कृष्णाः शौचपारिभ्राष्टास्ते द्विजाः शूद्रतां गताः
Those twice-born who are dark, deprived of purity, have become Śūdras.
ब्राह्मणा धर्मतन्त्रस्थास्तपस्तेषां न नश्यति
Brāhmaṇas who remain established in the system of dharma—their austerity does not perish.
ब्रह्म चैव पुरा सृष्टं येन जानन्ति तद्विदः
And that Brahman which was created in the beginning is known by those who understand.
सा सृष्टिर्मानसी नाम धर्मतन्त्रपरायणा
That creation is called mental, devoted to the system of dharma.
वैश्यः शूद्रश्च विप्रर्षे तद्ब्रूहि वदतां वर
O best of speakers, tell me, O sage among Brāhmaṇas, about the Vaiśya and the Śūdra.
वेदाध्ययनसंपन्नो ब्रह्मकर्मस्ववस्थितः
He who is accomplished in Vedic study and established in the duties of Brahman—
नित्यव्रती सत्यपरः स वै ब्राह्मण उच्यते
Who is ever observant of vows and devoted to truth—he is called a Brāhmaṇa.
तपस्यां दृश्यते यत्र स ब्राह्मण इति स्मृतः
Wherever austerity is seen, he is remembered as a Brāhmaṇa.
दानादानरतिर्यस्तु स वै क्षत्रिय उच्यते
He who delights in giving and not in taking is indeed called a Kṣatriya.
वेदाध्ययनसंपन्नः स वैश्य इति संज्ञितः
He who is accomplished in Vedic study is designated as a Vaiśya.
त्यक्तवेदस्त्वनाचारः स वै शूद्र इति स्मृतः
He who has abandoned the Vedas and right conduct is remembered as a Śūdra.
न वै शूद्रो भवेच्छूद्रो ब्राह्मणो ब्राह्मणो न च
A Śūdra does not become a Śūdra, nor a Brāhmaṇa a Brāhmaṇa, merely by birth.
एतत्पवित्रं ज्ञानानां तथा चैवात्मसंयमः
This is the pure knowledge of the wise, and likewise, self-control.
नित्यक्रोधाच्छ्रियं रक्षेत्तपो रक्षेत्तु मत्सरात्
One should protect prosperity from constant anger, and austerity from envy.
विद्यां मानापमानाभघ्यामात्मानं तु प्रमादतः
One should protect knowledge from pride and humiliation, and oneself from carelessness.
त्यागे यस्य हुतं सर्वं स त्यागी स च बुद्धिमान्
He by whom everything is offered up in renunciation—he is the true renouncer and wise.
परिग्रहात्परित्यज्य भवेद्बद्ध्या जितेन्द्रियः
By renouncing possessions, one who has mastered the senses becomes free from bondage.
तपोनित्येन दान्तेन मुनिना संयतात्ममना
A sage who is ever devoted to austerity, self-controlled, and disciplined in mind and self—
इन्द्रियैर्गृह्यते यद्यत्तत्तव्द्यक्तमिति स्थितिः
Whatever is grasped by the senses, that alone is manifest as reality.
अविश्रंभेण मन्तव्यं विश्रंभे धारयेन्मनः
One should reflect without trust, but when trust arises, let the mind be steadfast.
निवेदादेव निर्वाणं न च किञ्चिद्विच्चितयेत्
Liberation comes only from detachment; one should not be disturbed by anything.
शौचे तु सततं युक्तः सदाचारसमन्वितः
One should always be devoted to purity, endowed with good conduct.
सत्यंव्रतं तपः शौचं सत्यं विसृजते प्रजा
Truth, vow, austerity, and purity—by truth, beings are sustained.
अनृतं तमसो रूपं तमसा नीयते ह्यधः
Falsehood is the form of darkness; by darkness, one is led downward.
सुदुष्प्रकाश इत्याहुर्नरकं तम एव च
They say that hell is exceedingly difficult to illuminate, and it is indeed darkness itself.
तत्राप्येवंविधा लोके वृत्तिः सत्यानृते भवेत्
Even there, in such a world, conduct is shaped by truth and falsehood.
शारीरैर्मानसैर्दुःखैः सुखैश्चाप्यसुखोदयैः
Through bodily and mental sufferings, and also through pleasures that are not truly pleasurable—
तत्र दुःखविमोक्षार्थं प्रयतेत विचक्षणः
There, the wise should strive for liberation from suffering.
राहुग्रस्तस्य सोमस्य यथा ज्योत्स्ना न भासते
Just as the light of the moon does not shine when eclipsed by Rahu,
तथा तमोभिभूतानां भूतानां नश्यते सुखम्
So too, happiness perishes for beings overcome by darkness.