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Library: A Brahmana engaging in the duties of other orders is not recommended. Same holds good for others.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
शिवान्सुखान्महोदर्कानहिंस्राँल्लोकसंमतान्। ब्रूहि धर्मान्सुखोपायान्मद्विधानां सुखावहान् ॥१२-६२-१॥
Tell me about the auspicious, pleasant, greatly consequential, non-violent, and widely accepted dharmas—the means to happiness that bring joy to people like me.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said:
ब्राह्मणस्येह चत्वार आश्रमा विहिताः प्रभो। वर्णास्ताननुवर्तन्ते त्रयो भरतसत्तम ॥१२-६२-२॥
O best of the Bharatas, four āśramas are prescribed here for the brāhmaṇa, O lord. Of those, three are followed by the other castes.
उक्तानि कर्माणि बहूनि राज; न्स्वर्ग्याणि राजन्यपरायणानि। नेमानि दृष्टान्तविधौ स्मृतानि; क्षात्रे हि सर्वं विहितं यथावत् ॥१२-६२-३॥
O king, many actions have been spoken of; they are not heavenly, but are devoted to the kṣatriya order. These are not remembered as examples; indeed, in the kṣatriya order, everything is prescribed as it is.
क्षात्राणि वैश्यानि च सेवमानः; शौद्राणि कर्माणि च ब्राह्मणः सन्। अस्मिँल्लोके निन्दितो मन्दचेताः; परे च लोके निरयं प्रयाति ॥१२-६२-४॥
If a brāhmaṇa engages in the duties of kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and śūdras, he is condemned as dull-minded in this world and goes to hell in the next.
या सञ्ज्ञा विहिता लोके दासे शुनि वृके पशौ। विकर्मणि स्थिते विप्रे तां सञ्ज्ञां कुरु पाण्डव ॥१२-६२-५॥
O Pāṇḍava, apply the same designation that is established in the world for a servant, a dog, a wolf, a beast, or one engaged in wrongful acts, even when it is a Brāhmaṇa.
षट्कर्मसम्प्रवृत्तस्य आश्रमेषु चतुर्ष्वपि। सर्वधर्मोपपन्नस्य सम्भूतस्य कृतात्मनः ॥१२-६२-६॥
Of one who is engaged in the six duties, in all four āśramas, endowed with all virtues, arisen and self-controlled.
ब्राह्मणस्य विशुद्धस्य तपस्यभिरतस्य च। निराशिषो वदान्यस्य लोका ह्यक्षरसञ्ज्ञिताः ॥१२-६२-७॥
The imperishable worlds are attained by the brāhmaṇa who is pure, devoted to austerities, free from desires, and generous.
यो यस्मिन्कुरुते कर्म यादृशं येन यत्र च। तादृशं तादृशेनैव स गुणं प्रतिपद्यते ॥१२-६२-८॥
Whatever action a person performs, of whatever kind, by whom, and wherever, he obtains a quality of that very kind by just such a one.
वृद्ध्या कृषिवणिक्त्वेन जीवसञ्जीवनेन च। वेत्तुमर्हसि राजेन्द्र स्वाध्यायगणितं महत् ॥१२-६२-९॥
O King, you should know the great calculation of self-study through increase, agriculture and trade, and sustaining life.
कालसञ्चोदितः कालः कालपर्यायनिश्चितः। उत्तमाधममध्यानि कर्माणि कुरुतेऽवशः ॥१२-६२-१०॥
Time, impelled and determined by its own succession, helplessly performs actions that are excellent, inferior, and middling.
अन्तवन्ति प्रदानानि पुरा श्रेयस्कराणि च। स्वकर्मनिरतो लोको ह्यक्षरः सर्वतोमुखः ॥१२-६२-११॥
Gifts are perishable, though they were once considered auspicious; but those who are devoted to their own duties are truly imperishable and omnipresent.
