अनग्निरनिकेतश् चाप्य् अगोत्रचरणो मुनिः कौपीनाच्छादनं यावत् तावदिच्छेच्च चीवरम्
A sage without fire, without a fixed abode, who wanders without family ties, should desire a garment only as much as is needed to cover his loins.
यावत्प्राणाभिसंधानं तावदिच्छेच्च भोजनम् तदास्य वसतो ग्रामे ऽरण्यं भवति पृष्ठतः
He should desire food only as much as is necessary to sustain life; then, for him dwelling in the village, the forest is left behind.
यस्तु कामान्परित्यज्य त्यक्तकर्मा जितेन्द्रियः आतिष्ठेत मुनिर् मौनं स लोके सिद्धिमाप्नुयात्
But the sage who, having renounced desires, abandoned actions, and mastered his senses, practices silence—he attains perfection in this world.
धौतदन्तं कृत्तनखं सदा स्नातमलंकृतम् असितं सितकर्मस्थं कस्तं नार्चितुमर्हति
Who would not honor one whose teeth are cleansed, nails trimmed, always bathed and adorned, who is dark yet engaged in pure deeds?
तपसा कर्शितः क्षामः क्षीणमांसास्थिशोणितः यदा भवति निर्द्वंद्वो मुनिर्मौनं समास्थितः
When the sage, emaciated by austerity, thin, with flesh, bones, and blood diminished, becomes free from dualities and established in silence—
अथ लोकमिमं जित्वा लोकं चापि जयेत्परम् आस्येन तु यदाहारं गोवन्मृगयते मुनिः अथास्य लोकैः सर्वो यः सो ऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते
Then, having conquered this world and the next, when the sage seeks food with his mouth like a cow, all the worlds become fit for his immortality.
कतरस्त्वेतयोः पूर्वं देवानामेति सात्म्यताम् उभयोर्धावतो राजन् सूर्यचन्द्रमसोरिव
Which of these two, O King, first attains union with the gods—of those who strive, like the sun and the moon racing together?
अनिकेतगृहस्थेषु कामवृत्तेषु संयतः ग्राम एव चरन्भिक्षुस् तयोः पूर्वतरं गतः
He who, though living among householders and those devoted to desires, remains restrained and wanders as a mendicant in the village—he attains first.
अप्राप्यं दीर्घमायुश्च यः प्राप्तो विकृतिं चरेत् तप्येत यदि तत्कृत्वा चरेत्सोग्रं तपस्ततः
If one who has not attained long life or who has become deformed practices austerity, let him, having done that, undertake severe penance.
यद्वै नृशंसं तदपत् ह्यमाहुर् यः सेवते धर्ममनर्थबुद्धिः असावनीशः स तथैव राजंस् तदार्जवं स समाधिस्तदार्यम्
Whatever is cruel is declared to be unfit; he who serves righteousness with a mind not set on gain—he is not a lord, O King, but that is integrity, that is concentration, that is nobility.
केनाद्य त्वं तु प्रहितो ऽसि राजन् युवा स्रग्वी दर्शनीयः सुवर्चाः कुत आगतः कतमस्यां दिशि त्वमुताहोस्वित्पार्थिवस्थानम् अस्ति
By whom, O King, have you been sent today? You are young, garlanded, handsome, radiant—where have you come from, in which direction? Or do you have a royal position here?
इमं भौमं नरकं क्षीणपुण्यः प्रवेष्टुम् ऊर्वीं गगनाद्विप्रकीर्णः उक्त्वाहं वः प्रपतिष्याम्य् अनन्तरं त्वरन्त्वमी ब्रह्मणो लोकपा ये
He whose merit is exhausted is about to enter this earthly hell, cast down from the sky to the earth. Having told you this, I shall fall; these guardians of Brahma's world are urging me on.
सतां सकाशे तु वृतः प्रपातस् ते सङ्गता गुणवन्तस्तु सर्वे शक्राच्च लब्धो हि वरो मयैष पतिष्यता भूमितलं नरेन्द्र
Surrounded by the virtuous, your fall is joined by all the worthy; I have obtained this boon from Indra, O king, that I shall fall to the earth.
पृच्छामि त्वां प्रपतन्तं प्रपातं यदि लोकाः पार्थिव सन्ति मे ऽत्र यद्यन्तरिक्षे यदि वा दिवि श्रिताः क्षेत्रज्ञं त्वां तस्य धर्मस्य मन्ये
I ask you, as you fall into the abyss, O king, are there worlds here for me—whether in the atmosphere or established in heaven? I consider you the knower of the field of that righteousness.
यावत्पृथिव्यां विहितं गवाश्वं सहारण्यैः पशुभिः पक्षिभिश्च तावल्लोका दिवि ते संस्थिता वै तथा विजानीहि नरेन्द्रसिंह
As many cows and horses as are established on earth, along with wild animals and birds—so many worlds are established for you in heaven; know this, O lion among kings.
तांस्ते ददामि मा प्रपत प्रपातं ये मे लोका दिवि राजेन्द्र सन्ति यद्यन्तरिक्षे यदि वा दिवि श्रितास्तानाक्रम क्षिप्रममित्रहाऽथसि
I give you those worlds—do not fall into the abyss. O king of kings, as many worlds as are in heaven, or in the atmosphere, or established in heaven—take possession of them quickly, O destroyer of foes.
नास्मद्विधो ऽब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मविच्च प्रतिग्रहे वर्तते राजमुख्य यथा प्रदेयं सततं द्विजेभ्यस् तदा ददे पूर्वम् अहं नरेन्द्र
O foremost of kings, neither one such as I, nor a non-Brahmin, nor even a knower of Brahman, should engage in accepting gifts. Whatever should always be given to the twice-born, I gave that before, O king.
नाब्राह्मणः कृपणो जातु जीवेद् यद्यपि स्याद्ब्राह्मणी वीरपत्नी सो ऽहं यदेवाकृतपूर्वं चरेयं विवित्समानः किमु तत्र साधुः
A wretched non-Brahmin should never live, even if he has a Brahmin wife or is the husband of a heroic woman. If I were to do what has never been done before, seeking to know, what virtue would there be in that?
पृच्छामि त्वां स्पृहणीयरूप प्रतर्दनो ऽहं यदि मे सन्ति लोकाः यद्यन्तरिक्षे यदि वा दिवि श्रुताः क्षेत्रज्ञं त्वां तस्य धर्मस्य मन्ये
I ask you, O Pratardana of admirable form: if I have worlds, whether in the sky or in heaven as is heard, I consider you to be the knower of the law concerning them.
सन्ति लोका बहवस्ते नरेन्द्र अप्येकैकं सप्त शतान्यहानि मधुच्युतो घृतवन्तो विशोकास् तेनान्तवन्तः प्रतिपालयन्ति
There are many worlds for you, O king—each one, seven hundred days long, flowing with honey and ghee, free from sorrow; yet they are finite, and they await you.
तांस्ते ददामि पतमानस्य राजन् ये मे लोकास्तव ते वै भवन्तु यद्यन्तरिक्षे यदि वा दिवि श्रितास् तानाक्रम क्षिप्रमपेतमोहः
I give you those worlds as you fall, O king; let my worlds become yours. Whether they are established in the sky or in heaven, quickly ascend to them, your delusion dispelled.
नु तुल्यतेजाः सुकृतं हि कामये योगक्षेमं पार्थिवात्पार्थिवः सन् दैवादेशादापदं प्राप्य विद्वांश् चरेन्नृशंसं हि न जातु राजा
Indeed, I desire righteous merit equal to yours, for the security of a king comes from another king. When misfortune arises by divine will, a wise king should never act cruelly.
धर्म्यं मार्गं चिन्तयानो यशस्यं कुर्यात्तपो धर्ममवेक्षमाणः न मद्विधो धर्मबुद्धिर्हि राजा ह्य् एवं कुर्यात्कृपणं मां यथात्थ
Reflecting on the righteous path, one should perform penance for fame, observing dharma. A king of my understanding and sense of dharma would never act miserably toward me as you suggest.
कुर्यामपूर्वं न कृतं यदन्यैर् विवित्समानः किम् उ तत्र साधुः ब्रुवाणमेवं नृपतिं ययातिं नृपोत्तमो वसुमानब्रवीत् तम्
Should I do what has never been done by others, seeking to know—what virtue would there be in that? Thus spoke the best of kings, Vasumanas, to King Yayati.
पृच्छाम्यहं वसुमानौषदश्विर् यद्यस्ति लोको दिवि मह्यं नरेन्द्र यद्यन्तरिक्षे प्रथितो महात्मन् क्षेत्रज्ञं त्वां तस्य धर्मस्य मन्ये
I ask you, Vasumanas, tamer of horses: if there is a world in heaven for me, O king, or if it is renowned in the sky, O great-souled one, I consider you the knower of the law concerning it.
यदन्तरिक्षं पृथिवी दिशश्च यत्तेजसा तपते भानुमांश्च लोकास् तावन्तो दिवि संस्थिता वै ते त्वां भवन्तं प्रतिपालयन्ति
As the sun shines upon the sky, earth, and directions by your radiance, so many worlds are established in heaven; they await you.
तांस् ते ददामि पत मां प्रपातं ये मे लोकास्तव ते वै भवन्तु क्रीणीष्वैनांस् तृणकेनापि राजन् प्रतिग्रहस्ते यदि सम्यक्प्रदुष्टः
I give you those worlds as you fall, O king; let my worlds become yours. Purchase them even with a blade of grass, if your acceptance is pure.
न मिथ्याहं विक्रयं वै स्मरामि मया कृतं शिशुभावे ऽपि राजन् कुर्यां न चैवाकृतपूर्वमन्यैर् विवित्समानो वसुमन्न साधु
I do not recall ever making a false sale, even in childhood, O king. Nor would I do what has never been done by others, seeking to know, O Vasumanas; that is not righteous.
तांस् त्वं लोकान्प्रतिपद्यस्व राजन् मया दत्तान्यदि नेष्टः क्रयस्ते नाहं तान्वै प्रतिगन्ता नरेन्द्र सर्वे लोकास्तावका वै भवन्तु
You should accept those worlds, O king, which I have given; if you do not desire to purchase them, I will not take them back, O king. Let all those worlds truly become yours.
पृच्छामि त्वां शिबिरौशीनरो ऽहं ममापि लोका यदि सन्ति तात यद्यन्तरिक्षे यदि वा दिवि श्रिताः क्षेत्रज्ञं त्वां तस्य धर्मस्य मन्ये
I ask you, O Śibi, son of Uśīnara: if I too have worlds, dear one, whether they are established in the sky or in heaven, I consider you the knower of the law concerning them.