13.136
ब्राह्मणप्रशंसा
Praise of brāhmaṇas;
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhishthira said.
के पूज्याः के नमस्कार्याः कथं वर्तेत केषु च। किमाचारः कीदृशेषु पितामह न रिष्यते ॥१३-१३६-१॥
Who are to be worshipped? Who should be saluted? How should one behave, and towards whom? What kind of conduct, O grandsire, does not lead to harm when interacting with people of certain types? (13-136-1)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said.
ब्राह्मणानां परिभवः सादयेदपि देवताः। ब्राह्मणानां नमस्कर्ता युधिष्ठिर न रिष्यते ॥१३-१३६-२॥
Even the gods could be brought down by showing disrespect to Brāhmaṇas; O Yudhiṣṭhira, one who reverences Brāhmaṇas does not suffer harm. (13-136-2)
ते पूज्यास्ते नमस्कार्या वर्तेथास्तेषु पुत्रवत्। ते हि लोकानिमान्सर्वान्धारयन्ति मनीषिणः ॥१३-१३६-३॥
They must be worshipped and saluted, and you should behave toward them as you would toward a son. Truly, it is the wise who sustain all these worlds. (13-136-3)
ब्राह्मणाः सर्वलोकानां महान्तो धर्मसेतवः। धनत्यागाभिरामाश्च वाक्संयमरताश्च ये ॥१३-१३६-४॥
Brāhmaṇas—who are great, protectors of dharma for all worlds, delightful through their renunciation of wealth, and who delight in restraining their speech—(13-136-4)
रमणीयाश्च भूतानां निधानं च धृतव्रताः। प्रणेतारश्च लोकानां शास्त्राणां च यशस्विनः ॥१३-१३६-५॥
Pleasing as the abode of beings, firm in vows; illustrious promoters of worlds and scriptures. (13-136-5)
तपो येषां धनं नित्यं वाक्चैव विपुलं बलम्। प्रभवश्चापि धर्माणां धर्मज्ञाः सूक्ष्मदर्शिनः ॥१३-१३६-६॥
Those whose wealth is austerity, who have constant speech that is indeed abundant, whose power and the source of all dharmas rests in them—are knowers of dharma and perceivers of subtlety. (13-136-6)
धर्मकामाः स्थिता धर्मे सुकृतैर्धर्मसेतवः। यानुपाश्रित्य जीवन्ति प्रजाः सर्वाश्चतुर्विधाः ॥१३-१३६-७॥
All creatures of the four kinds live, having resorted to those who desire dharma, are established in dharma, and are the bridges of dharma through virtuous deeds. (13-136-7)
पन्थानः सर्वनेतारो यज्ञवाहाः सनातनाः। पितृपैतामहीं गुर्वीमुद्वहन्ति धुरं सदा ॥१३-१३६-८॥
The eternal paths, which guide all, bear the sacrifices, and have always carried the heavy burden belonging to fathers and grandfathers. (13-136-8)
धुरि ये नावसीदन्ति विषमे सद्गवा इव। पितृदेवातिथिमुखा हव्यकव्याग्रभोजिनः ॥१३-१३६-९॥
Those who, yoked in duty, do not falter in adversity—like good cows—namely the ancestors, gods, and guests who are foremost in receiving offerings and oblations. (13-136-9)
भोजनादेव ये लोकांस्त्रायन्ते महतो भयात्। दीपाः सर्वस्य लोकस्य चक्षुश्चक्षुष्मतामपि ॥१३-१३६-१०॥
Lamps, which indeed protect people from great fear arising from food, are the eyes of all the world—even for those who have sight. (13-136-10)
सर्वशिल्पादिनिधयो निपुणाः सूक्ष्मदर्शिनः। गतिज्ञाः सर्वभूतानामध्यात्मगतिचिन्तकाः ॥१३-१३६-११॥
They are repositories of all arts, skilled, perceivers of what is subtle, knowers of the movement of all beings, and thinkers on the movement of the self. (13-136-11)
आदिमध्यावसानानां ज्ञातारश्छिन्नसंशयाः। परावरविशेषज्ञा गन्तारः परमां गतिम् ॥१३-१३६-१२॥
Those who know the beginnings, middles, and ends, whose doubts are eliminated, who understand the distinction of far and near, are those who reach the highest state. (13-136-12)
विमुक्ता धुतपाप्मानो निर्द्वंद्वा निष्परिग्रहाः। मानार्हा मानिता नित्यं ज्ञानविद्भिर्महात्मभिः ॥१३-१३६-१३॥
Liberated, sin-cleansed, free from the pairs of opposites and without possessions, worthy of honor, these people are always respected by the wise and noble souls. (13-136-13)
चन्दने मलपङ्के च भोजनेऽभोजने समाः। समं येषां दुकूलं च शाणक्षौमाजिनानि च ॥१३-१३६-१४॥
Those for whom sandalwood and filth, eating and not eating, silk cloth, linen, cotton, and deerskins are all equal— (13-136-14)
तिष्ठेयुरप्यभुञ्जाना बहूनि दिवसान्यपि। शोषयेयुश्च गात्राणि स्वाध्यायैः संयतेन्द्रियाः ॥१३-१३६-१५॥
Those with restrained senses could remain without eating for many days, and by self-study could wither their bodies. (13-136-15)
अदैवं दैवतं कुर्युर्दैवतं चाप्यदैवतम्। लोकानन्यान्सृजेयुश्च लोकपालांश्च कोपिताः ॥१३-१३६-१६॥
Enraged, they might treat the non-divine as divine and the divine as non-divine; they might even create other worlds and their guardians. (13-136-16)
अपेयः सागरो येषामभिशापान्महात्मनाम्। येषां कोपाग्निरद्यापि दण्डके नोपशाम्यति ॥१३-१३६-१७॥
The ocean became undrinkable by the curses of great souls, and the fire of whose anger in the Daṇḍaka forest even today is not pacified. (13-136-17)
देवानामपि ये देवाः कारणं कारणस्य च। प्रमाणस्य प्रमाणं च कस्तानभिभवेद्बुधः ॥१३-१३६-१८॥
Who could overcome those gods, who are themselves the gods of the gods, the cause of the cause, and the authority of the authority, even for a wise person? (13-136-18)
येषां वृद्धश्च बालश्च सर्वः संमानमर्हति। तपोविद्याविशेषात्तु मानयन्ति परस्परम् ॥१३-१३६-१९॥
Among whom the elder and the child and everyone deserves respect, but by reason of distinction in austerity and knowledge, they honor one another. (13-136-19)
अविद्वान्ब्राह्मणो देवः पात्रं वै पावनं महत्। विद्वान्भूयस्तरो देवः पूर्णसागरसंनिभः ॥१३-१३६-२०॥
An ignorant brāhmaṇa is like a great, purifying vessel—divine, but a learned brāhmaṇa is a greater deity, like a full ocean. (13-136-20)
अविद्वांश्चैव विद्वांश्च ब्राह्मणो दैवतं महत्। प्रणीतश्चाप्रणीतश्च यथाग्निर्दैवतं महत् ॥१३-१३६-२१॥
Both the unlearned and the learned Brāhmaṇa are regarded as great divine beings. Whether well-tended or not, just as fire is always a great divinity. (13-136-21)
श्मशाने ह्यपि तेजस्वी पावको नैव दुष्यति। हविर्यज्ञेषु च वहन्भूय एवाभिशोभते ॥१३-१३६-२२॥
Even in a cremation ground, the fiery fire is never tainted; and when it carries offerings in sacrifices, it shines forth ever more. (13-136-22)
एवं यद्यप्यनिष्टेषु वर्तते सर्वकर्मसु। सर्वथा ब्राह्मणो मान्यो दैवतं विद्धि तत्परम् ॥१३-१३६-२३॥
Thus, even though a Brāhmaṇa acts in all actions, even in undesired ones, in all respects the Brāhmaṇa is to be honored; know that divine being as supreme. (13-136-23)
