The unwise sleep, the sages always wake. Know, that in this world the (cause of) misery 1 brings forth evil consequences! Knowing the course of the world 2, one should cease from violent acts. He who correctly possesses 3 these (sensual perceptions), viz. sounds, and colours, and smells, and tastes, and touches (1), who self-possessed, wise, just, chaste, with right comprehension understands the world, he is to be called a sage, one who knows the law, and righteous. He knows the connection of the whirl (of births) and the current (of sensation with love and hate). Not minding heat and cold, equanimous against pleasure and pain, the Nirgrantha does not feel the austerity of penance. Waking and free from hostility, a wise man, thou liberatest (thyself and others) from the miseries. (2)
But a man always benighted, subject to old age and death, does not know the law. Seeing living beings suffering, earnestly enter a religious life 4. Considering this, O prudent one, look!
Carefully abstaining from pleasures and ceasing from bad works he is a hero, guarding himself, who is grounded in knowledge 2. (3) He who knows the violence done for the sake of special objects, knows what is free from violence 3; he who knows what is free from violence, knows the violence done for special objects. For him who is without karman, there is no appellation 4. The condition of living beings arises from karman.
Examining karman and the root of karman, viz. killing 5, examining (it) and adopting its contrary 6, he is not seen by both ends 7. Knowing this, a wise man who knows the world and has cast off the idea of the world, should prudently conquer the obstructions to righteousness 8. Thus I say. (4)
28:1 I.e. ignorance and delusion.
28:2 Regarding the evil-doer.
28:3 And renounces.
28:4 Again a half sloka, unnoticed as such by the commentators.
