द्वापरे चार्चनं तिष्ये दानं च हरिकीर्तनम् । सर्वं च शस्तं सर्वत्र ध्यानं न च कलौ युगे
In Dvapara, worship is foremost; in Tishya, charity and praise of Hari. All are good everywhere, but meditation is not in the Kali age.
नराणां मुग्धचित्तत्वात्कृच्छ्रस्थानां विशांपते । न धर्मे नियताबुद्धिर्न वेदे नैव च स्मृतौ
Because people are simple-minded and in difficult circumstances, O lord of men, there is no steadfast intellect in dharma, nor in the Vedas, nor in tradition.
न क्रतौ न स्वधाकारे पुराणानां च न श्रुतौ । न यज्ञेन च तीर्थेषु न च शुश्रूषणे सताम्
Not in ritual, nor in offering oblations, nor in the hearing of the Puranas; not by sacrifice at holy places, nor by service to the virtuous.
नेज्यायां देवतानां च न स्वजातीयकर्म्मणि । न देवस्मरणेनापि न च क्वापि वृषे नृप
Not in worship of the gods, nor in one's own prescribed duties; not even by remembrance of the gods, nor anywhere, O king, by righteousness.
अतश्च दीर्घकालानां पुण्यानामक्षमा नराः । दानं तु स्वल्पकालत्वात्कर्तुं शक्नोति मानवः
Therefore, people are unable to perform meritorious acts that require long periods; but due to the short duration, a person can perform charity.
अतश्च कलिदुष्टानां प्रायश्चितं न विद्यते । केषांचित्पापनाशः स्यात्प्रायश्चित्तैस्तु नान्यथा
Thus, for those corrupted by Kali, there is no expiation; for some, the destruction of sin occurs through expiations, but not otherwise.
ब्रह्मज्ञानी गयाश्राद्धी काशीगंता श्रुतौ रतः । पुराणज्ञावमाश्चैते श्रोता तस्य च राघव
One who knows Brahman, performs ancestral rites at Gaya, goes to Kashi, delights in the scriptures, knows the Puranas, and listens to them, O Raghava.
युगानामनुसारेण तथार्थस्य विवेचनात् । स्व पर प्रत्ययोत्पादात्परब्रह्मप्रकाशनात्
According to the succession of ages and the discernment of meaning, by producing faith in oneself and others, and by revealing the Supreme Brahman.
पुराणवक्ता सर्वस्माद्ब्राह्मणस्तु विशिष्यते । तेनापि च कृतं पापं न सज्येत्किमुतान्यतः
The speaker of the Purana, among all, the Brahman is distinguished; even if he commits sin, it does not attach—how much more so for others.
अन्येषामपि केषांचित्पुराणं पापनाशनम् । यः पुराणेषु विश्वासी वक्तारं मन्यते गुरुम्
For some others too, the Purana is the destroyer of sin; whoever has faith in the Puranas and regards the speaker as a guru.
ब्रह्मविद्याप्रदातारं विशेषं ज्ञातिबंधुतः । तस्य पापानि सर्वाणि विलयं यान्त्यसंशयम्
Whoever gives the knowledge of Brahman, especially to relatives or kin, all their sins are certainly destroyed.
अथ श्रीशैलगमनं पूजकस्य महेशितुः । अतः कलौ मनुष्याणां पुराणं पापनाशनम्
Now, the journey to Śrīśaila for the worshipper of the great Lord—therefore, in the Kali age, the Purāṇa is the destroyer of sins for people.
पुरा कलियुगे राम वृत्तं संकीर्तये शृणु । आसीत्तु गौतमो नाम ब्राह्मणो वेदवर्जितः
Formerly, in the Kali age, O Rāma, I shall recount an event—listen: there was a brāhmaṇa named Gautama, devoid of Vedic learning.
तस्य पुष्टिः पशुश्चास्तां भ्रातरौ वेदवर्जितौ । ताभ्यां सह कृषिं चक्रे तत्र वृद्धिमवाप च
He had two brothers, also without Vedic knowledge, and together with them he engaged in agriculture and thereby prospered.
धनधान्यादिकं किंचिद्राजानं दत्तवानथ । उवाच वचनं किंचिदधिकारं निरूपय
He gave some wealth, grain, and other things to the king, and then spoke these words: 'Assign me an office.'
अर्थं न गमयिष्यामि तौ शक्तौ भ्रातरौ मम । राजोवाच- ब्राह्मणस्याधिकारो हि वैदिके धर्मकर्मणि
'I will not pursue wealth; my two brothers are capable.' The king said: 'A brāhmaṇa's proper role is in Vedic rites and duties.'
तदन्यत्र नियुक्तस्य ब्राह्मण्यं विप्रणश्यति । गौतम उवाच- युगेष्वन्येषु धर्मोयं कलिधर्मो न तादृशः
If a brāhmaṇa is employed elsewhere, his brāhmaṇahood is lost. Gautama said: 'In other ages, this was the law; in Kali, it is not so.'
भूपति त्वं हि भूपाल नृपाणां धर्म उच्यते । ब्राह्मणश्च परिक्षीणस्तं कुर्वन्नैव दुष्यति
O king, you are the lord of men; the king's duty is declared thus. If a brāhmaṇa is destitute, he does not incur fault by acting so.
शूद्राणां तु कृषिर्द्धर्मो नापद्यप्यग्रजन्मनः । तस्मात्क्षत्त्रेण वर्तिष्ये ग्रामान्मम समादिश
For śūdras, agriculture is their duty, but not even in distress for one of higher birth. Therefore, I will live by the kṣatriya's role; assign me villages.
अन्यत्र चात्र क्षत्त्रेण वर्तनं मम रोचते । अन्यन्न तु तथेत्युक्तो ददौ ग्रामान्द्विजन्मनः
Otherwise, I prefer to live by the kṣatriya's role here; if not, so be it.' Thus addressed, the king gave villages to the twice-born.
ग्रामाधिकारदुष्टस्य वर्तनं त्वन्यथाभवत् । अभक्षि मांसं चापायि सुरा चाभाषि दुर्वचः
But, having authority over the villages, his conduct became otherwise: he ate forbidden meat, drank liquor, and spoke harsh words.
परयोषा तथा गामि परस्वं प्रत्यहारि च । अक्रीडि द्यूतमसकृत्कलंजं चादि दुर्भुजा
He consorted with others' wives, took others' wealth daily, repeatedly gambled, and ate improper food.
नापूजि जगतामीशः शिवो वा विष्णुरेव वा । एवं कालेन दुर्वृत्तं राजा वाक्यमभाषत
He did not worship the Lord of the worlds, whether Śiva or Viṣṇu. Thus, as time passed in wickedness, the king spoke these words.
विप्र विप्रत्वमुत्सृज्य शूद्रत्वं प्राप्तवानसि । तस्मान्नियोगधर्मेण भवंतं भ्रंशयामि च
'Brāhmaṇa, having abandoned your brāhmaṇa status, you have become like a śūdra. Therefore, by this official duty, I dismiss you.'
मास्तु विप्रत्वमद्यैव शूद्रतैव वरं मम । तदृते यदि विप्रास्ते न भोक्ष्यंति वरं मम
'Let there be no brāhmaṇahood for me from today; being a śūdra is better for me. If the brāhmaṇas do not accept, I prefer not to partake.'
न हि सर्वमिदं त्यक्तुं शक्तोहं पृथिवीपते । शंभुरुवाच- एवं वदति दुर्विप्रे राजा तूष्णीमतिष्ठत
'O lord of the earth, I am not able to renounce all this.' Śaṃbhu said: 'As the wicked brāhmaṇa spoke thus, the king remained silent.'
स तु वै शूद्रतुल्यश्च बुभुजेन्नं सहामिषम् । कदाचिदथ दुर्वृत्तः प्रतोलीमंडपस्थितः
He, now like a śūdra, ate food with meat. Once, that wicked man stood in the city pavilion.
द्विजेन पठ्यमानं तु पद्यं तु श्रुतवानिदम् । हृदये पद्यमेतत्तु द्विजेरितमतिष्ठत
He heard a brāhmaṇa reciting a verse there; that verse, uttered by the brāhmaṇa, he kept in his heart.
परात्परतरं यांति नारायणपरायणाः । न ते तत्र गमिष्यंति ये द्विषंति महेश्वरम्
Those devoted to Nārāyaṇa attain that which is higher than the highest; but those who harbor hatred for Maheśvara will not reach there.
व्याख्यानमपि च श्रुत्वा पौराणिकमभाषत । कीदृङ्नारायणः प्रोक्तः कीदृशोपि महेश्वरः
Having heard even the Purāṇic explanation, he spoke: 'How is Nārāyaṇa described? And what is said of Maheśvara?'