योसौ प्राणांतिको रोगस्तां तृष्णां त्यजतः सुखं। चांडाल उवाच। उग्रादितो भयाद्यस्माद्बिभ्यती मे महेश्वराः
That craving is like a terminal disease; happiness comes to the one who abandons it. The Caṇḍāla said:
बलीयसो दुर्बलवत्तस्माच्चैव बिभेम्यहम्। पशुसख उवाच। यदाचरंति विद्वांसः सदा धर्मपरायणाः
Because I fear those who are stronger than myself, O great gods, I am afraid of those more powerful and also of the weak. The Friend of Animals said:
तदेव विदुषा कार्यमात्मनो हितमिच्छता। इत्युक्त्वा हेमगर्भाणि त्यक्त्वा तानि फलानि वै
That alone should be done by the wise, who desire their own welfare. Having said this, they indeed abandoned those golden embryos, relinquishing those fruits.
ऋषयो जग्मुरन्यत्र सर्व एव दृढव्रताः। ततस्ते विचरंतो वै मध्यमं पुष्करं गताः
All the sages, steadfast in their vows, went elsewhere; and while wandering, they reached the middle Puṣkara.
ददृशुः सहसा प्राप्तं परिव्राजं शुनःसखं। तेनेह सहितास्तत्र गत्वा किंचिद्वनांतरं
There they suddenly saw the wandering ascetic Śunaḥsakha who had arrived; together with him, they went a little further into the forest.
सरः परमपश्यंत वृतं पद्मैर्जलाशयम्। निविष्टाः सरसस्तीरे चिंतयंतो गतिं शुभाम्
They beheld a great lake, covered with lotuses, a reservoir of water; settling on the shore of the lake, they contemplated an auspicious course of action.
शुनःसखो मुनीन्सर्वानुवाच क्षुधितांस्तदा। सर्वे वदंतु सहिताः कीदृशी क्षुत्प्रवेदना
Then Śunaḥsakha addressed all the sages, who were hungry: 'Let everyone together describe what the sensation of hunger is like.'
तमूचुः सहितास्ते तु परिव्राजं शुनःसखं। ऋषय ऊचुः। शक्तिखड्गगदाभिश्च चक्रतोमरसायकैः
The sages then replied together to the wandering ascetic Śunaḥsakha: 'With spears, swords, maces, discs, axes, and arrows—'
बाधिते वेदना या तु क्षुधया सापि निर्जिता। श्वासकुष्ठक्षयाष्ठीली ज्वरापस्मार शूलकैः
'The pain caused by them, even that is overcome by hunger; with asthma, leprosy, consumption, paralysis, fever, epilepsy, and colic—'
व्याधिभिर्जनिता सापि क्षुधाया नाधिका भवेत्। हिरण्यांगदकेयूरमकुटोज्ज्वलकुंडलाः
'The suffering caused by diseases, even that does not exceed hunger. Golden armlets, bracelets, crowns, and shining earrings—'
क्षुधायां न विराजंते तत्र ये संस्थिता नराः। यथा भूमिगतं तोयं रविरश्मिर्विकर्षति
'Do not shine on those afflicted by hunger. Just as the sun's rays draw up water lying on the ground—'
तद्वच्छरीरजा नाड्यः शोष्यंते जठराग्निना। न शृणोति न चाघ्राति चक्षुषा नैव पश्यति
'So too, the bodily channels are dried up by the fire of the stomach. One does not hear, nor smell, nor see with the eyes—'
दह्यते क्षीयते मूढः शुष्यते क्षुधयार्दितः। न पूर्वां दक्षिणां चापि पश्चिमां नोत्तरामपि
'He is burned, wasted, bewildered, dried up—afflicted by hunger. He cannot discern east, south, west, nor even north—'
न चाधो नैव चोर्द्ध्वं च क्षुधाविष्टो हि विंदति। मूकत्वं बधिरत्वं च जडत्वमथ पंगुता
'Nor below, nor above does one perceive, when seized by hunger. Dumbness, deafness, dullness, and even lameness—'
भैरवत्वममर्यादं क्षुधायां संप्रवर्द्धते। जनकं जननीं पुत्रान्भार्यां दुहितरं तथा
'Fierceness and lack of restraint arise in hunger. One abandons father, mother, sons, wife, and daughter—'
भ्रातरं स्वजनं वापि त्यजति क्षुधयार्दितः। न पितॄन्पूजयेत्सम्यक्देवं चापि गुरुं तथा
'Or brother, or even one's own kin, when afflicted by hunger. He does not properly honor ancestors, nor gods, nor even the teacher—'
ऋषीनुपगतांश्चापि क्षुधाविष्टो न विंदति। एवमन्नविहीनस्य भवंत्येतानि देहिनां
'Nor does he recognize the sages who have come, when seized by hunger. Such are the conditions that befall embodied beings deprived of food.'
तदेवं संप्रयच्छेत अन्नं श्रद्धासमन्वितः। ब्रह्मभूतस्ततः सोथ ब्रह्मणा सह मोदते
Therefore, one should give food with faith; thus becoming one with Brahman, he rejoices together with Brahman.
सुसंस्कृतं च योप्यन्नं दद्यादहरहर्द्विजे। यः पठेदन्नदानं तु श्राद्धे चैव विशेषतः
And whoever gives well-prepared food daily to a Brāhmaṇa, or recites the gift of food, especially at a śrāddha—
एकाग्रमानसो भूत्वा अमावस्येंदुसंक्षये। भूतोपघातसंपूर्णे श्राद्धे श्रावयते सदा
With mind concentrated, on the new moon at the waning of the moon, when the śrāddha is performed in the presence of spirits, he always causes it to be heard.
पितरस्तस्य तुष्यंति यावज्जीवं न संशयः। देवद्विजसमीपस्थोन्नस्यदाता विमुच्यते
His ancestors are pleased with him for his whole life, without doubt; the giver who offers in the presence of gods and twice-born is released.
प्रबुद्धो वा प्रमत्तो वा प्रसंगादागतोपि वा। भक्त्या विरहितो वापि शृण्वन्पापाद्विमुच्यते
Whether awakened, careless, or even coming by chance, even without devotion, one who listens is freed from sin.
दानेन संयुता विप्राः सुखिनो धर्मभागिनः। यमो दमो वै नियमः प्रोक्तस्तत्वार्थदर्शिभिः
Brahmins endowed with giving are happy and share in righteousness; restraint, self-control, and discipline are declared by those who see the truth.
ब्राह्मणानां विशेषेण दमो धर्मः सनातनः। दमस्तेजो वर्द्धयति पवित्रो दम उत्तमः
Especially for Brahmins, restraint is the eternal law; restraint increases brilliance, and pure restraint is supreme.
विपाप्मा चैव तेजस्वी पुरुषो दमतो भवेत्। ये केचिन्नियमा लोके ये च धर्माश्शुभान्वयाः
A person becomes free from evil and radiant through restraint; whatever disciplines exist in the world, and all auspicious duties—
सर्वयज्ञफलं चापि दमस्तेभ्यो विशिष्यते। तपो यज्ञस्तथा दानं दमादेव प्रवर्तते
Restraint surpasses even all the fruits of sacrifice; austerity, sacrifice, and giving arise from restraint alone.
किमरण्येत्वदांतस्य दांतस्यापि किमाश्रमे। यत्रयत्र वसेद्दांतस्तदरण्यं महाश्रमः
What use is the forest to one without restraint, or even an ashram to one who is restrained? Wherever a restrained person dwells, that is a great hermitage, a forest.
शीलवृत्तसमेतस्य निगृहीतेंद्रियस्य च। आर्जवे वर्तमानस्य आश्रमैः किं प्रयोजनम्
For one endowed with good conduct and self-controlled senses, living straightforwardly, what need is there for ashrams?
वनेपि दोषाः प्रभवंति रागिणां गृहेपि पंचेंद्रियनिग्रहस्तपः। अकुत्सिते कर्मणि यः प्रवर्तते निवृत्तरागस्य गृहं तपोवनम्
Even in the forest, faults arise for the passionate; in the house, restraining the five senses is austerity. For one free from passion who acts without malice, the home itself is a forest of austerity.
सुकर्मधर्मार्जितजीवितानां सदा च संतुष्य गृहे रतानाम्। जितेंद्रियाणामतिथिप्रियाणां गृहेपि धर्मो नियमस्थितानाम्
For those whose livelihood is earned by righteous deeds, always content, attached to home, with controlled senses, fond of guests, and established in discipline, righteousness exists even at home.