तथा कर्मकृतं चैव कर्त्तारं प्रतिपद्यते । देवत्वमथ मानुष्यं पशुत्वं पक्षितां तथा
So too, what is fashioned by action is attained by the doer: divinity, humanity, animal birth, or birdhood,
तिर्यक्त्वं स्थावरत्वं वा याति जंतुः स्वकर्मभिः । स एव तु तथा भुंक्ते नित्यं विहितमात्मनः
Or the state of other creatures or of plants—a being attains according to its own actions; and he alone continually enjoys what is ordained for himself.
आत्मना विहितं दुःखमात्मना विहितं सुखम् । गर्भशय्यामुपादाय भुंजते पूर्वदेहिकम्
Suffering is ordained by oneself, happiness is ordained by oneself; taking up the bed of the womb, one enjoys the results of previous embodiment.
पूर्वदेहकृतं कर्म न कश्चित्पुरुषोत्तमः । बलेन प्रज्ञया वापि समर्थः कर्तुमन्यथा
No one, O best of men, is able by strength or wisdom to alter the action performed in a previous body.
स्वकृतान्येव भुंजंति दुःखानि च सुखानि च । हेतुतः कारणैर्वापि सोहं कारेण बाध्यते
They indeed experience only what they themselves have done, both suffering and happiness; whether by cause or by means, one is bound by one's own doing.
यथा धेनुसहस्रेषु वत्सो विंदति मातरम् । तद्वच्छुभाशुभं कर्म कर्तारमनुगच्छति
Just as among a thousand cows, a calf finds its mother, so too, good or bad action follows the doer.
उपभोगादृते यस्य नाश एव न विद्यते । प्राक्तनं बंधनं कर्म कोन्यथाकर्तुमर्हति
Except through enjoyment, there is no destruction of it; who else can undo the bondage of previous action?
सुशीघ्रमनुधावंतं विधानमनुधावति । शोभते संनिपातेन यथाकर्म पुराकृतम्
Swiftly pursuing, destiny pursues him; what was done before shines forth at the proper time.
उपतिष्ठति तिष्ठंतं गच्छं तमनुगच्छति । करोति कुर्वतः कर्मच्छायेवानु विधीयते
It attends upon one who stands, follows one who goes, acts with one who acts; karma is always present, like a shadow.
यथा छायातपौ नित्यं सुसंबद्धौ परस्परम् । उपसर्गा हि विषया उपसर्गा जरादयः
Just as shadow and sunlight are always closely joined together, so too are obstacles—sense objects and old age—inseparably linked.
पीडयंति नरं पश्चात्पीडितं पूर्वकर्मणा । येन यत्रोपभोक्तव्यं दुःखं वा सुखमेव च
They afflict a person afterwards, tormented by previous actions; whatever suffering or happiness is to be experienced by someone, it is due to that.
स तत्र बद्ध्वा रज्ज्वेव बलाद्दैवेन नीयते । दैवं प्राहुश्च भूतानां सुखदुःखोपपादनम्
Bound there by force, as if with a rope, he is led by destiny; destiny, they say, brings about happiness and suffering for beings.
अन्यथा कर्मतच्चिंत्यं जाग्रतः स्वपतोपि वा । अन्यथा ह्युद्यते दैवं बध्यते च जिघांसति
Otherwise, karma would be uncertain, whether awake or asleep; otherwise, destiny would be frustrated, bound, or even destroyed.
शस्त्राग्निविषदुर्गेभ्यो रक्षितव्यं सुरक्षति । यथा पृथिव्यां बीजानि वृक्षगुल्मतृणान्यपि
One may guard oneself from weapons, fire, poison, or fortresses, but just as seeds on earth—trees, shrubs, and grasses—
तथैवात्मनि कर्माणि तिष्ठंति प्रभवंति च । तैलक्षयाद्यथा दीपो निर्वाणमधिगच्छति
In the same way, actions remain and arise within oneself; just as a lamp is extinguished when its oil is exhausted,
कर्मक्षयात्तथा जंतोः शरीरं नाशमृच्छति । कर्मक्षयात्तथा मृत्युस्तत्त्वविद्भिरुदाहृतम्
So too, when karma is exhausted, the body of a living being meets its end; thus, death upon the exhaustion of karma is declared by those who know reality.
विविधाः प्राणिनां रोगाः स्मृतास्तेषां च हेतवः । तस्मात्तत्त्वप्रधानस्तु कर्म एव हि प्राणिनाम्
Various diseases of living beings are known, as are their causes; therefore, karma alone is regarded as primary for living beings.
यत्पुरा क्रियते कर्म तदिहैव प्रभुज्यते । यत्त्वया दृष्टमेवापि पृच्छितं तात सांप्रतम्
Whatever action was performed before is enjoyed here itself; and what you have seen or asked about, dear one, just now—
तस्यार्थं तु मया प्रोक्तं भुंजाते तौ हि सांप्रतम् । आनंदे कानने दृष्टं तयोः कर्मसुदारुणम्
Its meaning has been explained by me; they are now experiencing it. In the forest of delight, I saw their very terrible karma.
तयोश्चेष्टां प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु वत्स प्रभाषतः । कर्मभूमिरियं तात अन्या भोगार्थभूमयः
I will tell you of their actions—listen, my child, as I speak. This is the realm of action, dear one; there are other realms for enjoyment.
सर्गादीनां महाप्राज्ञ तासु गत्वा सुभुंजति । सूत उवाच- चौलदेशे महाप्राज्ञः सुबाहुर्नाम भूमिपः
In those, O wise one, beings enjoy after going through creation and so on. Sūta said: In the land of Caula, there was a wise king named Subāhu.
रूपवान्गुणवान्धीरः पृथिव्यां नास्ति तादृशः । विष्णुभक्तो महाप्राज्ञो वैष्णवानां च सुप्रियः
Handsome, virtuous, steadfast—there was no one like him on earth; devoted to Viṣṇu, supremely wise, and greatly beloved by the Vaiṣṇavas.
कर्मणा त्रिविधेनापि प्रध्यायन्मधुसूदनम् । अश्वमेधादिकान्यज्ञान्यजेत सकलान्नृप
By all three kinds of action, he meditated on Madhusūdana; O king, he performed all sacrifices, beginning with the Aśvamedha.
पुरोधास्तस्य चैवास्ति जैमिनिर्नाम ब्राह्मणः । स चाहूय सुबाहुं तमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
His priest was a brāhmaṇa named Jaimini; and he, having summoned Subāhu, spoke these words:
राजन्देहि सुदानानि यैः सुखं तु प्रभुंज्यत । दानैस्तु तरते लोकान्दुर्गान्प्रेत्य गतो नरः
"O king, give abundant gifts by which happiness may be enjoyed; by gifts, a man crosses over worlds and difficulties after death."
दानेन सुखमाप्नोति यशः प्राप्नोति शाश्वतम् । दानेन चातुला कीर्तिर्जायते मृत्युमंडले
By giving, one attains happiness and everlasting fame; by giving, unequalled glory arises even in the realm of death.
यावत्कीर्तिः स्थिता चात्र तावत्कर्ता दिवं वसेत् । तद्दानं दुष्करं प्राहुर्दातुं नैव प्रशक्यते
As long as the fame of a gift endures here, so long does the giver dwell in heaven; such a gift is said to be difficult to give, and it is not easily accomplished.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन दातव्यं मानवैः सदा । सुबाहुरुवाच- दानाच्च तपसो वापि द्वयोर्मध्ये सुदुष्करम्
Therefore, with every effort, gifts should always be given by people. Subahu said: Between giving and asceticism, both are exceedingly difficult.
किं वा महत्फलं प्रेत्य तन्मे ब्रूहि द्विजोत्तम । जैमिनिरुवाच- दानान्न दुष्करतरं पृथिव्यामस्ति किंचन
What great fruit is there after death from either? Tell me that, O best of twice-born. Jaimini said: There is nothing more difficult on earth than giving.
राजन्प्रत्यक्षमेवैकं दृश्यते लोकसाक्षिकम् । परित्यज्य प्रियान्प्राणान्धनार्थं लोभमोहिताः
O King, one thing is seen clearly before all, witnessed by the world: people, deluded by greed and attachment, abandon even dear life for the sake of wealth.