यथाक्रमं यथाशास्त्रं यथाचारं यथास्थिति । स्थीयतां मुच्यताम् अन्तर् भोगगार्ध्यम् अवास्तवम्
Let one remain according to order, scripture, conduct, and situation; let the inner attachment to enjoyment, which is unreal, be abandoned and one be liberated.
संस्तवः क्रियतां कीर्त्या गुणैर् गगनगामिभिः । त्रायन्ते मृत्युनोपेतं न कदाचन भोगकाः
Let praise be offered with noble qualities that soar to the sky; enjoyments never save one who is seized by death.
गायन्ति सिद्धसुन्दर्यो येषाम् इन्दुसितं यशः । गीतिभिर् गगनाभोगे ते जीवन्ति मृताः परे
Those whose fame is bright as the moon are sung by celestial maidens; though dead to this world, they live on in the heavens through song.
परमं पौरुषं यत्नम् आस्थायादाय सूद्यमम् । यथाशास्त्रम् अनुद्वेगम् आचारात् को न सिद्धिभाक्
Who, taking up supreme human effort with diligent resolve, following the scriptures and without agitation, does not attain success through right conduct?
यथाशास्त्रं विहरता त्वरा कार्या न सिद्धिषु । चिरकालपरा पक्वा सिद्धिः पुष्टतरा भवेत्
One who acts according to scripture should not rush after accomplishments; success that ripens over a long time becomes more abundant.
वीतशोकभयायासम् अगर्धम् अपयन्त्रणम् । व्यवहारो यथाशास्त्रं क्रियतां मा विनश्यताम्
Let action, in accordance with scripture, be performed free from sorrow, fear, fatigue, greed, and constraint—do not let it be lost.
जीवो जीर्णान्धकूपेषु भवेष्व् अन्तर्धिम् आगतः । भवतां भूरिभङ्गानाम् अधुनोद्ध्रियताम् अतः
The soul, lost in the decayed pits of repeated births, has vanished; now, let it be rescued from these countless ruins.
इतः प्रभृति मा भूयो गम्यताम् अधराद् अधः । इदं निर्धार्यतां शास्त्रम् अस्त्रम् आपन्निवारणे
From this moment, do not fall ever lower; let this scripture be firmly established as a weapon against calamity.
रणे रभसनिर्लूनवारणे प्राणम् उज्झताम् । किम् अर्थमात्रया कार्यम् आर्याश् शास्त्रम् अवेक्ष्यताम्
In battle, when elephants are fiercely torn apart and life is at stake, what use is mere wealth? The noble should look to the scripture.
इदं बिम्बम् इदं निम्बम् इति मत्या विचार्यताम् । स्वया परप्रेरणया यात मा पशवो यथा
Let this be examined with discernment: 'This is a reflection, this is a reality.' Do not proceed under the influence of others, like cattle.
दौर्भाग्यदायिनी दीना शुभहीनाविचारणा । घनदीर्घमहानिद्रा त्यज्यतां सम्प्रबुध्यताम्
Abandon indiscriminate thought, which brings misfortune, is pitiable, and devoid of auspiciousness; cast off the dense, long, deep sleep and awaken.
सुप्तं मा स्थीयतां वृद्धमन्दकच्छपवच् छनैः । उत्थानम् अङ्गीक्रियतां जरामरणशान्तये
Do not remain asleep; like an old, slow-moving tortoise, rise up gradually—embrace awakening for the cessation of old age and death.
अनर्थायार्थसम्पत्तिर् भोगौघो भवरोगदः । आपदे सम्पदस् सर्वास् सर्वत्रानादरो जयः
The accumulation of possessions for the sake of enjoyment brings the disease of worldly existence; all prosperity in adversity is won by utter disregard everywhere.
लोकतन्त्रानुसारेण विचाराद् व्यवहारिणाम् । शास्त्राचाराविरुद्धेन कर्मणा शर्म सिध्यति
For those engaged in action, happiness is attained by conduct in accordance with worldly conventions, guided by discernment, and by actions not opposed to scriptural and customary norms.
स्वाचारचारुचरितस्य विविक्तवृत्तेस् संसारदुःखलवसौख्यदशास्व् अगृध्नोः । आयुर् यशांसि च गुणाश् च सहैव लक्ष्म्या फुल्लन्ति माधवलता इव सत्फलाय
For one whose conduct is pure, whose life is secluded, and who is free from greed even in states of worldly suffering or happiness, longevity, fame, virtues, and prosperity blossom together, like a jasmine vine flowering for fruit.
सर्वातिशयसाफल्यात् सर्वं सर्वत्र सर्वदा । सम्भवत्य् एव तस्मात् स्वं शुभोद्योगं न सन्त्यजेत्
Because complete success surpasses all, everything is always possible everywhere; therefore, one should never abandon one's own auspicious effort.
सर्वोत्कर्षेण वर्तन्ते देवा अपि विमर्दिताः । दानवैर् दानवार्याढ्यैर् गजैः पद्माकरा इव
Even the gods, though exalted, are overcome by demons rich in power, just as elephants are subdued by lotus-filled lakes.
मरुत्तनृपतेर् यज्ञे संवर्तेन महर्षिणा । ब्रह्मणेवापरस् सर्गो रचितस् ससुरासुरः
During the sacrifice of King Marutta, the great sage Samvarta created another manifestation, complete with gods and demons, as if he were Brahma.
महातिशययुक्तेन विश्वामित्रेण विप्रता । भूयो भूयः प्रयुक्तेन दुष्प्रापा तपसार्जिता
With extraordinary effort, Vishvamitra, the eminent sage, repeatedly performed arduous austerities, attaining what is rarely achieved.
पिष्टातकाम्बु दुष्प्रापं रसायनम् इवाश्नता । दुर्भगेनेदृशेनाप्तः क्षीरोद उपमन्युना
Like someone consuming a rare elixir made from flour and water, Upamanyu, through misfortune, obtained the milk-ocean, which is difficult to acquire.
त्रैलोक्यमल्लांस् तृणवन् निघ्नन् विष्ण्वब्जजादिकान् । युक्त्यातिशयदार्ढ्येन कालश् श्वेतेन कालितः
Kala, by exceptional strength of reasoning, subdued the mighty champions of the three worlds, treating them like blades of grass, including Vishnu, Brahma, and others, and was overcome by Shveta.
प्रणयेन यमं जित्वा कृत्वा वचनसङ्गरम् । परलोकाद् उपानीतस् सावित्र्या सत्यवान् पतिः
By affection, Savitri conquered Yama, made him keep his word, and brought her husband Satyavan back from the other world.
न सो ऽस्त्य् अतिशयो लोके यस्यास्ति न फलं स्फुटम् । भवितव्यं विचार्यातस् सर्वातिशयशालिना
There is no excellence in this world whose clear result does not exist; whatever is destined must be considered by one who possesses all excellences.
आत्मज्ञानम् अशेषाणां सुखदुःखदशादृशाम् । मूलङ्कषकरं तस्माद् भाव्यं तत्रातिशायिना
Self-knowledge, which is the root cause of all states of happiness and sorrow, should therefore be cultivated by one who excels.
नानयोपहतार्थिन्या दृश्यदृष्ट्यातिदुष्टया । दुःखाद् ऋते निराबाधं सुखं किञ्चिद् अवाप्यते
Except for suffering, nothing free from trouble is obtained by one whose perception is corrupted by various objects and by a faulty way of seeing.
अशमः परमं ब्रह्म शमश् च परमं पदम् । यद्य् अप्य् एवं तथाप्य् एनं प्रशमं विद्धि शङ्करम्
Restlessness is the supreme Brahman, and tranquility is the highest state; though this is so, know that supreme tranquility is auspicious.
अभिमानं परित्यज्य शमम् आश्रित्य शाश्वतम् । विचार्य प्रज्ञयार्यत्वं कुर्यात् सज्जनसेवनम्
Abandoning pride and embracing eternal tranquility, one should, with discernment, cultivate noble conduct through the service of the virtuous.
न तपांसि न तीर्थानि न शास्त्राणि जयन्ति वः । संसारसागरोत्तारे सज्जनासेवनं यथा
Neither austerities, nor pilgrimages, nor scriptures can deliver you from the ocean of worldly existence as does the service of the virtuous.
लोभमोहरुषां यस्य तनुतानुदिनं भवेत् । यथाशास्त्रं विहरतस् स्वकर्मसु स सज्जनः
He whose greed, delusion, and anger diminish day by day, who acts according to scripture in his own duties, is a virtuous person.
अध्यात्मविदुषस् सङ्गात् तस्य सा धीः प्रवर्तते । अत्यन्ताभाव एवास्य यया दृश्यस्य दृश्यते
Through association with those who know the Self, his intellect is awakened, by which the utter absence of the visible is perceived.