किं परं त्वयनं प्रोक्तं द्वेषः कीदृगुदाहृतः । किं तत्परमिति ख्यातं ततः परतरं च किम्
'What is called the supreme? What is this 'ayana' that is spoken of? What kind of hatred is mentioned? What is known as the supreme, and what is beyond even that?'
पौराणिक उवाच- परं तद्ब्रह्मणः स्थानं सुखव्यक्तैकलक्षणम् । ततः परतरं विष्णोर्द्धाम तद्ब्रह्मणोधिकम्
The Purāṇika said: 'That supreme is the abode of Brahman, characterized by manifest bliss alone; beyond that is the realm of Viṣṇu, which surpasses even Brahman.'
अविनाशितया तत्तु कीर्तितं परमं पदम् । तन्मध्ये पुरुषो विष्णुस्तदंग परमं विभुः
That is declared to be the supreme state, imperishable; in its midst is the Person, Viṣṇu, whose limbs are supreme and all-pervading.
आपो हि नरजन्मत्वान्नाराः प्रोक्ता मनीषिभिः । नाराश्चास्यायनं यस्मात्तेन नारायणः स्मृतः
Because waters (nāra) are said by the wise to be the origin of man, and because his abode is in the waters, he is therefore remembered as Nārāyaṇa.
तत्परं वर्तनं येषां ते प्रोक्तास्तत्परायणाः । महदादीनि तत्वानि यानि तेषां य ईश्वरः
Those whose supreme course is that are called devoted to the supreme; he is the Lord of the principles beginning with Mahat and the rest.
सूर्याग्निशशिनेत्रोऽसौ महेशः स्यादुमापतिः । द्वेषो हि वैरं विज्ञेयमीश्वरे परमात्मनि
That great Lord, the husband of Umā, is said to have the sun, fire, and moon as his eyes; know that hatred towards the Lord, the Supreme Self, is enmity.
शंभुरुवाच- एवं पुराणभट्टेन समीरितमिदं वचः । चिंतयन्पुनरप्याह मादृशस्य कथं गतिः
Śambhu said: 'Thus was this statement made by the Purāṇic teacher; reflecting on it, I again asked: What is the destiny for one such as myself?'
पौराणिकोऽथ तं प्राह शृणु वक्ष्यामि ते गतिम् । कुरु सर्वेण यत्नेन प्रायश्चित्तं यथाविधि
Then the Purāṇika said to him: 'Listen, I will tell you your path; perform atonement with all effort, according to the prescribed rules.'
धर्मं चर यथाशक्ति यथाकालं यथाविधि । विमुक्तपापः पश्चात्त्वमुत्तमां गतिमेष्यसि
Practice righteousness according to your ability, at the proper time and as prescribed; freed from sin, you will then attain the highest state.
पुराणमथवा नित्यं शृणुष्वावहितश्च सन् । निराशो वा महेशानं पूजयस्व पिनाकिनम्
Or, always listen attentively to the Purāṇa; or, being free from desire, worship Maheśāna, the wielder of the pināka bow.
देवं वा पुंडरीकाक्षं केशवं क्लेशनाशनम् । संन्यासमथवा नित्यं ब्रह्मज्ञानपरो भव
Or worship the lotus-eyed Lord, Keśava, the destroyer of suffering; or always be devoted to knowledge of Brahman, embracing renunciation.
अथवा गच्छ काशीशं मुक्तौ वा मृतिमाप्नुहि । गयां वा गच्छ तत्र त्वं श्राद्धं कर्तुं प्रयत्नतः
Or go to Kāśī, the Lord of the city, and attain liberation or death; or go to Gayā and there diligently perform the śrāddha rite.
अथवा सर्ववेदानां सारं पातकनाशनम् । रुद्रं रुद्रप्रियकरं जप प्रत्यहमादरात्
Or, recite with reverence every day Rudra, the essence of all the Vedas, destroyer of sins, and dear 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 bath.
किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन धर्मभक्तः सदा भव । नैवं नरकवासस्ते भविता तु द्विजाधम
What need is there of many words here? Always be devoted to righteousness; then, O lowest of twice-born, you will not have to dwell in hell.
गौतम उवाच- श्रुत्वा सर्वं करिष्यामि पुराणं भवतो मुखात् । शास्त्रं विश्वासहेतुं च वर्जं चापि वदस्व मे
Gautama said: 'Having heard all this, I will do as you have said from the Purāṇa; tell me also what is to be accepted as authoritative scripture and what is to be avoided.'
पौराणिक उवाच- वर्ज्यं मांसं सुराऽन्यस्त्री भोगो द्यूतं विकत्थनम् । पारुष्यमनृतं माया देवदेवविनिंदनम्
The narrator said: Meat, liquor, enjoyment with other women, gambling, boasting, harshness, falsehood, deceit, and reviling the Lord of gods are to be avoided.
गुरूणां सुरवृद्धानां पुराणस्मृतिभाषिणाम् । निंदनं श्वेतवृंताकं कृतकालाबुवर्तनम्
Reviling teachers, the venerable gods, those who speak of the Purāṇas and Smṛtis, as well as the white brinjal and acting against the proper times, are also to be avoided.
बीजपूरं कुसुंभं च लोहितं शृंगमेव च । अररुं नालिकेरं च कूष्मांडकं तथैव च
Citron, safflower, anything red, sexual intercourse, araru, coconut, and likewise gourd are to be avoided.
कोविदारफलं तैलपक्वं मानवजं पयः । वार्ध्रीणस खरी दुग्धं सूतिका क्षीरमाविकम्
Bilva fruit, oil-cooked food, human milk, camel’s milk, donkey’s milk, milk of a woman after childbirth, and sheep’s milk are to be avoided.
औष्ट्रमेकशफक्षीरं मार्गमाजं नृसंभवम् । विवत्सासंधिनीक्षीरं लवणं चैव योगि यत्
Camel’s milk, milk of one-hoofed animals, milk of wild animals, milk from a woman, milk from a cow whose calf has died, and salt, O yogin, are to be avoided.
नालिकेररसं कांस्ये ताम्रे मधु च सीसके । काचे तक्रं करंभांश्च घृताक्तान्नैव कारयेत्
Coconut water in bronze, honey in lead, buttermilk in glass, and food mixed with ghee in bronze vessels should not be prepared.
होमं तु मृण्मये पात्रे पुरोडाशं तु राजते । न सेवेत परं लोके शुभार्थी तु विचक्षणः
One should perform homa in an earthen vessel, and puroḍāśa in a silver one; the wise seeker of auspiciousness should not use anything else in this world.
पात्रांतश्चूर्णलेपोऽपि तत्र भक्षणमेव च । क्रमुकस्य तथा भक्षश्चूर्णपत्रस्य चैव हि
Applying powder inside a vessel, eating there, and likewise eating betel nut and powdered betel leaf are to be avoided.
क्रमुकस्यापि पक्वस्य भक्षणं क्रमियोगिनः । पायसे लवणं चैव केवलं च करार्पितम्
Even eating ripe betel nut, or salt in rice pudding, or anything simply placed in the hand is to be avoided by one who seeks purity.
सिंधुसौराष्ट्रकांबोजमागधेषु च सिंहले । न दोषाय भवेत्तत्र क्षीरं च लवणान्वितम्
In Sindhu, Saurashtra, Kamboja, Magadha, and in Sinhala, milk mixed with salt is not considered faulty.
क्षीराणि च समस्तानि लवणानि च योगतः । देशेष्वन्येषु दोषाय पाने चैवेह संशयः
But in other regions, all kinds of milk and salt taken together are considered faulty, and there is doubt about their drinking here.
किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन सद्भिर्निंद्यं विवर्जयेत् । शंभुरुवाच- एवं तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणस्य महात्मनः
Why say more? The virtuous should avoid what is censured. Śaṃbhu said: Having heard these words of the great-souled brāhmaṇa,
स्वमेव भवनं गत्वा चिंतयामास दुःखितः । रात्रौ मृत्युर्दिवा चेति न जानाति महानपि
He went to his own house and, distressed, began to reflect: Even the great do 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 sorrow; here, enjoyment and diversion; happiness and sorrow come separately to worms, insects, humans, and others.