अथ पर्यचरत्तत्र क्लिश्यमानान्हि तानृषीन्। दृष्ट्वा राजा विषादार्त्तः प्रोवाचेदं वचस्तदा
Then, seeing those sages suffering, the king, overcome with sorrow, approached and spoke these words:
राजोवाच। प्रतिग्रहो ब्राह्मणानां दृष्टा वृत्तिरनिंदिता। तस्मात्प्रतिग्रहान्मत्तो गृह्णीध्वं मुनिसत्तमाः
The king said: 'For Brāhmaṇas, receiving gifts is an approved and blameless practice; therefore, O best of sages, accept gifts from me.'
वरान्ग्रामान्व्रीहियवान्रसान्रत्नानि कांचनं। गाश्च धेनूश्च तत्सर्वं मा मांसं पचत द्विजाः
‘Villages, rice, barley, food, jewels, gold, cows, and milch cows—all this I offer; do not cook flesh, O twice-born.’
ऋषय ऊचुः। राजन्प्रतिग्रहो घोरो मध्वास्वादो विषोपमः। तज्जानतां नः कस्मात्त्वं कुरुषे सम्प्रलोभनं
The sages said: 'O king, receiving gifts is dreadful; the taste of honey is like poison. Why do you tempt us, knowing this?'
दशसूना समश्चक्री दशचक्रिसमो ध्वजी। दशध्वजिसमा वेश्या दशवेश्यासमो नृपः
One who kills ten is equal to a charioteer; one who kills ten charioteers is equal to a banner-bearer; ten banner-bearers are equal to a courtesan; and ten courtesans are equal to a king.
दशसूना सहस्राणि यो वाहयति शौंडिकः। तेन तुल्यस्ततो राजा घोरस्तस्य प्रतिग्रहः
A butcher who slaughters a thousand animals is equal to a king; therefore, receiving gifts from him is dreadful.
यो राज्ञः प्रतिगृह्णाति ब्राह्मणो लोभमोहितः। तामिस्रादिषु घोरेषु नरकेषु स पच्यते
A Brahmin who, overcome by greed, accepts gifts from the king is tormented in the dreadful hells such as Tāmisra.
तद्गच्छ कुशलं तेस्तु सह दानेन पार्थिव। अन्येषां दीयतामेतदित्युक्त्वा ते वनं ययुः
Go now, O fortunate one, together with your charity, O king; let this be given to others—having said this, they departed for the forest.
अथ राज्ञःसमादेशात्तत्र गत्वाथ मंत्रिणः। उदुंबराणि व्यकिरन्हेमगर्भाणि भूतले
Then, by the king’s command, the ministers went there and scattered udumbara fruits filled with gold upon the ground.
ततो ह्यन्नं विचिन्वंतो गृह्णंश्चोदुंबराण्यपि। गुरूणि हि विदित्वा तु न ग्राह्याण्यत्रिरब्रवीत्
Searching for food, they also took the udumbara fruits; but knowing that they were heavy, Atri said they should not be taken.
अत्रिरुवाच। नास्महे मूढविज्ञाना नास्महे मंदबुद्धयः। हैमानीमानि जानीमः प्रतिबुद्धाः स्म ज्ञानिनः
Atri said: We are not of dull understanding, nor are we of weak intellect; we know these are golden, for we are awakened and wise.
इहैवेदं वसुप्रीत्यै प्रेत्य वैकुंठितोदयं। तस्मान्न ग्राह्यमेवैतत्सुखमानंत्यमिच्छता
Here, this is for the delight of wealth in this world; after death, it leads to Vaikuntha. Therefore, one seeking lasting happiness should not accept it.
शतेनगुणितं निष्कं सहस्रेण समन्वितम्। यश्चान्यतः प्रतीच्छेत्स पापिष्टां लभते गतिम्
If someone accepts a coin multiplied a hundredfold and joined with a thousand, but from another source, he attains the most sinful fate.
यत्पृथिव्यां व्रीहियवं हिरण्यं पशवः स्त्रियः। नूनं नैकस्य पर्याप्तमिति मत्वा शमं व्रजेत्
Considering that all the rice, barley, gold, cattle, and women on earth are not enough for one person, one should seek contentment.
वसिष्ठ उवाच। तपसां संचयो यस्य द्रव्याणां यस्य संचयः। तपःसंचय एवेह विशिष्टो धनसंचयात्
Vasiṣṭha said: The accumulation of austerity belongs to one, and the accumulation of wealth to another; here, the accumulation of austerity is superior to the accumulation of wealth.
त्यजतः संचयान्सर्वान्यांति नाशमुपद्रवाः। नहि संचयवान्कश्चिद्दृश्यते निरुपद्रवः
When one abandons all accumulations, troubles perish; for no one with accumulations is seen to be free from afflictions.
यथायथा न गृह्णाति ब्राह्मणोऽसत्प्रतिग्रहम्। तथा तस्य हि संतोषाद्ब्राह्मं तेजो विवर्द्धते
The more a Brahmin refrains from accepting improper gifts, the more, through contentment, his Brahminical radiance increases.
अकिंचनत्वं राज्यं च तुलया समतोलयत्। अकिंचनत्वमधिकं राज्यादपि हितात्मनः
He weighed poverty and kingship on a scale; for one who seeks the welfare of the self, poverty is greater than kingship.
कश्यप उवाच। अनर्थो ब्राह्मणस्यैष यस्त्वर्थनिचयो महान्
Kaśyapa said: For a Brahmin, the great accumulation of wealth is a misfortune.
अर्थैश्वर्यविमूढो हि श्रेयसो भ्रश्यते द्विजः। अर्थसंपद्विमोहाय विमोहो नरकाय च
A Brahmin deluded by the prosperity of wealth falls from excellence; the abundance of wealth leads to delusion and also to hell.
तस्मादर्थमनर्थाख्यं श्रेयोर्थी दूरतस्त्यजेत्। यस्य धर्मार्थमर्थेहा तस्यानीहा गरीयसी
Therefore, one seeking the highest good should renounce wealth, known as misfortune, from afar; for one whose pursuit of wealth is for dharma, non-pursuit is greater.
प्रक्षालनाद्धि पंकस्य दूरादस्पर्शनं वरं। योर्थेन साध्यते धर्मः क्षयिष्णुः स प्रकीर्तितः
Indeed, it is better to avoid touching mud from a distance than to wash it off; the dharma achieved by wealth is said to be perishable.
यः परार्थे परित्यागः सोक्षयो मुक्तिलक्षणः। भरद्वाज उवाच। जीर्यंति जीर्यतः केशा दंता जीर्यंति जीर्यतः
The renunciation for the sake of another, which is accompanied by loss, is the mark of liberation. Bharadvāja said: Hair and teeth decay as one ages.
धनाशा जीविताशा च जीर्यतोऽपि न जीर्यति। चक्षुः श्रोत्रे च जीर्येते तृष्णैका निरुपद्रवा२५० 1.19.
The desire for wealth and the desire for life do not decay even as one ages; the eyes and ears decay, but thirst alone remains without affliction.
सूच्या सूत्रं यथा वस्त्रे समानयति सूचकः। तद्वत्संसारसूत्रं हि तृष्णासूच्योपनीयते
Just as a tailor draws a thread through cloth with a needle, so too is the thread of worldly existence drawn by the needle of craving.
यथा शृंगं रुरोः काये वर्द्धमाने च वर्द्धते। अनंतपारा दुष्पूरा तृष्णा दुःखशतावहा
As a horn grows on the body of a beast and increases as the body grows, so too is craving endless, insatiable, and brings hundreds of sorrows.
अधर्मबहुला चैव तस्मात्तां परिवर्जयेत्। गौतम उवाच। संतुष्टः को न शक्नोति फलैश्चाप्यतिवर्तितुम्
Since it is full of unrighteousness, one should therefore avoid it. Gautama said: Who, being content, cannot overcome even the fruits of action?
लुब्धइंद्रियलौल्येन संकटान्यवगाहते। सर्वत्र संपदस्तस्य संतुष्टं यस्य मानसं
With greedy, restless senses, one plunges into difficulties; but for the one whose mind is content, prosperity is found everywhere.
उपानद्गूढपादस्य तस्य चर्मावृतेव भूः। संतोषामृततृप्तानां यत्सुखं शांतचेतसां
For one whose feet are covered by sandals, it is as if the whole earth is covered in leather; such is the happiness of those satisfied by the nectar of contentment, whose minds are at peace.
कुतस्तद्धनलुब्धानामितश्चेतश्च धावताम्। असंतोषः परं दुःखं संतोषः परमं सुखम्
How can such happiness exist for those greedy for wealth, whose minds run here and there? Discontent is the greatest misery; contentment is the highest happiness.