ऋषिपुत्रस्य रामस्य रामो दशरथात्मजः । जघान वीर्यमतुलमूर्ध्वगं सुमहात्मनः
Rama, son of Dasharatha, killed the sage's son Rama, whose unmatched valor soared high, a man of great soul.
जरासंधेन रामस्य तेजसा नाशितं यशः । जरासंधस्य भीमेन तस्यापि पवनात्मजः
Jarasandha destroyed the fame of Rama by his might; Bhima destroyed Jarasandha, and he in turn was overcome by the son of the wind.
हनुमानपि सूर्येण विक्षिप्तः पतितः क्षितौ । निवातकवचान्सर्वदानवान्बलदर्पितान्
Even Hanuman was struck down to the earth by the sun; he defeated the arrogant Danavas called Nivatakavachas.
हतवानर्जुनः श्रीमान्गोपालैः स विनिर्जितः । सूर्यः प्रतापयुक्तोऽपि मेघैः संछाद्यते क्वचित्
The illustrious Arjuna was killed, and he was defeated by cowherds; even the sun, though full of power, is sometimes covered by clouds.
क्षिप्यते वायुना मेघो वायोर्वीर्यं नगैर्जितम् । दह्यंते वह्निना शैलाः स वह्निः शाम्यते जलैः
A cloud is driven away by the wind, but the wind's strength is checked by mountains; mountains are burned by fire, and that fire is extinguished by water.
तज्जलं शोष्यते सूर्यैस्ते सूर्याः सह वारिणा । त्रैलोक्येन समस्ताश्च नश्यंति ब्रह्मणो दिने
That water is dried up by the sun, and those very suns are overcome by water; all the worlds perish in a day of Brahma.
ब्रह्मापि त्रिदशैः सार्धमुपसंह्रियते पुनः । परार्धद्वयकालांते शिवेन परमात्मना
Even Brahma, together with the gods, is withdrawn again at the end of two parardhas, by Shiva, the Supreme Self.
एवं नैवास्ति संसारे यच्च सर्वोत्तमं बलम् । विहायैकं जगन्नाथं परमात्मानमव्ययम्
Thus, in this world, there is no supreme power except for the one, imperishable Supreme Lord of the universe.
ज्ञात्वा सातिशयं सर्वमतिमानं विवर्जयेत् । एवंभूते जगत्यस्मिन्कः सुरः पंडितोपि वा
Knowing this, one should abandon all excessive pride; in such a world as this, who, whether god or even a learned man—
न ह्यस्ति सर्ववित्कश्चिन्न वा मूर्खोपि सर्वतः । यावद्यस्तु विजानाति तावत्तत्र स पंडितः
There is no one who knows everything, nor is anyone completely ignorant; as much as one knows, so much is one wise in that.
समाधाने तु सर्वत्र प्रभावः सदृशः स्मृतः । वित्तस्यातिशयत्वेन प्रभावः कस्यचित्क्वचित्
In all matters, the power of equanimity is considered the same; but due to the excess of wealth, someone's influence may be greater in certain places.
दानवैर्निर्जिता देवास्ते दैवैर्निजिताः पुनः । इत्यन्योन्यं श्रितो लोको भाग्यैर्जयपराजयैः
The gods were conquered by the demons, and then the demons were conquered by the gods; thus, the world is mutually dependent, with victory and defeat determined by fortune.
एवं वस्त्रयुगं राज्ञां प्रस्थमात्रांबुभोजनम् । यानं शय्यासनं चैव शेषं दुःखाय केवलम्
Thus, for kings, a pair of garments, a measure of food and water, a vehicle, a bed, and a seat—these suffice; all else is only a source of suffering.
सप्तमे चापि भवने खट्वामात्र परिग्रहः । उदकुंभसहस्रेभ्यः क्लेशायास प्रविस्तरः
Even in the seventh palace, the only possession is a bed; from thousands of water-jars, there arises only toil and hardship.
प्रत्यूषे तूर्यनिर्घोषः समं पुरनिवासिभिः । राज्येभिमानमात्रं हि ममेदं वाद्यते गृहे
At dawn, the sound of instruments resounds together with the city-dwellers; the pride of sovereignty alone is proclaimed in the house as 'this is mine.'
सर्वमाभरणं भारः सर्वमालेपनं मलम् । सर्वं प्रलपितं गीतं नृत्यमुन्मत्तचेष्टितम्
All ornaments are a burden, all ointments are filth; all chatter, song, and dance are the actions of the intoxicated.
इत्येवं राज्यसंभोगैः कुतः सौख्यं विचारतः । नृपाणां विग्रहे चिंता वान्योन्यविजिगीषया
Thus, considering the enjoyments of kingship, where is happiness to be found? Among kings, there is conflict and anxiety from the desire to surpass one another.
प्रायेण श्रीमदालेपान्नहुषाद्या महानृपाः । स्वर्गं प्राप्ता निपतिताः कः श्रिया विंदते सुखम्
Most great kings, like Nahusha and others, intoxicated by prosperity, after attaining heaven, have fallen; who truly finds happiness in wealth?
स्वर्गेपि च कुतः सौख्यं दृष्ट्वा दीप्तां परश्रियम् । उपर्युपरि देवानामन्योन्यातिशयस्थिताम्
Even in heaven, how can there be happiness, seeing the blazing wealth of others, and the gods themselves constantly striving to surpass one another?
नरैः पुण्यफलं स्वर्गे मूलच्छेदेन भुज्यते । न चान्यत्क्रियते कर्म सोऽत्र दोषः सुदारुणः
In heaven, humans enjoy the fruit of their merit, but only by exhausting its root; no new action is performed there—this is a most dreadful flaw.
छिन्नमूलतरुर्यद्वद्दिवसैः पतति क्षितौ । पुण्यस्य संक्षयात्तद्वन्निपतंति दिवौकसः
Just as a tree with its root cut falls to the ground in time, so too, when merit is exhausted, the dwellers of heaven fall.
सुखाभिलाषनिष्ठानां सुखभोगादि संप्लवैः । अकस्मात्पतितं दुःखं कष्टं स्वर्गेदिवौकसाम्
For those devoted to the pursuit of pleasure, amidst the floods of enjoyment, sudden and severe suffering befalls the inhabitants of heaven.
इति स्वर्गेऽपि देवानां नास्ति सौख्यं विचारतः । क्षयश्च विषयासिद्धौ स्वर्गे भोगाय कर्मणाम्
Thus, even among the gods in heaven, there is no happiness upon reflection; and when enjoyment is exhausted, the actions that led to heaven come to an end.
तत्र दुःखं महत्कष्टं नरकाग्निषु देहिनाम् । घोरैश्च विविधैर्भावैर्वाङ्मनः काय संभवैः
There, in the fires of hell, embodied beings experience great and terrible suffering, arising from various dreadful states of speech, mind, and body.
कुठारच्छेदनं तीव्रं वल्कलानां च तक्षणम् । पर्णशाखाफलानां च पातश्चंडेन वायुना
There is intense cutting with axes, stripping of bark, and the violent wind causes the falling of leaves, branches, and fruits.
उन्मूलनान्नदीभिश्च गजैरन्यैश्च देहिभिः । दावाग्निहिमशोषैश्च दुःखं स्थावरजातिषु
There is uprooting by rivers, by elephants, and by other beings; and suffering among stationary beings from forest fires, cold, and drought.
तद्वद्भुजंगसर्पाणां क्रोधे दुःखं च दारुणम् । दुष्टानां घातनं लोके पाशेन च निबंधनम्
In the same way, for serpents and snakes, there is terrible suffering from anger; for the wicked, there is killing in the world and binding with a noose.
अकस्माज्जन्ममरणं कीटानां च मुहुर्मुहुः । सरीसृपनिकायानामेवं दुःखान्यनेकधा
For insects, there is sudden birth and death, again and again; for reptiles and crawling creatures, there are many kinds of suffering in this way.
पशूनामात्मशमनं दंडताडनमेव च । नासावेधेन संत्रासः प्रतोदेन सुताडनम्
For animals, self-restraint is enforced by beating with a stick; fear is caused by piercing the nose, and pain by striking with a goad.
वेत्रकाष्ठादिनिगडैरंकुशेनांगबंधनम् । भावेन मनसा क्लेशैर्भिक्षा युवादिपीडनम्
Binding with rods, wooden shackles, or an elephant-goad, affliction by intent and mind, and torment by begging or youth—all cause suffering.