12.077
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
svakarmaṇy-apare yuktās tathaivānye vikarmaṇi। teṣāṃ viśeṣam ācakṣva brāhmaṇānāṃ pitāmaha ॥12-77-1॥
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.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said:
vidyālakṣaṇasampannāḥ sarvatrāmnāyadarśinaḥ। ete brahmasamā rājanbrāhmaṇāḥ parikīrtitāḥ ॥12-77-2॥
O king, those Brāhmaṇas who possess the characteristics of knowledge and are knowers of the Veda everywhere are declared to be equal to Brahman.
ṛtvig-ācārya-sampannāḥ sveṣu karmasu avasthitāḥ। ete deva-samā rājan brāhmaṇānāṃ bhavanti uta ॥12-77-3॥
O king, those Brāhmaṇas who are endowed with priests and teachers and are established in their own duties truly become equal to gods.
ṛtvikpurohito mantrī dūto'thārthānuśāsakaḥ। ete kṣatrasamā rājanbrāhmaṇānāṃ bhavantyuta ॥12-77-4॥
O king, the sacrificial priest, family priest, counselor, messenger, and supervisor of affairs among the Brāhmaṇas are indeed considered equal to warriors.
aśvārohā gajārohā rathino'tha padātayaḥ। ete vaiśyasamā rājanbrāhmaṇānāṃ bhavantyuta ॥12-77-5॥
O king, among Brāhmaṇas, those who are horse-riders, elephant-riders, charioteers, and foot-soldiers are considered equal to Vaiśyas.
janmakarmavihīnā ye kadaryā brahmabandhavaḥ। ete śūdrasamā rājanbrāhmaṇānāṃ bhavantyuta ॥12-77-6॥
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.
aśrotriyāḥ sarva eva sarve cānāhitāgnayaḥ। tānsarvān dhārmiko rājā baliṃ viṣṭiṃ ca kārayet॥12-77-7॥
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.
āhvāyakā devalakā nakṣatragrāmayājakāḥ। ete brāhmaṇacaṇḍālā mahāpathikapañcamāḥ ॥12-77-8॥
Summoners, temple-servants, and village-priests of the nakṣatra villages—these are Brāhmaṇa outcastes, considered the fifth class as mahāpathika (highwaymen).
etebhyo balim ādad yād dhīna-kośo mahīpatiḥ। ṛte brahma-samebhyaś ca deva-kalpebhya eva ca ॥12-77-9॥
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.
abrāhmaṇānāṃ vittasya svāmī rājeti vaidikam। brāhmaṇānāṃ ca ye kecidvikarmasthā bhavantyuta ॥12-77-10॥
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).
vikarmasthāstu nopekṣyā jātu rājñā kathañcana। niyamyāḥ saṃvibhajyāśca dharmānugrahakāmyayā ॥12-77-11॥
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.
yasya sma viṣaye rājñaḥ steno bhavati vai dvijaḥ। rājña evāparādhaṃ taṃ manyante tadvido janāḥ॥12-77-12॥
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.
avṛttyā yo bhavet steno vedavit snātakas tathā। rājans rājñā bhartavya iti dharmavido viduḥ॥12-77-13॥
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.
sa cen no parivarteta kṛtavṛttiḥ parantapa। tato nirvāsanīyaḥ syāttasmāddeśātsabāndhavaḥ ॥12-77-14॥
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.
