12.077
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
[युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhiṣṭhira; (proper noun, name of a person); उवाच (uvāca) - said; (from the root 'vac' - to speak);]
(Yudhiṣṭhira said;)
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
स्वकर्मण्यपरे युक्तास्तथैवान्ये विकर्मणि। तेषां विशेषमाचक्ष्व ब्राह्मणानां पितामह ॥१२-७७-१॥
svakarmaṇy-apare yuktās tathaivānye vikarmaṇi। teṣāṃ viśeṣam ācakṣva brāhmaṇānāṃ pitāmaha ॥12-77-1॥
[स्व (sva) - own; कर्मणि (karmaṇi) - in action; अपरे (apare) - others; युक्ताः (yuktāḥ) - engaged; तथा (tathā) - so; एव (eva) - indeed; अन्ये (anye) - others; विकर्मणि (vikarmaṇi) - in non-action; तेषां (teṣāṃ) - of them; विशेषम् (viśeṣam) - distinction; आचक्ष्व (ācakṣva) - declare; ब्राह्मणानाम् (brāhmaṇānām) - of the Brāhmaṇas; पितामह (pitāmaha) - O Grandfather;]
(Others are engaged in their own action, so also others in non-action. Of them, declare the distinction of the Brāhmaṇas, O Grandfather.)
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 uvāca॥
[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhīṣma; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
(Bhīṣma said;)
Bhīṣma said:
विद्यालक्षणसम्पन्नाः सर्वत्राम्नायदर्शिनः। एते ब्रह्मसमा राजन्ब्राह्मणाः परिकीर्तिताः ॥१२-७७-२॥
vidyālakṣaṇasampannāḥ sarvatrāmnāyadarśinaḥ। ete brahmasamā rājanbrāhmaṇāḥ parikīrtitāḥ ॥12-77-2॥
[विद्या (vidyā) - knowledge; लक्षण (lakṣaṇa) - characteristic; सम्पन्नाः (sampannāḥ) - endowed with; सर्वत्र (sarvatra) - everywhere; आम्नाय (āmnāya) - Veda; दर्शिनः (darśinaḥ) - knowers; एते (ete) - these; ब्रह्म (brahma) - Brahman; समा (samā) - equal; राजन् (rājan) - O king; ब्राह्मणाः (brāhmaṇāḥ) - Brāhmaṇas; परिकीर्तिताः (parikīrtitāḥ) - are proclaimed;]
(Endowed with the characteristics of knowledge, knowers of the Veda everywhere, these Brāhmaṇas, O king, are proclaimed as equal to Brahman.)
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॥
ṛtvig-ācārya-sampannāḥ sveṣu karmasu avasthitāḥ। ete deva-samā rājan brāhmaṇānāṃ bhavanti uta ॥12-77-3॥
[ऋत्विग् (ṛtvig) - priest; आचार्य (ācārya) - teacher; सम्पन्नाः (sampannāḥ) - endowed with; स्वेषु (sveṣu) - in their own; कर्मसु (karmasu) - duties; अवस्थिताः (avasthitāḥ) - situated; एते (ete) - these; देवसमा (deva-samā) - equal to gods; राजन् (rājan) - O king; ब्राह्मणानाम् (brāhmaṇānām) - of the Brāhmaṇas; भवन्ति (bhavanti) - become; उत (uta) - indeed;]
(Priests and teachers endowed, situated in their own duties, these, O king, indeed become equal to gods of the Brāhmaṇas.)
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॥
ṛtvikpurohito mantrī dūto'thārthānuśāsakaḥ। ete kṣatrasamā rājanbrāhmaṇānāṃ bhavantyuta ॥12-77-4॥
[ऋत्विक् (ṛtvik) - sacrificial priest; पुरोहितः (purohitaḥ) - family priest; मन्त्री (mantrī) - counselor; दूतः (dūtaḥ) - messenger; अथ (atha) - and; अर्थ-अनुशासकः (artha-anuśāsakaḥ) - supervisor of affairs; एते (ete) - these; क्षत्र-समाः (kṣatra-samāḥ) - equal to warriors; राजन् (rājan) - O king; ब्राह्मणानाम् (brāhmaṇānām) - of the Brāhmaṇas; भवन्ति (bhavanti) - become; उत (uta) - indeed;]
(Sacrificial priest, family priest, counselor, messenger, and supervisor of affairs—these, O king, among the Brāhmaṇas, indeed become equal to warriors.)
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॥
aśvārohā gajārohā rathino'tha padātayaḥ। ete vaiśyasamā rājanbrāhmaṇānāṃ bhavantyuta ॥12-77-5॥
[अश्वारोहा (aśvārohā) - horse-riders; गजारोहा (gajārohā) - elephant-riders; रथिनः (rathinaḥ) - charioteers; अथ (atha) - and; पदातयः (padātayaḥ) - foot-soldiers; एते (ete) - these; वैश्यसमा (vaiśyasamā) - equal to Vaiśyas; राजन् (rājan) - O king; ब्राह्मणानाम् (brāhmaṇānām) - of Brāhmaṇas; भवन्ति (bhavanti) - become; उत (uta) - indeed;]
(Horse-riders, elephant-riders, charioteers and foot-soldiers—these, O king, indeed become equal to Vaiśyas among Brāhmaṇas.)
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॥
janmakarmavihīnā ye kadaryā brahmabandhavaḥ। ete śūdrasamā rājanbrāhmaṇānāṃ bhavantyuta ॥12-77-6॥
[जन्म (janma) - birth; कर्म (karma) - action; विहीना (vihīnā) - devoid of; ये (ye) - those who; कदर्या (kadaryā) - miserly; ब्रह्मबन्धवः (brahmabandhavaḥ) - relatives of brāhmaṇas; एते (ete) - these; शूद्रसमा (śūdrasamā) - equal to śūdras; राजन् (rājan) - O king; ब्राह्मणानाम् (brāhmaṇānām) - of brāhmaṇas; भवन्ति (bhavanti) - become; उत (uta) - indeed;]
(Those who are devoid of birth and action, miserly, relatives of brāhmaṇas—these indeed become equal to śūdras among brāhmaṇas, O king.)
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॥
aśrotriyāḥ sarva eva sarve cānāhitāgnayaḥ। tānsarvān dhārmiko rājā baliṃ viṣṭiṃ ca kārayet॥12-77-7॥
[अश्रोत्रियाः (aśrotriyāḥ) - not-versed-in-the-Vedas; सर्व (sarva) - all; एव (eva) - indeed; सर्वे (sarve) - all; च (ca) - and; अनाहिताग्नयः (anāhitāgnayaḥ) - not-maintaining-sacred-fire; तान् (tān) - them; सर्वान् (sarvān) - all; धार्मिकः (dhārmikaḥ) - righteous; राजा (rājā) - king; बलिम् (baliṃ) - tax; विष्टिम् (viṣṭim) - forced-labour; च (ca) - and; कारयेत् (kārayet) - should-cause-to-be-done;]
(Not-versed-in-the-Vedas, all indeed, and all not-maintaining-sacred-fire; all of them the righteous king should cause to pay tax and forced-labour.)
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॥
āhvāyakā devalakā nakṣatragrāmayājakāḥ। ete brāhmaṇacaṇḍālā mahāpathikapañcamāḥ ॥12-77-8॥
[आह्वायका (āhvāyakā) - summoners; देवलका (devalakā) - temple-servants; नक्षत्रग्रामयाजकाः (nakṣatragrāmayājakāḥ) - village-priests of the nakṣatra (star) villages; एते (ete) - these; ब्राह्मणचण्डाला (brāhmaṇacaṇḍālā) - Brāhmaṇa outcastes; महापथिकपञ्चमाः (mahāpathikapañcamāḥ) - the fifth (class) as mahāpathika (highwaymen);]
(Summoners, temple-servants, village-priests of the nakṣatra villages—these are Brāhmaṇa outcastes, the fifth (class) as mahāpathika (highwaymen).)
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॥
etebhyo balim ādad yād dhīna-kośo mahīpatiḥ। ṛte brahma-samebhyaś ca deva-kalpebhya eva ca ॥12-77-9॥
[एतेभ्यः (etebhyaḥ) - from these; बलिम् (balim) - offering; आदद्यात् (ādad yāt) - should take; हीनकोशः (hīna-kośaḥ) - one whose treasury is depleted; महीपतिः (mahīpatiḥ) - king; ऋते (ṛte) - except; ब्रह्मसमेभ्यः (brahma-samebhyaḥ) - those equal to Brahman; च (ca) - and; देवकल्पेभ्यः (deva-kalpebhyaḥ) - those like gods; एव (eva) - indeed; च (ca) - and;]
(From these, the king whose treasury is depleted should take offering, except from those equal to Brahman and those like gods indeed and.)
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॥
abrāhmaṇānāṃ vittasya svāmī rājeti vaidikam। brāhmaṇānāṃ ca ye kecidvikarmasthā bhavantyuta ॥12-77-10॥
[अब्राह्मणानाम् (abrāhmaṇānām) - of non-Brāhmaṇas; वित्तस्य (vittasya) - of wealth; स्वामी (svāmī) - lord; master; राजा (rājā) - king; इति (iti) - thus; so; वैदिकम् (vaidikam) - Vedic (statement); ब्राह्मणानाम् (brāhmaṇānām) - of Brāhmaṇas; च (ca) - and; ये (ye) - who; केचित् (kecit) - some; विकर्मस्था (vikarmasthā) - engaged in improper acts; भवन्ति (bhavanti) - are; become; उत (uta) - indeed;]
(Of non-Brāhmaṇas' wealth, the king is the master—thus (is) the Vedic (statement). And of Brāhmaṇas, those who are engaged in improper acts, indeed, are (so).)
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॥
vikarmasthāstu nopekṣyā jātu rājñā kathañcana। niyamyāḥ saṃvibhajyāśca dharmānugrahakāmyayā ॥12-77-11॥
[विकर्मस्थाः (vikarmasthāḥ) - those engaged in improper acts; तु (tu) - but; न (na) - not; उपेक्ष्याः (upekṣyāḥ) - to be neglected; जातु (jātu) - ever; राज्ञा (rājñā) - by the king; कथञ्चन (kathañcana) - in any way; नियम्याः (niyamyāḥ) - to be restrained; संविभज्याः (saṃvibhajyāḥ) - to be distributed (or assigned roles); च (ca) - and; धर्मानुग्रहकाम्यया (dharmānugrahakāmyayā) - with the desire to favor dharma;]
(But those engaged in improper acts are never to be neglected by the king in any way; they are to be restrained and assigned (roles) with the desire to favor dharma.)
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॥
yasya sma viṣaye rājñaḥ steno bhavati vai dvijaḥ। rājña evāparādhaṃ taṃ manyante tadvido janāḥ॥12-77-12॥
[यस्य (yasya) - of whom; स्म (sma) - indeed; विषये (viṣaye) - in the domain; राज्ञः (rājñaḥ) - of the king; स्तेनः (stenaḥ) - a thief; भवति (bhavati) - becomes; वै (vai) - truly; द्विजः (dvijaḥ) - a twice-born (Brahmin, etc.); राज्ञः (rājñaḥ) - of the king; एव (eva) - only; अपराधम् (aparādham) - offense; तम् (tam) - that; मन्यन्ते (manyante) - they consider; तद्विदः (tadvidaḥ) - those who know that (the learned); जनाः (janāḥ) - people;]
(Of whom indeed in the domain of the king a thief becomes truly a twice-born, of the king only that offense they consider, those who know that, people.)
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॥
avṛttyā yo bhavet steno vedavit snātakas tathā। rājans rājñā bhartavya iti dharmavido viduḥ॥12-77-13॥
[अवृत्त्या (avṛttyā) - without proper livelihood; यः (yaḥ) - who; भवेत् (bhavet) - would be; स्तेनः (stenaḥ) - a thief; वेदवित् (vedavit) - knower of the Veda; स्नातकः (snātakaḥ) - a graduate (from Vedic studies); तथा (tathā) - also; राजन् (rājan) - O king; सः (saḥ) - he; राज्ञा (rājñā) - by the king; भर्तव्यः (bhartavyaḥ) - should be maintained; इति (iti) - thus; धर्मविदः (dharmavidaḥ) - knowers of dharma; विदुः (viduḥ) - have declared;]
(Without proper livelihood, whoever would be a thief, a knower of the Veda, also a graduate, O king, he should be maintained by the king—thus have the knowers of dharma declared.)
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॥
sa cen no parivarteta kṛtavṛttiḥ parantapa। tato nirvāsanīyaḥ syāttasmāddeśātsabāndhavaḥ ॥12-77-14॥
[स (sa) - he; चेत् (cet) - if; नः (naḥ) - to us; परिवर्तेत (parivarteta) - should change (his conduct); कृतवृत्तिः (kṛtavṛttiḥ) - one whose conduct is established; परन्तप (parantapa) - O scorcher of foes; ततः (tataḥ) - then; निर्वासनीयः (nirvāsanīyaḥ) - should be exiled; स्यात् (syāt) - should be; तस्मात् (tasmāt) - from that; देशात् (deśāt) - country; स (sa) - he; बान्धवः (bāndhavaḥ) - with relatives;]
(He, if to us should change (his conduct), one whose conduct is established, O scorcher of foes, then should be exiled from that country, he with relatives.)
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.
