नारदोसितनामा च पर्वतः कपिलो मुनिः । जातूकर्ण्योंऽगिरा व्यास आर्ष्टिषेणोऽत्रिरासुरिः
There were Nārada, Ōsita, Nāma, Parvata, Kapila the sage, Jātūkarṇya, Aṅgirā, Vyāsa, Ārṣṭiṣeṇa, Atri, and Āsuri.
हारीतो याज्ञवल्क्यश्च संवर्तः शुकसंज्ञितः । इत्येवमादयो राम हयमेधवरं ययुः
Hārīta, Yājñavalkya, Saṃvarta, and the one named Śuka—these and others, O Rāma, came to the great horse sacrifice.
तान्सर्वान्पूजयामास रघुराजो महामनाः । प्रत्युत्थानाभिवादाभ्यामर्घ्यविष्टरकादिभिः
King Raghu, of great mind, honored them all with rising to greet them, salutations, offering of water, seats, and other rites.
गां हिरण्यं ददौ तेभ्यः प्रायशो दृष्टविक्रमः । महद्भाग्यं त्वद्यमेऽस्ति यद्यूयं दर्शनं गताः
He gave them cows and gold, as was proper, and said: 'Great fortune is yours today, since you have come to be seen.'
शेष उवाच। एवं समाकुले ब्रह्मन्नृषिवर्य समागमे । धर्मवार्ता बभूवाहो वर्णाश्रमसुसंमता
Śeṣa said: Thus, when the assembly of the best sages had gathered, O Brāhman, there arose a discussion of dharma, well-regarded by all varṇas and āśramas.
वात्स्यायन उवाच। का धर्मवार्ता तत्रासीत्किं वा कथितमद्भुतम् । साधवः सर्वलोकानां कारुण्यात्किमुताब्रुवन्
Vātsyāyana said: What was the discussion of dharma there? What marvelous things were spoken? Out of compassion for all beings, what did those noble ones say?
शेष उवाच। तान्समेतान्मुनीन्दृष्ट्वा रामो दाशरथिर्महान् । पप्रच्छ सर्वधर्मांश्च सर्ववर्णाश्रमोचितान्
Śeṣa said: Seeing all those great sages assembled, Rāma, son of Daśaratha, asked them about all the dharmas appropriate to every varṇa and āśrama.
ते तु पृष्टा हि रामेण धर्मान्प्रोचुर्महागुणान् । तान्प्रवक्ष्यामि ते सर्वान्यथाविधि शृणुष्व तान्
When questioned by Rāma, those sages spoke of the great virtues of dharma. I will now tell you all of them in proper order—listen.
ऋषय ऊचुः। ब्राह्मणेन सदा कार्यं यजनाध्ययनादिकम् । वेदान्पठित्वा विरजो नैव गार्हस्थ्यमाविशेत्
The sages said: A brāhmaṇa should always perform sacrifices, study, and similar acts. Having studied the Vedas and become pure, he should not enter household life.
ब्राह्मणेन सदा त्याज्यं नीचसेवानुजीवनम् । आपद्गतोऽपि जीवेत न श्ववृत्त्या कदाचन
A brāhmaṇa must always avoid serving the lowly for livelihood. Even in distress, he should never live by a dog's way of life.
ऋतुकालाभिगमनं धर्मोऽयं गृहिणः परः । स्त्रीणां वरमनुस्मृत्याऽपत्यकामोथवा भवेत्
Approaching one's wife at the proper season is the highest dharma for a householder; remembering the rule for women, it is for the sake of offspring or as desired.
दिवाभिगमनं पुंसामनायुष्यकरं मतम् । श्राद्धाहः सर्वपर्वाणि यतस्त्याज्यानि धीमता
It is considered that intercourse by day shortens a man's life. The wise should always avoid forbidden days, such as śrāddha and festival days.
तत्र गच्छेत्स्त्रियं मोहाद्धर्मात्प्रच्यवते परात् । ऋतुकालाभिगामी यः स्वदारनिरतश्च यः
If one approaches a woman out of delusion at the wrong time, he falls from dharma; but he who approaches at the proper season and is devoted to his own wife is praised.
सर्वदा ब्रह्मचारी ह विज्ञेयः स गृहाश्रमी । ऋतुः षोडशयामिन्यश्चतस्रस्ता सुगर्हिताः
Such a householder, always observing self-restraint, should be known as a true brahmacārī. There are sixteen nights in a season, of which four are especially praised.
पुत्रदास्तासु या युग्मा अयुग्माः कन्यकाप्रदाः । त्यक्त्वा चंद्रमसं दुष्टं मघां मूलं विहाय च
Of these, those that are paired grant sons; the unpaired grant daughters. One should avoid the polluted night of the moon, as well as Maghā and Mūla.
शुचिः सन्निर्विशेत्पत्नीं पुंनामर्क्षे विशेषतः । शुचिं पुत्रं प्रसूयेत पुरुषार्थप्रसाधनम्
Being pure, a man should approach his wife especially under a male constellation; she will bear a pure son, a fulfiller of human aims.
आर्षे विवाहे गोद्वंद्वं यदुक्तं तत्प्रशस्यते । शुल्कमण्वपि कन्यायाः कन्याक्रेतुस्तु पापकृत्
In the ṛṣi marriage, the giving of a pair of cows is praised as the bride-price; but even a small price for a maiden in purchase-marriage is sinful.
वाणिज्यं नृपतेः सेवा वेदानध्ययनं तथा । कुविवाहः क्रियालोपः कुलपातनहेतवः
Trade, service to a king, study of the Vedas, improper marriage, and neglect of rites—all these cause the downfall of a family.
अन्नोदक पयो मूलफलैर्वापि गृहाश्रमी । गोदानेन तु यत्पुण्यं पात्राय विधिपूर्वकम्
A householder who gives food, water, milk, roots, or fruits, or who donates a cow according to prescribed rules, gains merit from such offerings to a worthy recipient.
अनर्चितोऽतिथिर्गेहाद्भग्नाशो यस्य गच्छति । आजन्मसंचितात्पुण्यात्क्षणात्स हि बहिर्भवेत्
If a guest, unhonored, leaves a house disappointed, then in an instant, the host loses the merit accumulated since birth.
पितृदेवमनुष्येभ्यो दत्त्वाश्नीतामृतं गृही । स्वार्थं पचत्यघं भुंक्ते केवलं स्वोदरंभरिः
The householder who, after offering to ancestors, gods, and humans, eats the food becomes immortal; but one who cooks only for himself eats sin and nourishes only his own belly.
षष्ठ्यष्टम्योर्विशेत्पापं तैले मांसे सदैव हि । चतुर्दश्यां तथामायां त्यजेत क्षुरमंगनाम्
One incurs sin by consuming oil or meat on the sixth or eighth lunar days, and likewise on the fourteenth or on the new moon; on these days, one should avoid shaving or massaging the body.
रजस्वलां न सेवेत नाश्नीयात्सह भार्यया । एकवासा न भुंजीत न भुंजीतोत्कटासने
One should not approach a menstruating woman, nor eat together with one's wife at that time; one should not eat while wearing only one garment, nor while sitting on a raised seat.
नाश्नंतीं स्त्रियमीक्षेत तेजःकामो नरोत्तमः । मुखेनोपधमेन्नाग्निं नग्नां नेक्षेत योषितम्
A noble man seeking spiritual power should not gaze at a woman who is eating; one should not blow on fire with the mouth, nor look at a naked woman.
नांघ्री प्रतापयेदग्नौ न वस्त्वशुचि निक्षिपेत् । प्राणिहिंसां न कुर्वीत नाश्नीयात्संध्ययोर्द्वयोः
One should not warm the feet by the fire, nor place impure objects into it; one should not commit violence against living beings, nor eat at either of the two twilights.
नाचक्षीत धयंतीं गां नेंद्रचापं प्रदर्शयेत् । न दिवोद्गतसारं च भक्षयेद्दधिनो निशि
One should not watch a cow being milked, nor display an arched bow; one should not eat curds that have separated, nor consume curds at night.
स्त्रीं धर्मिणीं नाभिवादेन्नाद्यादातृप्ति रात्रिषु । तौर्यत्रिकप्रियो न स्यात्कांस्ये पादौ न धावयेत्
One should not greet a virtuous woman at night, nor eat before being satisfied at night; one should not be fond of gambling, nor wash the feet in a bronze vessel.
न धारयेदन्यभुक्तं वासश्चोपानहावपि । न भिन्नभाजनेऽश्नीयान्नाश्नीतान्नं विदूषितम्
One should not wear clothes or shoes previously worn by another; one should not eat from a broken vessel, nor eat food that has been spoiled.
संविशेन्नार्द्रचरणो नोच्छिष्टः क्वचिदाव्रजेत् । शयानो वा न चाश्नीयान्नोच्छिष्टः संस्पृशेच्छिरः
One should not lie down with wet feet, nor go anywhere while unclean from eating; one should not eat while lying down, nor touch the head with unclean hands.
न मनुष्यस्तुतिं कुर्यान्नात्मानमवमानयेत् । अभ्युद्यतं न प्रणमेत्परमर्माणि नो वदेत्
One should not praise a human being, nor belittle oneself; one should not bow to someone who raises a weapon, nor speak about another's vital points.