आपद्धर्मं न वेत्सि त्वं नूनं येन प्रगच्छसि
You surely do not know the law of adversity, by which you are proceeding.
न नर्मयुक्तं वचनं हिनस्ति न स्त्रीषु जातिर्न विवाहकाले ६.५१.
Words spoken in jest do not harm; nor is there fault among women, nor at the time of marriage.
तस्मात्तत्र न गंतव्यं दोषो नास्त्यत्र ते शुभे
Therefore, you should not go there; there is no fault in this for you, O auspicious one.
आत्मप्राणहितार्थाय न साधूनां प्रशस्यते
Actions done for one's own life and benefit are not praised among the virtuous.
सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितो लोको धर्मः सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितः
The world is established upon truth; righteousness is established upon truth.
विष्णवे पृथिवीं दत्त्वा बलिः पातालमाश्रितः
Having given the earth to Vishnu, Bali took refuge in the netherworld.
यः स्वं वाक्यं प्रतिज्ञाय न करोति यथोदितम्
He who, having made a promise, does not act as declared,
या त्वं सत्यप्रतिष्ठार्थं प्राणांस्त्यजसि दुस्त्यजान्
You, for the sake of truth, are abandoning your life, which is so hard to give up.
किं त्वां कल्याणि वक्ष्यामः स्वयं धर्मार्थवादिनीम्
What shall we say to you, O blessed one, who yourself speak of righteousness and purpose?
तस्माद्गच्छ महाभागे न शोच्यः पुत्रकस्तव
Therefore, depart, O highly fortunate one; your son is not to be mourned.
एतत्पुनर्वयं विद्मः सदा सत्यवतां नृणाम्
This, again, we always know of men devoted to truth.
प्रस्थिता व्याघ्रमुद्दिश्य पुत्रशोकेन पीडिता ॥ ६.५१.
She set out, aiming for the tiger, afflicted by grief for her son.
शोकाग्निनापि संतप्ता निराशा पुत्रदर्शने
Tormented even by the fire of sorrow, hopeless of seeing her son,
अंधेव दृष्टिनिर्मुक्ता प्रस्खलंती पदेपदे
Like one blind, deprived of sight, stumbling at every step,
प्रसुप्तं भ्रममाणं वा मम पुत्रं सुबालकम्
My son, whether sleeping or wandering, so young,
एवं प्रलप्य मनसा संप्राप्ता तत्र यत्र सः
Thinking thus in her mind, she arrived there, where he was.
व्याघ्रः क्षुत्क्षामकण्ठश्च तस्या मार्गावलोककः
A tiger, its throat parched with hunger, watched her path.
कुरु तृप्तिं यथाकामं मम मांसेन सांप्रतम्
Now satisfy your hunger as you wish with my flesh.
तां दृष्ट्वा सोऽपि दुष्टात्मा वैराग्यं परमं गतः
Seeing her, that wicked-hearted one too attained supreme detachment.
न हि सत्यवतां किंचिदशुभं विद्यते क्वचित्
Indeed, nothing inauspicious ever befalls those who are truthful.
त्वयोक्तं शपथैर्भद्रे आगमिष्याम्यहं पुनः
O good lady, you declared with oaths, 'I shall return again.'
सोऽहं भद्रे दुराचारो नृशंसो जीवघातकः ६.५१.
But I, O good lady, am wicked, cruel, and a destroyer of life.
तस्मात्त्वं मे महाभागे पापास्यातिदुरात्मनः
Therefore, O greatly fortunate one, from me, a sinner of exceedingly evil mind—
येन मे स्यात्परं श्रेय इह लोके परत्र च
—by which means might I obtain the highest good in this world and the next?
तस्मात्त्वं धर्मसर्वस्वं संक्षेपान्मम कीर्तय
Therefore, briefly declare to me the essence of all dharma.
द्वापरे यज्ञयोगं च दानमेकं कलौ युगे
In Dvāpara, sacrifice and yoga; in Kali Yuga, charity alone.
चराचराणां भूतानामभयं यः प्रयच्छति
Whoever grants safety to all living beings, moving and unmoving—
अहिंसया भवेद्येषां प्राणयात्रान्नपूर्वकम्
—for those whose sustenance does not depend on violence, their livelihood is through non-harming.
न हिंसया विनाऽस्माकं यतः स्यात्प्राणधारणम् उपदेशं सुधर्माय हिंसकस्यापि देहिनाम्
For us, life cannot be sustained without harm; yet, even to those who harm, instruction in true dharma should be given.
गहने यत्प्रभावेन त्वया मुक्तास्म्यहं ध्रुवम्
By the power of that (dharma) in the forest, I am certainly freed by you.