त्रिवर्गसेवी सततं देवानां च समर्चनम् । कुर्यादहरहर्नित्यं नमस्येत्प्रयतः सुरान्
Always devoted to the three aims of life and the worship of the gods, he should worship the deities every day with devotion.
विभागशीलः सततं क्षमायुक्तो दयालुकः । गृहस्थस्तु समाख्यातो न गृहेण गृही भवेत्
Always inclined to sharing, endowed with forgiveness and compassion, such a householder is truly called a householder, not merely by having a house.
क्षमा दया च विज्ञानं सत्यं चैव दमः शमः । अध्यात्मनित्यता ज्ञानमेतद्ब्राह्मणलक्षणम्
Forgiveness, compassion, knowledge, truth, self-control, tranquility, constant spirituality, and wisdom—these are the marks of a Brāhmaṇa.
एतस्मान्न प्रमाद्येत विशेषेण द्विजोत्तमः । यथाशक्ति चरन्धर्म्मं निंदितानि विवर्जयेत्
A foremost twice-born should never be negligent in this; practicing dharma as best as he can, he should avoid what is censured.
विधूय मोहकलिलं लब्ध्वा योगमनुत्तमम् । गृहस्थो मुच्यते बंधान्नात्र कार्याविचारणा
Having dispelled the darkness of delusion and attained supreme yoga, the householder is freed from bondage—there is no doubt about this.
विगर्हित जय क्षेप हिंसा बंधवधात्मनाम् । अन्यमन्यु समुत्थानां दोषाणां मर्षणं क्षमा
Forgiving the faults arising from blame, defeat, insult, injury, and harm to relatives or oneself, and those faults arising from mutual anger—this is forgiveness.
स्वदुःखेष्वेव कारुण्यं परदुःखेषु सौहृदम् । दयेति मुनयः प्राहुः साक्षाद्धर्मस्य साधनम्
Compassion in one's own suffering and friendship in the suffering of others—this, say the sages, is called mercy, which 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 understanding by which righteousness increases is called true knowledge.
अधीत्य विधिवद्विद्यामर्थं चैवोपलभ्यते । धर्मकार्याणि कुर्वीत ह्येतद्विज्ञानमुच्यते
Having properly studied knowledge, one attains its purpose; performing acts of righteousness—this is declared to be true understanding.
सत्येन लोकं जयति सत्यं तत्परमं पदम् । यथा भूता प्रमादं तु सत्यमाहुर्मनीषिणः
By truth one conquers the world; truth is the supreme state. The wise declare that truth is as it is, free from error.
दमः शरीरोपरतिः शमः प्रज्ञाप्रसादतः । अध्यात्ममक्षरं विद्या यत्र गत्वा न शोचति
Self-control is the restraint of the body; tranquility arises from clarity of wisdom. The imperishable knowledge of the self is that by which, having attained it, one does not grieve.
यया स देवोभगवान्विद्यया विद्यते परः । साक्षादेव हृषीकेशस्तज्ज्ञानमिति कीर्तितम्
By that knowledge, indeed, the blessed Lord exists as supreme; Hṛṣīkeśa himself is directly called that knowledge.
तन्निष्ठस्तत्परो विद्वान्नित्यमक्रोधनः शुचिः । महायज्ञपरो विप्रो लभते तदनुत्तमम्
Established in that, devoted to that, learned, ever free from anger, pure, 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 people.
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 mentally contemplate 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 the actions or property of others; 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 this chapter on righteousness, or teaches or has it recited, 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 Purāṇa.
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 what is harmful or unpleasant, nor ever commit theft.
तृणं वा यदि वा शाकं मृदं वा जलमेव च । परस्यापहरञ्जंतुर्नरकं प्रतिपद्यते
Whether it be grass, or a leaf, or even clay or water—whoever takes these from another being 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 the blameworthy.
नित्यं याचनको न स्यात्पुनस्तं नैव याचयेत् । प्राणानपहरत्येवं याचकस्तस्य दुर्मतेः
One should never be constantly begging, nor should one beg again from the same person; for the beggar, by such conduct, takes away the life of that person.
न देवद्रव्यहारी स्याद्विशेषेण द्विजोत्तमः । ब्रह्मस्वं वा नापहरेदापत्स्वपि कदाचन
One should not take what belongs to the gods, especially if one is a foremost twice-born; nor should one ever seize Brahmanical wealth, even in distress.
न विषं विषमित्याहुर्ब्रह्मस्वं विषमुच्यते । देवस्वं चापि यत्नेन सदा परिहरेत्ततः
They do not call poison 'poison'; rather, the wealth of Brahmins is called 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
Flowers, vegetables, water, wood, likewise roots, fruits, and grass—if not given, these are not to be stolen; so declares Manu, the lord of creatures.
गृहीतव्यानि पुष्पाणि देवार्चनविधौ द्विजः । नैकस्मादेव नियतमननुज्ञाय केवलम्
A twice-born should take flowers for the worship of the gods, but not always from the same place, nor without permission, nor exclusively.
तृणं काष्ठं फलं पुष्पं प्रकाशं वै हरेद्बुधः । धर्मार्थं केवलं प्राहुरन्यथा पतितो भवेत्
One who is wise may openly take grass, wood, fruit, or flowers only for the sake of righteousness; otherwise, it is said, he falls from virtue.
तिलमुद्गयवादीनां मुष्टिर्ग्राह्या पथिस्थितैः । क्षुधितैर्नान्यथा विप्रा धर्मादिभिरिति स्थितिः
A handful of sesame, mung beans, or similar grains may be taken by the hungry who are traveling, but not otherwise, O Brahmins; this is the established 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 Shudras.