13.104
ब्रह्मस्वहरणम्
The self-appropriation of Brahman;
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
ब्राह्मणस्वानि ये मन्दा हरन्ति भरतर्षभ। नृशंसकारिणो मूढाः क्व ते गच्छन्ति मानवाः ॥१३-१०४-१॥
O bull among Bharatas, where do the men who are dull-witted, deluded, performing cruel deeds, and who steal the property of Brāhmaṇas, go? (13-104-1)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
अत्राप्युदाहरण्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। चण्डालस्य च संवादं क्षत्रबन्धोश्च भारत ॥१३-१०४-२॥
Here also, O Bhārata, they relate this ancient story, namely the dialogue between the Caṇḍāla and the Kṣatrabandhu. (13-104-2)
राजन्य उवाच॥
The kṣatriya said.
वृद्धरूपोऽसि चण्डाल बालवच्च विचेष्टसे। श्वखराणां रजःसेवी कस्मादुद्विजसे गवाम् ॥१३-१०४-३॥
You appear as an old man, caṇḍāla, and behave like a child; being one who frequents the dust of dogs and donkeys, why do you avoid the cows? (13-104-3)
साधुभिर्गर्हितं कर्म चण्डालस्य विधीयते। कस्माद्गोरजसा ध्वस्तमपां कुण्डे निषिञ्चसि ॥१३-१०४-४॥
An action condemned by the virtuous is performed by a caṇḍāla. Why do you pour water defiled by cow-dust into the vessel? (13-104-4)
चण्डाल उवाच॥
The outcaste said;
ब्राह्मणस्य गवां राजन्ह्रियतीनां रजः पुरा। सोममुद्ध्वंसयामास तं सोमं येऽपिबन्द्विजाः ॥१३-१०४-५॥
O king, once, the dust raised when the Brāhmaṇa's cows were stolen destroyed the Soma; those twice-born who drank that Soma (were affected). (13-104-5)
दीक्षितश्च स राजापि क्षिप्रं नरकमाविशत्। सह तैर्याजकैः सर्वैर्ब्रह्मस्वमुपजीव्य तत् ॥१३-१०४-६॥
That king, having been initiated, also quickly entered hell together with all those priests, having enjoyed that Brahmin property. (13-104-6)
येऽपि तत्रापिबन्क्षीरं घृतं दधि च मानवाः। ब्राह्मणाः सहराजन्याः सर्वे नरकमाविशन् ॥१३-१०४-७॥
Those people there who drank milk, ghee, and curds—Brāhmaṇas and all Kṣatriyas together—all of them entered hell. (13-104-7)
जघ्नुस्ताः पयसा पुत्रांस्तथा पौत्रान्विधुन्वतीः। पशूनवेक्षमाणाश्च साधुवृत्तेन दम्पती ॥१३-१०४-८॥
Those women killed their sons and grandsons with milk, shaking them; the husband and wife tended their animals with good conduct. (13-104-8)
अहं तत्रावसं राजन्ब्रह्मचारी जितेन्द्रियः। तासां मे रजसा ध्वस्तं भैक्षमासीन्नराधिप ॥१३-१०४-९॥
O king, I lived there as a celibate with my senses subdued; but my alms-food was tainted by their menstrual fluid, O lord of men. (13-104-9)
चण्डालोऽहं ततो राजन्भुक्त्वा तदभवं मृतः। ब्रह्मस्वहारी च नृपः सोऽप्रतिष्ठां गतिं ययौ ॥१३-१०४-१०॥
O king, I then became an outcaste; having experienced that, I died. The king, who was a stealer of brahmin's property, attained a state of instability. (13-104-10)
तस्माद्धरेन्न विप्रस्वं कदाचिदपि किञ्चन। ब्रह्मस्वरजसा ध्वस्तं भुक्त्वा मां पश्य यादृशम् ॥१३-१०४-११॥
Therefore, no one should ever take even the slightest thing belonging to a brāhmaṇa. Having eaten what was destroyed by so much as the dust of a brāhmaṇa's wealth, look at the condition I am in. (13-104-11)
तस्मात्सोमोऽप्यविक्रेयः पुरुषेण विपश्चिता। विक्रयं हीह सोमस्य गर्हयन्ति मनीषिणः ॥१३-१०४-१२॥
Therefore, Soma also is not to be sold by a wise person; for in this world, the sale of Soma is condemned by the wise. (13-104-12)
ये चैनं क्रीणते राजन्ये च विक्रीणते जनाः। ते तु वैवस्वतं प्राप्य रौरवं यान्ति सर्वशः ॥१३-१०४-१३॥
Those people who buy and sell this (person) in the case of a Kṣatriya, after reaching Vaivasvata (Yama), all go to the Raurava hell. (13-104-13)
सोमं तु रजसा ध्वस्तं विक्रीयाद्बुद्धिपूर्वकम्। श्रोत्रियो वार्धुषी भूत्वा चिररात्राय नश्यति ॥ नरकं त्रिंशतं प्राप्य श्वविष्ठामुपजीवति ॥१३-१०४-१४॥
But if a Vedic scholar knowingly sells soma that has been defiled by impurity, having done so for livelihood, he perishes for a long time, and, after reaching hell for thirty (years), lives by subsisting on dog excrement. (13-104-14)
श्वचर्यामतिमानं च सखिदारेषु विप्लवम्। तुलयाधारयद्धर्मो ह्यतिमानोऽतिरिच्यते ॥१३-१०४-१५॥
Dog-like conduct, arrogance, and disorder regarding friends' wives—if one measures with the scale of righteousness, arrogance is found to exceed. (13-104-15)
श्वानं वै पापिनं पश्य विवर्णं हरिणं कृशम्। अतिमानेन भूतानामिमां गतिमुपागतम् ॥१३-१०४-१६॥
Behold the sinful dog and the emaciated, discolored deer; through excessive pride, beings have come to this state. (13-104-16)
अहं वै विपुले जातः कुले धनसमन्विते। अन्यस्मिञ्जन्मनि विभो ज्ञानविज्ञानपारगः ॥१३-१०४-१७॥
Indeed, I was born in a great family endowed with wealth. In another birth, O Lord, I was one who had mastered both knowledge and realization. (13-104-17)
अभवं तत्र जानानो ह्येतान्दोषान्मदात्तदा। संरब्ध एव भूतानां पृष्ठमांसान्यभक्षयम् ॥१३-१०४-१८॥
There, even though I knew these faults, out of pride, then being enraged, I ate the flesh from the backs of creatures. (13-104-18)
सोऽहं तेन च वृत्तेन भोजनेन च तेन वै। इमामवस्थां सम्प्राप्तः पश्य कालस्य पर्ययम् ॥१३-१०४-१९॥
I am that person who, by that and by that livelihood and food, has indeed attained this condition—see the course of time. (13-104-19)
आदीप्तमिव चैलान्तं भ्रमरैरिव चार्दितम्। धावमानं सुसंरब्धं पश्य मां रजसान्वितम् ॥१३-१०४-२०॥
Behold me, covered with dust, running very enraged—like a piece of cloth that is on fire, and tormented as if by bees. (13-104-20)
स्वाध्यायैस्तु महत्पापं तरन्ति गृहमेधिनः। दानैः पृथग्विधैश्चापि यथा प्राहुर्मनीषिणः ॥१३-१०४-२१॥
Householders cross over great sin through self-study and also by gifts of various kinds, as the wise have declared. (13-104-21)
तथा पापकृतं विप्रमाश्रमस्थं महीपते। सर्वसङ्गविनिर्मुक्तं छन्दांस्युत्तारयन्त्युत ॥१३-१०४-२२॥
Thus, O king, even a brāhmaṇa dwelling in a hermitage who has committed evil deeds, if he is free from all attachments, is indeed lifted up by the Vedas. (13-104-22)
अहं तु पापयोन्यां वै प्रसूतः क्षत्रियर्षभ। निश्चयं नाधिगच्छामि कथं मुच्येयमित्युत ॥१३-१०४-२३॥
But I, born indeed in a sinful womb, O best of Kṣatriyas, do not ascertain how I might be freed, thus indeed. (13-104-23)
जातिस्मरत्वं तु मम केनचित्पूर्वकर्मणा। शुभेन येन मोक्षं वै प्राप्तुमिच्छाम्यहं नृप ॥१३-१०४-२४॥
O king, I possess remembrance of past births due to some previous auspicious deed, by which I indeed desire to attain liberation. (13-104-24)
त्वमिमं मे प्रपन्नाय संशयं ब्रूहि पृच्छते। चण्डालत्वात्कथमहं मुच्येयमिति सत्तम ॥१३-१०४-२५॥
O best of beings, I—who have sought your refuge—ask you this: Please tell me my doubt. How may I be released from the state of being a caṇḍāla? (13-104-25)
राजन्य उवाच॥
The king said.
चण्डाल प्रतिजानीहि येन मोक्षमवाप्स्यसि। ब्राह्मणार्थे त्यजन्प्राणान्गतिमिष्टामवाप्स्यसि ॥१३-१०४-२६॥
Outcaste, promise by which you will attain liberation. If you give up your life for the sake of a Brāhmaṇa, you will attain the desired state. (13-104-26)
दत्त्वा शरीरं क्रव्याद्भ्यो रणाग्नौ द्विजहेतुकम्। हुत्वा प्राणान्प्रमोक्षस्ते नान्यथा मोक्षमर्हसि ॥१३-१०४-२७॥
By giving your body to the flesh-eaters in the fire of battle, and sacrificing your life for the sake of the twice-born, you attain liberation—otherwise, you do not deserve liberation. (13-104-27)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said;
इत्युक्तः स तदा राजन्ब्रह्मस्वार्थे परन्तप। हुत्वा रणमुखे प्राणान्गतिमिष्टामवाप ह ॥१३-१०४-२८॥
O king, thus addressed, he, for the sake of sacred wealth, O scorcher of foes, sacrificed his life on the battlefield and indeed attained the desired state. (13-104-28)
तस्माद्रक्ष्यं त्वया पुत्र ब्रह्मस्वं भरतर्षभ। यदीच्छसि महाबाहो शाश्वतीं गतिमुत्तमाम् ॥१३-१०४-२९॥
Therefore, O son, O best of the Bharatas, Brahmanical wealth must be protected by you, if you, O mighty-armed one, desire the supreme and eternal goal. (13-104-29)
