भीष्म उवाच ज्याकर्षणं शत्रुनिबर्हणं च कृषिर्वणिज्या पशुपालनं च। शुश्रूषणं चापि तथार्थहेतोरकार्यमेतत् परमं द्विजस्य॥श
Bhishma said ‘Drawing the bowstring, destruction of enemies, agriculture, trade, tending cattle and serving others for money are not proper for a Brahmana.
सेव्यं तु ब्रह्म षट्कर्म गृहस्थेन मनीषिणा। कृतकृत्यस्य चारण्ये वासो विप्रस्य शस्यते॥
An intelligent Brahmana, living as a householder, should duly perform the six Vedic acts. The retirement of a Brahmana into the woods, after having duly performed all the duties of the domestic mode of life, is highly spoken of.
राजप्रेष्यं कृषिधनं जीवनं च वणिक्पथा। कौटिल्यं कौलटेयं च कुसीदं च विवर्जयेत्॥
A Brahmana should avoid service of the king, money obtained by agriculture, sustenance derived from the trade, all kinds of wily conduct, knowing any but his married wives and usury.
शूद्रो राजन्भवति ब्रह्मबन्धु १श्चारित्रो यश्च धर्मादपेतः। वृषलीपतिः पिशुनो नर्तनश्च राजप्रेष्यो यश्च भवेद् विकर्मा॥
That wretch of a Brahmana, who neglects to satisfy his duties and whose conduct becomes wicked becomes, O king, a Shudra. The Brahmana, who marries a Shudra woman, who becomes vile in conduct or a dancer or a village servant or performs other unbecoming acts, becomes a Shudra.
जपन्वेदानजपंश्चापि राजन् समः शूरैर्दासवच्चापि भोज्यः। एते सर्वे शूद्रसमा भवन्ति राजन्नेतान्वर्जयेद्देवकृत्ये॥
Whether he recites the Vedas or not o king, if he does such improper acts, he is reduced to the position of a Shudra and on occasions of feeding he should be given a place amongst Shudras.
निर्मर्यादे चाशुचौ क्रूरवृत्ती हिंसात्मके त्यक्तधर्मस्ववृत्ते। हव्यं कव्यं यानि चान्यानि राजन्। देयान्यदेयानि भवन्ति चास्मै।॥
Such Brahmanas become equal to Shudra, O king, and should be discarded at the time of worshipping the gods.
तस्माद्धर्मो विहितो ब्राह्मणस्य दमः शौचमार्जवं चापि राजन्। तथा विप्रस्याश्रमाः सर्व एव पुरा राजन् ब्राह्मणा वै निसृष्टाः॥
Whatever presents of food dedicated to the departed manes are made to Brahmanas, who have transgressed all restraints or become impure in conduct or addicted to wicked callings and cruel acts or who have neglected their legitimate duties, yield on merit (to the giver.) Therefore, O king, self-control, purity and simplicity have been laid down as the duties of a Brahmana. Besides these, O king, all the four modes of life were prescribed by Brahman for him.
यः स्याद्दान्तः सोमपश्चार्यशीलः सानुक्रोशः सर्वसहो निराशीः। ऋजुर्मूदुरनृशंसः क्षमावान् स वै विप्रो नेतरः पापकर्मा॥
He, who is self-controlled, has drunk the Soma in sacrifices, is of good conduct, has mercy for all creatures and patience to bear everything, has no desire of improving his position by acquisition of wealth, is frank and simple, mild, shorn of cruelty, and forgiving, is truly a Brahmana, and not he who is of sinful deeds.
शूद्रं वैश्यं राजपुत्रं च रार्ज ल्लोकाः सर्वे संश्रिता धर्मकामाः। तस्माद् वर्णाशान्तिधर्मेष्वसक्तान् मत्वा विष्णुर्नेच्छति पाण्डुपुत्र॥
Men, desirous of acquiring virtue, seek the help, O king, of Sudras, Vaishyas, and Kshatriyas. If, therefore, the members of these (three) castes do not adopt peaceful duties, Vishnu, O son of Pandu, never extends his favour to them.
लोके चेदं सर्वलोकस्य न ा च्चातुर्वण्र्यं वेदवादाश्च न स्युः। सर्वाश्चज्याः सर्वलोकक्रियाश्च सद्यः सर्वे चाश्रमस्थान वै स्युः॥
If Vishnu be not pleased, the happiness of all men in heaven, the merit arising from the duties prescribed by the four orders, the injunctions of the Vedas, all kinds of sacrifices, and all other religions acts of men, and all the duties of the various modes of life, become lost.
यश्च त्रयाणां वर्णानामिच्छेदाश्रमसेवनम्। चातुराश्रम्यदृशंश्च धर्मांस्तान्धृणु पाण्डव॥
Listen now, O son of Pandu, to those duties which should be practised in the four modes of life. These should be known to the Kshatriya who wishes the members of the three (other) orders in his kingdom) to strictly follow the respective duties of those modes.
शुश्रूषोः कृतकार्यस्य कृतसंतानकर्मणः। अभ्यनुज्ञातराजस्य शूद्रस्य जगतीपते॥ अल्पान्तरगतस्यापि दशधर्मगतस्य वा। आश्रमा विहिताः सर्वे वर्जयित्वा निराशिषम्॥
For a Shudra who wishes to hear (such scriptures as are not forbidden in his case), who has performed his duties, who has procreated a son, between whom and the superior orders there is not much difference for the purity of his conduct, all the modes of life have been laid down save the observance of universal peacefulness and self-control.
भैक्ष्यचर्यां ततः प्राहुस्तस्य तद्धर्मचारिणः। तथा वैश्यस्य राजेन्द्र राजपुत्रस्य चैव हि॥
For a Shudra practising all these duties, as also for a Vaishya, O king, and a Kshatriya, the Bhikshu mode of life has been sanctioned.
कृतकृत्यो वयोऽतीतो राज्ञः कृतपरिश्रमः। वैश्यो गच्छदनुज्ञातो नृपेणाश्रमसंश्रयम्॥
Having performed the duties of his order, and having also served the king, an aged Vaisya with the king's permission, may adopt another mode of life.
वेदानधीत्य धर्मेण राजशास्त्राणि चानघ । संतानादीनि कर्माणि कृत्वा सोमं निषेव्य च॥ पालयित्वा प्रजाः सर्वा धर्मेण वदतां वरः। राजसूयाश्वमेधादीन् मखानन्यांस्तथैव च॥ आनयित्वा यथापाठं विप्रेभ्यो दत्तदक्षिणः। संग्रामे विजयं प्राप्य तथाल्पं यदि वा बहु॥ स्थापयित्वा प्रजापालं पुत्रं राज्ये च पाण्डव। अन्यगोत्रं प्रशस्तं वा क्षत्रियं क्षत्रियर्षभ॥ अर्चयित्वा पितृन् सम्यक् पितृयज्ञैर्यथाविधि। देवान् यज्ञैर्ऋषीन् वेदैरर्चयित्वा तु यत्नतः॥ अन्तकाले च सम्प्राप्ते य इच्छेदाश्रमान्तरम्। सोऽनुपूर्व्याश्रमान् राजन् गत्वा सिद्धिमवाप्नुयात्॥
Having studied the Vedas duly and the works describing the duties of kings, O sinless one, having procreated children and performed similar other acts, having drunk the Soma and governed and protected all his subjects piously, O foremost of speakers, having celebrated a Rajasuya, the horse sacrifice, and other great sacrifices, having invited learned Brahmanas for reciting the scriptures and made presents to them according to their merits, having obtained victories small or great in battle, having placed on his throne his own begotten son or some Kshatriya of good birth for the protection of his subjects, having worshipped the departed manes by performing with due rites the sacrifice prescribed for honouring them, having attentively adored the gods by performing sacrifices and the Rishis by studying the Vedas, the Kshatriya, who in old age seeks another mode of life, may, O king, adopt it by leaving the preceding one and by the means be is sure to acquire (ascetic) success.
राजषित्वेन राजेन्द्र भैक्ष्यचर्यां न सेवया। अपेतगृहधर्मोऽपि चरेज्जीवितकाम्यया॥
A Kshatriya, for leading the life of a Rishi, O king, may take the Bhikshu mode of life; but he should never do so for enjoying the pleasure of the world. Having abandoned the life of a house-holder, he may adopt the life of mendicancy by begging what would barely maintain his life.
न चैतन्नैष्ठिकं कर्म त्रयाणां भूरिदक्षिण। चतुर्णां राजशार्दूल प्राहुराश्रमवासिनाम्॥
A life of mendicancy is not compulsory for the three orders (viz., Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras), O giver of profuse presents. This mode of life, is open to all the four castes because they can adopt it if they choose.
बाह्वायत्तं क्षत्रियैर्मानवानां लोकश्रेष्ठं धर्ममासेवमानैः। सर्वे धर्माः सोपधर्मास्त्रयाणां राज्ञो धर्मादिति वेदाच्छणोमि॥
Amongst men, the highest duties are those which are practised by Kshatriyas. The whole world is subject to the power of their arms. All the duties, principal and minor of the three other castes, depend upon the duties of the Kshatriya. The Vedas declare this.
यथा राजन् हस्तिपदे पदानि संलीयन्ते सर्वसत्त्वोद्भवानि। एवं धर्मान् राजधर्मेषु सर्वान् सर्वावस्थान् सम्प्रलीनान् निबोध॥
As the foot-prints of all the other animals are covered by those of the elephant, so all the duties of the other castes, under every circumstances, are covered by those of the Kshatriya.
अल्पाश्रयानल्पफलान् वदन्ति धर्मानन्यान् धर्मविदो मनुष्याः। महाश्रयं बहुकल्याणरूपं क्षात्रं धर्मं नेतरं प्राहुरार्याः॥
Men, well-read in the scriptures say that the duties of the other three castes give but limited relief or protection, yield petty rewards. The learned have said that the duties of the Kshatriya afford great relief and yield great rewards.
सर्वे धर्मा राजधर्मप्रधानाः सर्वे वर्णाः पाल्यमाना भवन्ति। सर्वस्त्यागो राजधर्मेषु रार्ज स्त्यागं धर्मं चाहुरग्र्यं पुराणम्॥
The royal duties are the foremost of all duties. All the castes are protected by them. Every sort of Renunciation is included in kingly duties, o king, and Renunciation has been declared to be an eternal virtue and the foremost of all. on
मज्जेत् त्रयी दण्डनीतौ हतायां सर्वे धर्माः प्रक्षयेयुर्विबुद्धाः। सर्वे धर्माश्चाश्रमाणां हताः स्युः क्षात्रे त्यक्ते राजधर्मे पुराणे॥
If the science of punishment disappears, the Vedas will be lost. All these scriptures also describing the duties of men become lost. Indeed, if these ancient duties the Kshatriyas be abandoned, all the duties of all the modes of life, become lost.
सर्वे त्यागा राजधर्मेषु दृशः सर्वा दीक्षा राजधर्मेषु चोक्ताः। सर्वा विद्या राजधर्मेषु युक्ताः सर्वे लोका राजधर्मे प्रविष्टाः॥
All sorts of renunciation are in kingly duties; all kinds of initiation are in them; all sorts of learning are connected with them; and all sorts of worldly conduct are in them.
यथा जीवाः प्राकृतैर्वध्यमाना धर्मश्रुतानामुपपीडनाय। एवं धर्मा राजधर्मवियुक्ताः। संचिन्वन्तो नाद्रियन्ते स्वधर्मम्॥
As animals, killed by the vulgar, become the instrument of destroying the virtue and the religious acts of the destroyer so all other duties, if deprived of the protection offered by kingly duties, become subject to attack and destruction, and men, full of anxiety, neglect the practices laid down for them.