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.
आत्मयूथवियोगैश्च बलान्नयनबंधने । पशूनां संति कायानामेवं दुःखान्यनेकशः
Through separation from their own herd, forced movement, and confinement, animals experience many kinds of bodily suffering.
वर्षाशीतातपाद्दुःखं सुकष्टं ग्रहपक्षिणाम् । क्लेशमानाति कायानामेवं दुःखान्यनेकधा
The hardship of rain, cold, and heat is severe for captive birds and animals; thus, bodies endure many forms of suffering.
गर्भवासे महद्दुःखं जन्मदुःखं तथा नृणाम् । सुबाल्यदुःखं चाज्ञानं कौमारे गुरुशासनम्
Great suffering exists in the womb, and at birth for humans; childhood brings pain and ignorance, and in youth, strict instruction from elders.
यौवने कामरागाभ्यां दुःखं चैवेर्ष्यया पुनः । कृषिवाणिज्यसेवाद्यैर्गोरक्षादिक कर्मभिः
In youth, suffering arises from desire and passion, and again from jealousy; through farming, trade, service, and tasks like tending cattle, pain is found.
वृद्धभावे च जरया व्याधिभिश्च प्रपीडनात् । मरणे च महद्दुःखं प्रार्थनायां ततोधिकम्
In old age, affliction comes from decrepitude and disease; at death, there is great suffering, and even more in the longing for life.
राजाग्निजलदाघातचौरशत्रु भयं महत् । अर्थस्यार्जनरक्षायां भयं नाशे व्यये पुनः
There is great fear from kings, fire, water, blows, thieves, and enemies; in acquiring and protecting wealth, fear arises, and again in its loss and expenditure.
कार्पण्यं मत्सरो दम्भो धनाधिक्ये भयं महत् । अकार्ये संप्रवृत्तिश्च दुःखानि धनिनां सदा
Misery, envy, and deceit, and great fear in possessing wealth; constant suffering comes from engaging in wrongful acts for the wealthy.
भृत्यवृत्तिः कुसीदं च दासत्वं परतंत्रता । इष्टानिष्टाभियोगश्च संयोगाश्च सहस्रशः
Employment, usury, servitude, dependence on others, and countless unions with what is desired or undesired—all bring suffering.
दुर्भिक्षं दुर्भगत्वं च मूर्खत्वं च दरिद्रता । अधरोत्तरभागश्च नारकं राजविक्रमम्
Famine, misfortune, ignorance, poverty, inferior status, hell, and royal oppression—all are sources of suffering.
अन्योन्याभिभवं दुःखमन्यांन्यतो भयं महत् । अन्योन्याच्च प्रकोपश्च राज्ञो दुःखं महीभृताम्
Suffering comes from mutual domination, great fear from one another, mutual anger, and for kings, pain from their subjects.
अनित्यतात्र भावानां कृतकाम्यस्य देहिनः । अन्योन्य मर्मभेदाच्च अन्योन्य करपीडनात्
Impermanence of things, desire in embodied beings, mutual injury, and mutual oppression—all cause suffering.
लुब्धाश्च पापभेदेन अन्योन्यस्य च भक्षणम् । इत्येवमादिभिर्दुःखैर्यस्माद्भीतं चराचरम्
The greedy, through sinful acts, devour one another; thus, from such sources of suffering, all moving and unmoving beings are fearful.
निरयादि मनुष्यांतं तस्मात्सर्वं त्यजेद्बुधः । स्कंधात्स्कंधेन यन्भारं विश्रामं मन्यते यथा
From hell up to humanity, therefore the wise should renounce everything; just as one finds rest by shifting a burden from one shoulder to another.
तद्वत्सर्वमिदं लोके दुःखं दुःखेन शाम्यति । अन्योन्यातिशयोपेताः सर्वदा भोगसंप्लवाः
In the same way, all suffering in this world is calmed by other suffering; pleasures are always mingled with excess and rivalry.
धर्मक्षयाच्च देवानां दिवि दुःखमवस्थितम् । नानायोनिसहस्रेषु संभवः पुण्यसंक्षयात्
When merit is exhausted, even the gods experience suffering in heaven; birth occurs in countless forms when virtue is depleted.
रोगाश्च विविधाकारा देवलोकेऽपि संस्मृताः । यज्ञस्य हि शिरश्छिन्नमश्विभ्यां संधितं पुनः
Diseases of various kinds are remembered even in the realm of the gods; for the head of the sacrifice, once severed, was restored by the Ashvins.
तेन दोषेण यज्ञस्य शिरोरोगः सदैव हि । मार्तंडभानोः कुष्ठं च वरुणस्य जलोदरम्
Because of that fault, the sacrifice suffers from a chronic head disease; the sun is afflicted with leprosy, and Varuṇa with dropsy.
पूष्णोदशनवैकल्यं भुजस्तंभः शचीपतेः । सुमहान्क्षयरोगश्च सोमस्य परिकीर्तितः
Pūṣan lost his teeth, Indra's arms became stiff, and Soma is said to have contracted a severe wasting disease.
ज्वरश्च सुमहानासीद्दक्षस्यापि प्रजापतेः । कल्पेकल्पे च देवानां महतामपि संक्षयः
A great fever also befell Dakṣa, the lord of creatures; and in every age, even the greatest of the gods experience decline.
परार्धद्वयकालांते ब्रह्मणश्चाप्यनित्यता । दक्षस्य दुहितां पौत्रीं ब्रह्मा कामितवान्पुनः
At the end of two parārdhas, even Brahmā is subject to impermanence; Brahmā again desired Dakṣa's granddaughter.