योर्थेन साध्यते धर्मः क्षयिष्णुः स प्रकीर्तितः
That righteousness which is achieved through wealth is declared to be perishable.
चक्षुः श्रोत्रे तथा पुंसस्तृष्णैका तरुणायते
In a man, thirst alone makes the eye and ear ever youthful.
सूच्या सूत्रं यथा वस्त्रं संचारयति सूचिका
Just as a needle draws a thread through cloth, so does craving draw one along.
यथा शृंगं हि कायेन वर्द्धमानेन वर्धते। तद्वत्तृष्णापि वित्तेन वर्द्धमानेन वर्द्धते
As a horn grows with the body, so too does craving grow with increasing wealth.
अनंतपारा दुष्पूरा तृष्णा दुःखशतावहा
Craving is endless, boundless, hard to fill, and brings hundreds of sorrows.
गौतम उवाच सर्वोपीन्द्रियलौल्येन संकटे भ्रमति द्विजाः
Gautama said: O twice-born, through the greed of all the senses, one wanders in distress.
सर्वत्र संपदस्तस्य संतुष्टं यस्य मानसम्
For the one whose mind is content, there is prosperity everywhere.
संतोषामृततृप्तानां यत्सुखं शांतचेतसाम्
The happiness of those satisfied by the nectar of contentment, with peaceful minds—
असंतोषः परं दुःखं संतोषः परमं सुखम् ६.३२.
Discontent is the greatest sorrow; contentment is the highest happiness.
तथान्यो जायते पुंसस्तत्क्षणादेव कल्पितः
In the same way, another desire arises in a man, instantly conceived.
न जातु कामी कामानां सहस्रैरपि तुष्यति
A man of desires is never satisfied, even with thousands of objects of desire.
कामानभिलषन्मोहान्न नरः सुखमाप्नुयात्
A man, longing for pleasures out of delusion, does not attain happiness.
नित्यं सागरपर्यन्तां यो भुङ्क्ते पृथिवीमिमाम्
He who constantly enjoys this earth, bounded by the ocean,
न च पश्यति मन्दात्मा नरकं चा कुतोभयः
and yet, being dull-minded, does not see hell—how could he fear either?
प्रतिग्रहसमर्थानां निवृत्तानां प्रतिग्रहात्
Among those capable of accepting gifts, who have refrained from receiving them,
अरुन्धत्युवाच तृष्णा चैवमनाद्यन्ता स्थिता देहे शरीरिणाम्
Arundhati said: Desire, without beginning or end, abides in the bodies of embodied beings.
या दुस्त्यजा दुर्मतिभिर्या न जीर्यति जीर्यतः
It is hard to abandon for those of misguided mind; it does not decay, even as the body decays.
यदाचरन्ति विद्वांसः सदा धर्मपरायणाः।. तदेव विदुषा कार्यमात्मनो हितमिच्छता॥६.३२.
Whatever the wise, always devoted to righteousness, practice—that alone should be done by one who desires his own welfare.
चमत्कारपुरेक्षेत्रे विविशुस्ते ततः परम्
Having entered the field at Camatkārapura, then, beyond that,
तेनैव सहितास्तत्र गत्वा किञ्चिद्वनान्तरम्
Together with him, they went to a certain forest area.
ततो बुभुक्षयाविष्टा बिसान्यादाय भूरिशः
Then, seized by hunger, they took many lotus stalks.
अथोत्तीर्यजलात्सर्वे ते समेत्य परस्परम्
After crossing the water, all of them gathered together.
मृणालानि समस्तानि स्थानादस्माद्धृतानि च
All the lotus roots were taken from that place.
ते शंकमाना अन्योन्यमृषयः शंसितव्रताः
Those sages, observing vows, suspected one another.
कूटसाक्षित्वमभ्ये तु बिसस्तैन्यं करोति यः
He who commits theft of lotus stalks, even by bearing false witness,
धर्मं करोतु दंभेन राजानं चोपसेवताम्
Let him practice dharma with hypocrisy, and serve the king.
वसिष्ठ उवाच अनृतौ मैथुनं यातु दिवा वाप्यथ पर्वणि ६.३२.
Vasiṣṭha said: Let him engage in sexual union at improper times, by day or on festival days.
भरद्वाज उवाच योधिगम्य गुरोः शास्त्रं निष्क्रयं न प्रयच्छति
Bharadvāja said: Let him not give a fee for the scripture learned from his teacher.
नृशंसोऽस्तु स सर्वत्र समृद्ध्या चाप्यहंकृतः
Let him be cruel everywhere, and arrogant in prosperity.
वेदविक्रयकर्तास्तु बिसस्तैन्यं करोति यः
He who sells the Veda commits theft of lotus stalks.