युधिष्ठिर उवाच प्रज्ञाश्रुताभ्यां वृत्तेन शीलेन च यथा भवान्। गुणैश्च विविधैः सर्वैर्वयसा च समन्वितः॥
Yudhishthira said You, O grandfather, are endued with wisdom and knowledge of the scriptures, with conduct and behaviour, with various kinds of excellent attributes and also with years.
भवान् विशिष्टो बुद्ध्या च प्रज्ञया तपसा तथा। तस्माद् भवन्तं पृच्छामि धर्मे धर्मभृतां वर। नान्यस्तवदन्यो लोकेषु प्रष्टव्योऽस्ति नराधिप॥
You are superior to others in intelligence, wisdom and penances. I shall, therefore, O you the foremost of all righteous men, wish to ask you questions about virtue.
क्षत्रियो यदि वा वैश्यः शूद्रो वा राजसत्तम। ब्राह्मण्यं प्राप्नुयाद् येन तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि॥ तपसा वा सुमहता कर्मणा वा श्रुतेन वा। ब्राह्मण्यमथ चेदिच्छेत् तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
There is not another man, O king, in all the worlds, who is worthier of being accosted on such topics. O best of kings, how may one, if he happens to be a Kshatriya or a Vaishya or a Shudra, succeed in acquiring the dignity of a Brahmana? You should tell nic the means. Is it by the most austere penances or by religious acts or by knowledge of the scriptures, that a person belonging to any of the three inferior castes succeeds in acquiring the dignity of Brahmana? Do tell me this, O grandfather.
भीष्म उवाच ब्राह्मण्यं तात दुष्प्राप्यं वर्णैः क्षत्रादिभिस्त्रिभिः। परं हि सर्वभूतानां स्थानमेतद् युधिष्ठिर॥
Bhishma said The dignity of a Brahmana, O Yudhishthira, cannot be acquired by a person belonging to any of the three other castes. That dignity is the highest with respect to all creatures.
बह्वीस्तु संसरन् योनीर्जायमानः पुनः पुनः। पर्याये तात कस्मिंश्चिद् ब्राह्मणो नाम जायते॥
Passing through numberless orders of existence by undergoing repeated births, one at last in some birth, becomes born as a Brahmana.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। मतङ्गस्य व संवादं गर्दभ्याश्च युधिष्ठिर॥
Regarding it is cited an old history, O Yudhishthira, of a conversation between Matanga and a she-ass.
द्विजातेः कस्यचित् तात तुल्यवर्णः सुतस्त्वभूत्। मतङ्गो नाम नाम्ना वै सर्वैः समुदितो गुणैः॥
Once on a time a Brahmana obtained a son who, though procerated by a person belonging 10 a different caste, had, however, the rites of infancy and youth performed according to the ordinances laid down for Brahmanas. The Child passed by the name of Matanga and was endued with every accomplishment.
स यज्ञकारः कौन्तेय पित्रोत्सृष्टः परंतप। प्रायाद् गर्दभयुक्तेन रथेनाप्याशुगामिना॥
His father wishing to celebrate a sacrifice, ordered him, O destroyer of enemies, to collect the articles required for the act. Having received the command of his father, he started for the purpose, riding on a quick coursing car, drawn by an ass.
स बालं गर्दभं राजन् वहन्तं मातुरन्तिके। निरविध्यत् प्रतोदेन नासिकायां पुन: पुनः॥
It so happened that the ass yoked to that car was very young. Instead, therefore of being reined, the animal bore away the car near its dam. viz., the she-ass that had brought it forth. Malanga, dissatisfied with this, began to strike the animal with his goad on its nose.
तत्र तीव्र व्रणं दृष्ट्वा गर्दभी पुत्रगृद्धिनी। उवाच मा शुचः पुत्र चाण्डालस्त्वधितिष्ठति॥
Seeing those marks of violence on her child's nose, the she-ass, full of affection for him, said, Do not grieve, O child, for this treatinent! A Chandala is driving you.
ब्राह्मणे दारुणं नास्ति मैत्रो ब्राह्मण उच्यते। आचार्यः सर्वभूतानां शास्ता किं प्रहरिष्यति॥
There is no harshness in a Brahmana. The Brahmana is said to be the friend of all creatures. He is the teacher also of all creatures and their ruler. Can he punish any creature so cruelly.
अयं तु पापप्रकृतिर्बाले न कुरुते दयाम्। स्वयोनि मानयत्येष भवो भावं नियच्छति॥
This fellow, however, is of sinful deeds. He has no mercy to show to even such a young creature. He is simply proving the order of his birth by behaving thus. The nature which he has derived from his father forbids the growth of the sentiments of pity and kindness which are natural to the Brahmana.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा मतङ्गस्तु दारुणं रासभीवचः। अवतीर्य रथात् तूर्ण रासभी प्रत्यभाषत॥
Hearing these harsh words of the she-ass Matanga speedily came down from the car and addressing the she-ass said, Tell me, O blessed dame, by what fault is my mother stained?
ब्रूहि रासभि कल्याणि माता मे येन दूषिता। कथं मां वेत्सि चण्डालं क्षिप्रं रासभि शंस मे॥
How do you know that I am a Chandala? Do you answer me forthwith,
कथं मां वेत्सि चण्डालं ब्राह्मण्यं येन नश्यते। तत्त्वेनैतन्महाप्रज्ञे ब्रूहि सर्वमशेषतः॥
How, indeed do you know that I am a Chandala? How have I lost the dignity of a Brahman? O you of great wisdom tell me all this fully, from beginning to end.
गर्दभ्युवाच ब्राह्मण्यां वृषलेन त्वं मत्तायां नापितेन ह। जातस्त्वमसि चाण्डालो ब्राह्मण्यं तेन तेऽनशत्॥
The She-ass said You were begotten upon a Brahmana woman worked up with desire, by a Shudra following the calling of a barber. You are therefore, a Chandala by birth. You have not the dignity of a Brahmana.
भीष्म उवाच एवमुक्तो मतङ्गस्तु प्रतिप्रायाद् गृहं प्रति। तमागतपभिप्रेक्ष्य पिता वाक्यमथाब्रवीत्॥ मया त्वं यज्ञसंसिद्धौ नियुक्तो गुरुकर्मणि। कस्मात् प्रतिनिवृत्तोऽसि कच्चिन्न कुशलं तव॥
Bhishma said Thus addressed by the she ass Matanga returned home. Seeing him return. his father said I had engaged you in the difficult task of gathering the requisites of my intended sacrifice! Why have you returned without having accomplished your charge? Is it that you are not all right?
मतङ्ग उवाच अन्त्ययोनिरयोनिर्वा कथं स कुशली भवेत्। कुशलं तु कुतस्तस्य यस्येयं जननी पितः॥
Matanga said How can he who belongs to no definite order of birth, or to low caste be regarded as all right and happy? How O father, can that person be happy whose mother is impure.
ब्राह्मण्यां वृषलाज्जातं पितर्वेदयतीव माम्। अमानुषी गर्दभीयं तस्मात् तप्स्ये तपो महत्॥
O father, this sheass, who seems to be more than a human being, tells me that I have been begotten upon a Brahman woman by a Shudra. I shall for this reason, practise the severest penances.
एवमुक्त्वा स पितरं प्रतस्थे कृतनिश्चयः। ततो गत्वा महारण्यमतपत् सुमहत् तपः॥
Having said these words to his father, and firmly resolved upon what he had said, he went to the great forest and began to practise the austerest of penances.
ततः स तापयामास विबुधास्तपसान्वितः। मतङ्गः सुखसम्प्रेप्सुः स्थानं सुचरितादपि॥
Beginning those penances for the purpose of happily acquiring the dignity of a Brahmana Matanga began to scorch the very gods by the severity of his asceticism,
तं तथा तपसा युक्तमुवाच हरिवाहनः। मतङ्ग तप्स्यसे किं त्वं भोगानुत्सृज्य मानुषान्॥
The king of the celestials, viz., Indra, appeared to him thus practising penances and said Why, O Matanga, do you pass your time in such grief, abstaining from all sorts of human enjoyments.
वरं ददामि ते हन्त वृणीष्व त्वं यदिच्छसि। यच्चाप्यवाप्यं हृदि ते सर्वं तद् ब्रूहि माचिरम्॥
I shall give you boons. Do you name the boons. Do not delay, but tell me what is in your mind. Even if it be unattainable, I Shall yet bestow it on you.
मतङ्ग उवाच ब्राह्मण्यं कामयानोऽहमिदमारब्धवांस्तपः। गच्छेयं तदवाप्येह वर एष वृतो मया॥
Matanga said Desirous of acquiring the dignity of a Brahmana I have begun to practise these penances. After having obtained it, I shall go home. Even this is the boon I pray for.
भीष्म उवाच एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं तमुवाच पुरंदरः। मतङ्ग दुर्लभमिदं विप्रत्वं प्रार्थ्यते त्वया॥
Bhishma said Hearing these words of his, Purandara said to him The dignity of a Brahmana, O Matanga, which you wish to acquire, cannot be won by you.
ब्राह्मण्यं प्रार्थयानस्त्वमप्राप्यमकृतात्मभिः। विनशिष्यसि दुर्बुद्धे तदुपारम माचिरम्॥
It is true, you wish to acquire it, but then it cannot be won by persons of impure souls. O you of foolish understanding, you are sure to meet with destruction if you persist in this pursuit. Desist, therefore, from this vain attempt forthwith.
श्रेष्ठतां सर्वभूतेषु तपोऽर्थे नातिवर्तते। तदग्र्यं प्रार्थयानस्त्वमचिराद् विनशिष्यसि॥
This object of your desire viz., the dignity of Brahmana, which is the foremost of everything, cannot be even acquired by penances. Therefore by coveting that foremost dignity, you will surely meet with destruction.
देवतासुरमर्येषु यत् पवित्रं परं स्मृतम्। चण्डालयोनौ जातेन न तत् प्राप्यं कथंचन॥
One born as a Chandala can never acquire that dignity which is considered as the most sacred among the celestials and Asuras and human beings. once