प्रत्यूषश्च प्रभासश्च अष्टौ ते वसवः स्मृताः ५.
Pratyūṣa and Prabhāsa—these eight are remembered as the Vasus.
अनुस्वारो विसर्गश्च जिह्वामूलीय एव च ५.
Anusvāra, visarga, and also jihvāmūlīya are included.
स्वेदजाश्चोद्भिजाश्चेति तत जीवाः प्रकीर्तिताः ५.
Those born from sweat and those arisen spontaneously are thus called living beings.
ये पुमांसस्त्वमून्देवान्समाश्रित्य क्रियापराः ५.
Those men who, resorting to these gods, are devoted to action—
चतुर्णां जीवयोनीनां तदैव परिमुच्यते ५.
They are then released from the four kinds of birth of living beings.
यस्मिञ्छास्त्रे त्वमी देवा मानिता नैव पापिभिः ५.
In whichever scripture these gods are honored, there is no sin.
अमी च देवाः सर्वत्र श्रौते मार्गे प्रतिष्ठिताः ५.
And these gods are established everywhere on the path of Vedic ritual.
तदमून्ये व्यतिक्रम्य तपो दानमथो जपम् ५.
But neglecting these, one pursues austerity, charity, or recitation.
अहो मोहस्य माहात्म्यं पश्यताविजितात्मनाम् ५.
Behold the greatness of delusion among those whose selves are unconquered.
इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा पिताभूदतिविस्मितः ५.
Hearing these words, his father became extremely astonished.
मयापि तव प्रोक्तोऽयं मातृकाप्रश्र उत्तमः ५.
I too have spoken to you this supreme teaching on the Mothers.
पंचभूतानि पञ्चैव कर्मज्ञानेंद्रियाणि च ५.
The five elements, and the five organs of action and knowledge—
प्रकृतिः पुरुषश्चैव पञ्चविंशः सदाशिवः ५.
Prakṛti and Puruṣa, and the twenty-fifth, Sadāśiva.
देहमेतदिदं वेद तत्त्वतो यात्यसौ शिवम् ५.
He who knows this body and this Veda in truth attains Śiva.
सा हि नानार्थभजनान्नानारूपं प्रपद्यते ५.
For by serving various purposes, it assumes various forms.
इति यो वेदे तत्त्वार्थं नासौ नरकमाप्नुयात् ५.
Whoever understands the true meaning in the Veda in this way does not go to hell.
वचनं तद्बुधाः प्रहुर्बंधं चित्रकथं त्विति ५.
The wise declare that such speech is a binding, fanciful tale.
एको लोभो महान्ग्राहो लोभात्पापं प्रवर्तते ५.
Greed alone is a great snare; from greed, sin arises.
लोभान्मोहश्च माया च मानः स्तम्भः परेष्सुता ५.
From greed come delusion, deceit, arrogance, and pride toward others.
हरणं परवित्तानां परदाराभिमर्शनम् ५.
Taking the wealth of others and violating another's wife—
स लोभः सह मोहेन विजेतव्यो जितात्मना ५.
That greed, along with delusion, must be conquered by one who has mastered himself.
भवन्त्येतानि सर्वाणि लुब्धानामकृतात्मनाम् ५.
All these arise in those who are greedy and undisciplined.
छेत्तारः संशयानां च लोभग्रस्ता व्रजंत्यधः ५.
Those consumed by greed, who sever doubts, fall downward.
अन्तःक्षुरा वाङ्मधुराः कूपाश्धन्नास्तृणौरिव ५.
They are like razors hidden within, sweet in speech, but like wells covered with grass.
सर्वमार्गं विलुंमपंति लोभाज्जातिषु निष्ठुराः ५.
Out of greed, harsh people destroy every path among their own kind.
एतेऽतिपापिनो ज्ञेया नित्यं लोभसमन्विताः ५.
These, always possessed by greed, should be known as extremely sinful.
लोभक्षयाद्दिवं प्राप्तास्तथैवान्ये जनाधिपाः ५.
By the destruction of greed, others—kings as well—have attained heaven.
संसाराख्यमतोऽनये ये ग्राहग्रस्ता न संशयः ५.
Therefore, those seized by this snare are without doubt bound in what is called saṃsāra.
मात्रश्च ब्राह्मणश्चैव श्रोत्रियश्च ततः परम् ५.
A mother, a brāhmaṇa, and a learned brāhmaṇa—these are foremost.
एते ह्यष्टौ समुद्दिष्टा ब्राह्मणाः प्रथमं श्रुतौ ५.
These eight are mentioned first in the tradition as brāhmaṇas.