त्यक्तकामसुखारंभः स्वर्गस्तस्य न दुर्लभः
For one who has abandoned the pursuit of sensual pleasures, heaven is not difficult to attain.
वानप्रस्थाः खल्वपि धर्ममनुसरन्तः पुण्यानि तीर्थानि नदीप्रस्त्रवणानि स्वभक्तेष्वरण्येषु मृगवराहमहिष शार्दूलवनगजाकीर्णेषु तपस्यन्ते अनुसंचरन्ति
Even forest-dwellers, following righteousness, perform austerities at holy places, river sources, and in forests frequented by their devotees, amidst deer, boar, buffalo, tiger, and elephant.
समित्कुशकुसुमापहारसंमार्जनलब्धविश्रामाः शीतोष्णपवनविष्टं भविभिन्नसर्वत्वचो विविधनियमयोगचर्यानुष्टानविहितपरिशुष्कमांसशोणितत्वगस्थिभूता धृतिपराः सत्त्वयोगाच्छरीराण्युद्वहॄन्ते
Resting after gathering firewood, sacred grass, and flowers, enduring cold, heat, and wind, their bodies marked by various disciplines, dried flesh, blood, skin, and bone, steadfast in resolve, they bear their bodies through the power of their spirit.
स दहेदग्निवद्दोषाञ्जयेल्लोकांश्च दुर्जायान्
Like fire, he burns away faults and conquers even those worlds that are hard to overcome.
समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनास्त्रिवर्गप्रवृत्तेष्वसक्तबुद्धयः
With equal regard for clods, stones, and gold, their minds remain unattached in pursuits of the three aims of life.
अरिमित्रोदासीनां तुल्यदर्शनाः स्थावरजरायुजाण्डजस्वेदजानां भूतानां वाङ्मनृःकर्मभिरनभिरनभिद्रोहिणो ऽनिकेताः पर्वतपुलिनवृक्षमूलदेवायतनान्यनुसंचरन्तो वा सार्थमुपेयुर्नगरं ग्रामं वा न क्रोधदर्पलोभमोहकार्पण्यदंभपरिवादाभिमाननिर्वृत्तहिंसा इति
They view friend, foe, and stranger alike; toward all beings—immobile, born from eggs, wombs, or moisture—they cause no harm by word, thought, or deed, are homeless, wandering to mountain slopes, riverbanks, tree roots, and shrines, or entering towns and villages with no anger, pride, greed, delusion, misery, deceit, slander, arrogance, or violence.
न तस्य सर्वभूतेभ्यो भयमुत्पद्यते क्वचित्
No fear arises from him in any creature, anywhere.
विप्रस्तु भैक्षोपगतैर्हविर्भिश्चिता ग्निना संव्रजते हि सोकान्
The Brahmin, with offerings obtained through alms, proceeds to the worlds of the ancestors through the sacrificial fire.
अनिन्धनं ज्योतिरिव प्रशान्तं स ब्रह्मलोकं श्रयते द्विजातिः
Like a flame without fuel, tranquil, the twice-born attains the realm of Brahma.
तमहं ज्ञातुमिच्छामि तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति
I wish to know this; you ought to tell me.
पुण्यः क्षेम्यश्च काम्यश्च स परो लोक उच्यते
That highest world is said to be meritorious, secure, and desirable.
लोभमोहपरित्यक्ता मानवा निरुपद्रवाः
Humans there are free from greed and delusion, and are undisturbed.
काले मृत्युः प्रबवति स्पृशन्ति व्याधयो न च
Death occurs only at the proper time, and diseases do not touch them.
नान्यो हि वध्यते तत्र द्रव्येषु च न विस्मयः
No one else is slain there, and there is no amazement regarding possessions.
कृतस्य तु फलं तत्र प्रत्यक्षमुपलभ्यते
There, the fruit of one's actions is directly perceived.
सर्वकामैर्वृताः केचिद्धेमाभरणभूषिताः
Some are surrounded by every pleasure, adorned with golden ornaments.
श्रमेण महता केचित्कुर्वन्ति प्राणधारणम्
Some sustain their lives through great toil.
सुखिता दुःखिताः केचिन्निर्धना धनिनो परे
Some are happy, some are unhappy; some are poor, others are wealthy.
लोभश्चार्थकृतो तॄणां येन मुह्यन्त्यपण्डिताः
Greed, arising from wealth, is what deludes the unwise, just as with blades of grass.
सोपधे निकृतिः स्तेयं परिवादो ऽभ्यसूयता
Deceit with motive, theft, slander, and envy—
एतान्संसेवते यस्तु तपस्तस्य प्रहीयते
Whoever engages in these, his austerity is diminished.
इह चिन्ता बहुविधा धर्माधर्मस्य कर्मणः
Here, there are many kinds of anxieties regarding righteous and unrighteous actions.
शुभैः शुभमवाप्नोति तथाशुभमथान्यथा
By good deeds, one attains good; likewise, by bad, the opposite.
इष्टेष्टतपसः पूता ब्रह्मलोकमुपाश्रिताः
Those purified by sacrifices and austerities attain the world of Brahma.
इहस्थास्तत्र जायन्ते ये वै पुण्यकृतो जनाः
Those who perform meritorious deeds here are born there.
क्षीणायुषस्तथा चान्ये नश्यन्ति पृथिवीतले
Others, whose lifespan is exhausted, perish on the earth.
इहैव परिवर्त्तन्ते न च यान्त्युत्तरां दिशम्
Here itself they revolve, and do not go to the higher direction.
पन्थानं सर्वालोकानां विजानन्ति मनीषिणः
The wise know the path to all the worlds.
धर्माधर्मौं हि लोकस्य यो वै वेत्ति स बुद्धिमान्
He who truly knows righteousness and unrighteousness in the world is wise.
यदध्यात्मं यथा चैतत्तन्मे ब्रूहि तपोधन
Tell me, O possessor of austerity, what pertains to the self and how it is.