कर्म चैव हि सर्वेषां कारणानां प्रयोजनम्। श्रेयः पापीयसां चात्र फलं भवति कर्मणाम्।७।। निःश्रेयसफलावेव धर्मार्थवितरावपि। अधर्मानर्थयोः प्राप्तं फलं च प्रात्यवायिकम्॥ ऐहलौकिकपारक्यं कर्म पुंभिनिषेव्यते। कर्माण्यपि तु कल्पानि लभते काममास्थितः।९।। तत्र क्लृप्तमिदं राज्ञा हृदि कार्य मतं च नः। शत्रौ हि साहसं यत्तत्किमिवानापनीयते॥
karma caiva hi sarveṣāṃ kāraṇānāṃ prayojanam| śreyaḥ pāpīyasāṃ cātra phalaṃ bhavati karmaṇām|7|| niḥśreyasaphalāveva dharmārthavitarāvapi| adharmānarthayoḥ prāptaṃ phalaṃ ca prātyavāyikam|| aihalaukikapārakyaṃ karma puṃbhiniṣevyate| karmāṇyapi tu kalpāni labhate kāmamāsthitaḥ|9|| tatra klṛptamidaṃ rājñā hṛdi kārya mataṃ ca naḥ| śatrau hi sāhasaṃ yattatkimivānāpanīyate||
English Meaning
Verily action is the spring of all agencies of happiness or misery; and it is only those that act either well or ill that reap the results of their acts. Virtue, and interest bring about emancipation as well as heaven and prosperity. But evil come from unrighteousness and harms spring therefrom. People reap the fruit of their acts in this world or the next; but the fruit of desire is reaped readily. Therefore should a king set about attaining his desire. And this also had we advised you with our soul. And that is the harm that one should display his prowess before a foe?
— M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)