न ह्माप्तवादा नभसो निपतन्ति महासुराः । युक्तिमद् वचनं ग्राह्म मयान्येश्व भवद्रिधैः
Great Asuras, words not grounded in truth do not fall from the sky; only statements with reasoning, spoken by me or others like you, should be accepted.
मायामोहेन ते दैत्याः प्रकारैर्बहुभिस्तथा । व्युत्थापिता यथा नैषां त्रयीं कश्विदरोचयत्
Thus, by many such means, those Daityas were led astray by deluding illusion, so that none of them found delight in the threefold Vedic path.
इत्थमुन्मार्गयातेषु तेषु दैत्येषु तेऽमराः । उद्योगं परमं कृत्वा युद्धाय समुपस्थिताः
When those Daityas had thus strayed from the path, the gods, making utmost effort, assembled for battle.
ततो देवासुरं युद्ध पुनरेवाभवद् द्रिज । हताश्व तेऽसुरा देवैः सन्मार्गपरिपन्थिनः
Then, O twice-born, there was again a battle between gods and Asuras; the Asuras, who obstructed the righteous path, were slain by the gods.
स्वधर्मकवचस्तषामभूदू यः प्रथमं द्रिय । तेन रक्षाभवत् पूर्वं नेशुर्नष्टे च तत्र ते
Among them, the one who first wore the armor of his own Dharma, O twice-born, by him protection was formerly given; when he perished, they could not prevail.
ततो मैत्रेय! तन्मार्गवर्त्तिनो येऽभवञ्जनाः । नग्रास्ते तैर्यतस्त्यक्तं त्रयीसंवरणां वृथा
Therefore, O Maitreya, those people who remained on that path were not harmed by those who had abandoned the Vedic discipline in vain.
ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थस्व वानप्रस्थस्तथाश्रमाः । परिब्राडू वा चतुर्थोऽत्र पञ्चमो नोपपद्यते
The four stages of life are: student, householder, forest-dweller, and renunciate; there is no fifth stage.
यस्तु सन्त्यज्य गार्हस्थ्यं वानप्रस्थो न जायते । परिव्राडू वापि मैत्रेय! स न्ग्रः पापकृन्नरः
One who abandons household life but does not become a forest-dweller or renunciate, O Maitreya, is a sinful man.
नित्यानां कर्मणां विप्र! तस्य हानिरहर्निशम् । अकुर्वन् विहितं कर्म शक्तः पतति तद्दिने
O Brahmin, neglect of daily duties causes constant loss; if one fails to perform prescribed actions while able, he falls on that very day.
प्रायश्वित्तेन महता शुद्धिमाप्रोत्यनापदि । पक्षं नित्यक्रियाहानेः कर्त्ता मैत्रेय! मानवः
By a great expiatory offering, purity is attained if there is no calamity; O Maitreya, a man who neglects daily rites must perform this penance.
संवत्सरं क्रियाहानिर्यस्य पु सोऽबिजायते । तस्यावलोकनात् यूर्यो निरीक्ष्यः साधुबिः सदा
If someone neglects his duties for a year, he is considered impure; the virtuous should always avoid contact with such a person.
स्पृष्टे स्त्रानं सचेलस्य शुद्धेर्हेतुर्महामते । पु सो भवति तस्योक्ता न शुद्धिः पापकर्मणः
Touching a woman or her clothes is a cause of impurity, O wise one; he becomes impure, and there is no purification for one who acts sinfully.
देवर्षिपतृभूतानि यस्य निः श्वस्य वेश्मनि । प्रयान्त्यनर्चितान्यत्र लोके तस्मान्न पापकृत्
If the deities, sages, ancestors, and spirits depart unhonored from his house, such a person is not to be considered virtuous in this world.
देवादिनिः श्वासहतं शरीरं यस्य वेश्म च । न तेन सङ्करं कुर्यादू गृहासनपरिच्छदैः
One whose body and house are defiled by the breath of gods and others should not mingle with household utensils and furniture.
सम्भाषणानुप्रश्रादि सहास्यां चैव कुर्वतः । जायते तुल्यता तस्य तेनैव द्रिज । वत्सरम्
By conversation, deference, or laughter with such a person, equality arises for a Brahmin for a year.
अत बुङू क्ते गृहे तस्य करोत्यास्मां तथासने । शेते चाप्येकशयने स सद्यस्तत्समो भवेत्
If one eats in his house, sits with him, or sleeps in the same bed, he immediately becomes equal to him.
देवतापितृभूतानि तथानभ्यर्च्य योऽतिथीन् । भुङूक्ते स पातकं भुङू क्ते निष्कृतिस्तस्य कीदृशी
One who eats without honoring deities, ancestors, spirits, and guests incurs sin; what kind of expiation is there for him?
ब्राह्मणाद्यास्तु ये वर्णाः स्वधर्मादन्यतोमुखम् । यान्ति ते नग्रसंज्ञां तु हीनकर्मस्ववस्थिताः
Those of the Brahmin and other castes who turn away from their own duty and remain in inferior actions are called 'impure.'
चतुर्णां यत्र वर्णानां मैत्रेयात्यन्तसङ्करः । तत्रास्या साधु वृत्तीनामुपघाताय जायते
Where there is complete mixing of the four castes, O Maitreya, it causes harm to those of virtuous conduct.
अनभ्यर्च्य ऋषीन् देवान् पितॄन् भूतातिथींस्तथा । यो भुङ् क्ते तस्य सम्भाषात् पतन्ति नरके नराः
One who eats without honoring sages, gods, ancestors, spirits, and guests falls into hell, along with those who converse with him.
तस्मादेतान्नरो नग्रांस्त्रयीसन्त्यागदूषितान् । सर्वदा वर्जयेत् प्राज्ञ आलापस्पशेनादिषु
Therefore, the wise should always avoid impure people corrupted by abandoning the threefold Vedic path, in conversation, touch, and other dealings.
श्रद्धावद्भिः कृतं यत्राद्द वान् पितृपितामहान् । न प्रीणयति तच्छ्राद्ध यदेभिरवलोकितम्
Where offerings are made by the faithful to fathers and grandfathers, that rite does not please them if it is witnessed by these impure ones.
श्रूयते च पुरा ख्यातो राजा शतधनुर्भुवि । पत्री च शैव्या तस्याभूदतिधर्मपरायणा
It is heard that long ago there was a renowned king named Shatadhanu on earth; his wife Shaivya was devoted to the duties of hospitality.
पतिव्रता महाभागा सत्यशौचदयान्विता । सर्वलक्षणसम्पन्ना विनयेन नयेन च
She was a devoted wife, greatly fortunate, endowed with truth, purity, and compassion, possessing all marks of excellence, and guided by humility and good conduct.
स तु राजा तया सार्द्ध देवदेवं जनार्दनम् । आराधयामास विभुं परमेण समाधिना
That king, together with her, worshipped Janardana, Lord of the gods, with supreme concentration.
होमैर्जपैस्तथा दानैरुपवासैश्व भक्तितः
With offerings, recitations, gifts, fasting, and devotion.
पूजाबिश्वानुदिवसं तन्मना नान्यमानसः
Absorbed in worship day and night, his mind fixed, not distracted elsewhere.
एकदा तु समं स्नातौ तौ तु भार्यापती जले । बगीरथ्याः समुत्तीर्णौ कार्त्तिक्यां समुपोषितौ । पाषण्डिनमपश्येतामायान्तं सम्मुखं द्रिज
Once, the husband and wife bathed together in the river; having emerged from the Bhagirathi, fasting in Kartika, they saw a heretic approaching, O twice-born.
चापाचार्यस्य तस्यासौ सखा राज्ञो महात्मनः । अतस्तदूगौरवात्तेन सहालापमथाकरोत्
He was a friend of the king, the noble one, and a disciple of the bow-master; out of respect, the king conversed with him.
न तु सा वागयता देवी तस्य पत्री पतिव्रता । उपोषितास्मीति रविं तस्मिन् दृष्टे ददर्श च
But the devoted wife, observing her vow, did not speak; having fasted, she saw the sun.