युधिष्ठिर उवाच के भोज्या ब्राह्मणस्येह के भोज्याः क्षत्रियस्य ह। तथा वैश्यस्य के भोज्याः के शूद्रस्य च भारत॥
Yudhishthira said Who are those persons, O Bharata from whom a Brahman in this world may take his food? From whom may a Kshatriya, a Vaishya and a Shudra take their food respectively?
भीष्म उवाच ब्राह्मणा ब्राह्मणस्येह भोज्या ये चैव क्षत्रियाः। वैश्याश्चापि तथा भोज्याः शूद्राश्च परिवर्जिताः॥
Bhishma said A Brahmana may take his food from another Brahmana or from a Kshatriya or from a Vaishya but he must never take food from a Shudra.
ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्या भोज्या वै क्षत्रियस्य ह। वर्जनीयास्तु वै शूद्राः सर्वभक्षा विकर्मिणः॥
A Kshatriya may take his food from a Brahmana, a Kshatriya or a Vaishya. He must, however, not take food given by Shudras who are given to evil ways and who partake of all sorts of food without any hesitation.
वैश्यास्तु भोज्या विप्राणां क्षत्रियाणां तथैव च। नित्याग्नयो विविक्ताश्च चातुर्मास्यरताश्च ये॥
Brahmanas and Kshatriyas can partake of food given by such Vaishyas as serve the sacred fire everyday as are faultless in character and as perform the VOW of Chaturmasya.
शूद्राणामथ यो भुङ्क्ते स भुङ्क्ते पृथिवीमलम्। मलं नृणां स पिबति मलं भुङ्क्ते जनस्य च॥
But the man who accepts food from a Shudra, swallows the very abomination of the Earth and drinks the excretions of the human body, and partakes of the filth of all the world.
शूद्राणां यस्तथा भुक्ते स भुङ्क्ते पृथिवीमलम्। पृथिवीमलमश्नन्ति ये द्विजाः शूद्रभोजिनः॥
He partakes of the very filth of the Earth who takes his food thus from a Shudra. Indeed, those Brahinanas who accept their food from Shudras, take the dirt of the Earth.
शूद्रस्य कर्मनिष्ठायां विकर्मस्थोऽपि पच्यते। ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियो वैश्यो विकर्मस्थश्च पच्यते॥
If one engages in the service of a Shudra, he is doomed to perdition though he may duly perform all the rites of his caste. A Brahmana a Kshatriya or a Vaishya, so engaging is doomed although given to the proper performance of religious rites.
स्वाध्यायनिरता विप्रास्तथा स्वस्त्ययने नृणाम्। रक्षणे क्षत्रियं प्राहुर्वैश्यं पृष्ट्यर्थमेव च॥
It is said that a Brahmana's duty consists in studying the Vedas and seeking the behoof of humanity that a Kshatriyas duty consists in protecting men and that a Vaishyas promoting their material prosperity.
करोति कर्म यद् वैश्यस्तद् गत्वा ह्युपजीवति। कृषिगोरक्ष्यवाणिज्यमकुत्सा वैश्यकर्माणि॥
A Vaishya lives by distributing the fruits of his own deeds and agriculture. The breeding of kine and trade are the legitimate duties in which a Vaishya may engage without fear of censure.
शूद्रकर्म तु यः कुर्यादवहाय स्वकर्म च। स विज्ञेयो यथा शूद्रो न च भोज्य: कदाचन।॥
The man who gives up his own proper occupation and does that of a Shudra, should be regarded as a Shudra, and on no account should any food be accepted from him.
चिकित्सकः काण्डपृष्ठः पुराध्यक्षः पुरोहितः। सांवत्सरो वृथाध्यायी सर्वे ते शूद्रसम्मिताः॥
Professors of medicine mercenary soldiers, the priest who acts as warder of the house, and persons who devote a whole year to study without any profit are all to be regarded as Shudras.
शूद्रकर्मस्वथैतेषु यो भुङ्क्ते निरपत्रपः। अभोज्यभोजनं भुक्त्वा भयं प्राप्नोति दारुणम्॥ कुलं वीर्यं च तेजश्च तिर्यग्योनित्वमेव च। स प्रयाति यथा श्वा वै निष्क्रियो धर्मवर्जितः॥
And those who foolishly partake of food offered at ceremonials in a Shudra's house, suffer from a dreadful disaster. On account of partaking such forbidden food, they loose their family strength and energy, and acquire the status of lower animals degenerating to the position of dogs fallen in virtue and devoid of all religious observances.
भुक्त चिकित्सकस्यान्नं तदनं च पुरीषवत्। पुंश्चल्यन्नं च मूत्रं स्यात् कारुकानं च शोणितम्॥१४
He who takes food from a physician, takes but an excrement; the food of a harlot is like urine; that of a skilled mechanic is like blood.
विद्योपजीविनोऽन्नं च यो भुङ्क्ते साधुसम्मतः। तदप्यन्नं यथा शौद्रं तत् साधुः परिवर्जयेत्॥
If a good Brahmana takes the food of one who lives by his learning. he is considered as taking the food of a Shudra. All good men should avoid such food.
विचनीयस्य यो भुङ्क्ते तमाहुः शोणितं ह्रदम्। पिशुनं भोजनं भुङ्क्ते ब्रह्महत्यासमं विदुः॥
The food of a person who is censured by all, is said to be like a drink from a pool of blood. The acceptance of food from a wicked person is as the killing of Brahmana.
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं च भोक्तव्यं कदाचन॥ व्याधि कुलक्षयं चैव क्षिप्रं प्राप्नोति ब्राह्मणः।
One should not accept food if he is slighted and not received with due honors by the giver. A Brahmana, who does so, is soon possessed by disease, and his family soon becomes extinct.
नगरीरक्षिणो भुङ्क्ते श्वपचप्रवणो भवेत्॥
By accepting food from the warder of a city, one degenerates to the status, of the lowest outcast.
गोने च ब्राह्मणध्ने च सुरापे गुरुतल्पगे। भुक्त्वान्नं जायते विप्रो रक्षसां कुलवर्धनः॥
If a Brahmana accepts food from one who is guilty of slaying either a cow or a Brahmana, or from one who has committed adultery with his preceptor's wife, or from a drunkard, he helps to promote the family of Rakshasas.
न्यासापहारिणो भुक्त्वा कृतने क्लीववर्तिनि। जायते शबरावासे मध्यदेशबहिष्कृते॥
By taking food from a eunuch or from an ungrateful person, or from one who has misappropriated money entrusted to his care, one is born in the country of the Sabaras situated beyond the limit of the middle country.
अभोज्याश्चैव भोज्याश्च मया प्रोक्ता यथाविधि। किमन्यदद्य कौन्तेय मत्तस्त्वं श्रोतुमिच्छसि॥
I have thus duly described to you the persons from whom food may be accepted and from whom it may not. Now tell me, O Kunti, what else do you wish to hear from me today. son of misappropriated money entrusted to his care, one is born in the country of the Sabaras situated beyond the limit of the middle country.
अभोज्याश्चैव भोज्याश्च मया प्रोक्ता यथाविधि। किमन्यदद्य कौन्तेय मत्तस्त्वं श्रोतुमिच्छसि॥
I have thus duly described to you the persons from whom food may be accepted and from whom it may not. Now tell me, O Kunti, what else do you wish to hear from me today. son of