Original Text
23 (A) Devana[ṁ]priyo Priyadraśi raya evaṁ hahati (B) nasti ed[i]śaṁ danaṁ yadiśam dhrama-dana dhrama-saṁstav[e] dh[r]ama-saṁvibhago dh[r]ama-saṁba[ṁ]dha (C) tatra etaṁ dasa-bhaṭakanaṁ saṁmma-paṭipati mata-pituṣu suśruṣa mi[t]ra-saṁstuta-ñatikanaṁ śramaṇa-bramaṇana
24 dana praṇana anara[ṁ]bho (D) etaṁ vatavo pituna pi putrena pi bhratuna pi [spa]mikena pi mitra-saṁstutana ava prativeśiyena [i]ma[ṁ] sadhu imaṁ kaṭavo (E) so tatha karata[ṁ] ialoka ca a[ra]dheti paratra ca anataṁ puña prasavati
25 [te]na dhrama-danena
Translation
(A) King Devānaṁpriya Priyadarśin speaks thus.
(B) There is no such gift as the gift of morality, acquaintance through morality, the distribution of morality, (and) kinship through morality.
(C) Herein the following (are comprised), (viz.) proper courtesy to slaves and servants, obedience to mother and father, liberality to friends, acquaintances, and relatives, to Śramaṇas and Brāhmaṇas, (and) abstention from killing animals.
(D) Concerning this a father, or a son, or a brother, or a master, (or) a friend or an acquaintance, (or) even a (mere) neighbour, ought to say : ‘This is meritorious. This ought to be done’.
(E) If one is acting thus, he attains (happiness in) this world, and endless merit is produced in the other (world) by that gift of morality.
