इदं तु ब्रह्मणा प्रोक्तं धर्मशास्त्रमनुत्तमम् । विदुषा ब्राह्मणेनेदमध्येतव्यं प्रयत्नतः
This supreme code of dharma has been declared by Brahmā; learned men say that a brahmin should study it diligently with effort.
शिष्येभ्यश्चैव वक्तव्यं चातुर्वर्ण्येभ्य एव हि । अध्येतव्यं न चान्येन ब्राह्मणं क्षत्रियं विना । श्रोतव्यमेव शूद्रेण नाध्येतव्यं कदाचन
It must be taught to disciples and to the four varṇas — indeed to the varṇas alone; it is not to be learned by anyone without a brahmin or kṣatriya, and a śūdra should never study it at any time.
देवार्चां पुरतः कृत्वा ब्राह्मणैश्च नृपोत्तम । श्रोतव्यमेव शूद्रैश्च तथान्यैश्च द्विजातिभिः
Having offered worship to the gods first, the best of kings should reverence brahmins; the śūdras and others are only fit to be listeners, likewise the twice-born.
श्रौतं स्मार्तं हि वै धर्मं प्रोक्तमस्मिन्नृपोत्तम । तस्माच्छूद्रैर्विना विप्रान्न श्रोतव्यं कथञ्चन
O best of kings, the śruti and smṛti are declared here as the law; therefore without śūdras, brahmins cannot be properly instructed in listening in any way.
इदं शास्त्रमधीयानो ब्राह्मणः संशितव्रतः । मनोवाग्देहजैर्नित्यं कर्मदोषैर्न लिम्पते
A brahmin who studies this scripture and is steadfast in vows, who constantly controls mind, speech and body and avoids sinful acts, does not become tainted by deeds.
शृण्वन्ति चापि ये राजन् भक्त्या वै ब्राह्मणादयः । मुच्यन्ते पातकैः सर्वैर्गच्छन्ति च दिवं प्रभो
Those, O king, who hear (the teaching) with devotion from brahmins are freed from all sins and go to heaven, my lord.
श्रावयेच्चापि यो विप्रः सर्वान्वर्णान्नृपोत्तम । स गुरुः प्रोच्यते तात वर्णानामिह सर्वशः
A brahmin who teaches all the varṇas, O best of kings, is called a guru; he should be proclaimed so for all the varṇas without exception.
स पूज्यः सर्वकालेषु सर्वैर्वर्णैर्नराधिप । पृथिवीं च तथैवेमां कृत्स्नामेकोऽपि सोऽर्हति
He is to be honored at all times by all varṇas, O sovereign; he alone is worthy even to possess the entire earth.
इदं स्वस्त्ययनं श्रेष्ठमिदं बुद्धिविवर्धनम् । इदं यशस्यं सततमिदं निःश्रेयसं परम्
This is auspicious study, the best; this increases intelligence; it is ever the source of fame and the supreme welfare.
अस्मिन्धर्मोऽखिलेनोक्तो गुणदोषौ च कर्मणाम् । चतुर्णामपि वर्णानामाचारश्चापि शाश्वतः
In this dharma are declared the qualities and faults of actions, and the conduct of the four varṇas as well — all of these are eternal.
आचारः प्रथमो धर्मः श्रुत्युक्तश्च नरोत्तम । तस्मादस्मिन्समायुक्तो नित्यं स्यादात्मवान्द्विजः
Conduct (ācāra) is the primary dharma, and the best man speaks according to heard tradition; therefore a twice-born who is established in such practice should always consider himself as self-governed.
आचाराद्विच्युतो विप्रो न वेदफलमश्नुते । आचारेण च संयुक्तः सम्पूर्णफलभाक्स्मृतः
A brahman who falls away from good conduct does not attain the fruits of the Veda; but one joined to conduct is reckoned to partake of the full results.
एवमाचारतो दृष्ट्वा धर्मस्य मुनयो गतिम् । सर्वस्य तपसो मूलमाचारं जगृहुः परम्
Seeing the movement of sages governed by such conduct, the root of all austerity was held to be conduct itself; they grasped that foremost practice.
अन्ये च मानवा राजन्नाचारं संश्रिता सदा । एवमस्मिन्पुराणे तु आचारस्य तु कीर्तनम्
Others among men, O king, are always dependent on conduct; thus in this Purana there is indeed the praise and account of conduct.
वृत्तान्तानि च राजेन्द्र तथा चोक्तानि पण्डितैः । त्रिलोक्यास्तु समुत्पत्तिः संस्कारविधिरुत्तमः । श्रवणं चेतिहासस्य विधानं कथ्यते नृप
To the king are recounted narratives and matters declared by scholars; the origin of the three worlds and the highest rite of samskāra are given, and the procedure of listening and history is prescribed, O king.
तथास्मिन्कथ्यते राजन्माहात्म्यं वाचकस्य तु । व्रतचर्याश्रमाचाराः स्नातकस्य परो विधिः
So is related, O king, the greatness of the speaker himself: the observance of vows, the duties of ashramas, and the conduct appropriate to a graduate (snātaka) are set forth.
दारादिगमनं चैव विवाहानां च लक्षणम् । पुंसां च लक्षणं राजन्योषितां चात्र कथ्यते
Proceedings regarding householders—matters like the coming and going of wives, the signs of marriages, and the marks of men and of those accepted by kings—are here declared.
महायज्ञविधानं च शास्त्रकल्पं च शाश्वतम् । पृथिव्या लक्षणं तात देवार्चायाः सुलक्षणम्
The ordinance for great sacrifices and the eternal plan of the scriptures are given; O son, the characteristics of the earth and the easy rites for worship of the gods are described.
वृत्तीनां लक्षणं चैव स्नातकस्य व्रतानि च । भक्ष्याभक्ष्यं च शौचं च द्रव्याणां शुद्धिरेव च
The signs of occupations, the vows of a graduate, what is to be eaten and avoided, rules of purity, and the proper state of wealth are all set forth.
स्त्रीधर्मयोगस्तापस्यं मोक्षः संन्यास एव च । राज्ञश्च धर्मो ह्यखिलः कार्याणां च विनिर्णयः
The duty of women is union (yoga) and chastity; liberation lies in austerity and in renunciation; for a king, all dharma is the decisive settling of matters of action.
माहात्म्यं सवितुश्चात्र तीर्थानां च विशाम्पते । नारायणस्य माहात्म्यं तथा रुद्रस्य कथ्यते
Here is described the greatness of Savitṛ and of the sacred bathing-places; likewise the greatness of Nārāyaṇa and of Rudra is recited.
महाभाग्यं च विप्राणां माहात्म्यं पुस्तकस्य च । दुर्गादेव्यास्तथा चोक्तं सत्यस्य च महामते
The text declares the great fortune of learned brāhmaṇas, the sanctity of a book, and also the greatness of the goddess Durgā and of the Truth, O wise one.
संक्षिप्तं संविधानं च धर्मं स्त्रीपुंसयोरपि । विभागं धर्मद्यूतं च कथकानां च शोधनम्
A concise constitution (guideline) is given for dharma applicable to both women and men, divisions of duty, and the purificatory practices of storytellers.
वैश्यशूद्रोपचारं च संकीर्णानां च संभवम् । आपद्धर्मं च वर्णानां प्रायश्चित्तविधिं तथा
Procedures for serving Vaiśyas and Śūdras, the origins of mixed castes, emergency duties, and expiation rites for the varṇas are described.
संध्याविधिं प्रेतशुद्धिं स्नानतर्पणयोर्विधिम् । वैश्वदेवविधिं चापि तथा भोज्यविधिं नृप
Rules for the sandhyā ritual, rites for purification of the dead, bathing and libation ceremonies, the Vaiśvadeva ritual and also the king's food-protocol are set down.
लक्षणं दन्तकाष्ठस्य चरणव्यूहमुत्तमम् । संसारगमनं चैव त्रिविधं कर्मसम्भवम्
The marks of a chewing-stick and of an excellent arrangement of seating are given; the passage of worldly existence is threefold and arises from action.
नैःश्रेयसं कर्मणां च गुणदोषपरीक्षणम् । दाराणां लक्षणं प्रोक्तं तथा पात्रपरीक्षणम्
The means to attain supreme welfare through actions, assessments of virtues and faults, the signs of wives, and the testing of vessels are declared.
प्रसूतिं चापि गर्भस्य तथा कर्मफलं नृप । जातिधर्मान्कुलधर्मान्वेदधर्मांश्च पार्थिव
The birth and delivery of a fetus and the fruit of deeds are explained, together with duties tied to caste, kin, and the worldly duties known to kings.
वैतानव्रतिकानां च तथासौ प्रोक्तवान्विभुः । ब्रह्मा कुरुकुलश्रेष्ठ शंकराय महात्मने
The sovereign likewise proclaimed the rules for the Vaitāna vow-holders, and Brahmā spoke these things to the best of the Kuru clan and to the great Shankara.
शंकरेण तथा विष्णोः कथितं कुरुनन्दन । विष्णुनापि पुनः प्रोक्तं नारदाय महीपते
Shankara told this to Viṣṇu's descendant of the Kurus; and to Nārada, O king, these matters were also recited about Viṣṇu.