जनापवादो नास्तिक्यं तस्मात्कोटिगुणाधिकम् । गोभिश्च दैवतैर्विप्रैः कृष्या राजोपसेवया
Slandering people and atheism are a hundred million times worse; by cows, deities, Brāhmaṇas, agriculture, and service to the king—
कुलान्यकुलतां यांति यानि हीनानि धर्म्मतः । कुविचारैः क्रियालोपैर्वेदानध्ययनेन च
Families that are low by dharma become unworthy of their lineage through wrong conduct, neglect of duties, and failure to study the Vedas.
कुलान्यकुलतां यांति ब्राह्मणाऽतिक्रमेण च । अनृतात्पारदार्याच्च तथाऽभक्ष्यस्य भक्षणात्
Families lose their noble status, and Brahmins fall from their station, through transgression, falsehood, adultery, and eating what is forbidden.
अगोत्रधर्म्माचरणात्क्षिप्रं नश्यति वै कुलम् । अश्रोत्रियेषु दानाच्चा वृषलेषु तथैव च
A family quickly perishes when its members abandon the duties of their lineage, or when gifts are given to those unworthy of Vedic learning, or to outcastes.
विहिताचारहीनेषु क्षिप्रं नश्यति वै कुलम् । अधार्मिकैर्वृते ग्रामे न व्याधिबहुले वसेत्
A family quickly perishes when its members lack proper conduct; one should not live in a village filled with the unrighteous or plagued by disease.
शूद्रराज्ये च न वसेन्न पाखंडजनैर्वृते । हिमवद्विंध्ययोर्मध्यं पूर्वपश्चिमयोः शुभम्
One should not dwell in a land ruled by Shudras, nor among heretics; between the Himalayas and Vindhyas, from east to west, is auspicious.
मुक्त्वा समुद्रयोर्देशं नान्यत्र निवसेद्द्विजः । कृष्णो वा यत्र चरति मृगो नित्यं स्वभावतः
Except for the region between the seas, a twice-born should not reside elsewhere; where the black antelope naturally roams, there he may dwell.
पुण्या वा विश्रुता नद्यस्तत्र वा निवसेद्द्विजः । अर्धक्रोशं नदीकूलं वर्जयित्वा द्विजोत्तमः
Where holy and renowned rivers flow, there a twice-born may reside; but the best of twice-born should avoid living within half a krosha of the riverbank.
नान्यत्र निवसेत्पुण्यं नांत्यजग्रामसन्निधौ । न संवसेच्च पतितैर्न चांडालैर्न पुल्कसैः
He should not live elsewhere that is not sacred, nor near villages of outcastes; he should not dwell with the fallen, nor with Chandalas or Pulkasas.
न मूर्खैर्नावलिप्तैश्च नान्यैर्जायावसायिभिः । एकशय्यासने पंक्तिर्भांडे पक्वान्नमिश्रणम्
He should not associate with fools, the arrogant, or those who covet another's wife; sharing a bed, seat, row, or mixing cooked food in the same vessel—
यजनाध्यापने योनिस्तथैव सहभोजनम् । सहाध्यायस्तु दशमः सहयाजनमेव च
Performing sacrifices, teaching, sharing lineage, eating together, studying together, or performing rituals together—these are also to be avoided.
एकादश समुद्दिष्टा दोषाः सांकर्यसंस्थिताः । समीपे चाप्यवस्थानात्पापं संक्रमते नृणाम्
Eleven faults are declared, arising from such mingling; by merely being near, sin is transmitted among people.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन सांकर्य्यं परिवर्जयेत् । एकपंक्त्युपविष्टा ये न स्पृशंति परस्परम्
Therefore, by every effort, one should avoid such mingling; those who sit in a single row but do not touch each other—
भस्मना कृतमर्य्यादा न तेषां संकरो भवेत् । अग्निना भस्मना चैव सलिलेन विलेखतः
If a boundary is made with ashes, there is no mingling among them; likewise, if separated by fire, ashes, or water.
द्वारेण स्तंभमार्गेण षड्भिः पंक्तिर्विभिद्यते । न कुर्याच्छुष्कवैराणि विवादं न च पैशुनम्
A row is divided in six ways: by a door, a pillar, a path, fire, ashes, or water; one should not engage in fruitless quarrels, disputes, or slander.
परक्षेत्रे गां चरंतीं न चाचक्षीत कर्हिचित् । न संवसेत्सूचकेन न कं वै मर्मणि स्पृशेत्
One should never point out a cow grazing in another's field; one should not live with an informer, nor touch anyone at a vital spot.
न सूर्यपरिवेषं वा नेंद्रचापं पराह्निकम् । परस्मै कथयेद्विद्वान्शशिनं वाथ कांचनम्
One should not look at the halo around the sun or the midday rainbow; a wise man should not reveal the moon or gold to another.
न कुर्याद्बहुभिः सार्द्धं विरोधं बंधुभिस्तथा । आत्मनः प्रतिकूलानि परेषां न समाचरेत्
One should not engage in conflict with many, nor with relatives; one should not do to others what is unfavorable to oneself.
तिथिं पक्षस्य न ब्रूयान्नक्षत्राणि न निर्दिशेत् । नोदक्यामभिभाषेत नाशुचिं वा द्विजोत्तमः
One should not announce the lunar day or point out the constellations; the best of twice-born should not speak with a widow or an impure person.
न देवगुरुविप्राणां दीयमानं तु वारयेत् । न चात्मानं प्रशंसेद्वा परनिंदां च वर्जयेत्
One should not obstruct what is given to gods, teachers, or Brahmins; nor should one praise oneself or indulge in slandering others.
वेदनिंदां देवनिंदां प्रयत्नेन विवर्जयेत् । यस्तु देवानृषींश्चैव वेदान्वा निंदते द्विजः
One should carefully avoid reviling the Vedas and the gods; if a twice-born reviles the gods, the seers, or the Vedas—
न तस्य निष्कृतिर्दृष्टा शास्त्रेष्विह मुनीश्वराः । निंदयेद्वा गुरुं देवं वेदं वासोपबृंहणम्
—for him, O best of sages, no expiation is prescribed in the scriptures here; whether he reviles the teacher, the god, the Veda, or the means of their adornment.
कल्पकोटिशतं साग्रं रौरवे पच्यते नरः । तूष्णीमासीत निंदायां न ब्रूयात्किंचिदुत्तरम्
Such a man is cooked in the Raurava hell for a full hundred million aeons; when slander occurs, one should remain silent and not utter any reply.
कर्णौ पिधाय गंतव्यं न चैनमवलोकयेत् । वर्ज्जयेद्वै रहस्यानि परेषां गर्हणं बुधः
One should cover one's ears and depart, not even glancing at the slanderer; a wise person should avoid exposing the secrets or faults of others.
विवादं स्वजनैः सार्द्धं नकुर्य्याद्वै कदाचन । न पापं पापिनां ब्रूयादपापं वा द्विजोत्तमः
One should never engage in disputes with one's own people; an excellent twice-born should not declare the sin of a sinner, nor the innocence of the innocent.
सत्येन तुल्यो दोषः स्यादसत्याद्दोषवान्भवेत् । नृणां मिथ्याभिशस्तानां पतंत्यश्रूणि रोदनात्
A falsehood is as blameworthy as the truth; one incurs fault by speaking untruth; from the weeping of those falsely accused, tears fall.
तानि पुत्रान्पशून्घ्नंति तेषां मिथ्याभिशंसिनाम् । ब्रह्महत्या सुरापाने स्तेये गुर्वंगनागमे
Those tears destroy the sons and cattle of those who utter false accusations; such slander is equal to the sins of killing a Brahmin, drinking liquor, theft, or violating the teacher's wife.
दृष्टं वै शोधनं वृद्धैर्नास्ति मिथ्याभिशंसने । नेक्षेतोद्यंतमादित्यं शशिनं वाऽनिमित्ततः
The elders have declared that there is expiation for visible sins, but none for false accusation; one should not gaze at the rising sun or moon without reason.
नास्तं यांतं न वारिस्थं नोपस्पृष्टं न मध्यगम् । तिरोहितं समीक्षेत नादर्शाद्यनुगामिनम्
One should not look at the sun setting, standing in water, being touched, or at its midpoint; nor should one gaze at it when it is hidden, or follow its reflection in a mirror.
न नग्नां स्त्रियमीक्षेत पुरुषं वा कदाचन । न च मूत्रं पुरीषं वा न च संसृष्टमैथुनम्
One should never look at a naked woman or man; nor at urine, excrement, or sexual intercourse.