तस्मात्कृतानां पापानां पुण्यानां चैव सत्तम
Therefore, O best of men, of deeds done, both sinful and virtuous—
नाभुक्तं क्षीयते कर्म कल्पकोटिशतैरपि
No action, whether enjoyed or not, is destroyed even in hundreds of millions of aeons.
सर्वकर्मफलं भुक्ते परिपूर्णः सनातनः
The eternal one experiences the fruit of all actions in full.
सूजत्यवति चात्त्येतत्सर्वं सर्वभुगव्ययः
He creates, protects, and consumes all this, being the enjoyer and the cause of the dissolution of all.
स्थावरा इति विख्याता महामोहसमावृताः
Those known as 'immovables' are enveloped in great delusion.
स्थावरत्वे पृथिव्यामुत्पबीजानि जलसेकानुपदं सुसंस्कारसामग्रीवशादन्तरुष्मप्रपाचितान्युच्छूनत्वमापद्य ततो मूलभावं तन्मूलादङ्कुरोत्पत्तिस्तस्मादपि पर्णकाण्डनालादिकं काण्डेषु च प्रसवमापद्यन्ते तेषु च पुष्पसंभवः
In the state of immovability on earth, seeds are produced; following the sprinkling of water, due to the proper combination of conditions, they are ripened by the sun's heat, then attain swelling, then the state of root; from that root, a sprout arises, and from that, leaves, stalks, and stems; on the stalks, further growth occurs, and from them, flowers arise.
तानि पुष्पाणि कानिचिदफलानि कानिचित्फलहेतुभूतानि तेषु पुष्पेषु वृद्धभावेषु सत्सु तत्पुष्पमूलतस्तुषोत्पत्तिर्जायते तेषु तुषु भोक्तॄणां प्राणिनां संस्कारसामग्रीवशाद्धिमरश्मिकिरणासन्नतया तदोषधिरसस्तुषान्तः प्रविश्य क्षीरभावं समेत्य स्वकाले तण्डुलाकारतामुपगम्य प्राणिनां भोगसंस्कारवशात्संवत्सरे फलिनः स्युः
Some of those flowers bear fruit, and some do not; some are the cause of fruit. When those flowers mature, from their roots arises the husk. In those husks, by the combination of the enjoyers’ actions and the proximity of the sun’s rays, the essence of the plant enters within the husk, attains the state of milk, and in due time takes the form of rice. According to the enjoyers’ actions, in a year, they become fruitful.
ततश्च क्रिमयो भूत्वा सदादुःखबहुलाः क्षणार्ध्दं जीवन्तः क्षणार्ध्दं म्रियमाणा बलवत्प्राणिपीडायां निवारयितुमक्षमाः शीतवातादिक्लेशभूयिष्ठा नित्यं क्षुधाक्षुधिता मलमूत्रादिषु सचरन्तो दुःखमनुभवन्ति
Then, becoming worms, they are always afflicted with much suffering, living for only half a moment and dying in half a moment, unable to ward off severe torment from other beings, overwhelmed by cold, wind, and other afflictions, always hungry and thirsty, wandering in filth and urine, and experiencing pain.
तत एव पद्मयोनिमागत्य बलवद्वाधोद्वेजिता वृथोद्वेगभूयिष्ठाः क्षुत्क्षान्ता नित्यं वनचारिणो मातृष्वपि विषयातुरा वातादिक्लेषबहुलाः कश्मिंश्चिज्जन्मनि तृणाशनाः कस्मिंश्चिज्जन्मनि मांसामेध्याद्यदनाः कस्मिंश्चिज्जन्मनि कन्दमूलफलाशना दुर्बलप्राणिपीडानिरता दुःखमनुभवन्ति
From there, entering the womb of the lotus-born, they are greatly agitated by strong pain, filled with useless anxiety, always hungry and thirsty, wandering in forests, even among their mothers, driven by sense-objects, afflicted by wind and other torments. In some births, they eat grass; in others, they eat flesh and impure things; in others, they eat roots, tubers, and fruits, always engaged in harming weaker beings, and they experience suffering.
अण्डजत्वे ऽपि वाताशनामांसामेध्याद्यशनाश्च परपीडापरायणा नित्यं दुःखबहुला ग्राम्यपशुयोनिमागता अपि स्वजातिवियोगभारोद्वहनपाशादिबन्धनताडनहलादिधारणादिसर्वदुःखान्यनुभवन्ति
Even among those born from eggs, some eat wind, flesh, and impure things, devoted to harming others, always afflicted with much suffering. Even when born as domestic animals, they experience all kinds of suffering—separation from their own kind, bearing heavy loads, being bound, beaten, yoked to ploughs, and so on.
केचिच्च पुण्यविशेषाद्युत्क्रमेणापि मनुष्यजन्माश्नुवते
Yet, by special merit, some attain human birth in due course.
मनुष्यजन्म नापि च चर्मकारचण्डालव्याधानापितरजककुंभकारलोहकारस्वर्णकारतन्तुवाचसौचिकजटिलसिद्धधावकलेखकभृतकशासनहारिनीचभृत्यद्ररिदहीनाङ्गाधिकाङ्गत्वादि दुःखबहुलज्वरतापशीतश्लेष्मगुल्मपादाक्षिशिरोगर्भपार्श्ववेदनादिदुःखमनुभवन्ति
Even in human birth, there is suffering in being born as a tanner, outcaste, hunter, sweeper, potter, blacksmith, goldsmith, weaver, tailor, ascetic, mendicant, washerman, scribe, servant, menial, pauper, or one with bodily defects; and there is much suffering from fever, heat, cold, phlegm, tumors, pain in the feet, eyes, head, womb, sides, and so on.
मनुष्यत्वे ऽपि यदा स्त्रीपुरुषयोर्व्यवायस्तत्समयेरेतो यदा जरायुं प्रविशति तदैव कर्मवशाज्जन्तुः शुक्रेण सह जरायुं प्रविश्य शुक्रशोणितकलले प्रवर्त्तते
Even in humanity, when a man and woman unite, at that time, the semen enters the womb; then, by the force of karma, the being enters the womb along with the semen and begins to develop in the mixture of semen and blood.
पलवलभावमुपेत्य मासे प्रादेशमात्रत्वमापद्यते
Assuming the form of a lump, in a month it attains the size of a finger’s breadth.
ततः प्रभृति वायुवशाच्चैतन्याभावे ऽपि मातुरुह्ये दुःसहतापल्केशतयैकत्र स्थातुमशक्यत्वाद् भ्रमति
From then on, though lacking consciousness due to the force of wind, it suffers greatly in the mother’s womb, unable to remain in one place, and is tossed about.
मासे द्वितीये पूर्णे पुरुषाकारमात्रतामुपगमय मासत्रितये पूर्णे करचरणाद्यवयवभावमुपगम्य चतुर्षु मासेषु गतेषु सर्वावयवानां संधिभेदपरिज्ञानं पञ्चस्वतीतेषु नखानामभिव्यञ्जककता षट्स्वतीतेषु नखसंधिपरिस्फुटतामुपगम्य नाभिसूत्रेण पुष्यमाणममेध्यमूत्रसिक्ताङ्गं जरायुणा बन्धितरक्तास्थिक्रिमिवसामज्जास्नायुकेशादिदूषिते कुत्सिते शरीरे निवासिनं स्वयमप्येवं परिदूषितदेहं मातुश्च कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णभुक्तदह्यमात्मानं दृष्ट्वा देही पूर्वजन्मस्मरणानुभावात्पूर्वानुभूतनरकदुःथानि च स्मृत्वान्तर्दुःखेन च परिदह्यमानो मातुर्देहातिमूत्रादिरुक्षेण दह्यमान एवं मनसि प्रलयति
At the end of the second month, it attains the form of a human; at the end of the third month, it develops limbs such as hands and feet; after four months, the joints of all limbs are distinguished; after five months, the nails begin to appear; after six months, the nail joints become clear. Nourished by the navel cord, its body is soaked with impure urine, bound by the womb, polluted by blood, bones, worms, fat, marrow, sinews, hair, and so on, residing in this impure body. Seeing itself thus polluted, and scorched by the mother’s intake of pungent, sour, salty, and excessively hot foods, the embodied being, remembering previous births and the sufferings of hell, is burned within by inner pain and scorched without by the mother’s body, and thus grieves in its mind.
अहो ऽत्यन्तपापो ऽहंपूर्वजन्मनिभृत्यापत्यमित्रयोषिद्गृहक्षेत्रधनधान्यादिष्वत्यन्तरागेण कलत्रपोषणार्थं परधनक्षेत्रादिकं पश्यतो हरणाद्युपायैरपह्यत्य कामान्धतया परस्त्रीहरणादिकमनुभूय महापापान्याचरंस्तैः पापैरहमेक एवंविधनरकाननुभूय पुनः स्थावरादिषु महादुःखमनुभूय संप्रति जरायुणा परिवेष्टितो ऽन्तर्दुखेन बहिस्तापेन च दह्यामि
Alas, I am extremely sinful! In previous births, out of intense attachment to servants, children, friends, wives, houses, fields, wealth, and grain, for the sake of supporting my wife, I looked at the wealth and fields of others, and by means such as theft, blinded by desire, I committed great sins like abducting others’ wives. Because of those sins, I alone, having experienced the torments of hell and then great suffering among plants and other beings, am now enveloped by the womb, burning with inner and outer pain.
मया पोषिता दाराश्च स्वकर्मवशादन्यतो गताः
The wives whom I supported have, by the force of their own karma, gone elsewhere.
अहो दुखं हि देहिनाम्
Alas, suffering indeed belongs to embodied beings.
भृत्यभित्रकलत्रार्थमन्यद्द्रव्यं हृतं मया
For the sake of servants, children, and wives, I took the wealth of others.
दृष्ट्वान्यस्य श्रियं पूर्वं सतत्पो ऽहमसूयया खितः
Seeing another’s prosperity before, I was always disturbed by envy.
कायेन मनसा वाचा परपीडामकारिषम्तेन पापेन दह्यामि त्वहमेको ऽतिदुःखितः
By body, mind, and speech, I caused harm to others; by that sin, I alone am burned, exceedingly afflicted.
एवं बहुविधं गर्भस्थो जन्तुर्विलप्य स्वयमेव वा
Thus, while still in the womb, the being laments in many ways, either aloud or within.
आत्मानमाश्वास्य उत्पत्तेरनन्तरं सत्संगेन विष्णोश्चरितश्रवणेन च विशुद्धमना भूत्वा सत्कर्माणि निर्वर्त्य अखिलजगदन्तरात्मनः सत्यज्ञानानन्दमयस्य शक्तिप्रभावानुष्टितविष्टपवर्गस्य लक्ष्मीपतेर्नारायणस्य सकलसुरासुरयक्षगन्धर्वराक्षसपन्न गमुनिकिन्नरसमूहार्चितचरणकमलयुगं भक्तितः समभ्यर्च्य दुःसहः संसारच्छेदस्यकारणभूतं वेदरहस्योपनिषद्भिः परिस्फुटं सकललोकपरायणं हृदिनिधाय दुःखतरमिमं संस्कारागारमतिक्रमिष्यामीति मनसि भवयति
Consoling itself, after birth, through association with the good and by hearing the deeds of Viṣṇu, with a purified mind, performing virtuous acts, worshipping with devotion the lotus feet of Lakṣmīpati Nārāyaṇa—the inner soul of all worlds, composed of truth, knowledge, and bliss, whose power upholds all realms, worshipped by all gods, demons, yakṣas, gandharvas, rākṣasas, serpents, munis, and kinnaras—holding in the heart the secret of the Vedas, the Upaniṣads, which is the means to cut the unbearable bondage of saṃsāra, he resolves in his mind: ‘I will cross over this house of suffering, the abode of saṃskāras.’
यतस्तन्मातुः प्रसूतिसमये सति गर्भस्थोदेही नारदमुने वायुनापरिपीडितो मातुश्चापि दुःखं कुर्वन्कर्मपाशेन बलाद्योनिमार्गान्निष्क्रामन्सकलयातनाभोगमेककालभवमनुभवति
O sage Narada, at the time of birth, the embodied being who is still in the womb is afflicted by the wind, causing pain to his mother, and, bound by the force of the fetters of karma, is compelled to exit through the birth passage, thereby experiencing all the torments at once.
तेनातिक्लेशेन योनियन्त्रपूडितो गर्भान्निष्कान्तो निःसंज्ञतां याति
Because of this extreme suffering, being pressed by the mechanism of birth, as he emerges from the womb, he falls into a state of unconsciousness.
बाह्यवायुस्पर्शसमनन्तरमेव नष्टस्मृतिपूर्वानुभूताखिलदुःखानि वर्त्तमानान्यपि ज्ञानाभावदविज्ञायात्यन्तदुःखमनुभवति
Immediately upon contact with the external air, all the sufferings previously experienced, now forgotten due to loss of memory, are not recognized, yet he endures intense pain in the present because of the absence of knowledge.
एवं बालत्वमापन्नो जन्तुस्तत्रापि स्वमलमूत्रलित्पदेह आध्यात्मिकादिपीड्यमानो ऽपि वक्तुमशक्तक्षुत्तृषापीडितो रुदिते सति स्तनादिकं देयमिति मन्वानाः प्रयतन्ते
Thus, having entered infancy, the creature, whose body is smeared with its own excrement and urine, is afflicted by internal and other pains, unable to speak, tormented by hunger and thirst, and when it cries, those around try to give it breast milk and such, thinking it should be soothed.
एवमनेकं देहभोगमन्याधीनतयानुभूयमानो दंशादिष्वपि निवारयितुमशक्तः
In this way, experiencing many bodily sufferings dependent on others, he is unable even to ward off biting insects and the like.
बाल्यभावमासाद्य मातापित्रोरुपाध्यायस्य ताडनं सदा पर्यटनशीलत्वं पांशुभस्मपङ्कादिषुक्रीडनं सदा कलहनियतत्वाम शुचित्वं बहुव्यापाराभासकार्यनियतत्वं तदसंभव आध्यात्मिकदुःखमेवंविधमनुभवति
Having reached childhood, he suffers inner pain of this kind: being beaten by mother, father, or teacher, always wandering about, playing in dust, ashes, and mud, constantly quarreling, being unclean, forced into many activities, and unable to avoid them.