प्रश्रयावनतो भूत्वा तमाह नृपतिर्द्विजम्
The king, humbly bowing, spoke to that Brahmin.
श्रुते तस्मिन्भ्रमन्तीव मनसो मम वृत्तयः
Upon hearing this, my thoughts seem to wander as if lost.
भवता दर्शितं विप्र तत्परं प्रकृतेर्महत्
O Brahmin, you have revealed that supreme principle of nature.
शरीरमन्यदस्मत्तो येनेयं शिबिका धृता
It is by some other body than mine that this palanquin is borne.
प्रवर्तन्ते गुणाश्चैते किं ममेति त्वयोदितम्
You have said that these qualities act, but whose are they—mine?
मनो विह्वलतामेति परमार्थार्थतां गतम्
My mind becomes agitated, having reached the pursuit of ultimate truth.
प्रष्टुमभ्युद्यतो गत्वा श्रेयः किन्त्वत्र संशये
I am ready to ask, but in this matter there is still some doubt about the highest good.
तेनैव परमार्थार्थं त्वयि चेतः प्रधावति
Therefore, my mind runs toward you for the sake of the highest truth.
विष्णोरंशो जगन्मोहनाशाय समुपागतः
A portion of Viṣṇu has come for the purpose of enchanting the world.
प्रत्यक्षतामनुगतस्तथैतद्भवतोच्यते
Having attained direct perception, this is what you declare.
तद्वदाखिल विज्ञानजलवीच्युजधिर्भवान्
Therefore, O one who is filled with the waves of all knowledge, please speak.
श्रेयांसि परमार्थानि ह्यशेषाण्येन भूपते
O King, all the highest goods and ultimate truths are thus attained by him.
पुत्रानिच्छति राज्यं च श्रेयस्तस्यैव तन्नृप
He desires sons and a kingdom; for him, that is the highest good, O King.
कर्मयज्ञादिकं श्रेयः स्वर्लोकपलदायि यत्
That which gives the fruit of heaven—sacrifice, ritual, and the like—is considered the highest good.
आत्मा ध्येयः सदा भूप योगयुक्तैस्तथा परैः
The self is always to be meditated upon, O King, by those united with yoga and by others as well.
श्रेयांस्येवमनेकानि शतशो ऽथ सहस्रशः
In this way, there are hundreds and thousands of various highest goods.
धर्मो ऽयं त्यजते किं तु परमार्थो धनं यदि
This dharma is abandoned if wealth is considered the highest purpose.
मुत्रश्चेत्परमार्थाख्यः सो ऽप्यन्यस्य नरेश्वर
If the so-called highest purpose exists in the next world, O lord of men, it belongs to another.
एवं न परमार्थो ऽस्ति जगत्यत्र चराचरे
Thus, there is no highest purpose in this world among moving and unmoving beings.
राज्यादिप्राप्तिरत्रोक्ता परमार्थतया यदि
If the attainment of kingdom and the like is declared here as the highest purpose,
ऋग्यजुःसामनिष्पाद्यं यज्ञकर्म मतं तव
The sacrificial act accomplished through Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāman is considered by you.
यत्तु निष्पाद्यते कार्यं मृदा कारणभूतया
But that which is accomplished as an act by means of clay as the material cause,
एवं विनाशिभिर्द्रव्यैः समिदाज्यकुशादिभिः
So too, by perishable substances such as fuel, ghee, kuśa grass, and the like,
अनाशी परमार्थस्तु प्राज्ञैरभ्युपगम्यते
The imperishable is accepted by the wise as the highest purpose.
तदेवापलदं कर्म परमार्थो मतो मम
That alone is the action yielding no fruit; I consider it the highest purpose.
ध्यानमेवात्मनो भूपपरमार्थार्थशब्दितम्
Meditation upon the self, O king, is what is called the highest purpose.
परमार्थात्मनोर्योगः परमार्थ इतीष्यते
The union of the highest and the self is regarded as the highest purpose.
तस्माच्छ्रेयांस्यशेषाणि नृपैतानि न संशयः
Therefore, O king, these are the best of all, without exception—there is no doubt.
एको व्यापी समः शुद्धो निर्गुण प्रकृतेः परः
He is one, all-pervading, equal, pure, without qualities, beyond nature.
परिज्ञानमयो सद्भिर्नामजात्यादिभिविभुः
He is known by true knowledge by the good, transcending name, class, and the rest.