12.280
parāśara uvāca॥
Parāśara said.
manoratharathaṃ prāpya indriyārthahayaṃ naraḥ। raśmibhirjñānasambhūtairyō gacchati sa buddhimān ॥12-280-1॥
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.
sevāśritena manasā vṛttihīnasya śasyate। dvijātihastānnirvṛttā na tu tulyātparasparam ॥12-280-2॥
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.
āyur-nasulabhaṃ labdhvā nāvakārṣed-viśāṃ pate| utkarṣārthaṃ prayatate naraḥ puṇyena karmaṇā ॥12-280-3॥
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.
varṇebhyo'pi paribhraṣṭaḥ sa vai saṃmānam arhati। na tu yaḥ satkriyāṃ prāpya rājasaṃ karma sevate ॥12-280-4॥
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.
varṇotkarṣam avāpnoti naraḥ puṇyena karmaṇā। durlabhaṃ tam alabdhā hi hanyāt pāpena karmaṇā ॥12-280-5॥
A man attains the excellence of his caste through virtuous deeds; but if he fails to achieve it, he destroys it by sinful actions.
ajñānāddhi kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ tapasaivābhinirṇudet। pāpaṃ hi karma phalati pāpameva svayaṃ kṛtam ॥ tasmātpāpaṃ na seveta karma duḥkaphalodayam ॥12-280-6॥
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.
pāpānubandhaṃ yat karma yadyapi syān mahāphalam। na tat seveta medhāvī śuciḥ kusalilaṃ yathā ॥12-280-7॥
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.
kiṅkaṣṭam anupaśyāmi phalaṃ pāpasya karmaṇaḥ। pratyāpannasya hi sataḥ na ātmā tāvat virocate ॥12-280-8॥
What painful result of sinful action do I see? For truly, the self of one who has returned does not shine as before.
pratyāpattiś ca yasya iha bāliśasya na jāyate। tasyāpi sumahāṁs tāpaḥ prasthitasya upajāyate ॥12-280-9॥
For the foolish person, there is no return here; for him, too, great suffering arises once he has set out.
viraktaṃ śodhyate vastraṃ na tu kṛṣṇopasaṃhitam। prayatnena manuṣyendra pāpamevaṃ nibodha me ॥12-280-10॥
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.
svayaṃ kṛtvā tu yaḥ pāpaṃ śubham-evānutiṣṭhati। prāyaścittaṃ naraḥ kartum-ubhayam so'śnute pṛthak ॥12-280-11॥
But if a man, having committed a sin himself, performs only good deeds, he attains both the results of atonement and of action separately.
ajñānāttu kṛtāṃ hiṃsāmahiṃsā vyapakarṣati। brāhmaṇāḥ śāstranirdeśādityāhurbrahmavādinaḥ ॥12-280-12॥
The speakers of Brahman, the Brāhmaṇas, say that non-injury, as instructed by the śāstra, removes the injury committed out of ignorance.
tathā kāmakṛtaṃ cāsya vihiṃsaivāpakarṣati। ityāhur dharmaśāstrajñā brāhmaṇā vedapāragāḥ ॥12-280-13॥
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).
ahaṃ tu tāvatpaśyāmi karma yadvartate kṛtam। guṇayuktaṃ prakāśaṃ ca pāpenānupasaṃhitam ॥12-280-14॥
But as for me, I see only those actions which have been performed, endowed with qualities and illumination, and not accompanied by evil.
yathā sūkṣmāṇi karmāṇi phalantīha yathātatham। buddhiyuktāni tānīha kṛtāni manasā saha ॥12-280-15॥
Just as subtle actions yield results here in various ways, so also, those actions performed here with an intelligent mind bear fruit accordingly.
bhavaty-alpa-phalaṃ karma sevitaṃ nityam-ulbaṇam। abuddhi-pūrvaṃ dharma-jña kṛtam-ugreṇa karmaṇā ॥12-280-16॥
O knower of dharma, action that is always harsh, of little fruit, and practiced without wisdom, is performed with severity and yields little result.
kṛtāni yāni karmāṇi daivatair munibhis tathā। nācarettāni dharmātmā śrutvā cāpi na kutsayet ॥12-280-17॥
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.
sañcintya manasā rājan viditvā śaktim ātmanaḥ। karoti yaḥ śubhaṃ karma sa vai bhadrāṇi paśyati॥12-280-18॥
O king, one who, after thoughtful consideration and knowing his own capacity, performs auspicious deeds, truly attains good results.
nave kapāle salilaṃ saṃnyastaṃ hīyate yathā। navetare tathābhāvaṃ prāpnoti sukhabhāvitam ॥12-280-19॥
Just as water placed in a new pot diminishes, so too, in another new pot, it attains the same condition, filled with happiness.
satoye'nyattu yattoyaṃ tasminneva prasicyate। vṛddhe vṛddhimavāpnoti salile salilaṃ yathā ॥12-280-20॥
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.
evaṃ karmāṇi yāni iha buddhi-yuktāni bhūpate। na samāni iha hīnani tāni puṇyatamāni api॥12-280-21॥
O king, thus, actions performed here with intelligence are not equal to inferior ones; even if those inferior actions are most meritorious.
rājñā jetavyāḥ sāyudhāś c'onnatāś ca; samyak kartavyaṃ pālanaṃ ca prajānām। agniś c'eyo bahubhiś cāpi yajñai; rante madhye vā vanam āśritya stheyam ॥12-280-22॥
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.
damānvitaḥ puruṣo dharmaśīlo; bhūtāni cātmānamivānupaśyet। garīyasaḥ pūjayedātmaśaktyā; satyena śīlena sukhaṃ narendra ॥12-280-23॥
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.
