धर्मनिन्दा–धर्मोपासनाफलम् तथा साध्वाचारलक्षणम्
Fruits of Disparaging vs. Observing Dharma; Marks of Good Conduct
कर्मणा दुष्कृतेनेह स्थानादू भ्रश्यति वै द्विज: । ज्येष्ठ॑ वर्णमनुप्राप्प तस्माद् रक्षेत वै द्विज:
karmaṇā duṣkṛtenehā sthānād bhraśyati vai dvijaḥ | jyeṣṭhaṁ varṇam anuprāpya tasmād rakṣeta vai dvijaḥ ||
यह निश्चय है कि इसी जीवन में पापकर्म करने से द्विज अपने स्थान और महिमा से गिर जाता है। इसलिए उत्तम वर्ण में जन्म पाकर द्विज को अपनी धर्म-मर्यादा की सावधानी से रक्षा करनी चाहिए।
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Sinful action (duṣkṛta) causes a dvija to fall from his rightful station and dignity; therefore one who has attained a privileged birth must preserve dharma—self-restraint, purity of conduct, and the limits (maryādā) appropriate to his role.
Śrī Maheśvara is instructing about ethical discipline: he warns that wrongdoing brings immediate degradation in this world, and he urges the twice-born to guard their conduct, especially since they are expected to uphold exemplary standards.