तुलाधारो महात्मा वै सत्यवाक्ये प्रतिष्ठितः। लोके तत्सदृशो नास्ति सत्यवाक्यस्य कारणात्
The great-souled Tulādhāra, steadfast in truthfulness, has no equal in the world, because of his devotion to truthful speech.
अश्वमेधसहस्रेण सत्यं तु तुलया धृतम्। अश्वमेधसहस्राद्धि सत्यमेव विशिष्यते
If truth is weighed against a thousand horse sacrifices, truth alone surpasses even a thousand horse sacrifices.
सर्वं सत्याद्भवेत्साध्यं सत्यो हि दुरतिक्रमः। सत्यवाक्येन सा धेनुर्बहुला स्वर्गगामिनी
All is accomplished through truth, for truth is inviolable; by truthful speech, that cow Bahulā attained the path to heaven.
सर्वं राष्ट्रं समाधाय पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभा। तथायं सर्वदा साक्षी मृषा नास्ति कदाचन
Having settled the entire kingdom, return is difficult; thus, he is always a witness, and never speaks falsehood at any time.
बह्वर्घमल्पमर्घं च क्रयविक्रयणे सुधीः। सत्यवाक्यं प्रशस्तं च विशेषात्साक्षिणो भवेत्
Whether the price is great or small in buying and selling, the wise should especially be witnesses who are known for truthful speech.
साक्षिणः सत्यमुक्त्वा च अक्षयं स्वर्गमाययुः। वावदूकः सभां प्राप्य सत्यं वदति वाक्पतिः
Witnesses who speak the truth attain inexhaustible heaven; the eloquent one, entering the assembly, speaks truth as the lord of speech.
स याति ब्रह्मणो गेहं यज्ञैरन्यैश्च दुर्लभम्। सभायां यो वदेत्सत्यमश्वमेधफलं लभेत्
He goes to the abode of Brahmā, which is difficult to attain by other sacrifices; whoever speaks truth in the assembly obtains the fruit of a horse sacrifice.
लोभाद्द्वेषान्मृषोक्त्वा च रौरवं नरकं व्रजेत्। सर्वसाक्षी तुलाधारो जनानां शूर एव च
By speaking falsehood out of greed or hatred, one goes to the hell called Raurava; Tulādhāra is the universal witness and truly a hero among people.
विशेषाल्लोभसंत्यागान्नाके निर्जरतां व्रजेत्। कश्चिच्छूद्रो महाभागो न लोभे वर्तते क्वचित्
Especially by renouncing greed, one attains the state of the immortals in heaven; there is a certain highly fortunate Śūdra who never acts out of greed.
वृत्तिश्शाकेन दुःखेन तथा शिलोंछतो भृशम्। जर्जरं वस्त्रयुग्मं च करौ पात्रे च सर्वदा
His livelihood is by gathering leaves with hardship, and by gleaning grains; his pair of garments is worn out, and his hands always serve as his bowl.
सदापि लाभविरहो न परस्वं गृहीतवान्। तस्य जिज्ञासयैवाहं गृहीत्वा वस्त्रयुग्मकम्
Even when deprived of gain, he never took another's property; out of curiosity about him, I took his pair of garments.
अवकोटे नदीतीरे स्थितस्संस्थाप्य सादरम्। स दृष्ट्वा वस्त्रयुग्मं तन्न लोभे कुरते मनः
Standing at the riverbank in a secluded spot, I respectfully placed them there; seeing that pair of garments, he did not let his mind be seized by greed.
इतरस्य परिज्ञाय तत्क्षांत्या स्वगृहं ययौ। ततो विचिंतयित्वा तु हृदा स्वल्पमिति द्विज
Recognizing that they belonged to another, he returned home with forbearance; then, reflecting in his heart, he thought it was a small matter, O twice-born one.
उदुंबरं हेमगर्भं मया तत्रैव पातितम्। किंकरे च नदीतीरे विकोणे जनवर्जिते
I then placed a fig, filled with gold, right there at the riverbank, in a hidden, deserted place.
तस्य यातस्य देशे तु दृष्टं तेन तदद्भुतम्। अलं विधानमेतत्तु कृत्रिमं चोपलक्ष्यते
When he went to that place, he saw that marvelous thing; this arrangement was sufficient, and it was clearly artificial.
ग्रहणे वाधुना चास्य अलोभं नष्टमेव मे। अस्यैव रक्षणे कष्टमहंकारपदं त्विदम्
Now, upon taking it, his lack of greed was lost to me; in guarding this very thing, the burden of ego arises.
यतो लोभस्ततो लाभो लाभाल्लोभः प्रवर्तते। लोभग्रस्तस्य पुंसश्च शाश्वतो निरयो भवेत्
Where there is greed, there is gain, and from gain, greed arises; for a man consumed by greed, there is eternal hell.
यदि नो विगुणं वित्तं यदा वेश्मनि तिष्ठति। तदा मे दारपुत्राणामुन्मादो ह्युपपद्यते
If wealth lacking virtue remains in my house, then madness overtakes my wife and sons.
उन्मादात्कामसंजात विकारान्मतिविभ्रमः। भ्रमान्मोहोप्यहंकारः क्रोधलोभावतः परं
From madness arises desire, from desire distortion, from distortion confusion of mind; from confusion comes delusion, and from delusion, ego; from ego, anger and greed arise further.
एषां प्रचुरभावाच्च तपः क्षयं गमिष्यति। क्षीणे तपसि वर्तंते पंकाश्चित्तप्रमोहकाः
When these become abundant, ascetic power will be diminished; when ascetic power is depleted, the mud of mental delusion prevails.
तैश्च शृंखलयोगैश्च बद्धो नैवोद्धृतिं व्रजेत्। एतद्विमृश्य शूद्रोऽसौ परित्यज्य गृहं गतः
Bound by these chains and fetters, one does not attain liberation; reflecting on this, that Śūdra abandoned his home and departed.
स्वस्था देवा मुदा तत्र साधुसाध्विति चाब्रुवन्। निर्ग्रंथिरूपमादाय तस्यांतिक गृहं तथा
The gods there, being content, said, 'Well done, well done!' assuming the form of mendicants, they too went to his house.
गत्वाहं दैवसंवादमवदं भूतवर्तनम्। ततोभ्यासप्रसंगाच्च जनानां च परिप्लवात्
Having gone, I spoke of the divine conversation and the conduct of beings; then, due to the force of practice and the confusion of people—
तस्य योषा तदागत्य पप्रच्छ दैवकारणम्। ततोहमवदं तस्य यद्वा चेतोगतं द्रुतम्
At that time, his wife came and asked the reason for the divine matter; then I told her whatever quickly came to mind.
निभृतोथ निनादस्य कारणं कथितं मया। हृद्गतं पतिना तेद्य विधिना दत्तमज्ञवत्
In private, I explained the cause of the outcry; what was in your husband's heart has today been given by fate, as if to one ignorant.
परित्यक्तं महाभागे पुनर्नास्तीह ते वसु। यावज्जीवति दौर्विध्यं तस्य भोक्ता न संशयः
Abandoned, O noble lady, you no longer have wealth here; as long as he lives, misfortune will be his to enjoy, without doubt.
गच्छ मातर्गृहं शून्यमलब्धं तत्प्रपृच्छतम्। श्रुत्वा तद्वै शिवं सा च वचनं पत्युरंतिके
Go, mother, to your empty house and ask about what has not been obtained; hearing that auspicious word in her husband's presence—
गत्वा प्रोवाच दुर्वृत्तं तच्छ्रुत्वा विस्मयं गतः। स विचिंत्य तया सार्धमागतोसौ ममांतिकम्
She went and spoke to the wicked man; hearing this, he was astonished; reflecting, he came together with her to me.
निभृतं मामुवाचेदं क्षपणत्वं च कीर्तय। क्षपणक उवाच- चाक्षुषं चिरसंशुद्धं हेलया तृणवत्कथम्
In private, he said to me: 'Tell me about the mendicant's way.' The mendicant said: 'How could you, after long purification of the eye, cast it away carelessly, like grass?'
त्वया त्यक्तं यतस्तात नास्ति भाग्यमकंटकम्। ऐश्वर्यमतुलं शौर्यं शीर्यते भावुकं पुनः
Because you abandoned it, my friend, there is no thornless fortune; incomparable prosperity and heroism, once decayed, are again subject to feeling.