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युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
स्वकर्मण्यपरे युक्तास्तथैवान्ये विकर्मणि। तेषां विशेषमाचक्ष्व ब्राह्मणानां पितामह ॥१२-७७-१॥
Some are engaged in their own duties, others in different actions, and yet others in non-action. O Grandfather, please explain the distinction among these Brāhmaṇas.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said:
विद्यालक्षणसम्पन्नाः सर्वत्राम्नायदर्शिनः। एते ब्रह्मसमा राजन्ब्राह्मणाः परिकीर्तिताः ॥१२-७७-२॥
O king, those Brāhmaṇas who possess the characteristics of knowledge and are knowers of the Veda everywhere are declared to be equal to Brahman.
ऋत्विगाचार्यसम्पन्नाः स्वेषु कर्मस्ववस्थिताः। एते देवसमा राजन्ब्राह्मणानां भवन्त्युत ॥१२-७७-३॥
O king, those Brāhmaṇas who are endowed with priests and teachers and are established in their own duties truly become equal to gods.
ऋत्विक्पुरोहितो मन्त्री दूतोऽथार्थानुशासकः। एते क्षत्रसमा राजन्ब्राह्मणानां भवन्त्युत ॥१२-७७-४॥
O king, the sacrificial priest, family priest, counselor, messenger, and supervisor of affairs among the Brāhmaṇas are indeed considered equal to warriors.
अश्वारोहा गजारोहा रथिनोऽथ पदातयः। एते वैश्यसमा राजन्ब्राह्मणानां भवन्त्युत ॥१२-७७-५॥
O king, among Brāhmaṇas, those who are horse-riders, elephant-riders, charioteers, and foot-soldiers are considered equal to Vaiśyas.
जन्मकर्मविहीना ये कदर्या ब्रह्मबन्धवः। एते शूद्रसमा राजन्ब्राह्मणानां भवन्त्युत ॥१२-७७-६॥
O king, those who are merely relatives of brāhmaṇas, lacking in noble birth and action, and who are miserly, are indeed considered equal to śūdras among brāhmaṇas.
अश्रोत्रियाः सर्व एव सर्वे चानाहिताग्नयः। तान्सर्वान्धार्मिको राजा बलिं विष्टिं च कारयेत् ॥१२-७७-७॥
All those who are not versed in the Vedas and all those who do not maintain the sacred fire—the righteous king should require all of them to pay taxes and perform forced labor.
आह्वायका देवलका नक्षत्रग्रामयाजकाः। एते ब्राह्मणचण्डाला महापथिकपञ्चमाः ॥१२-७७-८॥
Summoners, temple-servants, and village-priests of the nakṣatra villages—these are Brāhmaṇa outcastes, considered the fifth class as mahāpathika (highwaymen).
एतेभ्यो बलिमादद्याद्धीनकोशो महीपतिः। ऋते ब्रह्मसमेभ्यश्च देवकल्पेभ्य एव च ॥१२-७७-९॥
A king with an empty treasury should collect offerings from these people, except from those who are equal to Brahman and those who are like gods.
अब्राह्मणानां वित्तस्य स्वामी राजेति वैदिकम्। ब्राह्मणानां च ये केचिद्विकर्मस्था भवन्त्युत ॥१२-७७-१०॥
The king is the master of the wealth of non-Brāhmaṇas, according to the Veda. And among Brāhmaṇas, those who engage in improper acts are also (subject to the king's authority).
विकर्मस्थास्तु नोपेक्ष्या जातु राज्ञा कथञ्चन। नियम्याः संविभज्याश्च धर्मानुग्रहकाम्यया ॥१२-७७-११॥
But those engaged in improper acts should never be neglected by the king in any way; they should be restrained and assigned duties with the intention of upholding dharma.
यस्य स्म विषये राज्ञः स्तेनो भवति वै द्विजः। राज्ञ एवापराधं तं मन्यन्ते तद्विदो जनाः ॥१२-७७-१२॥
If, in the domain of a king, a twice-born person becomes a thief, those who are learned consider that offense to be the king's alone.
अवृत्त्या यो भवेत्स्तेनो वेदवित्स्नातकस्तथा। राजन्स राज्ञा भर्तव्य इति धर्मविदो विदुः ॥१२-७७-१३॥
O king, even if a knower of the Veda and a graduate lives without proper livelihood and thus becomes a thief, he should be supported by the king—this is the declaration of those who know dharma.
स चेन्नो परिवर्तेत कृतवृत्तिः परन्तप। ततो निर्वासनीयः स्यात्तस्माद्देशात्सबान्धवः ॥१२-७७-१४॥
O scorcher of foes, if he whose conduct is established should change towards us, then he, along with his relatives, should be exiled from that country.
