युधिष्ठिर उवाच सर्वशास्त्रविधानज्ञ राजधर्मविदुत्तमा अतीव संशयच्छेत्ता भवान् वै प्रथितः क्षितौ॥
Yudhishthira said You know fully well the ordinances of all the scriptures. You are the foremost of those who are acquainted with the duties of kings. You are celebrated over the whole world as a great remover of doubts.
कश्चित्तु संशयो मेऽस्ति तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह। जातेऽस्मिन् संशये राजन् नान्यं पृच्छेम कंचन॥
I have a doubt, do you explain it to me, O grandfather. As regards this doubt that has originated in my mind, I shall not ask any other person for its solution.
यथा नरेण कर्तव्यं धर्ममार्गनुवर्तिना। एतत् सर्वं महाबाहो भवान् व्याख्यातुमर्हति॥
You should, O you of mighty arms, expound as to how a man should act who is desirous of treading along the path of duty and virtue.
चतस्रो विहिता भार्या ब्राह्मणस्य पितामह। ब्राह्मणी क्षत्रिया वैश्या शूद्रा च रतिमिच्छतः॥
It has been laid down, O grandfather that a Brahmana can take four wives, viz., one who belongs to his own caste, one who is a Kshatriya, one who is a Vaishya, and one who is a Shudra, if the Brahmana wishes to satisfy the desire of sexual intercourse.
तत्र जातेषु पुत्रेषु सर्वासां कुरुसत्तम। आनुपूर्येण कस्तेषां पित्र्यं दायादमर्हति॥
Tell me, O best of the Kurus, which amongst those sons should inherit the father's riches one after another.
केन वा किं ततो हार्यं पितृवित्तात् पितामह। एतदिच्छामि कथितं विभागस्तेषु यः स्मृतः॥
Who amongst them, O grandfather shall take what share of the paternal wealth? I wish to hear this, viz., how the distribution has been ordained amongst them of the paternal property.
भीष्म उवाच ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियो वैश्यस्त्रयो वर्णा द्विजातयः। एतेषु विहितो धर्मो ब्राह्मणस्य युधिष्ठिर॥
Bhishma said The Brahman, the Kshatriya, and the Vaishya are considered the three twiceborn castes, To marry in these three castes has been ordained to be the duty of the Brahmana, O Yudhishthira.
वैषम्यादथवा लोभात् कामाद् वापि परतंप। ब्राह्मणस्य भवेच्छूद्रा न तु दृष्टान्ततः स्मृता॥
Through erroneous judgement or cupidity or lust, O destroyer of enemies, a Brahmana takes a Shudra wife. He is not competent to take, according to the scriptures, such wife.
शूद्रां शयनमारोप्य ब्राह्मणो यात्यधोगतिम्। प्रायश्चित्तीयते चापि विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा॥
A Brahmana, by knowing a Shudra woman comes by a low end in the next world. He should, having done such an act, perform expiation according to the rites laid down in the scriptures.
तत्र जातेष्वपत्येषु द्विगुणं स्याद् युधिष्ठिर। आपद्यमानमृक्थं तु सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि भारत॥
That expiation must be twice heavier or severer if on account of such an act, O Yudhishthira, the, Brahmana gets children. I shall now tell you, O Bharata, how the (paternal), wealth is to be distributed.
लक्षण्यं गोवृषो यानं यत् प्रधानतमं भवेत्। ब्राह्मण्यास्तद्धरेत् पुत्र एकांशं वै पितुर्धनात्॥
The son born of the Brahmani wife shall, in the first place, appropriate from his father's wealth a bull of good marks, and the best car or vehicle.
शेषं तु दशधा कार्य ब्राह्मणस्वं युधिष्ठिर। तत्र तेनैव हर्तव्याश्चत्वारोऽशाः पितुर्धनात्॥
What remains of the Brahmana's property, O Yudhishthira, after this, should be divided into ten equal parts, The son by the Brahmani wife shall take four of such parts of the paternal property.
क्षत्रियायास्तु यः पुत्रो ब्राह्मणः सोऽप्यसंशयः। स तु मातुर्विशेषेण त्रीनंशान् हर्तुमर्हति॥
The son that is born of the Kshatriya wife is, forsooth, possessed of the status of a Brahmana. On account, however, of the distinction attaching to his mother, he shall take three of the ten shares into which the property has been divided.
वर्णे तृतीये जातस्तु वैश्यायां ब्राह्मणादपि। द्विरंशस्तेन हर्तव्यो ब्राह्मणस्वाद् युधिष्ठिर॥
The son who has been born of the wife belonging to the third caste, viz., the woman of the Vaishya caste, by the Brahmana father, shall take, O Yudhishthira, two of the three remaining shares of the father's property.
शूद्रायां ब्राह्मणाज्जातो नित्यादेयधनः स्मृतः। अल्पं चापि प्रदातव्यं शूद्रापुत्राय भारत॥
It has been said that the son who has been begotten by the Brahmana father upon the Shudra wife should not take any portion of the father's property, for he is not to be considered an heir. A little, however, of the paternal property should be given to the son of the Shudra wife, hence the one remaining share should be given to him out of compassion.
दशधा प्रविभक्तस्य धनस्यैष भवेत् क्रमः। सवर्णासु तु जातानां समान् भागान् प्रकल्पयेत्॥
Even this should be the order of the ten shares into which the Brahmana's wealth is to be distributed. All the sons that are born of the same mother or of mothers of the same caste, shall share equally the portion that is theirs.
अब्राह्मणं तु मन्यन्ते शूद्रापुत्रमनैपुणात्। त्रिषु वर्णेषु जातो हि ब्राह्मणाद् ब्राह्मणो भवेत्॥
The son born of the Shudra wife should not be considered as invested with the dignity of a Brahmana on account of his being unskilled (in the scriptures and the duties ordained for the Brahmana). Only those children who are born of wives belonging to the three higher castes should be considered as invested with the dignity of Brahmanas.
स्मृताश्च वर्णाश्चत्वारः पञ्चमो नाधिगम्यते। हरेच्च दशमं भागं शूद्रापुत्रः पितुर्धनात्॥
It has said that there are only four castes and there is no fifth. The son by the Shudra wife shall take the tenth part of his father's wealth.
सपुत्रः स्यादपुत्रो तत्तु दत्तं हरेत् पित्रा नादत्तं हर्तुमर्हति। अवश्यं हि धनं देयं शूद्रापुत्राय भारत॥
That share, however, he is to take only when his father has given it to him. He shall not take it if his father does not give it to him. Some portion of the father's riches should, forsooth, be given O Bharata, to the son of the Shudra wife.
आनृशंस्यं परो धर्म इति तस्मै प्रदीयते। यत्र तत्र समुत्पन्नं गुणायैवोपपद्यते॥
Compassion is one of the greatest virtues. It is through compassion that something is given to the son of the Shudra wife. Whatever be the object about which compassion arises, as a cardinal virtue it is always productive of merit.
यद्यप्येष यदि वा भवेत्। नाधिकं दशमाद् दद्याच्छूद्रापुत्राय भारत॥
Whether the father happens to have children (by his wives belonging to the other castes) or to have no children, to the son by the Shudra wife, O Bharata, nothing more than a tenth part of the father's wealth should be given.
त्रैवार्षिकाद् यदा भक्तादधिकं स्याद् द्विजस्य तु। यजेत तेन द्रव्येण न वृथा साधयेद् धनम्॥
If a Brahmana happens to have more riches than what is necessary for maintaining himself and his family for three years, he should with that riches celebrate sacrifices. A Brahmana should never acquire riches for nothing.
त्रिसहस्रपरो दायः स्त्रियै देयो धनस्य वै। भळ तच्च धनं दत्तं यथार्हे भोक्तुमर्हति॥
The highest sum that the husband should give the wife is three thousand coins. This wealth that the husband gives to the wife, the latter may spend or dispose of as she likes.
स्त्रीणां तु पतिदायाद्यमुपभोगफलं स्मृतम्। नापहारं स्त्रियः कुर्युः पतिवित्तात् कथंचन॥
Upon the death of the childless husband, the wife shall enjoy all his riches. The wife should never take any portion of her husband's riches.
स्त्रियास्तु यद् भवेद् वित्तं पित्रा दत्तं युधिष्ठिर। ब्राह्मण्यास्तेद्धरेत् कन्या यथा पुत्रस्तथा हि सा॥
Whatever riches, O Yudhishthira, the Bralımani wife may acquire by gift from her father, should be taken by her daughter, for the daughter is like the son.
सा हि पुत्रसमा राजन् विहिता कुरुनन्दन। एवमेव समुद्दिष्टो धर्मो वै भरतर्षभ। एवं धर्ममनुस्मृत्य न वृथा साधयेद् धनम्॥
The daughter, O king, has been ordained in the scriptures to be equal to the son, O delighter of the Kurus. Thus has the law of inheritance been ordained, o foremost of Bharata's family. Remembering these ordinances about the distribution and disposal of wealth, one should never acquire riches uselessly.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच शूद्रायां ब्राह्मणाज्जातो यद्यदेयधनः स्मृतः। केन प्रतिविशेषेण दश्मोऽप्यस्य दीयते॥
Yudhishthira said If the son born of a Shudra woman by a Brahmana father has been made in the scriptures to be disentitled to any property, by what exception of the rule then is a tenth part of the paternal property to be given to him?
ब्राह्मण्यां ब्राह्मणाज्जातो ब्राह्मण: स्यान्न संशयः। क्षत्रियायां तथैव स्याद् वैश्यायामपि चैव हि॥
A son born of a Brahmani wife by a Brahmana is unquestionably a Brahmana. One born of a Kshatriya wife or of a Vaishya wife, by a Brahmana husband, is likewise a Brahmana.
कस्मात् तु विषमं भागं भजेरन् नृपसत्तम। यदा सर्वे त्रयो वर्णास्त्वयोक्ता ब्राह्मणा इति॥
Why then, O best of kings, are such sons to share the paternal property unequally? All of them, you have said, are Brahmanas, having been born of mothers that belong to the three higher castes equally entitled to the name of the twiceborn.
भीष्म उवाच दारा इत्युच्यते लोके नाम्नैकेन परतंपा प्रोक्तेन चैव नाम्नायं विशेषः सुमहान् भवेत्॥
Bhishma said O destroyer of enemies, all wives in this world are called by the name of Dara. Although that name is applied to all, yet there is this great difference to be observed.
तिस्रः कृत्वा पुरो भार्याः पश्चाद् विन्देत ब्राह्मणीम्। सा ज्येष्ठा सा च पूज्या स्यात् सा च भार्या गरीयसी।
If having married three wives belonging to the three other castes, a Brahmana takes a Brahmani wife the very last of all, yet shall she be considered as the first in rank among all the wives, and as being worthy of the greatest respect. Indeed, among all the cowives, she shall be the foremost.
स्नानं प्रसाधनं भर्तुर्दन्तधावनमञ्जनम्। हव्यं कव्यं च यच्चान्यद् धर्मयुक्तं गृहे भवेत्॥
In her apartments should be kept all necessary articles for the husband's baths, personal decorations washing of teeth, and application of collyrium to the eyes. In her apartments should be kept the Havya and the Kavya and all else that the husband may need for the performance of his religious acts.
न तस्यां जातु तिष्ठन्त्यामन्या तत् कर्तुमर्हति। ब्राह्मणी त्वेव कुर्याद् वा ब्राह्मणस्य युधिष्ठिर॥
If the Brahmani wife is in the house, no other wife is entitled to attend to these needs of the husband. Only the Brahmani wife, O Yudhishthira, should help the husband in these acts.
अन्नं पानं च माल्यं च वासांस्याभरणानि च। ब्राह्मण्यैतानि देयानि भर्तुः सा हि गरीयसी॥
The husband's food and drink and garlands and dresses and ornaments-all these should be given by the Brahmani wife to the husband, for she is the foremost in rank among all the wives of the husband.
मनुनाभिहितं शास्त्रं यच्चापि कुरुनन्दन। तत्राप्येष महाराज दृष्टो धर्मः सनातनः॥
These are the ordinances of the scriptures as laid down by Manu, O delighter of the Kurus! This, O king is seen to be the course of eternal practice.
अथ चेदन्यथा कुर्याद् यदि कामाद् युधिष्ठिर। यथा ब्राह्मणचाण्डालः पूर्वदृष्टस्तथैव सः॥
If a Brahmana,OYudhishthira, actuated by lust, acts in a different way, he shall come to be considered as a Chandala among Brahmanas.
ब्राह्मण्याः सदृशः पुत्रः क्षत्रियायाश्च यो भवेत्। राजन् विशेषो यस्त्वत्र वर्णयोरुभयोरपि॥
The son born of the Kshatriya wife has been said to be equal in dignity to the son born of the Brahmani wife. For all that, a distinction attaches to the son of the Brahmana wife on account of the superiority of the Brahmana wife to the Kshatriya wife in respect of the order of caste.
न तु जात्या समा लोके ब्राह्मण्याः क्षत्रिया भवेत्। ब्राह्मण्याः प्रथमः पुत्रो भूयान् स्याद् राजसत्तम॥
The Kshatriya wife cannot be considered as equal to the Brahmana wife in point of Birth. Hence, O best of kings, the son born of the Brahinani wife must be considered as the first in rank and superior to the son born of the Kshatriya wife.
भूयो भूयोऽपि संहार्यः पितृवित्ताद् युधिष्ठिर। यथा न सदृशी जातु ब्राह्मण्याः क्षत्रिया भवेत्॥
Because, again, the Kshatriya wife, is not equal in point of birth to the Brahmani wife, hence the son of the Brahmani wife takes, one after another, all the best things, O Yudhishthira, among his father's property.
क्षत्रियायास्तथा वैश्या न जातु सदृशी भवेत्। श्रीश्च राज्यं च कोशश्च क्षत्रियाणां युधिष्ठिर।॥
Likewise, the Vaishya wife cannot be considered as the equal of the Kshatriya wife in point of birth. Prosperity, kingdom and treasury, ( Yudhishthira, belong to the Kshatriyas.
विहितं दृश्यते राजन् सागरान्तां च मेदिनीम्। क्षत्रियो हि स्वधर्मेण श्रियं प्राप्नोति भूयसीम्। राजा दण्डधरो राजन् रक्षा नान्यत्र क्षत्रियात्॥
All these have been ordained for the Kshatriya. The whole Earth, O king, encircled by seas, is seen to belong to him. By following the duties of his own caste, the Kshatriya acquires immense riches.
ब्राह्मणा हि महाभागा देवानामपि देवताः। तेषु राजन् प्रवर्तेत पूजया विधिपूर्वकम्॥
The sceptre of royalty is held by him. Without the Kshatriya, O king, there can be no protection. The Brahmanas are highly blessed, for they are the gods of the very deities.
प्रणीतमृषिभिर्ज्ञात्वा धर्मं शाश्वतमव्ययम्। लुप्यमानं स्वधर्मेण क्षत्रियो ह्येष रक्षिति॥
Following the ordinances laid down by the Rishis, the Kshatriyas should adore the Brahmanas according to due rites. This is the eternal usage.
दस्युभिर्रियमाणं च धनं दारांश्च सर्वशः। सर्वेषामेव वर्णानां त्राता भवति पार्थिवः॥
Coveted by thieves and others, the properties of all men are protected by Kshatriyas following the duties of their order. Indeed, riches and wives and every other possession owned by people would have been forcibly taken away but for this protection that the Kshatriyas give.
भूयान् स्यात् क्षत्रियापुत्रो वैश्यापुत्रान्न संशयः। भूयस्तेनापि हर्तव्यं पितृवित्ताद् युधिष्ठिर।॥
The Kshatriya, as the king, becomes the protector or rescuer of all the castes. Hence, the son of the Kshatriya wife shall, forsooth, be held to be superior to him that is born of the Vaishya wife. The son of Kshatriya wife for this, takes a larger share of the paternal property than the son of the Vaishya mother.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच उक्तं ते विधिवद् राजन् ब्राह्मणस्य पितामह। इतरेषां तु वर्णानां कथं वै नियमो भवेत्॥
Yudhishthira said You have duly said what the rules are that apply to Brahmanas. What, However, are the rules that apply to the others?
भीष्म उवाच क्षत्रियस्यापि भर्ये द्वे विहिते कुरुनन्दन। तृतीया च भवेच्छूद्रा न तु दृष्टान्ततः स्मृता।॥
Bhishma said The Kshatriya, O delighter of the Kurus can take two wives. The Kshatriya may take a third wife from the Shudra caste. Such practice prevails, it is true, but it is not sanctioned by the scriptures.
एष एव क्रमो हि स्यात् क्षत्रियाणां युधिष्ठिर। अष्टधा तु भवेत् कार्य क्षत्रियस्वं जनाधिप।॥
This should be the order, O Yudhishthira, of the wives of a Kshatriya. The property of a Kshatriya should, O king, be divided into eight shares.
क्षत्रियाया हरेत् पुत्रश्चतुरोंऽशान् पितुर्धनात्। युद्धावहारिकं यच्च पितुः स्यात्स हरेत् तु तत्॥
The son of the Kshatriya wife shall take four of such shares of the paternal property. The son of the Vaishya wife shall take three of such shares.
वैश्यापुत्रस्तु भागांस्त्रीशूद्रापुत्रस्तथाष्टमम्। सोऽपि दत्तं हरेत् पित्रा नादत्तं हर्तुमर्हति॥
The remaining one or the eighth share shall be taken by the son of the Shudra wife. The son of the Shudra wife, however, shall take only when the father gives but not otherwise.
एकैव हि भवेद् भार्या वैश्यस्य कुरुनन्दन। द्वितीया तु भवेच्छूद्रा न तु दृष्टान्ततः स्मृता॥
The Vaishya can take only one wife. He can take a second wife from the Shudra caste. Such is the practice, no doubt, but it is not sanctioned by the scriptures.
वैश्यस्य वर्तमानस्य वैश्यायां भरतर्वभ। शूद्रायां चापि कौन्तेय तयोर्विनियमः स्मृतः॥
If a Vaishya has two wives one of whom is a Vaishya and the other a Shudra, there is a difference between them in respect of position.
पञ्चधा तु भवेत् कार्य वैश्यस्वं भरतर्षभ। तयोरपत्ये वक्ष्यामि विभागं च जनाधिप॥
The riches of a Vaishya, O chief of Bharata's race, should be divided into five portions. I shall now speak of the sons of a Vaishya by a wife of his own caste and by one belonging to the inferior caste, as also of the manner in which, o king, his property is to be distributed among chose children.
वैश्यापुत्रेण हर्तव्याश्चत्वारोंऽशाः पितुर्धनात्। पञ्चमस्तु स्मृतो भागः शूद्रापुत्राय भारत॥
The son born of the Vaishya wife shall take four of such shares of his paternal property. The fifth share, O Bharata, has been said to belong to the son born of the Shudra wife.
सोऽपि दत्तं हरेत् पित्रा नादत्तं हर्तुमर्हति। त्रिभिर्वर्णैः सदा जातः शूद्रोऽदेयधनो भवेत्॥
Such son, however, shall take when the father gives. He should not take anything unless the father gives it to him. The son who is begotten on a Shudra wife by persons of the three higher higher castes should always be considered as disentitled to any share of the father's wealth.
शूद्रस्य स्यात् सवर्णैव भार्या नान्या कथंचन। समभागाश्च पुत्राः स्युर्यदि पुत्रशतं भवेत्॥
The Shudra should take only one wife from his own caste. He can, under no circumstances, take any other wife. Even if he happens to have a hundred sons by this wife, all of them share equally the property that he may leave behind.
जातानां समवर्णायाः पुत्राणामविशेषतः। सर्वेषामेव वर्णानां समभागो धनात् स्मृतः॥
As for all the castes, the children born of the wife taken from the husband's own caste shall, it has been laid down, share equally the father's wealth.
ज्येष्ठस्य भागो ज्येष्ठः स्यादेकांशो यः प्रधानतः। एष दायविधिः पार्थ पूर्वमुक्तः स्वयम्भुवा॥
The eldest son's share shall be greater than that of every other son, for he shall take one share than each of his brothers, comprising the best things of this father. This is the law of inheritance, O son of Pritha, as declared by the selfcreate himself. more
समवर्णासु जातानां विशेषोऽस्त्यपरो नृप। विवाहवैशिष्ट्यकृतः पूर्वपूर्वो विशिष्यते॥
Amongst children all born of the wife taken from the husband's own caste there is another difference, O king! In marrying, the elder ones should always prccede the younger ones.
हरेज्ज्येष्ठः प्रधानांशमेकं तुल्यासु तेष्वपि। मध्यमो मध्यमं चैव कनीयांस्तु कनीयसम्॥
The wives being all equal in respect of their order of birth, and the children also being all equal in respect of the position of their mothers, the son that is firstborn shall take one share more than each of his other brothers. The son who is next in point of age shall take a share that is next in value, while the son who is youngest shall take the share which belongs to the youngest.
एवं जातिषु सर्वासु सवर्ण: श्रेष्ठतां गतः। महर्षिरपि चैतद् वै मारीचः काश्यपोऽब्रवीत्॥
Thus among wives of all castes, they who belong to the samne caste with the husband are considered as the first. This is what was declared by the great Rishi Kashyapa the son of Marichi.