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.
अभावात्त्रितयं चैव अविश्रामं न कारयेत्। चारयेच्च तृणेऽच्छिन्नै चोरव्याघ्रविवर्जिते
If there is a lack, then three oxen may be used, but they should not be made to work without rest; he should graze them on uncut grass, free from thieves and tigers.
दद्याद्घासं यथेष्टं च नित्यमातर्पयेत्स्वयम्। गोष्ठं च कारयेत्तस्य किंचिद्विघ्नविवर्जितम्
He should always give them as much fodder as desired and personally satisfy them; he should build a cowshed for them, free from any obstacles.
सदा गोमयमूत्राभ्यां विघसैश्च विवर्जितम्। न मलं निक्षिपेद्गोष्ठे सर्वदेवनिकेतने
One should always avoid cow dung, cow urine, and leftovers; do not deposit filth in the cowshed or in any abode of the gods.
आत्मनः शयनीयस्य सदृशं कारयेद्बुधः। समं निर्वापयेद्यत्नाच्छीतवातरजस्तथा
A wise person should arrange a bed for himself that is suitable; he should carefully ensure it is level and free from cold, wind, and dust.
प्राणस्य सदृशं पश्येद्गां च सामान्यविग्रहम्। अस्य देहे सुखंदुःखं तथा तस्यैव कल्पते
He should regard the cow as similar to his own life, considering its general form; whatever pleasure or pain occurs in its body, so too does it apply to his own.
अनेन विधिना यस्तु कृषिकर्माणि कारयेत्। स च गोवाहनैर्दोषैर्न लिप्येत धनी भवेत्
Whoever performs agricultural tasks according to this method will not be tainted by faults arising from using cows as draught animals, and will become prosperous.
दुर्बलं पीडयेद्यस्तु तथैव गदसंयुतम्। अतिबालातिवृद्धं च स गोहत्यां समालभेत्
Whoever torments a weak or diseased cow, or one that is too young or too old, incurs the sin of cow-killing.
विषमं वाहयेद्यस्तु दुर्बलं सबलं तथा। स गोहत्यासमं पापं प्राप्नोतीह न संशयः
Whoever makes a weak or strong cow pull unevenly, attains the same sin as cow-killing in this world, without doubt.
यो वाहयेद्विना सस्यं खादंतं गां निवारयेत्। मोहात्तृणं जलं वापि स गोहत्यासमं लभेत्
Whoever makes a cow work without crops, or prevents it from eating grass or drinking water out of delusion, attains the same sin as cow-killing.
संक्रांत्यां पौर्णमास्यां चामावास्यायां तथैव च। हलस्य वाहनात्पापं गवामयुतहत्यया
On the days of solstice, full moon, and new moon, making a cow pull the plough brings sin equal to the killing of ten thousand cows.