तस्मान्न हिंसायज्ञं च प्रशंसन्ति महर्षयः उञ्छं मूलं फलं शाकम् उदपात्रं तपोधनाः
Therefore, the great sages do not praise sacrifices involving violence; ascetics praise gleaned grains, roots, fruits, vegetables, and water in a vessel.
एतद्दत्त्वा विभवतः स्वर्गलोके प्रतिष्ठिताः अद्रोहश्चाप्यलोभश्च दमो भूतदया शमः
Having given these according to their means, they are established in the heavenly world; non-injury, non-greed, self-restraint, compassion for beings, and tranquility.
ब्रह्मचर्यं तपः शौचम् अनुक्रोशं क्षमा धृतिः सनातनस्य धर्मस्य मूलमेव दुरासदम्
Celibacy, austerity, purity, compassion, forgiveness, and steadfastness—these are the very difficult roots of eternal dharma.
द्रव्यमन्त्रात्मको यज्ञस् तपश्च समतात्मकम् यज्ञैश्च देवानाप्नोति वैराजं तपसा पुनः
Sacrifice consists of material and mantra, and austerity is of the nature of equality; by sacrifices one attains the gods, and by austerity, the realm of Virāj.
ब्रह्मणः कर्मसंन्यासाद् वैराग्यात्प्रकृतेर्लयम् ज्ञानात्प्राप्नोति कैवल्यं पञ्चैता गतयः स्मृताः
Through renunciation of action, by detachment, by dissolution into nature, and by knowledge, one attains liberation; these five are said to be the paths.
एवं विवादः सुमहान् यज्ञस्यासीत्प्रवर्तने ऋषीणां देवतानां च पूर्वे स्वायम्भुवे ऽन्तरे
Thus, a great dispute arose among the sages and the gods regarding the performance of sacrifice in the former age of Svāyambhuva.
ततस्ते ऋषयो दृष्ट्वा हृतं धर्मं बलेन तु वसोर्वाक्यमनादृत्य जग्मुस्ते वै यथागतम्
Then the sages, seeing that righteousness had been forcibly taken away and disregarding Vasu's words, departed as they had come.
गतेषु ऋषिसंघेषु देवा यज्ञमवाप्नुयुः श्रूयन्ते हि तपःसिद्धा ब्रह्मक्षत्रादयो नृपाः
When the assembly of sages had gone, the gods obtained the sacrifice; it is heard that kings such as Brahmins and Kshatriyas, accomplished in austerity, did so.
प्रियव्रतोत्तानपादौ ध्रुवो मेधातिथिर्वसुः सुधामा विरजाश्चैव शङ्खपाद्राजसस्तथा
Priyavrata, Uttānapāda, Dhruva, Medhātithi, Vasu, Sudhāmā, Virajā, Śaṅkhapād, and other kings likewise.
प्राचीनबर्हिः पर्जन्यो हविर्धानादयो नृपाः एते चान्ये च बहवस् ते तपोभिर्दिवं गताः
Prācīnabarhi, Parjanya, Havirdhāna, and other kings—these and many others attained heaven through their austerities.
राजर्षयो महात्मानो येषां कीर्तिः प्रतिष्ठिता तस्माद्विशिष्यते यज्ञात् तपः सर्वैस्तु कारणैः
The royal sages of great soul, whose fame is established—therefore, austerity surpasses sacrifice in every respect.
ब्रह्मणा तपसा सृष्टं जगद्विश्वमिदं पुरा तस्मान्नाप्नोति तद्यज्ञात् तपोमूलमिदं स्मृतम्
This entire universe was formerly created by Brahmā through austerity; therefore, it is not attained by sacrifice, for austerity is said to be the root of all.
यज्ञप्रवर्तनं ह्येवम् आसीत्स्वायम्भुवे ऽन्तरे तदाप्रभृति यज्ञो ऽयं युगैः सार्धं प्रवर्तितः
Thus, the initiation of sacrifice took place in the age of Svāyambhuva; from that time onward, this sacrifice has continued along with the ages.
अत ऊर्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि द्वापरस्य विधिं पुनः तत्र त्रेतायुगे क्षीणे द्वापरं प्रतिपद्यते
Now I shall again describe the order of the Dvāpara age; when the Tretā age wanes, the Dvāpara is entered.
द्वापरादौ प्रजानां तु सिद्धिस्त्रेतायुगे तु या परिवृत्ते युगे तस्मिंस् ततः सा वै प्रणश्यति
At the beginning of Dvāpara, the success among people is that which existed in Tretā; when that age passes, that success is lost.
ततः प्रवर्तिते तासां प्रजानां द्वापरे पुनः लोभो धृतिर्वणिग्युद्धं तत्त्वानाम् अविनिश्चयः
Then, when those people again enter Dvāpara, greed, perseverance, trade, war, and uncertainty about principles arise.
प्रध्वंसश्चैव वर्णानां कर्मणां तु विपर्ययः यात्रा वधः परो दण्डो मानो दर्पो ऽक्षमा बलम्
There is also the destruction of castes, reversal of duties, journeys, killing, severe punishment, pride, arrogance, impatience, and force.
तथा रजस्तमो भूयः प्रवृत्ते द्वापरे पुनः आद्ये कृते नाधर्मो ऽस्ति स त्रेतायां प्रवर्तितः
Thus, in Dvāpara, passion and darkness increase again; in the first Kṛta age there was no unrighteousness, but it began in Tretā.
द्वापरे व्याकुलो भूत्वा प्रणश्यति कलौ पुनः वर्णानां द्वापरे धर्माः संकीर्यन्ते तथाश्रमाः
In Dvāpara, confusion arises and is destroyed again in Kali; in Dvāpara, the duties of castes and stages of life become mixed.
द्वैधमुत्पद्यते चैव युगे तस्मिञ्श्रुतिस्मृतौ द्विधा श्रुतिः स्मृतिश्चैव निश्चयो नाधिगम्यते
In that age, a duality arises in the revealed and remembered texts; the Veda and tradition become divided, and certainty is not attained.
अनिश्चयावगमनाद् धर्मतत्त्वं न विद्यते धर्मतत्त्वे ह्यविज्ञाते मतिभेदस्तु जायते
Because of uncertainty and confusion, the true nature of righteousness is not known; when the essence of righteousness is not understood, differences of opinion arise.
परस्परं विभिन्नास्ते दृष्टीनां विभ्रमेण तु अतो दृष्टिविभिन्नैस्तैः कृतमत्याकुलं त्विदम्
They become mutually divided due to the confusion of viewpoints; thus, because of those differing perspectives, this world becomes greatly disturbed.
एको वेदश्चतुष्पादः संहृत्य तु पुनः पुनः संक्षेपादायुषश्चैव व्यस्यते द्वापरेष्विह
There is one Veda with four parts, which is repeatedly condensed and then, in summary and in accordance with lifespan, is dispersed in each Dvāpara age here.
वेदश्चैकश्चतुर्धा तु व्यस्यते द्वापरादिषु ऋषिपुत्रैः पुनर्वेदा भिद्यन्ते दृष्टिविभ्रमैः
The one Veda is divided into four in the Dvāpara and other ages; the Vedas are again split by the sons of the seers, due to differences in perception.
ते तु ब्राह्मणविन्यासैः स्वरक्रमविपर्ययैः संहृता ऋग्यजुःसाम्नां संहितास्तैर्महर्षिभिः
By the arrangements of the Brāhmaṇas and the variations in the order of accents, the collections of Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma are compiled by those great sages.
सामान्याद्वैकृताच्चैव दृष्टिभिन्नैः क्वचित्क्वचित् ब्राह्मणं कल्पसूत्राणि भाष्यविद्यास्तथैव च
From general and particular differences, and from divergent views in various places, arise the Brāhmaṇas, Kalpasūtras, commentaries, and branches of knowledge.
अन्ये तु प्रस्थितास्तान्वै केचित् तान् प्रत्यवस्थिताः द्वापरेषु प्रवर्तन्ते भिन्नार्थैस्तैः स्वदर्शनैः
Some proceed along those paths, while others oppose them; in the Dvāpara ages, these differing doctrines, with their own interpretations, are established.
एकमाध्वर्यवं पूर्वम् आसीद्द्वैधं तु तत्पुनः सामान्यविपरीतार्थैः कृतं शास्त्राकुलं त्विदम्
Originally, there was one Ādhvaryava (Yajurveda tradition); later it became twofold. Through conflicting and contrary meanings, this multitude of treatises has arisen.
आध्वर्यवं च प्रस्थानैर् बहुधा व्याकुलीकृतम् तथैवाथर्वणां साम्नां विकल्पैः स्वस्य संक्षयैः
The Ādhvaryava is further confused by many schools; likewise, the Atharva and Sāma traditions are divided by variations and their own declines.
व्याकुलो द्वापरेष्वर्थः क्रियते भिन्नदर्शनैः द्वापरे संनिवृत्ते ते वेदा नश्यन्ति वै कलौ
In the Dvāpara ages, meaning becomes confused by differing doctrines; when Dvāpara ends, those Vedas truly perish in Kali.