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.
अस्तु वार्धुषिको नित्यं बिसस्तैन्यं करोति यः
Let him be a boatman who always commits the theft of lotus stalks.
गौतम उवाच स गृह्णात्वविकादानं करोतु हयविक्रयम्
Gautama said: Let him accept unripe grains and engage in the sale of horses.
शूद्रं पृच्छतु धर्मार्थं बिसस्तैन्यं करोति यः
Let him ask a Shudra about righteousness and wealth, who commits the theft of lotus stalks.
प्रतिश्रुत्य न यो दद्याद्ब्राह्मणाय गवादिकम् -
He who, after promising, does not give cows and similar things to a Brahmin—
नारी दुष्टसमाचारा बिसस्तैन्यं करोति या
A woman of wicked conduct who commits the theft of lotus stalks—
साधुद्वेषपरा चैव बिसस्तैन्यं करोति या
And she who is intent on hatred of the virtuous and commits the theft of lotus stalks—
पशुमुख उवाच स्वामिद्रोहरतो नित्यं स भूयात्पापकृन्नरः ६.३२.
Paśumukha said: He who always steals from his master becomes a sinful man.
सत्यं वदतु चाजस्रं बिसस्तैन्यं करोति यः
Let him always speak the truth, who commits the theft of lotus stalks.
बिसस्तैन्यं हि चास्माकं तन्नूनं भवता कृतम्
Indeed, the theft of lotus stalks has certainly been committed by you among us.
धर्मान्वै श्रोतुकामेन मां जानीत पुरंदरम्
Desiring to hear about righteousness, know me as Purandara.