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व्यास उवाच॥
Vyāsa said.
त्रयीविद्यामवेक्षेत वेदेषूक्तामथाङ्गतः। ऋक्सामवर्णाक्षरतो यजुषोऽथर्वणस्तथा ॥१२-२२७-१॥
One should study the threefold Vedic knowledge as declared in the Vedas, along with its ancillaries; and likewise, the Ṛg, Sāma, Yajur, and Atharva Vedas, each according to their syllables.
वेदवादेषु कुशला ह्यध्यात्मकुशलाश्च ये। सत्त्ववन्तो महाभागाः पश्यन्ति प्रभवाप्ययौ ॥१२-२२७-२॥
Those who are skilled in Vedic doctrines, as well as in spiritual knowledge, endowed with strength and great fortune, perceive the origin and dissolution (of things).
एवं धर्मेण वर्तेत क्रियाः शिष्टवदाचरेत्। असंरोधेन भूतानां वृत्तिं लिप्सेत वै द्विजः ॥१२-२२७-३॥
Thus, one should act according to dharma and perform actions as the learned do. The twice-born should seek their livelihood without obstructing other beings.
सद्भ्य आगतविज्ञानः शिष्टः शास्त्रविचक्षणः। स्वधर्मेण क्रिया लोके कुर्वाणः सत्यसङ्गरः ॥१२-२२७-४॥
He who, being among the good, has acquired knowledge, is well-behaved, expert in the scriptures, performs actions in the world according to his own duty, and is steadfast in truth.
तिष्ठत्येतेषु गृहवान्षट्सु कर्मसु स द्विजः। पञ्चभिः सततं यज्ञैः श्रद्दधानो यजेत च ॥१२-२२७-५॥
The twice-born householder should remain engaged in these six acts; he should always perform the five sacrifices with faith.
धृतिमानप्रमत्तश्च दान्तो धर्मविदात्मवान्। वीतहर्षभयक्रोधो ब्राह्मणो नावसीदति ॥१२-२२७-६॥
A brāhmaṇa who is steadfast, vigilant, self-controlled, versed in dharma, self-possessed, and free from delight, fear, and anger, never falls into despair.
दानमध्ययनं यज्ञस्तपो ह्रीरार्जवं दमः। एतैर्वर्धयते तेजः पाप्मानं चापकर्षति ॥१२-२२७-७॥
Gift, study, sacrifice, austerity, modesty, honesty, and self-restraint—these increase one's brilliance and remove sin.
धूतपाप्मा तु मेधावी लघ्वाहारो जितेन्द्रियः। कामक्रोधौ वशे कृत्वा निनीषेद्ब्रह्मणः पदम् ॥१२-२२७-८॥
But the wise person whose sins are cleansed, who eats lightly, has conquered the senses, and has brought desire and anger under control, should seek the state of Brahman.
अग्नींश्च ब्राह्मणांश्चार्चेद्देवताः प्रणमेत च। वर्जयेद्रुषतीं वाचं हिंसां चाधर्मसंहिताम् ॥१२-२२७-९॥
One should honor the sacred fires and Brāhmaṇas, bow to the gods, and avoid angry words, violence, and anything associated with unrighteousness.
एषा पूर्वतरा वृत्तिर्ब्राह्मणस्य विधीयते। ज्ञानागमेन कर्माणि कुर्वन्कर्मसु सिध्यति ॥१२-२२७-१०॥
This is the more ancient conduct prescribed for a Brāhmaṇa: by acquiring knowledge and performing actions, he attains success in his actions.
पञ्चेन्द्रियजलां घोरां लोभकूलां सुदुस्तराम्। मन्युपङ्कामनाधृष्यां नदीं तरति बुद्धिमान् ॥१२-२२७-११॥
The wise person crosses the dreadful river, whose waters are the five senses, whose banks are greed, whose mud is anger, which is very hard to cross and cannot be overcome by the weak-minded.
काममन्यूद्धतं यत्स्यान्नित्यमत्यन्तमोहितम्। महता विधिदृष्टेन बलेनाप्रतिघातिना ॥ स्वभावस्रोतसा वृत्तमुह्यते सततं जगत् ॥१२-२२७-१२॥
Whenever desire and anger arise, always utterly deluded, by the great irresistible force ordained by fate, the world is constantly carried away and deluded by the current of its own nature.
कालोदकेन महता वर्षावर्तेन सन्ततम्। मासोर्मिणर्तुवेगेन पक्षोलपतृणेन च ॥१२-२२७-१३॥
Constantly, by the water of time, the great whirl of rain, the force of the waves of months and seasons, and the Ulapa grass of the fortnight.
निमेषोन्मेषफेनेन अहोरात्रजवेन च। कामग्राहेण घोरेण वेदयज्ञप्लवेन च ॥१२-२२७-१४॥
By the foam of blinking and opening the eyes, by the swift passage of day and night, and by the dreadful crocodile of desire, and by the raft of Veda and sacrifice.
धर्मद्वीपेन भूतानां चार्थकामरवेण च। ऋतसोपानतीरेण विहिंसातरुवाहिना ॥१२-२२७-१५॥
By the island of dharma, and the stream of desire and wealth, and the bank of the stairway of truth, beings are carried away by the current of the tree of violence.
युगह्रदौघमध्येन ब्रह्मप्रायभवेन च। धात्रा सृष्टानि भूतानि कृष्यन्ते यमसादनम् ॥१२-२२७-१६॥
All beings created by the Creator are inevitably drawn, through the stream of ages and the predominance of Brahman, to the abode of Yama (death).
एतत्प्रज्ञामयैर्धीरा निस्तरन्ति मनीषिणः। प्लवैरप्लववन्तो हि किं करिष्यन्त्यचेतसः ॥१२-२२७-१७॥
The steadfast wise cross over this (ocean of life) by means of wisdom. What will the unwise, who are without such a raft, do even with rafts?
उपपन्नं हि यत्प्राज्ञो निस्तरेन्नेतरो जनः। दूरतो गुणदोषौ हि प्राज्ञः सर्वत्र पश्यति ॥१२-२२७-१८॥
A wise person alone is able to overcome what is established, not others. The wise, indeed, perceives virtue and fault everywhere, even from afar.
संशयात्मा स कामात्मा चलचित्तोऽल्पचेतनः। अप्राज्ञो न तरत्येव यो ह्यास्ते न स गच्छति ॥१२-२२७-१९॥
He who is of a doubting nature, filled with desire, with an unsteady mind and little intelligence, unwise, does not cross over; the one who remains thus does not progress.
अप्लवो हि महादोषमुह्यमानोऽधिगच्छति। कामग्राहगृहीतस्य ज्ञानमप्यस्य न प्लवः ॥१२-२२७-२०॥
Indeed, a person without support, bewildered by great faults, is ruined; for one seized by the crocodile of desire, even his knowledge does not serve as a raft (to cross over difficulties).
तस्मादुन्मज्जनस्यार्थे प्रयतेत विचक्षणः। एतदुन्मज्जनं तस्य यदयं ब्राह्मणो भवेत् ॥१२-२२७-२१॥
Therefore, the wise person should strive for spiritual elevation. This elevation is what makes him a brāhmaṇa.
त्र्यवदाते कुले जातस्त्रिसंदेहस्त्रिकर्मकृत्। तस्मादुन्मज्जनस्तिष्ठेन्निस्तरेत्प्रज्ञया यथा ॥१२-२२७-२२॥
One who is born in a family of threefold purity, who has three kinds of doubts and performs three kinds of actions, therefore, when emerging, should remain steady and cross over by wisdom, as is appropriate.
संस्कृतस्य हि दान्तस्य नियतस्य कृतात्मनः। प्राज्ञस्यानन्तरा सिद्धिरिह लोके परत्र च ॥१२-२२७-२३॥
For the refined, self-restrained, disciplined, and self-controlled wise person, success follows immediately both in this world and the next.
वर्तते तेषु गृहवानक्रुध्यन्ननसूयकः। पञ्चभिः सततं यज्ञैर्विघसाशी यजेत च ॥१२-२२७-२४॥
Among them, the householder who is free from anger and envy should always perform sacrifices with five offerings, subsisting on remnants.
सतां वृत्तेन वर्तेत क्रियाः शिष्टवदाचरेत्। असंरोधेन धर्मस्य वृत्तिं लिप्सेदगर्हिताम् ॥१२-२२७-२५॥
One should conduct oneself according to the ways of the virtuous and act as the learned do. Without hindrance, one should seek a blameless practice of dharma.
श्रुतिविज्ञानतत्त्वज्ञः शिष्टाचारो विचक्षणः। स्वधर्मेण क्रियावांश्च कर्मणा सोऽप्यसङ्करः ॥१२-२२७-२६॥
He who knows the principles of the Veda and special knowledge, follows the conduct of the learned, is wise, acts according to his own duty and is engaged in action, he too is not confounded by action.
क्रियावाञ्श्रद्दधानश्च दाता प्राज्ञोऽनसूयकः। धर्माधर्मविशेषज्ञः सर्वं तरति दुस्तरम् ॥१२-२२७-२७॥
One who is active, faithful, generous, wise, and free from envy, and who knows the distinctions between dharma and adharma, crosses over all that is difficult to overcome.
धृतिमानप्रमत्तश्च दान्तो धर्मविदात्मवान्। वीतहर्षभयक्रोधो ब्राह्मणो नावसीदति ॥१२-२२७-२८॥
A brāhmaṇa who is steadfast, vigilant, self-controlled, versed in dharma, self-possessed, and free from delight, fear, and anger, never falls into despair.
एषा पूर्वतरा वृत्तिर्ब्राह्मणस्य विधीयते। ज्ञानवित्त्वेन कर्माणि कुर्वन्सर्वत्र सिध्यति ॥१२-२२७-२९॥
This is the more ancient conduct prescribed for a Brāhmaṇa: by performing actions with the wealth of knowledge, he succeeds everywhere.
अधर्मं धर्मकामो हि करोतीहाविचक्षणः। धर्मं चाधर्मसङ्काशं शोचन्निव करोति सः ॥१२-२२७-३०॥
The unwise person, though desiring righteousness, acts unrighteously here; and, grieving as if, he performs righteousness that appears like unrighteousness.
धर्मं करोमीति करोत्यधर्म; मधर्मकामश्च करोति धर्मम्। उभे बालः कर्मणी न प्रजान; न्स जायते म्रियते चापि देही ॥१२-२२७-३१॥
Saying 'I do righteousness', he acts unrighteously; and even one who desires unrighteousness may act righteously. Both are immature in their actions, not knowing; the embodied soul is neither born nor does it die.
