तथापि खलु वाच्यं मे परार्थं प्रेरितेन ते २.
Yet still, I must speak, prompted by you, for the sake of another.
सारजिज्ञासया तस्थावेकांगुष्ठः शतं समाः २.
Desiring the essence, he stood on one toe for a hundred years.
पुण्ये सरस्वतीतीरे पृच्छ सारस्वतं मुनिम् २.
On the holy bank of the Sarasvati, ask the sage Sarasvata.
इति श्रुत्वा मुनिवरो मुनिश्रेष्ठमुपेत्य तम् २.
Hearing thus, the best of sages approached that foremost sage.
सत्यं केचित्प्रशंसंतितपः शौचं तथा परे २.
Some praise truthfulness, others austerity and purity.
क्षमां केचित्प्रशंसंति तथैव भृशमार्ज्जवम् २.
Some praise forgiveness, and likewise, greatly praise honesty.
सम्यग्ज्ञानं प्रशंसंति केचिद्वैराग्यमुत्तमम् २.
Some praise true knowledge, others supreme detachment.
आत्मज्ञानं परं केचित्समलोष्टाश्मकांचनम् २.
Some praise the highest self-knowledge, seeing earth, stone, and gold as equal.
व्यामोहमेव गच्छंति किं श्रेय इति वादिनः २.
Those who argue about what is best only fall into confusion.
वक्तुमर्हसि धर्मज्ञ मम सर्वार्थसाधकम्॥ २.
O knower of dharma, you should tell me that which accomplishes all aims.
यन्मां सरस्वती प्राह सारं वक्ष्यामि तच्छृणु वारांगनानेत्रभंगस्वद्वद्भंगुरमेव तत्॥ २.
Hear now the essence which Sarasvatī spoke to me; it is as unstable as the beauty of a courtesan’s eyes.
धनायुर्यौवनं भोगाञ्जलचंद्रवदस्थिरान् २.
Wealth, life, youth, pleasures, and the moon’s disk are all unstable.
दानवान्पुरुषः पापं नालं कर्तुमिति श्रुतिः २.
The scripture says: a generous person is not capable of committing sin.
सावर्णिना च गाथे द्वे कीर्तिते श्रृणु ये पुरा २.
Now listen to the two verses once spoken by Sāvarṇi.
पूज्यते स महादेवः स धर्मः पर उच्यते २.
He is worshipped as the great god; he is called the supreme dharma.
क्रोधपंके मदग्राहे लोभबुद्बदसंकटे २.
In the mire of anger, the grip of pride, and the narrowness of greed’s bubbles—
मज्जंतं तारयत्येको हरः संसारसागरात् २.
Only Hara rescues the one sinking in the ocean of worldly existence.
परोपकरणं कायादसारात्सारमुद्धरेत् २.
From this unsubstantial body, one should extract the essence: doing good to others.
इंद्रियार्थेषु वैराग्यं संप्राप्तं जन्मनः फलम् २.
Detachment from sense objects is the fruit of birth attained.
न कुर्यादात्मनः श्रेयस्तेनात्मा वंचतश्चिरम् २.
One should not act against one’s own good, for by that the self is long deceived.
तत्संप्राप्य तथा कुर्यान्न गच्छेन्नरकं यथा २.
Having attained that, one should act so as not to go to hell.
यदि लाभे न यत्नस्ते मूलं रक्ष प्रयत्नतः २.
If there is no effort in gain, then carefully protect the source.
गंतुं दुःखोदधेः पारं तर यावन्न भिद्यते २.
Cross the ocean of suffering before it breaks apart.
नापक्रामति संसारादात्महा स नराधमः दानानि चात्र दीयंते परलोकार्थमादरात्॥ २.
That lowest man does not depart from worldly existence; here, gifts are given with reverence for the sake of the next world.
दानस्य तपसो वापि भगवन्किं च दुष्करम् २.
O Lord, what is difficult in charity or austerity?
न दानाद्दुष्करतरं पृथिव्यामस्ति किंचन २.
There is nothing on earth more difficult than charity.
परित्यज्य प्रियान्प्राणान्धनार्थे हि महाभयम् २.
Abandoning beloved life for the sake of wealth brings great fear.
सेवामन्ये प्रपद्यंते श्ववृत्तिरिति या स्मृता २.
Others resort to service, which is remembered as the conduct of dogs.
तस्य दुःखार्जितस्येह प्राणेभ्योपि गरीयसः २.
That wealth, earned through suffering, is even weightier than life itself.
यद्ददाति यदश्नाति तदेव धनिनो धनम् २.
Whatever the wealthy give or consume, that alone is their wealth.