Imatges de pàgina
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when angered, could instantly destroy him together with his army and his vehicles.

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314. Who could escape destruction, when he vokes to anger those (men), by whom the fire was made to consume all things, by whom the (water of the) ocean was made undrinkable, and by whom the moon was made to wane and to increase again?

315. Who could prosper, while he injures those (men) who provoked to anger, could create other worlds and other guardians of the world, and deprive the gods of their divine station?

316. What man, desirous of life, would injure them to whose support the (three) worlds and the gods ever owe their existence, and whose wealth is the Veda?

317. A Brâhmana, be he ignorant or learned, is a great divinity, just as the fire, whether carried forth (for the performance of a burnt-oblation) or not carried forth, is a great divinity.

318. The brilliant fire is not contaminated even in burial-places, and, when presented with oblations (of butter) at sacrifices, it again increases mightily.

property' (Medh., Nâr.), or treating them with contumely' (Medh.). 'They could destroy him,' i. e. 'by magic rites and curses' (Kull.).

314. This verse refers to certain stories, told, as Medh. and Nâr. point out, in the section of the Mahâbhârata, called Mokshadharmâh XII, 344, 55, 57-58, 60-61. There it is said that Bhrigu made the fire consume all things, that the moon became consumptive' in consequence of the curse of Daksha, and that Vadavâmukha made the ocean salt in punishment for his disobedience.

315. This verse also contains allusions to the Mahâbhârata. Visvamitra tried to create other worlds (Medh.), the Vâlakhilyas another Indra and Vâyu, and others deprived the gods of their station. With respect to the latter point, Râgh. quotes the story of Mândavya cursing Yama (Mahâbhârata I, 108, 16), and causing him to be born as a Sûdra.

316. See above, I. 93–95.

319. Thus, though Brahmanas employ themselves in all (sorts of) mean occupations, they must be honoured in every way; for (each of) them is a very great deity.

320. When the Kshatriyas become in any way overbearing towards the Brâhmanas, the Brâhmanas themselves shall duly restrain them; for the Kshatriyas sprang from the Brâhmanas.

321. Fire sprang from water, Kshatriyas from Brâhmanas, iron from stone; the all-penetrating force of those (three) has no effect on that whence they were produced.

322. Kshatriyas prosper not without Brahmanas, Brahmanas prosper not without Kshatriyas; Brâhmanas and Kshatriyas, being closely united, prosper in this (world) and in the next.

323. But (a king who feels his end drawing nigh) shall bestow all his wealth, accumulated from fines, on Brâhmanas, make over his kingdom to his son, and then seek death in battle.

321. Fire sprang from water, thus speak the Paurânikas' (Nand.); '(that origin is) visible in the case of lightning and in that of the (submarine) Vadavâgni' (Râgh.). According to Râgh., the statement that the Kshatriyas sprang from the Brâhmanas is based on a Vedic passage. But Nâr. thinks that it alludes to a Paurânik story, according to which the Brâhmanas produced with the Kshatriyâ females a new Kshatriya race after the destruction of the second varna by Parasurâma.

322. Gaut. XI, 14; Vas. XIX, 4.

323. Medh. says that others explain the expression 'all his wealth, accumulated from fines,' as including all the king's possessions, excepting horses and chariots, arms, land, and slaves,' but that this is improper. He adds that, if the king cannot die in battle, he may burn or drown himself. Kull. says that he may kill himself by starvation. In later times kings followed this rule; see e. g. Vikramânkakarita IV, 44-68.

324. Thus conducting himself (and) ever intent on (discharging) his royal duties, a king shall order all his servants (to work) for the good of his people.

325. Thus the eternal law concerning the duties of a king has been fully declared; know that the following rules apply in (due) order to the duties of Vaisyas and Sûdras.

326. After a Vaisya has received the sacraments and has taken a wife, he shall be always attentive to the business whereby he may subsist and to (that of) tending cattle.

327. For when the Lord of creatures (Pragâpati) created cattle, he made them over to the Vaisya; to the Brahmana, and to the king he entrusted all created beings.

328. A Vaisya must never (conceive this) wish, 'I will not keep cattle;' and if a Vaisya is willing (to keep them), they must never be kept by (men of) other (castes).

329. (A Vaisya) must know the respective value of gems, of pearls, of coral, of metals, of (cloth) made of thread, of perfumes, and of condiments.

330. He must be acquainted with the (manner of) sowing of seeds, and of the good and bad qualities of fields, and he must perfectly know all measures and weights.

331. Moreover, the excellence and defects of commodities, the advantages and disadvantages of (different) countries, the (probable) profit and loss on merchandise, and the means of properly rearing cattle.

332. He must be acquainted with the (proper)

326. Regarding the business whereby a Vaisya may subsist,' see below, X, 77-78.

wages of servants, with the various languages of men, with the manner of keeping goods, and (the rules of) purchase and sale.

333. Let him exert himself to the utmost in order to increase his property in a righteous manner, and let him zealously give food to all created beings.

334. But to serve Brâhmanas (who are) learned in the Vedas, householders, and famous (for virtue) is the highest duty of a Sûdra, which leads to beatitude.

335. (A Sûdra who is) pure, the servant of his betters, gentle in his speech, and free from pride, and always seeks a refuge with Brâhmanas, attains (in his next life) a higher caste.

336. The excellent law for the conduct of the (four) castes (varna), (when they are) not in distress, has been thus promulgated; now hear in order their (several duties) in times of distress.

CHAPTER X.

1. Let the three twice-born castes (varna), discharging their (prescribed) duties, study (the Veda); but among them the Brahmana (alone) shall teach it, not the other two; that is an established rule.

333. If a rich Vaisya is not liberal, he shall be punished by the king' (Medh.).

334-336. See below, X, 121-129.

335. I read with Medh., Gov., and Nâr., brâhmanâpâsrayo nityam.

X. 1. Medh. has one line more in the beginning, 'Hereafter I will declare the rules applicable to that which must be studied.' According to Nâr., the expression svakarmasthâh, 'discharging their prescribed duties,' means 'if they follow their prescribed

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2. The Brahmana must know the means of subsistence (prescribed) by law for all, instruct the others, and himself live according to (the law).

3. On account of his pre-eminence, on account of the superiority of his origin, on account of his observance of (particular) restrictive rules, and on account of his particular sanctification the Brâhmana is the lord of (all) castes (varna).

4. The Brâhmana, the Kshatriya, and the Vaisya castes (varna) are the twice-born ones, but the fourth, the Sûdra, has one birth only; there is no fifth (caste).

5. In all castes (varna) those (children) only which are begotten in the direct order on wedded wives, equal (in caste and married as) virgins, are to be occupations,' and indicates that those who follow forbidden occupations, i. e. live like Sûdras, shall not study the Veda. The commentators entirely forget to mention that, according to II, 241-242, a Brahmana may learn the Veda from a non-Brâhmanical teacher, and that hence this rule is not absolute.

2. Gaut. XI, 25; Vas. I, 39-41. Medh. points out that this rule gives an exception to IV, 80, where it is said that a Brahmana shall not give spiritual advice to a Sûdra.

3. See above, I, 93. On account of his pre-eminence,' i. e. 'through his qualities' (Medh.), or by race' (Gov., Kull., Nâr., Râgh.). Niyamasya ka dhâranât,' on account of his observance of (particular) restrictive rules,' i. e. 'of the rules prescribed for a Snâtaka' (Medh., Gov., Nâr., Râgh.), means according to Kull. 'on account of his possessing a particularly great knowledge of the Veda,' 'On account of his particular sanctification,' i. e. 'because special observances are required from him in sipping water and so forth, or because he must be initiated earlier than a Kshatriya' (Medh.). The other commentators give the second explanation only. The lord,' i. e. 'the adviser and instructor.' 4. Âp. I, 1, 3; Vas. II, 1-2; Baudh. I, 16, 1; Yâgñ. I, 10. 5. Âp. II, 13, 1; Vi. XVI, 1; Yâgn. I, 90. 'In the direct order,' i.e. by a Brahmana on a Brâhmanî, by a Kshatriya on a Kshatriyâ, and so forth' (Medh., Gov., Kull.), means according to Nâr., that

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