न प्रजा न धनं धर्मं नार्थं कार्यं च पश्यति । केवलं कामिनीकेलि कलनोचितवासनः
He regards neither his subjects, nor wealth, nor righteousness, nor any duty; his mind is fixed only on the pleasures of dalliance with women.
अथ कालेन महता पुरोधास्तस्य कश्यपः । वचः प्रोवाच तं धर्म्यमिति चेतस्यचिंतयत्
Then, after a long time, his priest, Kashyapa, spoke to him words of righteousness, pondering thus in his mind.
न वारयति यो मोहादधर्मान्नृपतिं गुरुः । सोपि तत्पापभुक्तस्माद्बोधनीयः पुरोधसा
If a teacher, out of delusion, does not restrain the king from unrighteous acts, he too must be corrected by the priest, for he partakes of that sin.
बोधितोऽप्यवजानाति स चेद्वाक्यं पुरोधसः । पुरोधास्तत्र निर्दोषो राजा स्यात्सर्वदोषभाक्
If, even after being instructed, the king disregards the priest's words, then the priest is blameless, and the king bears all the faults.
शृणु राजन्मम गुरोर्वचो धर्मार्थसंहितम् । अभिन्नार्थमुपेतार्थमिच्छारागादि वर्जितम्
Hear, O king, the words of my teacher, imbued with righteousness and wealth, unified in meaning, free from desire and attachment.
अयमेव परो धर्मो यद्गुरोर्वचसि स्थितिः । गुर्वाज्ञायालवो राज्ञामायुः श्री सौख्यवर्द्धनः
This alone is the highest righteousness: to abide in the words of the teacher; by obeying the teacher's command, a king's life, prosperity, and happiness increase.
न विप्रास्तर्पिता दानैर्विष्णुर्नाराधितस्त्वया । न व्रतं न तपः किंचिन्न तीर्थं हि कृतं त्वया
You have not satisfied the Brahmins with gifts, nor have you worshipped Vishnu; you have performed no vow, no austerity, nor visited any holy place.
हरिनाम त्वया कामवशगेन न चिंतितम् । हा त्वया भीरुसंगत्या न विद्वत्संगतिः कृता
You have not contemplated the name of Hari, being led by desire; alas, through association with the fearful, you have not sought the company of the wise.
स्मरचामरवाहिन्यो वल्लभाः कस्य न प्रियाः । किंतु ताः पवनोल्लोलकदलीदलवच्चलाः
Who does not cherish beloveds adorned with fans and fly-whisks? Yet they are as fickle as banana leaves stirred by the wind.
तरंगतरलैरर्थैर्भोगैर्भ्रूभंगभंगुरैः । मुहूर्तपेयैस्तारुण्यैर्न तृप्यंते महाशयाः
Great souls are not satisfied by fleeting pleasures, unstable wealth, or momentary youth, all as transient as the waves and the arch of an eyebrow.
किं विद्यया च तपसा किं त्यागेन नयेन वा । किं विविक्तेन मनसा स्त्रीभिर्यस्य हृतं मनः
What use is learning, austerity, renunciation, or good conduct? What use is a mind withdrawn in solitude, for one whose heart is seized by women?
एक एव सुहृद्धर्मो निधनेष्वनुयाति यः । सर्वमन्यच्छरीरेण समं नाशं गमिष्यति
Righteousness alone is the true friend, for it follows one even in death; all else, along with the body, will perish together.
धर्मं शनैः संचिनुयाद्वल्मीकमिव पुत्तिकाः । धर्मेण हि सहायेन तमस्तरति दुस्तरम्
One should gradually accumulate righteousness, as ants build up an anthill; with righteousness as a companion, one crosses the difficult darkness.
अनिलोल्लासितोत्ताल जलकल्लोल चंचलम् । किं न जानासि राजेंद्र नृणां जीवित विभ्रमम्
Do you not know, O king, the instability of human life, like the restless waves stirred by the wind?
विनयो रत्नमुकुटः सत्यधर्मौ च कुंडले । त्यागश्च कंकणो येषां किं तेषां जडमंडनैः
For those whose humility is a jeweled crown, whose truth and righteousness are earrings, and whose renunciation is a bracelet, what need have they for dull ornaments?
मृतं शरीरमुत्सृज्य काष्ठलोष्टसमं भुवि । विमुखा बांधवा यांति धर्मस्तमनुगच्छति
When the body, dead, is cast aside like wood or clay upon the earth, relatives turn away, but righteousness follows him.
गम्यमानेषु सर्वेषु क्षीयमाणे तथायुषि । जीविते लुप्यमाने च किमुत्थाय न धावसि
As all are departing, and your lifespan is being spent, and as life itself is slipping away, why do you not rise up and hasten?
कुटुंबं पुत्रदारादि शरीरं द्रव्यसंचयः । पारक्यमध्रुवं किंतु स्वीये सुकृतदुष्कृते
Family, children, wife, body, and the accumulation of wealth—these are all impermanent and belong to others; only your own good and bad deeds are truly yours.
यदा सर्वं परित्यज्य गंतव्यमवशेन ते । अनर्थे किं प्रसक्तस्त्वं स्वधर्मं नानुतिष्ठसि
When you must inevitably leave everything behind, why are you attached to what is worthless, and why do you not practice your own duty?
अविश्राममनालंबमपाथेयमदेशिकम् । मृतः कांतारमध्वानं कथमेको गमिष्यसि
How will you travel alone, after death, on a path that is without rest, without support, without provisions, and without a guide, through a desolate wilderness?
न हि त्वां प्रस्थितं कश्चित्पृष्ठतोऽनुगमिष्यति । सुकृतं दुष्कृतं च त्वां यास्यंतमनुयास्यति
No one at all will follow you when you depart; only your good and bad deeds will accompany you as you go.
श्रुतिस्मृत्युदितं कर्म कुलदेशोचितं हितम् । धर्ममूलं निषेवस्व सदाचारमतंद्रितः
Diligently practice the actions prescribed in the scriptures and tradition, suited to your family and country, rooted in dharma, and grounded in good conduct.
परित्यजेदर्थकामौ स्यातां चेद्धर्मवर्जितौ । धर्मेण प्राप्यते सर्वमर्थकामादिकं सुखम्
If wealth and pleasure are devoid of righteousness, they should be abandoned; for by righteousness alone is all happiness—wealth, pleasure, and the rest—attained.
इंद्रियाणां जयं योगं समातिष्ठेद्दिवानिशम् । जितेंद्रियो हि शक्नोति पथि स्थापयितुं प्रजाः
Day and night, you should practice mastery and discipline over the senses; for one who has conquered the senses is able to guide others along the path.
अतिप्रगल्भ ललना कटाक्ष चपलाश्रियः । विनये प्रणिधानेन चिरं तिष्ठंति भूभुजाम्
The glances of overly bold women and fickle fortune remain long with kings only through discipline and attentive care.
कामदर्पादिशीलानामविचारित कारिणाम् । आयुषा सह नश्यंति संपदो मूढचेतसाम्
The prosperity of those whose conduct is driven by desire, pride, and thoughtless actions perishes along with their lifespan, for such people are deluded in mind.
भूतिभिर्नष्टदृष्टाभिर्नृत्यंते न महाशयाः । नागताभिर्न याताभिर्नदीभिश्चीयतेंबुधिः
The great do not rejoice in lost or vanished wealth; just as the ocean is not filled by rivers that have not yet arrived or have already departed.
व्यसनस्य च मृत्योश्च व्यसनं कष्टमुच्यते । व्यसन्यधोधो व्रजति स्वर्गाम्यव्यसनी नृपः
Of misfortune and death, misfortune is said to be worse; for a king who is addicted to vice falls downward, while one free from vice attains heaven.
व्यसनानि दुरंतानि कामजानि विशेषतः । त्यज तस्मान्महाराज कामं धर्मविरोधिनम्
Vices are difficult to overcome, especially those born of desire; therefore, O great king, abandon desire, for it is opposed to righteousness.
जडानामविवेकानामसुराणां दुरात्मनाम् । भाग्यभोग्यानि राज्यानि संत्यनीतिमतामपि
Kingdoms are the objects of fortune for the dull-witted, the undiscerning, the demonic, and the wicked, and even for those who lack good conduct.