विधूय मोहकलिलं लब्ध्वा योगमनुत्तमम् । गृहस्थो मुच्यते बंधान्नात्र कार्याविचारणा
Having dispelled the darkness of delusion and attained supreme yoga, the householder is freed from bondage—of this there is no doubt.
विगर्हित जय क्षेप हिंसा बंधवधात्मनाम् । अन्यमन्यु समुत्थानां दोषाणां मर्षणं क्षमा
To forgive the faults arising from blame, defeat, insult, harm, or the actions of relatives, and from mutual enmity—this is true forgiveness.
स्वदुःखेष्वेव कारुण्यं परदुःखेषु सौहृदम् । दयेति मुनयः प्राहुः साक्षाद्धर्मस्य साधनम्
Compassion in one's own suffering and friendliness in the suffering of others—this, say the sages, is called compassion, and is the direct means to righteousness.
चतुर्दशानां विद्यानां धारणा हि परार्थतः । विज्ञानमिति तद्विद्याद्येन धर्मो विवर्धते
The retention of the fourteen branches of knowledge is for the sake of others; that is called wisdom, by which righteousness increases.
अधीत्य विधिवद्विद्यामर्थं चैवोपलभ्यते । धर्मकार्याणि कुर्वीत ह्येतद्विज्ञानमुच्यते
Having studied knowledge according to rule, one attains its purpose; performing acts of righteousness—this is called true understanding.
सत्येन लोकं जयति सत्यं तत्परमं पदम् । यथा भूता प्रमादं तु सत्यमाहुर्मनीषिणः
By truth one conquers the world; truth is the highest state. The wise declare that truth is as it really is, and not heedlessness.
दमः शरीरोपरतिः शमः प्रज्ञाप्रसादतः । अध्यात्ममक्षरं विद्या यत्र गत्वा न शोचति
Self-control is the restraint of the body; tranquility arises from clarity of understanding. The imperishable inner self is knowledge, where, having reached, one does not grieve.
यया स देवोभगवान्विद्यया विद्यते परः । साक्षादेव हृषीकेशस्तज्ज्ञानमिति कीर्तितम्
By which knowledge that divine Lord exists, by that very knowledge is He known as supreme; indeed, Hṛṣīkeśa Himself is declared to be that knowledge.
तन्निष्ठस्तत्परो विद्वान्नित्यमक्रोधनः शुचिः । महायज्ञपरो विप्रो लभते तदनुत्तमम्
He who is steadfast in that, devoted to that, learned, ever free from anger, pure, and devoted to great sacrifices—the brāhmaṇa attains that unsurpassed state.
धर्मस्यायतनं यत्नाच्छरीरं परिपालयेत् । नहि देहं विना विष्णुः पुरुषैर्विद्यतेपरः
One should carefully protect the body, the abode of righteousness; for without the body, the supreme Viṣṇu is not realized by men.
नित्यं धर्मार्थकामेषु युज्येत नियतो द्विजः । न धर्मवर्जितं काममर्थं वा मनसा स्मरेत्
A twice-born should always engage, as prescribed, in righteousness, wealth, and desire; he should not even think of desire or wealth devoid of righteousness.
सीदन्नपि हि धर्मेण न त्वधर्मं समाचरेत् । धर्मो हि भगवान्देवो गतिः सर्वेषु जंतुषु
Even when in distress, one should act according to righteousness, never unrighteousness; for righteousness is the blessed Lord, the refuge of all beings.
भूतानांप्रियकारीस्यान्नपरद्रो हकर्मधीः । न वेददेवतानिंदां कुर्य्यात्तैश्च न संवसेत्
One should act kindly toward all beings, never coveting another's wealth or actions; one should not revile the Vedas or the deities, nor associate with those who do.
यस्त्विमं नियतो मर्त्यो धर्माध्यायं पठेच्छुचिः । अध्यापयेच्छ्रावयेद्वा ब्रह्मलोके महीयते
But the mortal who, with discipline, recites or teaches or causes to be heard this chapter on righteousness is honored in the world of Brahmā.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे चतुःपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fifty-fourth chapter in the Svarga-khaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa.
व्यास उवाच- न हिंस्यात्सर्वभूतानि नानृतं वावदेत्क्वचित् । नाहितं नाप्रिंयं वाच्यं न स्तेनः स्यात्कदाचन
Vyāsa said: One should not harm any living being, nor ever speak falsehood; one should not utter words that are harmful or unpleasant, nor should one ever be a thief.
तृणं वा यदि वा शाकं मृदं वा जलमेव च । परस्यापहरञ्जंतुर्नरकं प्रतिपद्यते
Whether it is grass, or a leaf, or even earth or water—whoever takes these from another, that thief attains hell.
न राज्ञः प्रतिगृह्णीयान्न शूद्रात्पतितादपि । न चान्यस्मादशक्तश्चेन्निंदितान्वर्जयेद्बुधः
One should not accept gifts from a king, nor from a Śūdra or a fallen person; and if unable to obtain from others, the wise should avoid those who are censured.
नित्यं याचनको न स्यात्पुनस्तं नैव याचयेत् । प्राणानपहरत्येवं याचकस्तस्य दुर्मतेः
One should not be a constant beggar, nor should one beg again from the same person; by such begging, the beggar takes away the life of that person with a wicked mind.
न देवद्रव्यहारी स्याद्विशेषेण द्विजोत्तमः । ब्रह्मस्वं वा नापहरेदापत्स्वपि कदाचन
One should not take the property of the gods, especially a foremost twice-born; nor should one ever take Brahmanical wealth, even in distress.
न विषं विषमित्याहुर्ब्रह्मस्वं विषमुच्यते । देवस्वं चापि यत्नेन सदा परिहरेत्ततः
They say poison is poison, but Brahmanical wealth is called the true poison; therefore, one should always carefully avoid the wealth of the gods as well.
पुष्पं शाकोदकं काष्ठं तथा मूलं फलं तृणम् । अदत्तानि च न स्तेयं मनुः प्राह प्रजापतिः
Manu, the lord of creatures, has declared: one should not steal flowers, vegetables, water, wood, roots, fruits, or grass that have not been given.
गृहीतव्यानि पुष्पाणि देवार्चनविधौ द्विजः । नैकस्मादेव नियतमननुज्ञाय केवलम्
A twice-born should take flowers for the purpose of worshipping the gods, but not always from the same place, and not without permission.
तृणं काष्ठं फलं पुष्पं प्रकाशं वै हरेद्बुधः । धर्मार्थं केवलं प्राहुरन्यथा पतितो भवेत्
The wise may openly take grass, wood, fruit, or flowers solely for the sake of righteousness; otherwise, one becomes fallen.
तिलमुद्गयवादीनां मुष्टिर्ग्राह्या पथिस्थितैः । क्षुधितैर्नान्यथा विप्रा धर्मादिभिरिति स्थितिः
A handful of sesame, mung beans, and the like may be taken by the hungry who are on the road, O Brāhmaṇas, but not otherwise—this is the rule regarding righteousness and the like.
न धर्मस्यापदेशेन पापं कृत्वा व्रतं चरेत् । व्रतेन पापं व्यागुह्य कुर्वन्स्त्रीशूद्र दंभनम्
One should not perform a vow after committing sin under the pretext of righteousness; by concealing sin with a vow, one deceives women and Śūdras.
प्रेत्येह चेदृशो विप्रो गर्ह्यते ब्रह्मवादिभिः । छद्मनाचरितं यच्च व्रतं रक्षांसि गच्छति
A Brāhmaṇa who acts thus, here or after death, is condemned by those who speak of Brahman; and any vow performed by deception goes to the demons.
अलिंगी लिंगिवेषेण यो वृत्तिमुपतिष्ठति । सलिगिंनो हरेदेनस्तिर्यग्योनौ च जायते
He who, without the marks, assumes the appearance of one with marks and pursues a livelihood, steals the merit of those with marks and is born in the womb of animals.
याचनं योनिसंबंधं सहवासं च भाषणम् । कुर्वाणः पतते नित्यं तस्माद्यत्नेन वर्जयेत्
One who engages in begging, sexual union, cohabitation, or conversation with such persons falls perpetually; therefore, one should diligently avoid them.
देवद्रोहं न कुर्वीत गुरुद्रोहं तथैव च । देवद्रोहाद्गुरुद्रोहः कोटिकोटिगुणाधिकः
One should not commit offense against the gods, nor against the teacher; and the offense against the teacher is a hundred million times greater than offense against the gods.