अयुध्यमानं भीरुं च पतितं गतकल्मषं। असच्छूद्रं स्तुतिप्रीतमाहवे शरणागतम्
They do not kill one who is not fighting, who is fearful, who has fallen, who is free from sin, a base Śūdra, one pleased by praise, or one who has sought refuge in battle.
हत्वा च नरकं यांति दुर्वृत्ता जयकांक्षिणः। एषा च क्षत्त्रिया वृत्तिः सदाचारैस्तु गीयते
Those of bad conduct who, desiring victory, kill such as these go to hell; but this is the conduct of Kṣatriyas as praised by the virtuous.
यामाश्रित्य दिवं यांति सर्वक्षत्रियकुंजराः। धर्मयुद्धे शुभो मृत्युः संमुखे क्षत्त्रियस्य च
Relying on this, all Kṣatriya warriors ascend to heaven; for a Kṣatriya, death in righteous battle, facing the foe, is auspicious.
अत्र पूतो भवेत्सोपि सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते। स तिष्ठेत्स्वर्गलोके च प्रासादे रत्नभूषिते
There, even he becomes purified and is freed from all sins; he dwells in the heavenly world in a palace adorned with jewels.
जांबूनदमयस्तंभे रत्नभूषितभूतले। इष्टद्रव्यैः सुसंपूर्णे दिव्यवस्त्रोपशोभिते
With pillars of gold and a jeweled floor, filled with desired treasures and adorned with divine objects.
पुरतः कल्पवृक्षाश्च तिष्ठंति सर्वदायिनः। वापीकूपतटाकाद्यैरुद्यानैरुपशोभिते
In front, wish-fulfilling trees always stand, bestowing all gifts; the palace is adorned with gardens, ponds, wells, and tanks.
यौवनाढ्याश्च सेवंते तं देवपुरकन्यकाः। तस्याग्रतो मुदा नित्यं नृत्यंत्यप्सरसां गणाः
Young maidens of the city of the gods serve him; before him, groups of Apsarases dance joyfully at all times.
गीतं गायंति गंधर्वा देवाश्च स्तुतिपाठकाः। एवं क्रमेण कल्पांते सार्वभौमो भवेन्नृपः
Gandharvas sing songs, and the gods recite hymns of praise; thus, in due course, at the end of an age, the king becomes sovereign of all.
सर्वभोगैककर्ता च नीरुङ्मन्मथविग्रहः। तस्य पत्न्यः प्ररूपाढ्याः सदैव यौवनान्विताः
He alone enjoys all pleasures, free from sorrow and desire; his wives are exceedingly beautiful and always youthful.
धर्मशीलाः सुताः शुभ्राः समृद्धाः पितृसंमताः। एवं क्रमेण भुंजंति सप्तजन्मसु क्षत्रियाः
His sons are virtuous, pure, prosperous, and esteemed by their father; thus, Kṣatriyas enjoy in this way for seven births.
अन्यायेन तु योद्धारस्तिष्ठंति नरके चिरम्। एवं च क्षत्रिया वृत्तिर्ब्राह्मणैरुपजीव्यते
But those who fight unjustly remain long in hell; thus, the conduct of Kṣatriyas is sustained by Brahmins.
वैश्यैः शूद्रैस्तथान्यैश्च अंत्यजैर्म्लेच्छजातिभिः। ये च योधाः प्रयुध्यंते न्याययुद्धेन सर्वदा
By Vaiśyas, Śūdras, and others, including outcastes and foreigners; and those warriors who always fight justly.
तेपि यांति परं स्थानं सर्वे वर्णा द्विजातयः। न शूरो यो द्विजो भीरुरस्त्रशस्त्रविवर्जितः
They too attain the highest state—all classes, all twice-born; but a twice-born who is not brave, who is fearful, and avoids weapons and arms—
विपत्तौ वैश्यवृतिं च कारयेद्द्विजसत्तमः। वैश्यवृत्तिं वणिग्भावं कृषिं चैव तथापरैः
In adversity, the best of the twice-born should take up the occupation of a Vaiśya; the Vaiśya’s occupation is trade, and also agriculture, as done by others.
कारयेत्कृषिवाणिज्यं विप्रकर्म न च त्यजेत्। वणिग्भावान्मृषात्युक्तौ दुर्गतिं प्राप्नुयाद्द्विजः। आर्द्रद्रव्यं परित्यज्य ब्राह्मणो लभते शिवम्। समुत्पाद्य ततो वृत्तिं दद्याद्विप्राय सर्वशः
One should engage in agriculture and trade, and not abandon the duties of a Brahmin; for if a Brahmin, acting as a merchant, speaks falsely, he attains a miserable state. By giving up goods that are moist or perishable, a Brahmin attains auspiciousness; having produced wealth, he should then provide for the Brahmin entirely.
पितृयज्ञे तथा चाग्नौ जुहुयाद्विधिवद्द्विजः। तुलेऽसत्यं न कर्त्तव्यं तुलाधर्मप्रतिष्ठिता
In the ancestral sacrifice and in the fire, a Brahmin should offer oblations according to the prescribed rule; one must not act falsely with the scales, for the scales are established in righteousness.
छलभावं तुले कृत्वा नरकं प्रतिपद्यते। अतुलं चापि यद्द्रव्यं तत्र मिथ्या परित्यजेत्
If one acts deceitfully with the scales, he attains hell; and whatever goods are not properly weighed, one should abandon them as false.
एवं मिथ्या न कर्त्तव्या मृषा पापप्रसूतिका। नास्ति सत्यात्परोधर्मो नानृतात्पातकं परम्
Thus, one must not act falsely, for falsehood gives rise to sin; there is no higher duty than truth, nor any greater sin than falsehood.
अतः सर्वेषु कार्येषु सत्यमेव विशिष्यते। अश्वमेधसहस्रं तु सत्यं च तुलया धृतम्
Therefore, in all actions, truth alone is supreme; a thousand horse sacrifices are equaled by truth upheld on the scales.
अश्वमेधसहस्राद्धि सत्यमेव विशिष्यते। यो वदेत्सर्वकार्येषु सत्यं मिथ्या परित्यजेत्
Indeed, truth surpasses even a thousand horse sacrifices; he who always speaks truth in all actions and abandons falsehood,
स निस्तरति दुर्गाणि स्वर्गमक्षयमश्नुते। वाणिज्यं कारयेद्विप्रो मिथ्याऽवश्यं परित्यजेत्१०० 1.48.
He crosses over hardships and attains imperishable heaven; a Brahmin may engage in trade, but must always abandon falsehood.
वृद्धिं च निक्षिपेत्तीर्थे स्वयं शेषं तु भोजयेत्। देहक्लेशात्तत्सहस्रगुणं भवति सर्वदा
He should deposit the profit at a sacred place and personally distribute the remainder as food; because of bodily hardship, this always yields a thousandfold result.
अर्थार्जनविधौ मर्त्या विशंति विषमे जले। कांतारमटवीं चैव श्वापदैः सेवितां तथा
In the pursuit of wealth, mortals enter dangerous waters, forests, and wildernesses inhabited by wild beasts.
गिरिं गिरिगुहां दुर्गां म्लेच्छानां शस्त्रपातिनाम्। गृहं प्रतिभयं स्थानं धनलोभात्समंततः
They climb mountains, enter mountain caves, and perilous places of barbarians and weapon-bearers; out of greed for wealth, they go to threatening places and homes.
सुतदारान्परित्यज्य दूरं गच्छंति लोभिनः। स्कंधे भारं वहंत्यन्ये तर्यां चक्रे निपातनैः
Out of greed, they abandon sons and wives and travel far away; others carry burdens on their shoulders, or fall from carts and boats.
क्षेपणीभिर्महादुःखैस्सदा प्राणव्ययेन च। अर्थस्य संचयः पुत्र प्राणात्प्रियतरो महान्
With slings and great hardships, always at the risk of life, people accumulate wealth, which, O son, becomes dearer than life itself.
एभिर्न्यायार्जितं वित्तं वणिग्भावेन यत्नतः। पितृदेवद्विजातिभ्यो दत्तं चाक्षयमश्नुते
Wealth earned justly in this way, through the efforts of a merchant, when given to ancestors, gods, and Brahmins, yields imperishable results.
एतौ दोषौ महांतौ च वाणिज्ये लाभकर्मणि। लोभानामपरित्यागो मृषा ग्राह्यश्च विक्रयः
These two great faults exist in the pursuit of profit through trade: the failure to abandon greed, and the acceptance of falsehood in buying and selling.
एतौ दोषो परित्यज्य कुर्यादर्थार्जनं बुधः। अक्षयं लभते दानाद्वणिग्दोषैर्न लिप्यते
By abandoning these two faults, the wise should pursue the acquisition of wealth; by giving, he attains the imperishable and is not tainted by the faults of trade.
पुण्यकर्मरतो विप्रः कृषिं हि परिकारयेत्। वाहयेद्दिवसस्यार्धं बलीवर्दचतुष्टयम्
A Brahmin devoted to virtuous deeds should indeed engage in agriculture; he should employ four oxen for half the day.