भीष्म उवाच एवमुक्तो मतङ्गस्तु संशितात्मा यतव्रतः। अतिष्ठदेकपादेन वर्षाणां शतमच्युतः॥
Bhishma said Thus addressed by Indra, Matanga of restrained vows and wellcontrolled soul, stood for a century of years on one foot, O you of unfading glory.
तमुवाच ततः शक्रः पुनरेव महायशाः। ब्राह्मण्यं दुर्लभं तात प्रार्थयानो न लप्स्यसे॥
Highly illustrious Shakra more appeared before him and addressing him said The dignity of a Brahmana, O child, is unattainable. Although you covet it. It is impossible for you to obtain it.
मतङ्ग परमं स्थानं प्रार्थयन् विनशिष्यसि। मा कृथाः साहसं पुत्र नैष धर्मपथस्तव॥
O Matanga, by coveting that very great dignity you are sure to meet with destruction. Do not, O son, betray such rashness. This is not a righteous path for you to follow.
न हि शक्यं त्वया प्राप्तुं ब्राह्मण्यमिह दुर्मते। अप्राप्यं प्रार्थयानो हि नचिराद् विनशिष्यसि॥
O you of foolish understanding, it is impossible for you to obtain it in this world, Verily, by coveting that which is unattainable you are sure to meet with destruction forthwith.
मतङ्ग परमं स्थानं वार्यमाणोऽसकृन्मया। चिकीर्षस्येव तपसा सर्वथा न भविष्यसि॥
I am repeatedly forbidding you. By trying, however, to attain that high dignity by the help of your penances, despite my repeated admonitions, you are sure to meet with destruction.
तिर्यग्योनिगतः सर्वो मानुष्यं यदि गच्छति। स जायते पुल्कसो वा चण्डालो वाप्यसंशयः॥
From a brute life one gains the status of humanity. If born as a human being, he is sure to be born as a Pukkasha or a Chandala.
पुल्कसः पापयोनिर्वा यः कश्चिदिह लक्ष्यते। स तस्यामेव सुचिरं मतङ्ग परिवर्तते॥
Verily, one having taken birth in that sinful caste, viz., Pulkasa, one, O Matanga, has to wander in it for a very long time.
ततो दशशते काले लभते शूद्रतामपि। शूद्रयोनावपि ततो बहुशः परिवर्तते॥
Passing a period of one thousand years in that order one is next born as a Shudra. In the Shudra order, again, one has to wander for a long time.
ततस्त्रिंशद्गुणे काले लभते वैश्यतामपि। वैश्यतायां चिरं कालं तत्रैव परिवर्तते॥
After thirty thousand years one is born as a Vaishya. There in that order, one has to pass a very long time.
ततः षष्टिगुणे काले राजन्यो नाम जायते। ततः षष्टिगुणे काले लभते ब्रह्मबन्धुताम्॥ ब्रह्मबन्धुश्चिरं कालं ततस्तु परिवर्तते।
After a time that is sixty times longer than what has been stated as the period of Shudra birth, one becomes a Kshatriya. In the Kshatriya order one has to pass a very long time. After a time that is measured by multiplying the period last referred to by sixty, one is born as a fallen Brahmana. In this order one has to wander for a long period.
ततस्तु द्विशते काले लभते काण्ड पृष्ठताम्॥ काण्डपृष्ठिश्चिरं कालं तत्रैव परिवर्तते।
After a time measured by multiplying the period last named by two hundred, one is born in the race of such a Brahmana as lives by the profession of arms. There in that order one has to wander for a long period.
ततस्तु त्रिंशते काले लभते जपतामपि॥ तं च प्राप्य चिरं कालं तत्रैव परिवर्तते। ततश्चतुःशते काले श्रोत्रियो नाम जायते। श्रोत्रियत्वे चिरं कालं तत्रैव परिवर्तते॥
After a time measured by multiplying the period last name by three hundred, one is born in the race of a Brahmana that is given to the recitation of the Gayatri and other sacred Mantras. There, in that order, one has to wander for a long period. After a time measured by multiplying the period last named by four hundred, one is born in the race of such a Bralımana who knows the entire Vedas and the scriptures. There, in that order, one has to wander for a very long period.
तदेवं शोकहर्षी तु कामद्वेषौ च पुत्रका अतिमानातिवादौ च प्रविशेते द्विजाधमम्॥
While wandering in that existence, joy and grief, desire and hatred vanity and evil speech, scck to enter into him and make a wretch of him.
तांश्चज्जयति शत्रून् स तदा प्राप्नोति सद्गतिम्। अथ ते वै जयन्त्येनं तालाग्रादिव पात्यते॥
If he succeeds in subjugating those foes, he then acquires a high end. If, on the other hand, those enemies succeed in subjugating him, he falls down from that high position like a person falling down on the ground from the high top of a palmyra tree.
मतङ्ग सम्प्रधायँवं यदहं त्वामचूचुदम्। वृणीष्व काममन्यं त्वं ब्राह्मण्यं हि सुदुर्लभम्॥
Knowing this for certain, O Matanga that I say to you do you name some other boon, for the status of a Brahmana is incapable of being acquired by you.