धर्मं चर यथाशक्ति यथाकालं यथाविधि । विमुक्तपापः पश्चात्त्वमुत्तमां गतिमेष्यसि
Practice righteousness according to your ability, according to time, and according to the rules. Once freed from sin, you will attain the highest state.
पुराणमथवा नित्यं शृणुष्वावहितश्च सन् । निराशो वा महेशानं पूजयस्व पिनाकिनम्
Either always listen to the Purāṇa with attention, or, being free from hope, worship Maheshana, the wielder of the trident.
देवं वा पुंडरीकाक्षं केशवं क्लेशनाशनम् । संन्यासमथवा नित्यं ब्रह्मज्ञानपरो भव
Worship the lotus-eyed Lord, Keśava, who removes suffering; or always be devoted to renunciation and the pursuit of knowledge of Brahman.
अथवा गच्छ काशीशं मुक्तौ वा मृतिमाप्नुहि । गयां वा गच्छ तत्र त्वं श्राद्धं कर्तुं प्रयत्नतः
Alternatively, go to Kāśī, the Lord of liberation, or attain death there; or go to Gayā and diligently perform the śrāddha rite.
अथवा सर्ववेदानां सारं पातकनाशनम् । रुद्रं रुद्रप्रियकरं जप प्रत्यहमादरात्
Or, recite daily with reverence the essence of all Vedas, which destroys sin, the Rudra mantra, pleasing to Rudra.
श्रीशैलमथवा गच्छ केदारमथवेच्छया । अथवा प्रतिवर्षे तु माघस्नानं प्रवर्तय
Or, go to Śrīśaila or to Kedāra as you wish; or, each year, undertake the Māgha bathing ritual.
किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन धर्मभक्तः सदा भव । नैवं नरकवासस्ते भविता तु द्विजाधम
What need is there for many words? Always be devoted to righteousness; then, O lowest of twice-born, you will not dwell in hell.
गौतम उवाच- श्रुत्वा सर्वं करिष्यामि पुराणं भवतो मुखात् । शास्त्रं विश्वासहेतुं च वर्जं चापि वदस्व मे
Gautama said: Having heard everything from your mouth, I will do it; tell me also what should be avoided, which is the cause for faith in scripture.
पौराणिक उवाच- वर्ज्यं मांसं सुराऽन्यस्त्री भोगो द्यूतं विकत्थनम् । पारुष्यमनृतं माया देवदेवविनिंदनम्
The Purāṇika said: Avoid meat, liquor, enjoyment with other women, gambling, boasting, harshness, falsehood, deceit, and reviling gods and deities.
गुरूणां सुरवृद्धानां पुराणस्मृतिभाषिणाम् । निंदनं श्वेतवृंताकं कृतकालाबुवर्तनम्
Avoid reviling teachers, elder gods, speakers of Purāṇa and Smṛti, the white brinjal, and acting against the prescribed times.
बीजपूरं कुसुंभं च लोहितं शृंगमेव च । अररुं नालिकेरं च कूष्मांडकं तथैव च
Avoid citron, safflower, red fruits, araru, coconut, and also pumpkin.
कोविदारफलं तैलपक्वं मानवजं पयः । वार्ध्रीणस खरी दुग्धं सूतिका क्षीरमाविकम्
Avoid the fruit of the kovidāra tree, milk cooked with oil, human milk, buffalo and donkey milk, milk from a woman after childbirth, and sheep's milk.
औष्ट्रमेकशफक्षीरं मार्गमाजं नृसंभवम् । विवत्सासंधिनीक्षीरं लवणं चैव योगि यत्
Avoid camel's milk, milk from one-hoofed animals, meat from wild animals, milk from cows whose calves have died, and salt, O yogi.
नालिकेररसं कांस्ये ताम्रे मधु च सीसके । काचे तक्रं करंभांश्च घृताक्तान्नैव कारयेत्
Do not prepare coconut juice in bronze or copper vessels, honey in lead, buttermilk in glass, or food mixed with ghee in these.
होमं तु मृण्मये पात्रे पुरोडाशं तु राजते । न सेवेत परं लोके शुभार्थी तु विचक्षणः
Perform homa in an earthen vessel, and puroḍāśa in a silver one; a wise person seeking auspiciousness should not use other vessels in the world.
पात्रांतश्चूर्णलेपोऽपि तत्र भक्षणमेव च । क्रमुकस्य तथा भक्षश्चूर्णपत्रस्य चैव हि
Do not eat food with powder applied inside the vessel, nor the fruit of betel, nor powdered betel leaves.
क्रमुकस्यापि पक्वस्य भक्षणं क्रमियोगिनः । पायसे लवणं चैव केवलं च करार्पितम्
Even for the yogi, eating cooked betel fruit, adding salt to rice pudding, or simply placing it in the hand is to be avoided.
सिंधुसौराष्ट्रकांबोजमागधेषु च सिंहले । न दोषाय भवेत्तत्र क्षीरं च लवणान्वितम्
In Sindh, Saurāṣṭra, Kāṃboja, Magadha, and Siṃhala, milk mixed with salt is not blameworthy.
क्षीराणि च समस्तानि लवणानि च योगतः । देशेष्वन्येषु दोषाय पाने चैवेह संशयः
All kinds of milk and salt, when combined, are blameworthy in other regions; there is doubt about their use here.
किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन सद्भिर्निंद्यं विवर्जयेत् । शंभुरुवाच- एवं तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणस्य महात्मनः
What need is there for many words? The virtuous should avoid what is censured.
स्वमेव भवनं गत्वा चिंतयामास दुःखितः । रात्रौ मृत्युर्दिवा चेति न जानाति महानपि
Returning to his own house, he sat thinking in distress: even a great person does not know whether death comes by night or by day.
परलोके सुखं दुःखमिह भोगविनोदनम् । क्रिमिकीटमनुष्याद्यैः सुख दुःखैः पृथक्पृथक्
In the next world there is happiness or suffering; here, enjoyment brings pleasure and pain, each experienced differently by worms, insects, humans, and others.
प्रतिजीवंतु हेतूनां भेदोऽपि सुविनिश्चयः । एकस्यापि हि जीवस्य नास्ति चैकविधा स्थितिः
It is well established that the causes for each living being are distinct; for even a single soul, there is not just one kind of existence.
जन्मकाले महाऽज्ञानं शैशवेत्यल्पबोधनम् । स्खलत्पदेल्पविज्ञानं बाल्ये चाल्पं तथैव च
At birth there is great ignorance; in infancy, little understanding; in childhood, faltering steps and limited knowledge, and so it remains.
कौमारे क्रीडनरतिर्यौवने विषयोषितम् । यौवने विनिवृत्ते तु द्रव्यसंपादनेषणा
In boyhood, one delights in play; in youth, in sensual pleasures and women; when youth has passed, there is the pursuit of wealth and possessions.
वार्द्धके भोगलिप्सा च न भोक्तुं क्षमतेपि च । दूषिका श्लेष्मलालाभिर्वलीपलितकंपनैः
In old age, there is desire for enjoyment, but one is unable to partake; afflicted by phlegm, saliva, wrinkles, gray hair, and trembling.
श्वासकासानिलाक्षिप्तैर्हृषीकैर्विकलैर्युतः । किंचिद्धर्तुं न शक्नोति न च जानाति किंचन
Assailed by breathlessness, coughing, wind, and impaired senses, he cannot hold on to anything, nor does he know anything.
तिष्ठंतीषु परस्त्रीषु गुह्यस्थानं प्रदर्शयेत् । कोशकंडूयनपरः क्रूरो जीवितलक्षणैः
While women stand nearby, he exposes his private parts, preoccupied with scratching himself, harsh in his ways, marked by the signs of life.
कंडूयते स्फिचौ वस्त्रमुद्धृत्य च विचालयन् । भुंजानः श्लेष्मणा ग्रासं ग्रसितुं न च शक्नुयात्
He scratches his buttocks, lifting and moving his garment; while eating, phlegm chokes his food, and he is unable to swallow.
यदा कासस्तदा जज्ञे पायुवायुश्च शब्दवान् । निःसृतिश्च मलस्यापि श्लेष्मनिर्गम एव च
When he coughs, then wind passes from the anus with sound; excretion of waste and discharge of phlegm also occur.