Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 12.302
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12.302.1
वर्णो विशेषवर्णानां महर्षे केन जायते ।
एतदिच्छाम्यहं ज्ञातुं तद्ब्रूहि वदतां वर ॥ १२.३०२.१ ॥
Great seer, by what is the varṇa of the distinct varṇas produced? I wish to know this; tell me, best of speakers.
12.302.2
यदेतज्जायतेऽपत्यं स एवायमिति श्रुतिः ।
कथं ब्राह्मणतो जातो विशेषग्रहणं गतः ॥ १२.३०२.२ ॥
The offspring that is born is 'this same one', so says scripture. How, born of a brahmin, does he attain a distinct status?
12.302.3
एवमेतन्महाराज येन जातः स एव सः ।
तपसस्त्वपकर्षेण जातिग्रहणतां गतः ॥ १२.३०२.३ ॥
So it is, great king: he is indeed the same as the one from whom he was born. But through a decline of austerity he takes on the acceptance of caste.
12.302.4
सुक्षेत्राच्च सुबीजाच्च पुण्यो भवति संभवः ।
अतोऽन्यतरतो हीनादवरो नाम जायते ॥ १२.३०२.४ ॥
From a good field and good seed a pure birth comes about. Therefore, if either of the two is inferior, a son called 'avara' (the lower) is born.
12.302.5
वक्राद्भुजाभ्यामूरुभ्यां पद्भ्यां चैवाथ जज्ञिरे ।
सृजतः प्रजापतेर्लोकानिति धर्मविदो विदुः ॥ १२.३०२.५ ॥
From the mouth, the arms, the thighs and the feet, they were born — from Prajāpati as he created the worlds — so the knowers of dharma hold.
12.302.6
मुखजा ब्राह्मणास्तात बाहुजाः क्षत्रियाः स्मृताः ।
ऊरुजा धनिनो राजन्पादजाः परिचारकाः ॥ १२.३०२.६ ॥
Brahmins, dear one, are said to be born of the mouth; kṣatriyas are remembered as born of the arms. The wealthy, O king, are born of the thighs; servants of the feet.
12.302.7
चतुर्णामेव वर्णानामागमः पुरुषर्षभ ।
अतोन्ये त्वतिरिक्ता ये ते वै संकरजाः स्मृताः ॥ १२.३०२.७ ॥
O bull among men, origin lies only in the four classes; those who are beyond these are said to be born of mixture.
12.302.8
क्षत्रियातिरथाम्बष्ठा उग्रा वैदेहकास्तथा ।
श्वपाकाः पुल्कसाः स्तेना निषादाः सूतमागधाः ॥ १२.३०२.८ ॥
Kṣatriya-atirathas, Ambaṣṭhas, Ugras, Vaidehakas, Śvapākas, Pulkasas, thieves, Niṣādas, Sūtas and Māgadhas — these likewise.
12.302.9
अयोगाः कारणा व्रात्याश्चाण्डालाश्च नराधिप ।
एते चतुर्भ्यो वर्णेभ्यो जायन्ते वै परस्परात् ॥ १२.३०२.९ ॥
O lord of men, the ayogas, kāraṇas, vrātyas and caṇḍālas — these are born from the four classes and from one another.
12.302.10
ब्रह्मणैकेन जातानां नानात्वं गोत्रतः कथम् ।
बहूनीह हि लोके वै गोत्राणि मुनिसत्तम ॥ १२.३०२.१० ॥
How can there be such variety of lineage among those born of a single brahmin? O best of sages, indeed many lineages exist in this world.
12.302.11
यत्र तत्र कथं जाताः स्वयोनिं मुनयो गताः ।
शूद्रयोनौ समुत्पन्ना वियोनौ च तथा परे ॥ १२.३०२.११ ॥
How were the sages born here and there and attained their own origin? Some were produced from a śūdra womb, and others from an unfit womb.
12.302.12
राजन्नैतद्भवेद्ब्राह्ममपकृष्टेन जन्मना ।
महात्मनां समुत्पत्तिस्तपसा भावितात्मनाम् ॥ १२.३०२.१२ ॥
O king, brahminhood cannot come from a lowly birth; great souls arise from those whose selves are purified by austerity.
12.302.13
उत्पाद्य पुत्रान्मुनयो नृपते यत्र तत्र ह ।
स्वेनैव तपसा तेषामृषित्वं विदधुः पुनः ॥ १२.३०२.१३ ॥
O king, the sages begot sons here and there, and then by their own austerity established their status as seers.
12.302.14
पितामहश्च मे पूर्वमृश्यशृङ्गश्च काश्यपः ।
वेदस्ताण्ड्यः कृपश्चैव काक्षीवत्कमठादयः ॥ १२.३०२.१४ ॥
My grandfather in former times, and Ṛśyaśṛṅga and Kāśyapa, Veda, Tāṇḍya, Kṛpa, Kākṣīvat, Kamaṭha and others.
12.302.15
यवक्रीतश्च नृपते द्रोणश्च वदतांवरः ।
आयुर्मतङ्गो दत्तश्च द्रुमदो मात्स्य एव च ॥ १२.३०२.१५ ॥
And Yavakrīta, O king, and Droṇa, best of speakers, Āyu, Mataṅga, Datta, Drumada and also Mātsya.
12.302.16
एते स्वां प्रकृतिं प्राप्ता वैदेह तपसो बलात् ।
प्रतिष्ठिता वेदविदो दमेन तपसैव हि ॥ १२.३०२.१६ ॥
These, O Vaideha, attained their own nature by the power of austerity, and were established as knowers of the Veda by self-restraint and austerity alone.
12.302.17
मूलगोत्राणि चत्वारि समुत्पन्नानि पार्थिव ।
अङ्गिराः कश्यपश्चैव वसिष्ठो भृगुरेव च ॥ १२.३०२.१७ ॥
Four original lineages arose, O king: Aṅgiras, Kaśyapa, Vasiṣṭha and Bhṛgu.
12.302.18
कर्मतोऽन्यानि गोत्राणि समुत्पन्नानि पार्थिव ।
नामधेयानि तपसा तानि च ग्रहणं सताम् ॥ १२.३०२.१८ ॥
Other lineages arose from deeds, O king; those names come from austerity and are accepted by the good.
12.302.19
विशेषधर्मान्वर्णानां प्रब्रूहि भगवन्मम ।
ततः सामान्यधर्मांश्च सर्वत्र कुशलो ह्यसि ॥ १२.३०२.१९ ॥
Venerable one, tell me the specific duties of the social classes, and then the common duties too, for you are skilled in everything.
12.302.20
प्रतिग्रहो याजनं च तथैवाध्यापनं नृप ।
विशेषधर्मा विप्राणां रक्षा क्षत्रस्य शोभना ॥ १२.३०२.२० ॥
Receiving gifts, officiating at sacrifices, and likewise teaching — these are the specific duties of brahmins; for the kshatriya, protection is the noble duty.
12.302.21
कृषिश्च पाशुपाल्यं च वाणिज्यं च विशामपि ।
द्विजानां परिचर्या च शूद्रकर्म नराधिप ॥ १२.३०२.२१ ॥
Agriculture, cattle-rearing and trade also belong to the vaishyas; serving the twice-born is the work of the shudra, O lord of men.
12.302.22
विशेषधर्मा नृपते वर्णानां परिकीर्तिताः ।
धर्मान्साधारणांस्तात विस्तरेण शृणुष्व मे ॥ १२.३०२.२२ ॥
O king, the specific duties of the social classes have been declared; dear one, now hear from me in detail the common duties.
12.302.23
आनृशंस्यमर्हिसा चाप्रमादः संविभागिता ।
श्राद्धकर्मातिथेयं च सत्यमक्रोध एव च ॥ १२.३०२.२३ ॥
Kindness, non-violence, vigilance, sharing what one has, the śrāddha rite, hospitality to guests, truthfulness, and freedom from anger.
12.302.24
स्वेषु दारेषु संतोषः शौचं नित्याऽनसूयता ।
आत्मज्ञानं तितिक्षा च धर्माः साधारणा नृप ॥ १२.३०२.२४ ॥
Contentment with one's own wives, purity, constant freedom from envy, self-knowledge and patience — these are the common duties, O king.
12.302.25
ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्यास्रयो वर्णा द्विजातयः ।
अत्र तेषामधीकारो धर्मेषु द्विपदां वर ॥ १२.३०२.२५ ॥
Brahmins, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas — these three varṇas are the twice-born. Among them lies the authority in duties, O best of men.
12.302.26
विकर्मावस्थिता वर्णाः पतन्ति नृपते त्रयः ।
उन्नमन्ति यथा सन्त आश्रित्येह स्वकर्मसु ॥ १२.३०२.२६ ॥
The three varṇas that remain in wrong action, O king, fall; as the good rise up here by relying on their own duties.
12.302.27
न चापि शूद्रः पततीति निश्चयो ।
न चापि संस्कारमिहार्हतीति वा।
श्रुतिप्रयुक्तं न च धर्ममाप्नुते ।
न चास्य धर्मे प्रतिषेधनं कृतम् ॥ १२.३०२.२७ ॥
It is not certain that a śūdra falls, nor is it said that he is unworthy of the rites here. He does not attain the dharma enjoined by the Veda, yet no prohibition has been placed upon his dharma.
12.302.28
वैदेहकं शूद्रमुदाहरन्ति ।
द्विजा महाराज श्रुतोपपन्नाः।
अहं हि पश्यामि नरेन्द्र देवं ।
विश्वस्य विष्णुं जगतः प्रधानम् ॥ १२.३०२.२८ ॥
The learned twice-born call the Vaidehaka a śūdra, O great king; but I see him, O lord of men, as the god Viṣṇu, the chief of the universe.
12.302.29
सतां वृत्तमधिष्ठाय निहीना उद्दिधीर्षवः ।
मन्त्रवर्जं न दुष्यन्ति कुर्वाणाः पौष्टिकीः क्रियाः ॥ १२.३०२.२९ ॥
Those lowly ones who wish to rise, resting on the conduct of the good, are not defiled when they perform the rites of prosperity without mantra.
12.302.30
यथायथा हि सद्वॄत्तमालम्बन्तीतरे जनाः ।
यथातथा सुखं प्राप्य प्रेत्य चेह च मोदते ॥ १२.३०२.३० ॥
In whatever measure other people take hold of good conduct, in that measure they attain happiness and rejoice both here and after death.
12.302.31
किं कर्म दूषयत्येनमथो जातिर्महामुने ।
संदेहो मे समुत्पन्नस्तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि ॥ १२.३०२.३१ ॥
O great sage, does action defile him, or does birth? A doubt has arisen in me; it is fitting that you explain it to me.
12.302.32
असंशयं महाराज उभयं दोषकारकम् ।
कर्म चैव हि जातिश्च विशेषं तु निशामय ॥ १२.३०२.३२ ॥
Without doubt, great king, both action and birth cause defilement. But listen to the particular distinction between them.
12.302.33
जात्या च कर्मणा चैव दुष्टं कर्म न सेवते ।
जात्या दुष्टश्च यः पापं न करोति स पूरुषः ॥ १२.३०२.३३ ॥
The man who, though defiled by birth and by action, does not practise defiled action, and who, though defiled by birth, does not commit sin — that man is the one (best).
12.302.34
जात्या प्रधानं पुरुषं कुर्वाणं कर्म धिक्कृतम् ।
कर्म तद्दूषयत्येनं तस्मात्कर्म न शोभनम् ॥ १२.३०२.३४ ॥
A man who is foremost by birth but performs a condemned action is defiled by that very action. Therefore action is not a fair thing.
12.302.35
कानि कर्माणि धर्म्याणि लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विजसत्तम् ।
न हिंसन्तीह भूतानि क्रियमाणानि सर्वदा ॥ १२.३०२.३५ ॥
O best of the twice-born, which actions in this world are righteous, such that in performing them beings are never harmed?
12.302.36
शृणु मेऽत्र महाराज यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि ।
यानि कर्माण्यहिंस्राणि नरं त्रायन्ति सर्वदा ॥ १२.३०२.३६ ॥
Listen to me here, great king, concerning what you ask me: those actions that are non-harming always protect a man.
12.302.37
संन्यस्याग्नीनुदासीनाः पश्यन्ति विगतज्वराः ।
नैःश्रेयसं कर्मपथं समारुह्य यथाक्रमम् ॥ १२.३०२.३७ ॥
Having renounced the sacred fires, detached and free from fever, they behold; having ascended in due order the path of action that leads to the highest good.
12.302.38
प्रश्रिता विनयोपेता दमनित्याः सुसंशिताः ।
पयान्ति स्थानमजरं सर्वकर्मविवर्जिताः ॥ १२.३०२.३८ ॥
Humble, endowed with discipline, ever self-restrained, well refined, free from all action, they go forth to the unaging place.
12.302.39
सर्वे वर्णा धर्मकार्याणि सम्यक् ।
कृत्वा राजन्सत्यवाक्यानि चोक्त्वा।
त्यक्त्वा धर्मं दारुणं जीवलोके ।
यान्ति स्वर्गं नात्र कार्यो विचारः ॥ १२.३०२.३९ ॥
O king, all the social orders, having duly performed the duties of dharma and spoken truthful words, having abandoned the harsh dharma in this world of the living, go to heaven; there is no doubt here.