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.
सुखार्थी पुरुषस्तस्मात्संतुष्टः संततं भवेत्। विश्वामित्र उवाच। कामं कामयमानस्य यदि कामः समृद्ध्यति
Therefore, a person who seeks happiness should always remain content. Viśvāmitra said: If a desire is fulfilled for one who longs for pleasure—
अथैनमपरः कामो भूयो विध्यति बाणवत्। न जातुकामः कामानामुपभोगेन शाम्यति
Then another desire strikes him again like an arrow; never does desire become satisfied by enjoyment.
हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव भूय एवाभिवर्द्धते। कामानभिलषन्मोहान्न नरः सुखमेधते
Like a fire fed with ghee, it only grows stronger; a man, deluded by longing for desires, does not attain happiness.
श्येनालयतरुच्छायां व्रजन्निव कपिंजलः। चतुस्सागरपर्यन्तां यो भुंक्ते पृथिवीमिमाम्
Like a partridge entering the shade of a tree where a hawk dwells, so too is the one who enjoys this earth, even up to the four oceans.
तुल्याश्मकाञ्चनोयश्च सकृतार्थो न पार्थिवः। जमदग्निरुवाच। प्रतिग्रहसमर्थोपि नादत्ते यः प्रतिग्रहम्
He who has achieved his purpose even once is equal to one for whom stone and gold are the same—not a king. Jamadagni said:
ये लोका दानशीलानां स तानाप्नोति शाश्वतान्। योर्थानिच्छेन्नृपाद्विप्रः शोचितव्यो महर्षिभिः
Even if capable of accepting gifts, he who does not accept them attains those eternal worlds reserved for the charitable; but a Brahmin who desires wealth from a king is to be pitied by the great sages.
न स पश्यति मूढात्मा नरके यातनाभयम्। प्रतिग्रहसमर्थोपि न प्रसज्येत्प्रतिग्रहे
Such a deluded soul does not see the fear of torment in hell; even if capable of accepting gifts, one should not become attached to receiving them.
प्रतिग्रहेण विप्राणां ब्राह्मं तेजः प्रशाम्यति। प्रतिग्रहसमर्थानां निवृत्तानां प्रतिग्रहात्
By accepting gifts, the Brahmin's spiritual power is diminished; but for those capable of accepting who refrain from gifts, the worlds attained by givers are also attained by non-receivers.
य एव ददतां लोकास्त एवाप्रतिगृह्णताम्। अरुन्धत्युवाच। बिसतंतुर्यथानित्यमंभस्थस्सततं विशेत्
The very worlds attained by those who give are also attained by those who do not accept gifts. Arundhati said: Just as a lotus fiber always remains in water—
तृष्णा चैवमनाद्यंता तथा देहगता सदा। या दुस्त्यजा दुर्मतिभिर्या न जीर्यति जीर्यतः
So too is craving, endless and ever-present in the body; it is hard to abandon for the foolish, and does not decay even as the body decays.