12.037
Library: What should be eaten, what is praised as worthy to be given, and who is a worthy recipient?
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
evam-ukto bhagavatā dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। cintayitvā muhūrtaṃ tu pratyuvāca tapodhanam ॥12-37-1॥
Thus, when addressed by the venerable one, Yudhishthira, the king of dharma, paused for a moment in thought and then replied to the ascetic.
kiṁ bhakṣyaṁ kimabhakṣyaṁ ca kiṁ ca deyaṁ praśasyate। kiṁ ca pātramapātraṁ vā tanme brūhi pitāmaha ॥12-37-2॥
O grandsire, tell me what should be eaten, what should not be eaten, what is praised as worthy to be given, and who is a worthy or unworthy recipient.
vyāsa uvāca॥
Vyāsa said:
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। siddhānāṃ caiva saṃvādaṃ manoś caiva prajāpateḥ ॥12-37-3॥
Here too, an ancient story is told: the conversation between the perfected beings, Manu, and Prajāpati.
siddhāstapovrataparāḥ samāgamya purā vibhum। dharmaṃ papracchurāsīnamādikāle prajāpatim ॥12-37-4॥
Long ago, the perfected beings devoted to austerity and vows assembled and asked Prajāpati, the all-pervading Lord, about Dharma, as he was seated at the beginning of time.
katham annaṃ kathaṃ dānaṃ katham adhyayanaṃ tapaḥ। kāryākāryaṃ ca naḥ sarvaṃ śaṃsa vai tvaṃ prajāpate॥12-37-5॥
O Prajāpati, please declare to us how food, gift, study, and austerity should be (performed), and also what is duty and non-duty.
tairevamukto bhagavān manuḥ svāyambhuvo'bravīt। śuśrūṣadhvaṃ yathāvṛttaṃ dharmaṃ vyāsasamāsataḥ ॥12-37-6॥
Thus addressed by them, the venerable Manu Svayambhu said: "Listen to the dharma as it has been practiced, both in detail and in summary."
adattasyānupādānaṃ dānamadhyayanaṃ tapaḥ। ahiṃsā satyamakrodhaḥ kṣamejyā dharmalakṣaṇam ॥12-37-7॥
The characteristics of dharma are: not taking what is not given, generosity, study, austerity, non-violence, truthfulness, absence of anger, forgiveness, and sacrifice.
ya eva dharmaḥ so'dharmo'deśe'kāle pratiṣṭhitaḥ। ādānam anṛtaṃ hiṃsā dharmo vyāvasthikaḥ smṛtaḥ ॥12-37-8॥
That which is dharma in one context may be adharma in another, if established at the wrong place or time. Taking, falsehood, and violence may be considered dharma according to circumstances.
dvividhau cāpyubhāvetau dharmādharmau vijānatām। apravṛttiḥ pravṛttiśca dvaividhyaṃ lokavedayoḥ ॥12-37-9॥
For those who know, dharma and adharma are both twofold: non-engagement and engagement, representing the duality in worldly and Vedic matters.
apravṛtter amartyatvaṃ martyatvaṃ karmaṇaḥ phalam। aśubhasyāśubhaṃ vidyāc chubhasya śubham eva ca ॥12-37-10॥
Immortality is the result of non-action; mortality is the fruit of action. One should know that the result of unwholesome acts is unwholesome, and of wholesome acts is wholesome indeed.
etayoś cobhayoḥ syātāṃ śubhāśubhatayā tathā। daivaṃ ca daivayuktaṃ ca prāṇaś ca pralayaś ca ha ॥12-37-11॥
Of these two, both may exist as auspicious and inauspicious; likewise, there are the divine, the divinely endowed, life-breath, and dissolution indeed.
aprekṣā-pūrva-karaṇād aśubhānāṃ śubhaṃ phalam। ūrdhvaṃ bhavati saṃdehād iha dṛṣṭārtham eva vā ॥ aprekṣā-pūrva-karaṇāt prāyaścittaṃ vidhīyate ॥12-37-12॥
When an inauspicious act is performed without prior consideration, an auspicious result may arise; subsequently, due to doubt, expiation is prescribed here for a visible result or otherwise. Therefore, expiation is prescribed for acts done without prior consideration.
krodhamohakṛte caiva dṛṣṭāntāgamhetubhiḥ। śarīrāṇām upakleśo manasaś ca priyāpriye॥ tad auṣadhaiś ca mantraiś ca prāyaścittaiś ca śāmyati॥12-37-13॥
Afflictions of the body and mind, arising from anger, delusion, examples, scriptures, and causes, concerning what is pleasant and unpleasant, are calmed by medicines, mantras, and acts of expiation.
jātiśreṇyadhivāsānāṃ kuladharmāṃś ca sarvataḥ। varjayen na hi taṃ dharmaṃ yeṣāṃ dharmo na vidyate ॥12-37-14॥
One should entirely avoid the duties of caste, guild, residence, and family, for those for whom such duties do not exist.
daśa vā vedaśāstrajñāstrayo vā dharmapāṭhakāḥ। yadbrūyuḥ kārya utpanne sa dharmo dharmasaṃśaye ॥12-37-15॥
If there is doubt about dharma, whatever ten knowers of the Vedic scriptures or three teachers of dharma declare when an issue arises, that is to be regarded as dharma.
aruṇā mṛttikā caiva tathā caiva pipīlakāḥ। śleṣmātakastathā viprairabhakṣyaṃ viṣameva ca ॥12-37-16॥
Reddish clay, earth, ants, and the śleṣmātaka tree, as well as poison, are all not to be eaten by brāhmaṇas.
abhakṣyā brāhmaṇair matsyāḥ śakalair ye vivarjitāḥ। catuṣpāt kacchapād anyo maṇḍūkā jalajāś ca ye ॥12-37-17॥
Brāhmaṇas must not eat those fishes with scales which are excluded, nor four-footed aquatic creatures other than tortoises, nor frogs, nor any other aquatic beings.
bhāsā haṃsāḥ suparṇāś ca cakravākā bakāḥ plavāḥ। kaṅko madguś ca gṛdhrāś ca kākolūkaṃ tathaiva ca ॥12-37-18॥
Herons, swans, eagles, ruddy geese, cranes, diving birds, herons, pintail ducks, vultures, and also crows and owls were present there.
kravyādāḥ pakṣiṇaḥ sarve catuṣpādāś ca daṃṣṭriṇaḥ। yeṣāṃ cobhayato dantāś caturdaṃṣṭrāś ca sarvaśaḥ॥12-37-19॥
All flesh-eating birds, all quadrupeds, and all those with fangs; those whose teeth are on both sides, and those with four fangs entirely.
eḍaka-aśva-khara-uṣṭrīṇāṃ sūtikānāṃ gavām api। mānuṣīṇāṃ mṛgīṇāṃ ca na pibet brāhmaṇaḥ payaḥ ॥12-37-20॥
A Brāhmaṇa must not drink the milk of he-goats, horses, donkeys, she-camels, animals that have recently given birth, cows (in such a state), human females, or female deer.
pretānnaṃ sūtikānnaṃ ca yac ca kiñcid anirdaśam। abhojyaṃ cāpy apeyaṃ ca dhenvā dugdham anirdaśam ॥12-37-21॥
Food offered to the dead, food of a woman after childbirth, anything not divided into pieces, as well as what is inedible, undrinkable, and milk not separated by a cow, are all prohibited.
takṣṇaś carmāvakartuś ca puṁścalyā rajakasya ca। cikitsakasya yac cānnam abhojyaṁ rakṣiṇas tathā॥12-37-22॥
The leather from a carpenter, a remover, an unchaste woman, and a washerman, as well as food from a physician and a guard, should not be consumed.
gaṇagrāmābhiśastānāṃ raṅgastrījīvinaś ca ye। parivittinapuṃṣāṃ ca bandidyūtavidāṃ tathā॥12-37-23॥
Those who are cursed in groups and villages, those who live by stage-women, paramours, impotent men, bards, gamblers, and such persons.
vāryamāṇāhṛtaṃ cānnaṃ śuktaṃ paryuṣitaṃ ca yat। surānugatamucchiṣṭamabhojyaṃ śeṣitaṃ ca yat ॥12-37-24॥
Food that is brought against restraint, fermented, stale, associated with liquor, leftover, inedible, or remnants, is unfit for consumption.
piṣṭamāṃsekṣuśākānāṃ vikārāḥ payasastathā। saktudhānākarambhāśca nopabhojyāścirasthitāḥ ॥12-37-25॥
Derivatives of ground grains, meat, sugarcane, vegetables, and milk, as well as roasted flour, rice, and mixtures, if long-stored, are not to be consumed.
pāyasaṃ kṛsaraṃ māṃsam apūpāś ca vṛthā kṛtāḥ। abhojyāś cāpy abhakṣyāś ca brāhmaṇair gṛhamedhibhiḥ ॥12-37-26॥
Milk-rice, porridge, meat, and cakes were prepared in vain; they became inedible and forbidden to eat even by Brāhmaṇas who are householders.
devān pitṝn manuṣyāṃś ca munīn gṛhyāṃś ca devatāḥ। pūjayitvā tataḥ paścād gṛhastho bhoktum arhati ॥12-37-27॥
After worshipping the gods, ancestors, humans, sages, and household deities, the householder is then entitled to eat.
yathā pravrajito bhikṣur gṛhasthaḥ svagṛhe vaset। evaṃvṛttaḥ priyair dāraiḥ saṃvasan dharmam āpnuyāt ॥12-37-28॥
Just as a mendicant who has renounced the world should live in his own house as a householder, in the same way, conducting himself thus, living with his beloved wives, he should attain righteousness.
na dadyād yaśase dānaṃ na bhayān nopakāriṇe। na nṛtta-gīta-śīleṣu hāsakeṣu ca dhārmikaḥ॥12-37-29॥
A righteous person should not give gifts for the sake of fame, out of fear, or to those who are not helpful; nor should he associate with those devoted to dancing, singing, or jesting.
na matte naiva conmatte na stene na cikitsake। na vāgghīne vivarṇe vā nāṅgahīne na vāmane॥12-37-30॥
There is no (prescribed) act in the intoxicated, nor indeed in the insane, nor in the thief, nor in the physician, nor in the eloquent, nor in the discolored, or in the one without limbs, nor in the dwarf.
na durjane dauṣkule vā vratairvā yo na saṃskṛtaḥ। aśrotriye mṛtaṃ dānaṃ brāhmaṇe'brahmavādini ॥12-37-31॥
A person who is not purified, whether by birth in a wicked family, by vows, or otherwise, and a gift of a dead thing to a Brāhmaṇa who is not a Vedic scholar or does not speak of Brahman, are not proper.
asamyak caiva yad dattam asamyak ca pratigrahaḥ। ubhayoḥ syād anarthāya dātur ādātur eva ca॥12-37-32॥
If something is not properly given or not properly accepted, it may bring harm to both the giver and the receiver.
yathā khadiramālambya śilāṃ vāpyarṇavaṃ taran। majjate majjate tadvaddātā yaśca pratīcchakaḥ ॥12-37-33॥
Just as one who tries to cross the ocean by holding onto khadira wood or a stone sinks, so too do both the giver and the receiver of gifts sink.
kāṣṭhair ārdrair yathā vahniḥ upastīrṇaḥ na dīpyate। tapaḥ-svādhyāya-cāritraiḥ evaṃ hīnaḥ pratigrahī ॥12-37-34॥
Just as fire covered with wet wood does not blaze, so too a recipient lacking in austerity, self-study, and good conduct does not shine.
kapāle yadvad āpaḥ syuḥ śvadr̥tau vā yathā payaḥ। āśrayasthānadoṣeṇa vr̥ttahīne tathā śrutam ॥12-37-35॥
Scripture, when not accompanied by proper conduct, is like water in a skull or milk in a dog's vessel—tainted by the fault of its support.
nirmantro nirvrato yaḥ syādaśāstrajño'nasūyakaḥ। anukrośāt pradātavyaṃ dīneṣvevaṃ nareṣvapi ॥12-37-36॥
Charity should be given, out of compassion, even to those who lack mantras, vows, or scriptural knowledge, provided they are free from envy, to the poor and to people in general.
na vai deyam anukrośād dīnāyāpy apakāriṇe। āptācaritam ity eva dharma ity eva vā punaḥ ॥12-37-37॥
One should not give merely out of compassion to the miserable, even to a wrongdoer. That which is practiced by the trustworthy alone is dharma, or so it is said again.
niṣkāraṇaṃ sma taddattaṃ brāhmaṇe dharmavarjite। bhavedapātradoṣeṇa na me'trāsti vicāraṇā ॥12-37-38॥
If something is given without cause to a brāhmaṇa who is devoid of dharma, it is tainted by the fault of unworthiness; I have no consideration here.
yathā dārumayo hastī yathā carmamayo mṛgaḥ। brāhmaṇaś cānadhīyānas trayas te nāmadhārakāḥ ॥12-37-39॥
Just as a wooden elephant or an animal made of skin, so too a brāhmaṇa who does not study the Veda—these three are only brāhmaṇas in name.
yathā ṣaṇḍho'phalaḥ strīṣu yathā gaurgavi cāphalā| śakunirvāpyapakṣaḥ syānnirmantrō brāhmaṇastathā ॥12-37-40॥
Just as a eunuch is fruitless among women, just as a cow is fruitless among cows, or a bird may be wingless, so too is a Brāhmaṇa without mantras.
grāma-dhānyaṃ yathā śūnyaṃ yathā kūpaś ca nirjalaḥ। yathā hutam anagnau ca tathaiva syān nirākṛtau ॥12-37-41॥
Just as village grain is useless when empty, just as a well is useless without water, and just as an offering is useless in a fireless place, so too is something useless when rejected.
devatānāṃ pitṝṇāṃ ca havyakavyavināśanaḥ। śatrurarthaharo mūrkho na lokānprāptumarhati ॥12-37-42॥
One who destroys offerings to gods and ancestors, who is an enemy, who takes away others' wealth, or who is a fool, does not deserve to attain the worlds.
etat te kathitaṃ sarvaṃ yathā vṛttaṃ yudhiṣṭhira। samāsena mahad hy etac chrotavyaṃ bharatarṣabha ॥12-37-43॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, all this has been told to you as it happened. In summary, this great matter is to be heard, O best of the Bharatas.
