तं धर्मपूर्वकं विद्धि एतैर्न्यायैस्त्वमेव हि । दुर्वासा उवाच- एवं न्यायं न मन्येहं तथैव शृणु धर्मराट्
Know that punishment as rooted in Dharma, and you yourself must apply it according to these principles. Durvasa said: I do not accept this reasoning here; listen, O king of Dharma, just as it is.
शापत्रयं प्रदास्यामि क्रुद्धोहं तव नान्यथा । धर्म उवाच- यदा क्रुद्धो महाप्राज्ञ मामेव हि क्षमस्व च
I am angry and will give you three curses; there is no other way. Dharma said: When you are angry, O great sage, forgive me as well.
नैव क्षमसि विप्रेंद्र दासीपुत्रं हि मां कुरु । राजानं तु प्रकर्तव्यं चांडालं च महामुने
You do not forgive, O chief of Brahmins; make me the son of a maidservant. Make me a king, and also a Chandala, O great sage.
प्रसादसुमुखो विप्र प्रणतस्य सदैव हि । दुर्वासाश्च ततः क्रुद्धो धर्मं चैव शशाप ह
O Brahmin, always show a gracious face to one who bows before you. Then Durvasa, enraged, cursed Dharma.
दुर्वासा उवाच-। राजा भव त्वं धर्माद्य दासीपुत्रश्च नान्यथा । गच्छ चांडालयोनिं च धर्म त्वं स्वेच्छया व्रज
Durvasa said: Today, become a king from Dharma, and also the son of a maidservant; there is no other way. Go to the Chandala birth, Dharma, go as you wish.
एवं शापत्रयं दत्त्वा गतोसौ द्विजसत्तमः । अनेनापि प्रसंगेन दृष्टो धर्मः पुरा किल
Having given these three curses, that best of twice-born departed; and by this incident, Dharma was seen in ancient times.
सोमशर्मोवाच-। धर्मस्तु कीदृशो जातस्तेन शप्तो महात्मना । तद्रूपं तस्य मे ब्रूहि यदि जानासि भामिनि
Somasharma said: What was Dharma like, when cursed by that great soul? Tell me his form, if you know, O beautiful one.
सुमनोवाच-। भरतानां कुले जातो धर्मो भूत्वा युधिष्ठिरः । विदुरो दासीपुत्रस्तु अन्यं चैव वदाम्यहम्
Sumana said: Born in the lineage of the Bharatas, Dharma became Yudhishthira; Vidura was the son of a maidservant, and I will tell you another as well.
यदा राजा हरिश्चंद्रो विश्वामित्रेण कर्षितः । तदा चांडालतां प्राप्तः स हि धर्मो महामतिः
When King Harishchandra was afflicted by Vishvamitra, then he attained the state of a Chandala; for he, Dharma, was of great wisdom.
एवं कर्मफलं भुक्तं धर्मेणापि महात्मना । दुर्वाससो हि शापाद्वै सत्यमुक्तं तवाग्रतः
Thus, even Dharma the great soul experienced the fruit of karma; by Durvasa's curse, what was spoken before you is true.
सोमशर्मोवाच- लक्षणं ब्रह्मचर्यस्य तन्मे विस्तरतो वद । कीदृशं ब्रह्मचर्यं च यदि जानासि भामिनि
Somasharma said: Tell me in detail the characteristics of brahmacharya; what is brahmacharya, if you know, O beautiful one.
नित्यं सत्ये रतिर्यस्य पुण्यात्मा तुष्टितां व्रजेत् । ऋतौ प्राप्ते व्रजेन्नारीं स्वीयां दोषविवर्जितः
He whose delight is always in truth, whose pure soul attains satisfaction, when the proper season comes, approaches his own wife, free from fault.
स्वकुलस्य सदाचारं कदानैव विमुंचति । एतदेव समाख्यातं गृहस्थस्य द्विजोत्तम
He never abandons the good conduct of his own family; this alone is declared for the householder, O best of twice-born.
ब्रह्मचर्यं मया प्रोक्तं गृहिणामुत्तमं किल । यतीनां तु प्रवक्ष्यामि तन्मे निगदतः शृणु
I have spoken of brahmacharya as supreme for householders; now I will tell you about ascetics—listen to me as I declare it.
दमसत्यसमायुक्तः पापाद्भीतस्तु सर्वदा । भार्यासंगं वर्जयित्वा ध्यानज्ञानप्रतिष्ठितः
Endowed with self-restraint and truthfulness, always fearful of sin, avoiding union with a wife, established in meditation and knowledge—
यतीनां ब्रह्मचर्यं च समाख्यातं तवाग्रतः । तप एव प्रवक्ष्यामि तन्मेनिगदतः शृणु
The celibacy of ascetics has thus been described to you; now I shall speak to you of austerity—listen to my words.
आचारेण प्रवर्तेत कामक्रोधविवर्जितः । प्राणिनामुपकाराय संस्थितउद्यमावृतः
He should act with proper conduct, free from desire and anger, devoted to the welfare of living beings, ever engaged in effort.
तप एवं समाख्यातं सत्यमेवं वदाम्यहम् । परद्रव्येष्वलोलुप्त्वं परस्त्रीषु तथैव च
Thus has austerity been described; now I speak of truth: absence of greed for others' wealth, and likewise for others' wives.
दृष्ट्वा मतिर्न यस्य स्यात्स सत्यः परिकीर्तितः । दानमेव प्रवक्ष्यामि येन जीवंति मानवाः
He whose mind is not disturbed upon seeing them is called truthful; now I shall speak of giving, by which people live.
आत्मसौख्यं प्रतीच्छेद्यः स इहैव परत्र वा । अन्नस्यापि महादानं सुखस्यैव ध्रुवस्य वा
Whoever gives up his own comfort, whether here or hereafter, even a great gift of food or of lasting happiness—
ग्रासमात्रं तथा देयं क्षुधार्ताय न संशयः । दत्ते सति महत्पुण्यममृतं सोश्नुते सदा
Even a mere morsel should be given to one who is hungry, without doubt; by giving, one attains great merit and always enjoys immortality.
दिनेदिने प्रदातव्यं यथाविभवसंभवम् । तृणं शय्यां च वचनं गृहच्छायां सुशीतलाम्
Every day, one should give according to one's means: grass, a bed, kind words, or the cool shade of a house.
भूमिमापस्तथा चान्नं प्रियवाक्यमनुत्तमम् । आसनं वचनालापं कौटिल्येन विवर्जितम्
Land, water, food, excellent and pleasant speech, a seat, and conversation free from deceit—
आत्मनो जीवनार्थाय नित्यमेव करोति यः । देवान्पितॄन्समभ्यर्च्य एवं दानं ददाति यः
Whoever always acts for his own livelihood, worshipping gods and ancestors, and gives in this way—
इहैव मोदते सो वै परत्र हि तथैव च । अवंध्यं दिवसं यो वै दानाध्ययनकर्मभिः
He rejoices here and likewise hereafter; the day is not wasted for one who engages in giving, study, and righteous acts.
प्रकुर्यान्मानुषो भूत्वा स देवो नात्र संशयः । नियमं च प्रवक्ष्यामि धर्मसाधनमुत्तमम्
Having been born as a human, if he acts thus, he becomes a god—of this there is no doubt. Now I shall speak of discipline, the supreme means to righteousness.
देवानां ब्राह्मणानां च पूजास्वभिरतो हि यः । नित्यं नियमसंयुक्तो दानव्रतेषु सुव्रत
He who delights in worshipping gods and Brahmins, always disciplined, steadfast in vows of giving—
उपकारेषु पुण्येषु नियमोऽयं प्रकीर्तितः । क्षमारूपं प्रवक्ष्यामि श्रूयतां द्विजसत्तम
This discipline is declared in acts of kindness and merit; now I shall speak of forgiveness—listen, best of twice-born.
पराक्रोशं हि संश्रुत्य ताडिते सति केनचित् । क्रोधं न चैव गच्छेत्तु ताडितो न हि ताडयेत्
Hearing harsh words or being struck by someone, he should not become angry, nor strike back when struck.
सहिष्णुः स्यात्स धर्मात्मा नहि रागं प्रयाति च । समश्नाति परं सौख्यमिह चामुत्र वापि च
He who is patient is righteous and does not fall into passion; he enjoys supreme happiness, here and hereafter.