पराशर उवाच कः कस्य चोपकुरुते कश्च कस्मै प्रयच्छति। प्राणी करोत्ययं कर्म सर्वमात्मार्थमात्मना॥
Nobody in this world does good to another. Nobody makes gifts to others. All persons are seen to act for their own selves.
गौरवेण परित्यक्तं निःस्नेहं परिवर्जयेत्। सोदर्यं भ्रातरमपि किमुतान्यं पृथग्जनम्॥
People are seen to abandon their very parents and their uterine brothers when these cease to love them. What need be said then of relatives of other grades.
विशिष्टस्य विशिष्टाच्च तुल्यौ दानप्रतिग्रहौ। तयोः पुण्यतरं दानं तद् द्विजस्य प्रयच्छतः॥
Gifts a distinguished person and acceptance of the gifts made by a distinguished person both produce equal merit. Of these two acts, however, the making of a gift is superior to the acceptance thereof.
न्यायागतं धनं चैव न्यायेनैव विवर्धितम्। संरक्ष्यं यत्नमास्थाय धर्मार्थमिति निश्चयः॥
to That wealth is gained by fair means and is multiplied by fair means, should be protected with care for the sake of acquiring virtue. This is an accepted truth.
न धर्मार्थी नृशंसेन कर्मणा धनमर्जयेत्। शक्तितः सर्वकार्याणि कुर्यान्नर्द्धिमनुस्मरेत्॥
One desirous of gaining virtue, should never gain riches by means involving injury to others. One should perform his acts according to his power, without zealously seeking riches.
अपो हि प्रयतः शीतास्तापिता ज्वलनेन वा। शक्तितोऽतिथये दत्त्वा क्षुधार्तायाश्नुते फलम्॥
By giving water, whether cold or heated by fire, with a devoted mind, to a (thirsty) guest, according to the best of his might, one acquires the merit of the act of giving food to a hungry man.
रन्तिदेवेन लोकेष्टा सिद्धिः प्राप्ता महात्मना। फलपत्रैरथो मूलैर्मुनीनर्चितवांश्च सः॥
The great Rantideva acquired success in all the worlds by adoring the ascetics with offerings of only roots and fruits and leaves.
तैरेव फलपत्रैश्च स माठरमतोषयत्। तस्माल्लेभे परं स्थानं शैब्योऽपि पृथिवीपतिः॥
The royal son of Shaivi also acquired the highest regions of happiness by having pleased the Son-god along with his companion with offerings of the same sort.
देवतातिथिभृत्येभ्यः पितृभ्यश्चात्मनस्तथा। ऋणवान् जायते मर्त्यस्तस्मादनृणतां व्रजेत्॥
All men, by being born, become indebted to gods, guests, servants, Pitris, and their own selves. Every one should, therefore do his best for satisfying those debts.
स्वाध्यायेन महर्षिभ्यो देवेभ्यो यज्ञकर्मणा। पितृभ्यः श्राद्धदानेन नृणामभ्यर्चनेन च॥
One frees oneself from his debt to the great Rishis by studying the Vedas. One satisfies his debts to the gods by celebrating sacrifices. By performing the rites of the Shraddha one satisfies the debts to the Pitris. One satisfies the debt to his fellow men by doing good to them. son son
वाचा शेषावहार्येण पालनेनात्मनोऽपि च। यथावद् भृत्यवर्गस्य चिकीत् कर्म आदितः॥
One satisfies the debts he owns to one's own self by listening to Vedic recitations and reflecting on their meaning, by eating the remnants of sacrifices, and by supporting his body. One should duly perform all the acts, from the beginning, that he owes to his servants.
प्रयत्नेन च संसिद्धा धनैरपि विवर्जिताः। सम्यग्घुत्वा हुतवहं मुनयः सिद्धिमागताः॥
Through shorn of wealth, men are seen to attain to success by great exertions. Ascetics by duly adoring the gods, and by duly pouring libations of clarified butter on the sacred fire, have been seen to acquire ascetic success.
विश्वामित्रस्य पुत्रत्वमृचीकतनयोऽगमत्। ऋग्भिः स्तुत्वा महाबाहो देवान् वै यज्ञभागिनः॥
Richika's became the of Vishvamitra. By worshipping the gods who have shares in sacrificial offerings, with Riches, (he acquired success in after life).
गतः शुक्रत्वमुशना देवदेवप्रसादनात्। देवीं स्तुत्वा तु गगने मोदते यशसा वृतः॥
Ushanas became Shukra by having pleased the god of gods. Indeed, by singing the praises of the goddess (Uma), he sports in the sky, in the great effulgence.
असितो देवलश्चैव तथा नारदपर्वतौ। कक्षीवान् जामदग्न्यश्च रामस्ताण्ड्यस्तथाऽऽत्मवान्।। वसिष्ठो जमदग्निश्च विश्वामित्रोऽत्रिरेव च। भरद्वाजो हरिश्मश्रुः कुण्डधारः श्रुतश्रवाः॥ एते महर्षयः स्तुत्वा विष्णुमृग्भिः समाहिताः। लेभिरे तपसा सिद्धिं प्रसादात् तस्य धीमतः॥
Then, again, Asita and Devala, and Narada and Paravata, and Kakshivat, and Jamadagni's son Rama, and Tandya possessed of purified soul, and Vashishtha, and Jamadagni, and Vishvamitra, and Atri, and Bharadvaja, and Harishmashru, and Kundadhara, and Shrutashravas,-these great Rishis, by worshipping Vishnu with concentrated minds with the help of Richs, and by penances, acquired success through the grace of that great god gifted with intelligence.
अनश्चिाहतां प्राप्ताः सन्तः स्तुत्वा तमेव ह। न तु वृद्धिमिहान्विच्छेत् कर्म कृत्वा जुगुप्सितम्॥
Many undeserving men, by worshipping that good god, won great distinction. One should not seek for advancement by committing any wicked or censurable deed.
येऽर्था धर्मेण ते सत्या येऽधर्मेण धिगस्तु तान्। धर्मं वै शाश्वतं लोके न जह्याद् धनकाझ्या॥
That wealth which acquired by fair means is true wealth. Fie on that wealth however, which is acquired by unfair means. Virtue is eternal. It should never, in this world, be renounced from desire of riches.
आहिताग्निर्हि धर्मात्मा यः स पुण्यकृदुत्तमः। वेदा हि सर्वे राजेन्द्र स्थितास्त्रिष्वग्निषु प्रभो॥
That pious person who keeps his sacred fire and offers his daily adorations to the gods is considered as the foremost of righteous persons. All the Vedas, O foremost of kings, are established on the three sacred fires.
स चाप्यग्न्याहितो विप्रः क्रिया यस्य न हीयते। श्रेयो ह्यनाहिताग्नित्वमग्निहोत्रं न निष्क्रियम्॥
That Brahmana is said to possess the sacred fire whose acts exist in full. It is better to at once leave off the sacred fire than to keep it, abstaining from acts.
अग्निरात्मा च माता च पिता जनयिता तथा। गुरुश्च नरशार्दूल परिचर्या यथातथम्॥
The sacred fire, the mother, the father who has begotten, and the preceptor, O foremost men, should all be duly attended and served with humility.
मानं त्यक्त्वा यो नरो वृद्धसेवी विद्वान् क्लीबः पश्यति प्रीतियोगात्। दाक्ष्येण हीनो धर्मयुक्तो नदान्तो लोकेऽस्मिन् वै पूज्यते सद्भिरार्यः॥
That man, who, renouncing all feelings of pride, humbly attends upon and serves them who are venerable for age, who is endued with learning and shorn of lust, who regains all creatures equally with an eye of love, who nas no riches, who is righteous in his acts, and who is shorn of the desire of inflicting any kind of injury, that truly respectable man is adored in this world by the good and pious.