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.
प्रविशंति नरा लोके समुद्रमटवीं तथा । सेवामन्ये प्रपद्यंतेऽश्ववृत्तिरिति या स्थिता
Men enter the ocean or the forest in this world, and others take up service, which is considered a base occupation.
हिंसाप्रायां बहुक्लेशां कृषिं चैव तथा पुरा । तस्य दुःखार्जितस्यापि प्राणेभ्योपि गरीयसः
They undertake agriculture, which is full of violence and much hardship; even so, the wealth gained with such suffering is dearer than life itself.
अर्थस्य पुरुषव्याघ्र परित्यागः सुदुष्करः । विशेषतो महाराज तस्य न्यायार्जितस्य च
O tiger among men, the renunciation of wealth is exceedingly difficult, especially, O great king, when that wealth has been justly earned.
श्रद्धया विधिवत्पात्रे दत्तस्यांतो न विद्यते । श्रद्धा धर्मसुता देवी पावनी विश्वतारिणी
When given with faith, properly, to a worthy recipient, its fruit has no end; faith is the daughter of Dharma, a goddess, purifier, and savior of all.
सावित्री प्रसवित्री च संसारार्णवतारिणी । श्रद्धया साध्यते धर्मो महद्भिर्न्नार्थराशिभिः
She is Sāvitrī, the mother of creation, who carries across the ocean of worldly existence; righteousness is accomplished through faith, not by heaps of wealth.
निष्किंचनास्तु मुनयः श्रद्धाधर्मा दिवं गताः । संति दानान्यनेकानि नानाभेदैर्नृपोत्तम
The sages, though possessing nothing, attained heaven by faith and righteousness; there are many kinds of gifts, of various sorts, O best of kings.
अन्नदानात्परं नास्ति प्राणिनां गतिदायकम् । तस्मादन्नं प्रदातव्यं पयसा च समन्वितम्
There is no gift greater than the giving of food, which grants passage to living beings; therefore, food should be given, accompanied by milk.
मधुरेणापि पुण्येन वचसा च समन्वितम् । नास्त्यन्नात्तु परं दानमिहलोके परत्र च
And with sweet merit, and with kind words; there is no gift greater than food, either in this world or the next.
तारणाय हितायैव सुखसंपत्तिहेतवे । श्रद्धया विधिवत्पात्रे निर्मलेनापि चेतसा
For rescue, for benefit, and as the cause of happiness and prosperity, food should be given with faith, properly, to a worthy recipient, even with a pure mind.
अन्नैकस्य प्रदानस्य फलं भुंक्ते भवेन्नरः । ग्रासाद्ग्रासं प्रदातव्यं मुष्टिप्रस्थं न संशयः
By giving even a single portion of food, a man enjoys its fruit; food should be given mouthful by mouthful, or by handful, without doubt.