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पराशर उवाच॥
Parāśara said.
मनोरथरथं प्राप्य इन्द्रियार्थहयं नरः। रश्मिभिर्ज्ञानसम्भूतैर्यो गच्छति स बुद्धिमान् ॥१२-२८०-१॥
He who, having acquired the chariot of desire and harnessed the horses of the senses with reins made of knowledge, proceeds thus—he is truly wise.
सेवाश्रितेन मनसा वृत्तिहीनस्य शस्यते। द्विजातिहस्तान्निर्वृत्ता न तु तुल्यात्परस्परम् ॥१२-२८०-२॥
Food obtained from the hand of a twice-born, by one who has resorted to service and is devoid of means of livelihood, is praised; but not when mutually taken from an equal.
आयुर्नसुलभं लब्ध्वा नावकर्षेद्विशां पते। उत्कर्षार्थं प्रयतते नरः पुण्येन कर्मणा ॥१२-२८०-३॥
O lord of men, having attained this rare human life, one should not debase oneself; rather, a person should strive for elevation through virtuous deeds.
वर्णेभ्योऽपि परिभ्रष्टः स वै संमानमर्हति। न तु यः सत्क्रियां प्राप्य राजसं कर्म सेवते ॥१२-२८०-४॥
Even if someone has fallen from their caste, he truly deserves honor; but not the one who, though having attained good conduct, engages in passionate or base actions.
वर्णोत्कर्षमवाप्नोति नरः पुण्येन कर्मणा। दुर्लभं तमलब्धा हि हन्यात्पापेन कर्मणा ॥१२-२८०-५॥
A man attains the excellence of his caste through virtuous deeds; but if he fails to achieve it, he destroys it by sinful actions.
अज्ञानाद्धि कृतं पापं तपसैवाभिनिर्णुदेत्। पापं हि कर्म फलति पापमेव स्वयं कृतम् ॥ तस्मात्पापं न सेवेत कर्म दुःखफलोदयम् ॥१२-२८०-६॥
Sin committed out of ignorance should be destroyed by austerity alone. Sinful actions certainly bear fruit; only the sin committed by oneself. Therefore, one should not engage in sinful actions that result in suffering.
पापानुबन्धं यत्कर्म यद्यपि स्यान्महाफलम्। न तत्सेवेत मेधावी शुचिः कुसलिलं यथा ॥१२-२८०-७॥
A wise and pure person should not engage in any action that is associated with sin, even if it yields great results, just as one should avoid bad water.
किङ्कष्टमनुपश्यामि फलं पापस्य कर्मणः। प्रत्यापन्नस्य हि सतो नात्मा तावद्विरोचते ॥१२-२८०-८॥
What painful result of sinful action do I see? For truly, the self of one who has returned does not shine as before.
प्रत्यापत्तिश्च यस्येह बालिशस्य न जायते। तस्यापि सुमहांस्तापः प्रस्थितस्योपजायते ॥१२-२८०-९॥
For the foolish person, there is no return here; for him, too, great suffering arises once he has set out.
विरक्तं शोध्यते वस्त्रं न तु कृष्णोपसंहितम्। प्रयत्नेन मनुष्येन्द्र पापमेवं निबोध मे ॥१२-२८०-१०॥
Discolored cloth can be cleansed, but not cloth mixed with black dye. In the same way, O best of men, understand from me that sin is like this.
स्वयं कृत्वा तु यः पापं शुभमेवानुतिष्ठति। प्रायश्चित्तं नरः कर्तुमुभयं सोऽश्नुते पृथक् ॥१२-२८०-११॥
But if a man, having committed a sin himself, performs only good deeds, he attains both the results of atonement and of action separately.
अज्ञानात्तु कृतां हिंसामहिंसा व्यपकर्षति। ब्राह्मणाः शास्त्रनिर्देशादित्याहुर्ब्रह्मवादिनः ॥१२-२८०-१२॥
The speakers of Brahman, the Brāhmaṇas, say that non-injury, as instructed by the śāstra, removes the injury committed out of ignorance.
तथा कामकृतं चास्य विहिंसैवापकर्षति। इत्याहुर्धर्मशास्त्रज्ञा ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः ॥१२-२८०-१३॥
Thus, the knowers of dharma-śāstra, the Brāhmaṇas who have mastered the Vedas, say that actions done out of desire and injury indeed deprive a person (of merit).
अहं तु तावत्पश्यामि कर्म यद्वर्तते कृतम्। गुणयुक्तं प्रकाशं च पापेनानुपसंहितम् ॥१२-२८०-१४॥
But as for me, I see only those actions which have been performed, endowed with qualities and illumination, and not accompanied by evil.
यथा सूक्ष्माणि कर्माणि फलन्तीह यथातथम्। बुद्धियुक्तानि तानीह कृतानि मनसा सह ॥१२-२८०-१५॥
Just as subtle actions yield results here in various ways, so also, those actions performed here with an intelligent mind bear fruit accordingly.
भवत्यल्पफलं कर्म सेवितं नित्यमुल्बणम्। अबुद्धिपूर्वं धर्मज्ञ कृतमुग्रेण कर्मणा ॥१२-२८०-१६॥
O knower of dharma, action that is always harsh, of little fruit, and practiced without wisdom, is performed with severity and yields little result.
कृतानि यानि कर्माणि दैवतैर्मुनिभिस्तथा। नाचरेत्तानि धर्मात्मा श्रुत्वा चापि न कुत्सयेत् ॥१२-२८०-१७॥
A virtuous person should neither perform those actions which have been done by gods and sages, nor, having heard of them, should he criticize them.
सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा राजन्विदित्वा शक्तिमात्मनः। करोति यः शुभं कर्म स वै भद्राणि पश्यति ॥१२-२८०-१८॥
O king, one who, after thoughtful consideration and knowing his own capacity, performs auspicious deeds, truly attains good results.
नवे कपाले सलिलं संन्यस्तं हीयते यथा। नवेतरे तथाभावं प्राप्नोति सुखभावितम् ॥१२-२८०-१९॥
Just as water placed in a new pot diminishes, so too, in another new pot, it attains the same condition, filled with happiness.
सतोयेऽन्यत्तु यत्तोयं तस्मिन्नेव प्रसिच्यते। वृद्धे वृद्धिमवाप्नोति सलिले सलिलं यथा ॥१२-२८०-२०॥
Just as when water is poured into a pond already filled with water, the water increases, so too does something increase when added to what is already abundant.
एवं कर्माणि यानीह बुद्धियुक्तानि भूपते। नसमानीह हीनानि तानि पुण्यतमान्यपि ॥१२-२८०-२१॥
O king, thus, actions performed here with intelligence are not equal to inferior ones; even if those inferior actions are most meritorious.
राज्ञा जेतव्याः सायुधाश्चोन्नताश्च; सम्यक्कर्तव्यं पालनं च प्रजानाम्। अग्निश्चेयो बहुभिश्चापि यज्ञै; रन्ते मध्ये वा वनमाश्रित्य स्थेयम् ॥१२-२८०-२२॥
The king should conquer the armed and the proud; he must properly protect his subjects. Fire is superior to many sacrifices; one may find delight in the midst of society or, having taken to the forest, should remain there.
दमान्वितः पुरुषो धर्मशीलो; भूतानि चात्मानमिवानुपश्येत्। गरीयसः पूजयेदात्मशक्त्या; सत्येन शीलेन सुखं नरेन्द्र ॥१२-२८०-२३॥
A self-restrained and righteous man should see all beings as himself. He should honor his superiors to the best of his ability; by truth and virtue, O king, he attains happiness.
