धर्मः कथितः सद्भिर्नान्येषामिति धारणा

That is called dharma by the virtuous; not that of others—this is the understanding.

एकस्माद् ब्रह्मविज्ञानं धर्मज्ञानं तथैकतः

From one comes knowledge of Brahman, and likewise, knowledge of dharma from one source.

धर्मशास्त्रं पुराणं तद् ब्रह्मज्ञाने परा प्रमा

The Dharmaśāstra and Purāṇa are the highest authority regarding knowledge of Brahman.

तस्माद् धर्मं पुराणं च श्रद्धातव्यं द्विजातिभिः

Therefore, the twice-born should have faith in dharma and the Purāṇa.

द्विजातेः परमो धर्मो वर्तनानि निबोधत

Now hear the supreme dharma and modes of livelihood for the twice-born.

कुसीदकृषिवाणिज्यं प्रकुर्वोतास्वयङ्कृतम्

Moneylending, agriculture, and trade—one should not engage in these on one's own.

आपत्कल्पो ह्यं ज्ञेयः पूर्वोक्तो मुख्य इष्यते

These are to be known as emergency measures; the previously mentioned are to be considered primary.

कष्टा पापीयसी वृत्तिः कुसीदं तद् विवर्जयेत्

Moneylending is a harsh and sinful livelihood; therefore, one should avoid it.

तस्मात् क्षात्रेण वर्तेत वर्तनेनापदि द्विजः

Therefore, a twice-born should follow the Kṣatriya's livelihood only in distress.

न कथञ्चन कुर्वोत ब्राह्मणः कर्म कर्षणम्

A Brāhmaṇa should never perform the work of tilling the soil.

ते तृप्तास्तस्य तं दोषं शमयन्ति न संशयः

Those who are satisfied remove his fault—of this there is no doubt.

त्रिंशद्भागं ब्राह्मणानां कृषिं कुर्वन् न दुष्यति

By cultivating only a thirtieth part for Brāhmaṇas, one does not incur sin.

कृषीवलो न दोषेण युज्यते नात्र संशयः

The cultivator is not associated with fault—of this there is no doubt.