Critical Edition
व्यास उवाच त्रयीविद्यामवेक्षेत वेदेषूक्तामथाङ्गतः ऋक्सामवर्णाक्षरतो यजुषोऽथर्वणस्तथा
M. N. Dutt: Vyasa said The three-fold knowledge which occurs in the Vedas and their branches should be required. That knowledge is to be got from the Richs, the Samans, and the sciences called Varna and Akshara. There are besides, the Yajushas and the Atharvans. The Divine Being lives in the six sorts of acts indicated in these.
Supplementary Passages:
12.227.1 After 1, K6 V1 B0.6-9 Da3.a4 Dn1.n4 Ds D2.3.5.6.8 ins.: *675 तिष्ठत्येतेषु भगवान्षट्सु कर्मसु संस्थितः
वेदवादेषु कुशला ह्यध्यात्मकुशलाश्च ये सत्त्ववन्तो महाभागाः पश्यन्ति प्रभवाप्ययौ
M. N. Dutt: They who are well-read in the injunctions of the Vedas, who have knowledge of the Soul, who are attached to the quality of Goodness, and who are highly blessed, succeed in understanding the origin and the end of all things.
एवं धर्मेण वर्तेत क्रियाः शिष्टवदाचरेत् असंरोधेन भूतानां वृत्तिं लिप्सेत वै द्विजः
M. N. Dutt: A Brahmana should follow the duties laid down in the Vedas. He should do all his works like a good man of controlled soul. He should acquire his livelihood without injuring any creature.
सद्भ्य आगतविज्ञानः शिष्टः शास्त्रविचक्षणः स्वधर्मेण क्रिया लोके कुर्वाणः सत्यसंगरः
M. N. Dutt: Having derived knowledge from the good and wise, he should govern his passions and desires. Well-versed in the scriptures, he should follow those duties which have been laid down for him, and do all works in this world guided by the qualities of goodness. Living even like a house-holder, the Brahmana should perform the six acts already spoken of.
तिष्ठत्येतेषु गृहवान्षट्सु कर्मसु स द्विजः पञ्चभिः सततं यज्ञैः श्रद्दधानो यजेत च
AI Translation: The twice-born householder should perform these six duties. He should perform the five daily sacrifices with faith.
धृतिमानप्रमत्तश्च दान्तो धर्मविदात्मवान् वीतहर्षभयक्रोधो ब्राह्मणो नावसीदति
M. N. Dutt: With his heart full of faith, he should adore the deities in the five well-known sacrifices. Possessed of patience, ever vigilant, having self-control, conversant with duties, with a purified soul, divested of joy, pride, and anger, the Brahmana should never sink in langour.
दानमध्ययनं यज्ञस्तपो ह्रीरार्जवं दमः एतैर्वर्धयते तेजः पाप्मानं चापकर्षति
M. N. Dutt: Gifts, study of the Vedas, sacrifices, penances, modesty, guilelessness and selfcontrol,-these increase one's energy and dissipate one's sins.
धूतपाप्मा तु मेधावी लघ्वाहारो जितेन्द्रियः कामक्रोधौ वशे कृत्वा निनीषेद्ब्रह्मणः पदम्
M. N. Dutt: One gifted with intelligence should be abstemious in diet and should conquer his senses. Indeed, having subdued both lust and anger and having dissipated all his sins, he should try to attain Brahina.
अग्नींश्च ब्राह्मणांश्चार्चेद्देवताः प्रणमेत च वर्जयेद्रुषतीं वाचं हिंसां चाधर्मसंहिताम्
M. N. Dutt: He should adore the Fire and Brahmanas, and bow to the gods. He should avoid all sorts of inauspicious talk, and all acts of unrighteous talk, and all acts of unrighteous injury.
एषा पूर्वतरा वृत्तिर्ब्राह्मणस्य विधीयते ज्ञानागमेन कर्माणि कुर्वन्कर्मसु सिध्यति
M. N. Dutt: This preliminary course of conduct is first sanctioned for a Brahmana. Subsequently, when knowledge comes, he should begin work, for success lies in works.
पञ्चेन्द्रियजलां घोरां लोभकूलां सुदुस्तराम् मन्युपङ्कामनाधृष्यां नदीं तरति बुद्धिमान्
M. N. Dutt: The Brahmana who is gifted with intelligence succeeds in crossing over the river of life that is so difficult to cross and so furious a and terrible, having the five senses for its waters, cupidity for its origin, and anger for its mire.
काममन्यूद्धतं यत्स्यान्नित्यमत्यन्तमोहितम् महता विधिदृष्टेन बलेनाप्रतिघातिना स्वभावस्रोतसा वृत्तमुह्यते सततं जगत्
AI Translation: The mind, which is always agitated by desire and anger, and is completely deluded, is obstructed by the great force seen in the scriptures. The world is always deluded by the current of its own nature.
कालोदकेन महता वर्षावर्तेन संततम् मासोर्मिणर्तुवेगेन पक्षोलपतृणेन च
AI Translation: By the great flood of time, by the continuous cycle of rains, By the waves of months, by the force of seasons, by the grass of fortnights,
निमेषोन्मेषफेनेन अहोरात्रजवेन च कामग्राहेण घोरेण वेदयज्ञप्लवेन च
AI Translation: By the foam of opening and closing the eyes, by the speed of day and night, By the terrible grip of desire, by the raft of the Vedas and sacrifices,
धर्मद्वीपेन भूतानां चार्थकामरवेण च ऋतसोपानतीरेण विहिंसातरुवाहिना
AI Translation: By the island of Dharma, by the river of the desire for the good of beings, By the shore of the steps of truth, by the tree of non-violence,
युगह्रदौघमध्येन ब्रह्मप्रायभवेन च धात्रा सृष्टानि भूतानि कृष्यन्ते यमसादनम्
AI Translation: In the midst of the flood of the age, in the state of Brahma, The beings created by the Creator are led to Yama's abode.
एतत्प्रज्ञामयैर्धीरा निस्तरन्ति मनीषिणः प्लवैरप्लववन्तो हि किं करिष्यन्त्यचेतसः
M. N. Dutt: Wise and patient persons always succeed in crossing over this dreadful river by engaging the rafts of knowledge and wisdom. What, however, can insensiate fools, destitute of similar rafts, do?
उपपन्नं हि यत्प्राज्ञो निस्तरेन्नेतरो जनः दूरतो गुणदोषौ हि प्राज्ञः सर्वत्र पश्यति
M. N. Dutt: It is reasonable that only he that is wise should succeed in crossing this river and not the man of little understanding. The former sees from a distance the merits and faults of everything.
संशयात्मा स कामात्मा चलचित्तोऽल्पचेतनः अप्राज्ञो न तरत्येव यो ह्यास्ते न स गच्छति
M. N. Dutt: The man, however, of weak and little understanding, and whose soul is full of desire and cupidity, is always stricken with doubt. Hence, the man shorn of wisdom never succeeds in crossing over that stream. He also who sits inactively, can never cross it over.
अप्लवो हि महादोषमुह्यमानोऽधिगच्छति कामग्राहगृहीतस्य ज्ञानमप्यस्य न प्लवः
M. N. Dutt: The man shorn of the raft of wisdom in consequence of his having to bear the heavy burden of great faults, sinks down. One that is seized by the crocodile of desire, even if endued with knowledge, can never make knowledge his raft.
तस्मादुन्मज्जनस्यार्थे प्रयतेत विचक्षणः एतदुन्मज्जनं तस्य यदयं ब्राह्मणो भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: For these reasons the wise and intelligent {}}en should try to float over the stream of Time. He indeed, succeeds in keeping himself afloat who knows Brahma.
त्र्यवदाते कुले जातस्त्रिसंदेहस्त्रिकर्मकृत् तस्मादुन्मज्जनस्तिष्ठेन्निस्तरेत्प्रज्ञया यथा
M. N. Dutt: One born in a noble family, abstaining from the three duties of teaching, officiating at other's sacrifices, and accepting gifts, and doing only the three other acts, viz., studying, Sacrificing, and giving, should, for those reasons, try to float over the river. Such a man is sure to cross it over helped by the raft of wisdom.
संस्कृतस्य हि दान्तस्य नियतस्य कृतात्मनः प्राज्ञस्यानन्तरा सिद्धिरिह लोके परत्र च
M. N. Dutt: One who is pure in conduct, who is selfcontrolled and observant of good vows, whose soul is under restraint, and who is endued with wisdom, certainly gains success in this and the other world.
वर्तते तेषु गृहवानक्रुध्यन्ननसूयकः पञ्चभिः सततं यज्ञैर्विघसाशी यजेत च
M. N. Dutt: The Brahmana living like a house-holder should conquer anger and envy, practise the virtues already named, and adoring the gods in the five sacrifices, eat after having fed the gods, Pitris, and guests.
सतां वृत्तेन वर्तेत क्रियाः शिष्टवदाचरेत् असंरोधेन धर्मस्य वृत्तिं लिप्सेदगर्हिताम्
M. N. Dutt: He should perform those duties which are observed by the good; he should, do all his acts like a self-controlled person and he should without injuring any creature, earn his livelihood by following a course which is not censurable.
श्रुतिविज्ञानतत्त्वज्ञः शिष्टाचारो विचक्षणः स्वधर्मेण क्रियावांश्च कर्मणा सोऽप्यसंकरः
AI Translation: One who knows the truth of the Vedas and the scriptures, who is well-versed in the conduct of the virtuous, And who is engaged in his own duty by means of action, he too is without confusion.
क्रियावाञ्श्रद्दधानश्च दाता प्राज्ञोऽनसूयकः धर्माधर्मविशेषज्ञः सर्वं तरति दुस्तरम्
AI Translation: One who is active, faithful, generous, wise, and free from envy, and who knows the difference between virtue and vice, can cross all the difficult to cross.
धृतिमानप्रमत्तश्च दान्तो धर्मविदात्मवान् वीतहर्षभयक्रोधो ब्राह्मणो नावसीदति
M. N. Dutt: That Brahmana who is gifted with fortitude, who is always careful, who is self-controlled who is conversant with righteousness, whose soul is under restraint, and who has gone over joy, pride, and anger, has never to languish in grief,
एषा पूर्वतरा वृत्तिर्ब्राह्मणस्य विधीयते ज्ञानवित्त्वेन कर्माणि कुर्वन्सर्वत्र सिध्यति
M. N. Dutt: This is the course of conduct laid down in days of yore for a Brahmana. He should try to acquire knowledge, and do all the scriptural acts. By living thus, he is sure to acquire Success.
अधर्मं धर्मकामो हि करोतीहाविचक्षणः धर्मं चाधर्मसंकाशं शोचन्निव करोति सः
M. N. Dutt: One who is not gifted with clear vision, does wrong even when one wishes to do right. By even exercising his judgement, such a person, does such acts of virtue as are wrong.
धर्मं करोमीति करोत्यधर्म;मधर्मकामश्च करोति धर्मम् उभे बालः कर्मणी न प्रजान;न्स जायते म्रियते चापि देही
M. N. Dutt: Desiring to do what is right one does what is wrong. Likewise desiring to do what is wrong, one does what is right. Such a person is a fool. Not knowing the two kinds of acts, one has to go through repeated re-births and deaths.