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janaka uvāca॥
Janaka said.
varṇo viśeṣavarṇānāṃ maharṣe kena jāyate। etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ tadbrūhi vadatāṃ vara ॥12-285-1॥
O great sage, by what is the category of special categories born? I wish to hear this; please tell me that, O best of speakers.
yadetajjāyate'patyaṃ sa evāyamiti śrutiḥ। kathaṃ brāhmaṇato jāto viśeṣagrahaṇaṃ gataḥ ॥12-285-2॥
The scripture says, "That which is born as offspring, he is indeed this one." How has one born from a Brāhmaṇa obtained a special distinction?
parāśara uvāca॥
Parāśara said.
evam etan mahārāja yena jātaḥ sa eva saḥ। tapasas tv apakarṣeṇa jātigrahaṇatāṃ gataḥ ॥12-285-3॥
O great king, it is as you say: the one who was born is indeed the same person; but due to the decline of austerity, he has come to accept the distinctions of caste.
sukṣetrācca subījācca puṇyo bhavati sambhavaḥ। ato'nyatarato hīnādavaro nāma jāyate ॥12-285-4॥
Auspicious origin arises from both a good field and a good seed. Therefore, if either is inferior, one known as lower is born.
vaktrādbhujābhyāmūrubhyāṃ padbhyāṃ caivātha jajñire। sṛjataḥ prajāpaterlokāniti dharmavido viduḥ ॥12-285-5॥
The knowers of dharma say that the worlds were born from the mouth, the two arms, the two thighs, and the two feet of Prajāpati, the creator.
mukhajā brāhmaṇāstāta bāhujāḥ kṣatrabandhavaḥ। ūrujā dhanino rājanpādajāḥ paricārakāḥ ॥12-285-6॥
O dear one, Brāhmaṇas are born from the mouth, Kṣatriyas from the arms, Vaiśyas (the wealthy) from the thighs, and servants from the feet, O king.
caturṇāmeva varṇānām āgamaḥ puruṣarṣabha। ato'anye tvatiriktā ye te vai saṅkarajāḥ smṛtāḥ ॥12-285-7॥
O best of men, the origin is only of the four varṇas; all others, who are additional, are indeed considered to be born of mixture.
kṣatrajātirathāmbaṣṭhā ugrā vaidehakāstathā। śvapākāḥ pulkasāḥ stenā niṣādāḥ sūtamāgadhāḥ ॥12-285-8॥
Kṣatriya-born, āmbaṣṭhas, ugras, vaidehakas, as well as dog-cookers, pulkasas, thieves, niṣādas, sūtas, and māgadhas are mentioned here.
āyogāḥ karaṇā vrātyāścaṇḍālāśca narādhipa। ete caturbhyo varṇebhyo jāyante vai parasparam ॥12-285-9॥
O king, outcastes, mixed-caste offspring, those fallen from their caste, and caṇḍālas are all mutually born from the four castes.
janaka uvāca॥
Janaka said.
brahmaṇaikena jātānāṃ nānātvaṃ gotrataḥ katham। bahūnīha hi loke vai gotrāṇi munisattama ॥12-285-10॥
O best of sages, how is there diversity of lineages among those born from the one Brahman? Indeed, there are many lineages in this world.
yatra tatra kathaṃ jātāḥ svayoniṃ munayo gatāḥ। śūdrayonau samutpannā viyonau ca tathāpare ॥12-285-11॥
Wherever and however born, sages who have gone to their own womb, some have arisen in the womb of a śūdra, and others likewise in another womb.
parāśara uvāca॥
Parāśara said.
rājannaitadbhavedgrāhyamapakṛṣṭena janmanā। mahātmanāṃ samutpattistapasā bhāvitātmanām ॥12-285-12॥
O king, this is not to be accepted as possible for one of low birth; the birth of great souls is through austerity, of those whose selves are purified.
utpādya putrān munayo nṛpate yatra tatra ha। svenaiva tapasā teṣām ṛṣitvaṃ vidadhuḥ punaḥ ॥12-285-13॥
O king, after begetting sons, the sages, wherever they were, again attained sagehood for themselves by their own austerity.
pitāmahaś ca me pūrvam ṛṣyaśṛṅgaś ca kāśyapaḥ। vaṭas tāṇḍyaḥ kṛpaś caiva kakṣīvān kamaṭhādayaḥ ॥12-285-14॥
My paternal grandfather, and formerly Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, Kāśyapa, Vaṭa, Tāṇḍya, Kṛpa, as well as Kakṣīvān, Kamaṭha, and others.
yavakrītaś ca nṛpate droṇaś ca vadatāṃ varaḥ। āyur mataṅgo dattaś ca drupado matsya eva ca ॥12-285-15॥
Yavakrīta, O king, Droṇa, the best of speakers; Āyu, Mataṅga, Datta, Drupada, and Matsya as well.
ete svāṃ prakṛtiṃ prāptā vaideha tapaso''śrayāt। pratiṣṭhitā vedavido dame tapasi caiva hi ॥12-285-16॥
O Vaideha, these knowers of the Veda, having attained their own nature through the support of austerity, are firmly established in self-restraint and austerity.
mūlagotrāṇi catvāri samutpannāni pārthiva। aṅgirāḥ kaśyapaścaiva vasiṣṭho bhṛgureva ca ॥12-285-17॥
O king, four original gotras arose: Aṅgiras, Kaśyapa, Vasiṣṭha, and Bhṛgu.
karmato'nyāni gotrāṇi samutpannāni pārthiva। nāmadheyāni tapasā tāni ca grahaṇaṃ satām ॥12-285-18॥
O king, other lineages have arisen from action. Those names are obtained by austerity and are accepted by the virtuous.
janaka uvāca॥
Janaka said.
viśeṣadharmān varṇānāṃ prabrūhi bhagavan mama। tathā sāmānyadharmāṃś ca sarvatra kuśalo hy asi ॥12-285-19॥
O revered one, please tell me the specific duties of the classes and also the general duties applicable everywhere, for you are indeed knowledgeable.
parāśara uvāca॥
Parāśara said.
pratigraho yājanaṃ ca tathaivādhyāpanaṃ nṛpa। viśeṣadharmo viprāṇāṃ rakṣā kṣatrasya śobhanā ॥12-285-20॥
O king, acceptance of gifts, conducting sacrifices, and teaching are the special duties of Brāhmaṇas; protection is the noble duty of Kṣatriyas.
kṛṣiś ca pāśupālyaṃ ca vāṇijyaṃ ca viśām api। dvijānāṃ paricaryā ca śūdrakarma narādhipa ॥12-285-21॥
O king, agriculture, animal husbandry, and trade are the duties of the Vaiśyas; service to the twice-born is the duty of the Śūdra.
viśeṣadharmā nṛpate varṇānāṃ parikīrtitāḥ। dharmānsādhāraṇāṃstāta vistareṇa śṛṇuṣva me ॥12-285-22॥
O king, the special duties of the classes have been described. Now, dear one, listen as I explain the common duties in detail.
ānṛśaṁsyamahiṁsā cāpramādaḥ saṁvibhāgitā। śrāddhakarmātitheyaṁ ca satyamakrodha eva ca ॥12-285-23॥
Compassion, non-violence, vigilance, sharing, performing ancestral rites, hospitality to guests, truthfulness, and absence of anger are indeed virtues.
sveṣu dāreṣu santoṣaḥ śaucaṃ nityānasūyatā। ātmajñānaṃ titikṣā ca dharmāḥ sādhāraṇā nṛpa ॥12-285-24॥
Contentment with one's own wives, purity, constant absence of envy, self-knowledge, and forbearance are virtues common to all, O king.
brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā vaiśyāstrayo varṇā dvijātayaḥ। atra teṣāmadīkāro dharmeṣu dvipadāṃ vara ॥12-285-25॥
O best of bipeds, here the authority regarding dharmas belongs to the three twice-born classes: Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, and Vaiśyas.
vikarmāvasthitā varṇāḥ patanti nṛpate trayaḥ। unnamanti yathāsantamāśrityeha svakarmasu ॥12-285-26॥
O king, the three castes engaged in improper actions fall; but here, as they resort to the existent, they rise through their own actions.
na cāpi śūdraḥ patatīti niścayo; na cāpi saṃskāramihārhatīti vā. śrutipr̥vr̥ttaṃ na ca dharmamāpnute; na cāsya dharme pratiṣedhana kr̥tam ॥12-285-27॥
There is no certainty that the Śūdra falls, nor that he is unfit for sacraments here. Nor does he, by what is prescribed in the Vedas, fail to attain dharma; nor is there any prohibition in his dharma.
vaidehakaṃ śūdram udāharanti; dvijā mahārāja śrutopapannāḥ। ahaṃ hi paśyāmi narendra devaṃ; viśvasya viṣṇuṃ jagataḥ pradhānam ॥12-285-28॥
The people of Videha are called Śūdra, O great king, by the twice-born who are learned in the scriptures. But I, O king, see the divine Viṣṇu as the chief of the universe and the world.
satāṃ vṛttam anuṣṭhāya nihīnā ujjihīrṣavaḥ। mantra-varjaṃ na duṣyanti kurvāṇāḥ pauṣṭikīḥ kriyāḥ॥12-285-29॥
Those who, having followed the conduct of the virtuous, though lacking in virtue themselves and desiring to rise, perform nourishing acts without mantras, are not corrupted.
yathā yathā hi sadvṛttam ālambante itare janāḥ। tathā tathā sukham prāpya pretya ca iha ca śerate ॥12-285-30॥
As people adopt good conduct, so they attain happiness and rest both in this world and after death. 12-285-30.
janaka uvāca॥
Janaka said.
kiṁ karma dūṣayatyenamatha jātirmahāmune। saṁdeho me samutpannastanme vyākhyātumarhasi ॥12-285-31॥
O great sage, does action defile him, or is it birth? A doubt has arisen in me; please explain that to me.
parāśara uvāca॥
Parāśara said.
asaṃśayaṃ mahārāja ubhayaṃ doṣakārakam। karma caiva hi jātiśca viśeṣaṃ tu niśāmaya ॥12-285-32॥
O great king, without doubt, both action and birth are causes of fault; but observe the distinction between them.
jātyā ca karmaṇā caiva duṣṭaṃ karma niṣevate। jātyā duṣṭaśca yaḥ pāpaṃ na karoti sa pūruṣaḥ ॥12-285-33॥
One who, though born in a wicked family and by action, engages in wicked deeds, but if one is wicked by birth and yet does not commit sin, he is truly a man.
jātyā pradhānaṃ puruṣaṃ kurvāṇaṃ karma dhikkṛtam। karma taddūṣayatyenaṃ tasmātkarma naśobhanam ॥12-285-34॥
A man of high birth who performs actions is condemned; such actions taint him, and therefore, action is not considered auspicious.
janaka uvāca॥
Janaka said.
kāni karmāṇi dharmyāṇi loke'smindvijasattama। na hiṁsantīha bhūtāni kriyamāṇāni sarvadā ॥12-285-35॥
O best of the twice-born, which actions in this world are righteous and, when performed, never harm any beings at any time?
parāśara uvāca॥
Parāśara said.
śṛṇu me'tra mahārāja yan māṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi। yāni karmāṇy ahiṃsrāṇi naraṃ trāyanti sarvadā ॥12-285-36॥
O great king, listen to me here as you ask; those non-violent actions which always protect a man.
saṃnyasyāgnīnupāsīnāḥ paśyanti vigatajvarāḥ। naiḥśreyasaṃ dharmapathaṃ samāruhya yathākramam ॥12-285-37॥
Having renounced ritual fires, and seated in contemplation, those who are free from distress perceive the highest good, having ascended the path of dharma step by step.
praśritā vinayopetā damanityāḥ susaṃśitāḥ। prayānti sthānamajaraṃ sarvakarmavivarjitāḥ ॥12-285-38॥
Those who are humble, endowed with modesty, always self-controlled, and well-disciplined reach the imperishable state, free from all actions.
sarve varṇā dharmakāryāṇi samyak kṛtvā rājan satyavākyāni coktvā। tyaktvā adharmaṃ dāruṇaṃ jīvaloke yānti svargaṃ na atra kāryaḥ vicāraḥ॥12-285-39॥
O king, all classes who properly perform righteous acts and speak truthful words, abandoning cruel unrighteousness in this world, go to heaven; there is no need for further deliberation here.
