स्वरव्यण्डजनमाधुर्यं लुप्यते नात्र संशयः
The sweetness of vowels and consonants is lost—of this there is no doubt.
कुतीर्थादागतं दग्धमपवर्णैश्च भक्षितम् न तस्य परिमोक्षो ऽस्ति पापाहेरिव किल्बिषात्
Food brought from an improper place, burnt, or eaten with wrong syllables—there is no release from its fault, just as for a sinner from sin.
सुस्वरेण स्ववक्रेण प्रयुक्तं ब्रह्म राजति न तकालो न लंबोष्टो न च सर्वानुनासिकः
Brahman shines when uttered with a sweet and one's own clear voice—not with a nasal, not with thick lips, nor with all nasalized sounds.
गद्गदो बद्धजिह्वश्च प्रयोगान्वक्तुमर्हति
One who stammers or whose tongue is tied is still fit to recite the usages.
स तु वर्णान्प्रयुञ्जीत देतोष्ठं यस्य शोभनम्
But he should pronounce the syllables whose lips are well-formed.
अलसाश्च सरोगाश्च येषां च विसृतं मनः
Those who are lazy, diseased, or whose minds are scattered—
शनैरध्वसु वर्तेत योजनान्न परं व्रजेत्
They should proceed slowly on the path and not go beyond a yojana.
अगच्छन्वैनतेयो ऽपि पदमेकं न गच्छति
Even Garuda, if he does not go, does not move a single step.
बधिरस्येव जल्पस्य विदग्धा वामलोचना
Like the speech of a deaf person, or a clever woman with hostile eyes.
अपि रूपसहस्रेषु संदेहेष्वेव वर्तते
Even among a thousand forms, she remains in doubt.
राजते न सभामध्येजारगर्भेव कामिनी
She does not shine in the midst of the assembly, like a woman in the womb of an old man.
अवन्ध्यं दिवसं कुर्याद्दानाध्ययनकर्मसु
One should make the day fruitful by giving, studying, and performing duties.
न तत्र बलसामर्थ्यमुद्योगस्गतत्र कारणम्
There, neither strength nor ability nor effort is the cause.
आगमिष्यति जिह्वाग्रे स्थलान्निम्नमिवोदकम्
It will come to the tip of the tongue, just as water flows from a higher to a lower place.
नहि वाद्यार्थिनां निद्रा चिरं नेत्रेषु तिष्टति
Sleep does not remain long in the eyes of those who desire knowledge.
समुद्रमपि विद्यार्थी व्रजेद्गरुडहंसवत्
Even the ocean is crossed by the seeker of knowledge, like Garuda or a swan.
राक्षसीभ्य इव स्रिभ्यः स विद्यामधिगच्छति
He attains knowledge from the wealthy, just as one takes from demons.
न च लोकरवा दीना न च स्वस्वप्रतीक्षकाः
They are neither disturbed by the noise of the world nor do they wait for their own comfort.
एवं गुरुगतां विद्यां शूश्रूषुरधिगच्छति
In this way, one who serves the teacher attains the knowledge that resides with the teacher.
अथवा विद्यया विद्या ह्यन्यथा नोपपद्यते
Or, knowledge is gained through knowledge; otherwise, it does not arise.
वन्ध्येव यौवनवती न तस्य साफल्यवति भवति
Like a barren woman with youth, it does not bear fruit for him.
ज्ञात्वा वेदाङ्गमाद्यं तु ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते
Having known the first limb of the Veda, one becomes fit for union with Brahman.
यस्य विज्ञानमात्रेण स्यात्कर्मकुशलो नरः
By knowledge alone, a man becomes skilled in action.
चतुर्थः स्यादाङ्गिरसः शान्तिकल्पश्च पञ्चमः
The fourth is the Āṅgirasa, and the fifth is the Śāntikalpa.
नक्षत्रकल्पे निर्दिष्टं ज्ञातव्यं तदिहापि च
What is prescribed in the Nakṣatrakalpa should also be known here.
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां सिद्ध्यै प्रोक्तं सविस्तरम्
It is extensively taught for the attainment of dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa.
निर्दिष्टाः संहिताकल्पे मुनिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः
They are prescribed in the Saṃhitākalpa by sages who see the truth.
अभिचारविधानेन निर्दिष्टानि स्वयंभुवा
The procedures of sorcery are prescribed by Svayambhū.
तथान्तरिक्षोत्पातानां शान्तयो ह्युदिताः पृथक्
Likewise, the pacifications of atmospheric portents are separately taught.
विशेषः पृथगेतेषां स्थितः शङ्खान्तरेषु च
The distinctions among these are established separately, even within the Śaṅkhas.