12.181
bhṛguruvāca॥
Bhṛgu said.
asṛjad brāhmaṇān eva pūrvaṃ brahmā prajāpatiḥ। ātma-tejo-bhinirvṛttān bhāskara-agni-sama-prabhān ॥12-181-1॥
Brahmā, the Lord of creatures, in the beginning created the Brāhmaṇas from his own splendor, making them as radiant as the sun and fire.
tataḥ satyaṃ ca dharmaṃ ca tapo brahma ca śāśvatam। ācāraṃ caiva śaucaṃ ca svargāya vidadhe prabhuḥ ॥12-181-2॥
Then the Lord established truth, righteousness, austerity, the eternal Brahman, proper conduct, and purity for the sake of heaven.
devadānavagandharvadaityāsuramahoragāḥ। yakṣarākṣasanāgāśca piśācā manujāstathā ॥12-181-3॥
Gods, dānavas, gandharvas, daityas, asuras, great serpents, yakṣas, rākṣasas, nāgas, piśācas, and humans as well.
brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā vaiśyāḥ śūdrāś ca dvijasattama। ye cānye bhūtasaṅghānāṃ saṅghās tāṃś cāpi nirmame ॥12-181-4॥
O best of the twice-born, Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, Śūdras, and all other groups among beings—He also created all those groups.
brāhmaṇānāṃ sito varṇaḥ kṣatriyāṇāṃ tu lohitaḥ। vaiśyānāṃ pītako varṇaḥ śūdrāṇāmasitastathā ॥12-181-5॥
The Brāhmaṇas are associated with the color white, the Kṣatriyas with red, the Vaiśyas with yellow, and the Śūdras with black.
bharadvāja uvāca॥
Bharadvāja said.
cāturvarṇyasya varṇena yadi varṇo vibhajyate। sarveṣāṃ khalu varṇānāṃ dṛśyate varṇasaṅkaraḥ ॥12-181-6॥
If the fourfold order is divided by class, then indeed, a mixture of classes is seen among all the classes.
kāmaḥ krodho bhayaṃ lobhaḥ śokaścintā kṣudhā śramaḥ। sarveṣāṃ naḥ prabhavati kasmādvarṇo vibhajyate ॥12-181-7॥
Desire, anger, fear, greed, sorrow, anxiety, hunger, and fatigue arise in all of us; so from what basis is caste divided?
svedamūtrapurīṣāṇi śleṣmā pittaṃ saśoṇitam। tanuḥ kṣarati sarveṣāṃ kasmād varṇo vibhajyate ॥12-181-8॥
Sweat, urine, feces, phlegm, bile, and blood—these are exuded by the body of all beings; so from what is color (complexion) divided or distinguished?
jaṅgamānāmasaṅkhyeyāḥ sthāvarāṇāṃ ca jātayaḥ। teṣāṃ vividhavarṇānāṃ kuto varṇaviniścayaḥ ॥12-181-9॥
There are innumerable species of moving and stationary beings. Among those of various colors, how can there be a determination of color? (12-181-9)
bhṛguruvāca॥
Bhṛgu said.
na viśeṣo'sti varṇānāṃ sarvaṃ brāhmamidaṃ jagat। brahmaṇā pūrvasṛṣṭaṃ hi karmabhirvarṇatāṃ gatam ॥12-181-10॥
There is no distinction among castes; all this world is of Brahman; it was formerly created by Brahman; indeed, by actions it has gone to castehood.
kāmabhogapriyāstīkṣṇāḥ krodhanāḥ priyasāhasāḥ। tyaktasvadharmā raktāṅgāste dvijāḥ kṣatratāṃ gatāḥ ॥12-181-11॥
Those twice-born, fond of sensual pleasures, fierce, irascible, daring, having abandoned their own duty and with reddened limbs, have become kṣatriyas.
goṣu vṛttiṃ samādhāya pītāḥ kṛṣyupajīvinaḥ। svadharmaṃ nānutiṣṭhanti te dvijā vaiśyatāṃ gatāḥ॥12-181-12॥
Those twice-born who, having made their livelihood from cows and agriculture and having drunk (milk), do not perform their own duty, have become like Vaiśyas.
hiṁsānṛtapriyā lubdhāḥ sarvakarmopajīvinaḥ। kṛṣṇāḥ śaucaparibhraṣṭās te dvijāḥ śūdratāṁ gatāḥ ॥12-181-13॥
Those twice-born who are fond of violence and falsehood, greedy, living by all kinds of work, dark in conduct, and deprived of purity, have become like śūdras.
ityetaiḥ karmabhir vyastā dvijā varṇāntaraṃ gatāḥ। dharmo yajñakriyā caiṣāṃ nityaṃ na pratiṣidhyate॥12-181-14॥
Thus, by these actions, the twice-born who have become separated have entered another caste. Their duty and sacrificial acts are never prohibited.
varṇāś catvāra ete hi yeṣāṃ brāhmī sarasvatī। vihitā brahmaṇā pūrvaṃ lobhāt tv ajñānatāṃ gatāḥ ॥12-181-15॥
These four letters, which are of Brahmā and Sarasvatī, were formerly established by Brahmā, but due to greed, they have now fallen into ignorance.
brāhmaṇā dharmatantrasthās tapas teṣāṃ na naśyati. brahma dhārayatāṃ nityaṃ vratāni niyamāṃs tathā ॥12-181-16॥
The austerity of Brāhmaṇas established in the system of dharma does not perish. For those who always uphold the Veda, their vows and disciplines also remain.
brahma caitat-purā sṛṣṭaṃ ye na jānanti-atad-vidaḥ। teṣāṃ bahu-vidhās-tv-anyās-tatra tatra hi jātayaḥ॥12-181-17॥
The Absolute and this world were created long ago; those who do not know this, being ignorant of it, for them, there are indeed many other kinds of births here and there.
piśācā rākṣasāḥ pretā bahudhā mlecchajātayaḥ। pranaṣṭajñānavijñānāḥ svacchandācāraceṣṭitāḥ ॥12-181-18॥
There are piśāca-demons, rākṣasa-demons, ghosts, and many kinds of barbarian races, whose knowledge and wisdom are destroyed, acting as they please.
prajā brāhmaṇasaṃskārāḥ svadharmakṛtaniścayāḥ। ṛṣibhiḥ svena tapasā sṛjyante cāpare paraiḥ ॥12-181-19॥
Those offspring who are sanctified by Brāhmaṇa rites and are resolute in performing their own duty are created by sages through their own austerity, while others are created by others.
ādidevasamudbhūtā brahmamūlākṣayāvyayā। sā sṛṣṭirmānasī nāma dharmatantraparāyaṇā ॥12-181-20॥
She, Mānasī, the creation that arose from the primeval god, rooted in Brahman, imperishable and unchanging, is devoted to the system of dharma.
