यद्यप्यवसरोनास्ति मम सेवापरस्य वै । तथापि च तव स्नेहात्प्रवक्ष्यामि यथामति
'Though I am always engaged in service and have little leisure, still, out of affection for you, I will tell you according to my understanding.'
कर्मणा मनसा वाचा सर्वावस्थासु सर्वदा । परपीडां न कुर्वंति न ते यांति यमालयम्
'Those who, by deed, mind, or speech, never cause harm to others in any situation, at any time, do not go to the abode of Yama.'
न वेदैर्न च दानैश्च न तपोभिर्न चाध्वरैः । कथंचित्स्वर्गतिं यांति पुरुषाः प्राणिहिंसकाः
'Not by Vedic study, nor by gifts, nor by austerities, nor by sacrifices do those who harm living beings ever attain heaven.'
अहिंसा परमो धर्मो ह्यहिंसैव परं तपः । अहिंसा परमं दानमित्याहुर्मुनयः सदा
'Nonviolence is the highest dharma; nonviolence is indeed the supreme austerity; nonviolence is the highest gift—so the sages always declare.'
मशकान्सरीसृपान्दंशान्यूकाद्यान्मानवांस्तथा । आत्मौपम्येन पश्यंति मानवा ये दयालवः
'Those compassionate people who see mosquitoes, reptiles, biting insects, and even humans with the measure of themselves—'
तप्तांगारमयस्कीलं मादंप्रेतरंगिणीम् । दुर्गतिं नैव गच्छंति कृतांतस्य च ते नराः
'They do not go to the hell of burning coals, iron spikes, or the river of wine; such people do not reach the realm of death.'
भूतानि येऽत्र हिंसंति जलस्थलचराणि च । जीवनार्थं च ते यांति कालसूत्रं च दुर्गतिम्
'Those who harm living beings here—whether aquatic or land-dwelling—for the sake of their own life, they go to the Kālasūtra hell and to evil destinies.'
श्वमांसभोजनास्तत्र पूयशोणितपायिनः । मज्जंतश्च वसापंके दष्टाः कीटैरधोमुखैः
'There, those who eat dog’s flesh, who drink pus and blood, sink into pools of fat and are bitten by downward-facing insects.'
परस्परं च खादंतो ध्वांते चान्योन्य घातिनः । वसंति कल्पानेकांस्ते रुदंतो दारुणं रवम्
'There, eating one another, killing each other in darkness, they dwell for countless aeons, crying out with terrible wails.'
कृमियोनि शतं गत्वा स्थावराः स्युश्चिरं तु ते । ततोच्छंति ते क्रूरास्तिर्यग्योनि शतेषु च
'Having entered a hundred wombs of worms, they become immobile for a long time; then those cruel ones are born in a hundred animal births.'
पश्चाद्भवंति जातांधाः काणाः कुब्जाश्च पंगवः । दरिद्राश्चांगहीनाश्च मानुषाः प्राणिहिंसकाः
'Afterwards, when born as humans, they are blind, one-eyed, hunchbacked, lame, poor, and mutilated—those who have harmed living beings.'
तस्माद्वैश्य परत्रेह कर्मणा मनसा गिरा । लोकद्वयसुखप्रेप्सुर्धर्मज्ञो न तदाचरेत्
'Therefore, O Vaiśya, one who desires happiness in both worlds and knows dharma should not commit such acts by deed, mind, or speech, here or hereafter.'
लोकद्वयेन विंदंति सुखानि प्राणिहिंसकाः । येन हिंसन्ति भूतानि न ते बिभ्यति कुत्रचित्
Those who harm living beings and take pleasure from both worlds do not fear anywhere, for they cause suffering to creatures.
प्रविशंति यथा नद्यः समुद्रमृजुवक्रगाः । सर्वे धर्मा अहिंसायां प्रविशंति तथा दृढम्
Just as all rivers, whether straight or winding, enter the ocean, so too all virtues firmly culminate in non-violence.
स स्नातः सर्वतीर्थेषु सर्वयज्ञेषु दीक्षितः । अभयं येन भूतेभ्यो दत्तमत्र विंशांवर
He who has granted fearlessness to living beings here, O Viṃśāṃvara, is as one who has bathed in all sacred waters and been initiated in all sacrifices.
ये नियोगांश्च शास्त्रोक्तान्धर्माधर्म विमिश्रितान् । पालयंतीह ये वैश्य न ते यांति यमालयम्
Those Vaiśyas who uphold the duties prescribed in the scriptures, even those mixed with righteousness and unrighteousness, do not go to the abode of Yama.
ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थश्च वानप्रस्थो यतिस्तथा । स्वधर्मनिरताः सर्वे नाकपृष्ठे वसंति ते
All who are devoted to their own duties—be they student, householder, forest-dweller, or renunciant—dwell on the summit of heaven.
यथोक्तचारिणः सर्वे वर्णाश्रमसमन्विताः । नरा जितेंद्रिया यांति ब्रह्मलोकं तु शाश्वतम्
All men endowed with the orders and stages of life, who act as prescribed and have mastered their senses, attain the eternal world of Brahma.
इष्टापूर्तरता ये च पंचयज्ञरताश्च ये । दयान्विताश्च ये नित्यं नेक्षंते ते यमालयम्
Those who delight in acts of charity and sacrifice, who are devoted to the five great offerings, and who are always compassionate, do not see the abode of Yama.
इंद्रियार्थनिवृत्ता ये समर्था वेदवादिनः । अग्निपूजारता नित्यं ते विप्राः स्वर्गगामिनः
Those learned Brāhmaṇas who refrain from sense pleasures, are skilled in Vedic discourse, and are ever devoted to the worship of fire, go to heaven.
अदीनवदनाः शूराः शत्रुभिः परिवेष्टिताः । आहवेषु विपन्ना ये तेषां मार्गो दिवाकरः
Those warriors who are cheerful, brave, surrounded by enemies, and fall in battle—their path is the sun itself.
अनाथ स्त्री द्विजार्थे च शरणागतपालने । प्राणांस्त्यजंति ये वैश्य न च्यवंति दिवस्तु ते
Those Vaiśyas who give up their lives for the sake of the helpless, women, Brāhmaṇas, or those who have sought refuge, never fall from heaven.
पंग्वंधबालवृद्धांश्च रोग्यनाथदरिद्रितान् । ये पुष्णंति सदा वैश्य ते मोदंति सदा दिवि
Those Vaiśyas who always support the lame, blind, children, the aged, the sick, the helpless, and the poor, always rejoice in heaven.
गां दृष्ट्वा पंकनिर्मग्नां रोगमग्नं द्विजं तथा । उद्धरंति नरा ये च तेषां लोकोऽश्वमेधिनाम्
Those men who rescue a cow sunk in mud or a Brāhmaṇa afflicted by disease attain the world of those who have performed the Aśvamedha sacrifice.
गोग्रासं ये प्रयच्छंति ये शुश्रूषंति गाः सदा । येनारोहंति गोपृष्ठे ते स्वर्लोकनिवासिनः
Those who provide fodder for cows and always serve them, by whose effort cows ascend to the heights, dwell in the heavenly realms.
गर्तमात्रं तु ये चक्रुर्यत्र गौरतृषा भवेत् । यमलोकमदृष्ट्वैव ते यांति स्वर्गतिं नराः
Those who make even a small pit where a thirsty cow may drink, without seeing the world of Yama, attain heaven.
अग्निपूजा देवपूजा गुरुपूजा रताश्च ये । द्विजपूजा रता नित्यं ते विप्राः स्वर्गगामिनः
Those Brāhmaṇas who are devoted to the worship of fire, gods, teachers, and always to Brāhmaṇas, are destined for heaven.
वापीकूपतडागादौ धर्मस्यांतो न विद्यते । पिबंति स्वेच्छया यत्र जलस्थल चरास्तदा
There is no end to merit in wells, ponds, and lakes, where creatures of water and land may drink as they wish.
नित्यं दानपरः सोऽत्र कथ्यते विबुधैरपि । यथायथा च पानीयं पिबंति प्राणिनो भृशम्
He who is always intent on giving is praised here even by the wise; as much as living beings drink water, so great is his merit.
तथातथाऽक्षयः स्वर्गो धर्मबुद्ध्या विशां वर । प्राणिनां जीवनं वारि प्राणा वारिणि संस्थिताः
In the same measure, O best of men, heaven is inexhaustible for one with a righteous mind; water is the life of living beings, and their life rests in water.