युधिष्ठिर उवाच अर्थाल्लोभाद् वा कामाद् वा वर्णानां चाप्यनिश्चयात्। अज्ञानाद् वापि वर्णानां जायते वर्णसंकरः॥
Yudhishthira said The intermixture of castes is brought about through inducements offered by richies, or through mere lust, or through ignorance of the true order of birth.
तेषामेतेन विधिना जातानां वर्णसंकरे। को धर्मः कानि कर्माणि तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
What, O grandfather, are the duties of persons who are born in the mixed classes and what are the acts laid down for them? Do you describe them to me.
भीष्म उवाच चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य कर्माणि चातुर्वण्र्यं च केवलम्। असृजत् स हि यज्ञार्थे पूर्वमेव प्रजापतिः॥
Bhishma said In the beginning, the Lord of all creatures created the four castes and laid down their respective duties, for the sake of sacrifice.
भार्याश्चतस्रो विप्रस्य द्वयोरात्मा प्रजायते। आनुपूर्व्याद् द्वयो_नौ मातृजात्यौ प्रसूयतः॥
The Brahmana may take four wives, one from each of the four castes. In two of them, he takes birth himself. Those sons, however, who are begotten by him on the two other inferior, (viz., Vaishya and Shudra), are inferior, their position being settled not by that of their father but by that of their mothers.
परं शवाद् ब्राह्मणस्यैव पुत्रः शूद्रापुत्रं पारशवं तमाहुः। शुश्रूषकः स्वस्य कुलस्य स स्यात् स्वचारित्रं नित्यमथो न जह्यात्॥
The son begotten by a Brahmana upon a Shudra wife is called Parashva, meaning one bom of a dead body for the Shudra woman's body is as inauspicious as a dead body. He should serve the persons of his (father's) race. Indeed, it is not proper for him to renounce the duty of service that has been laid down for him.
सर्वानुपायानथ सम्प्रधार्य समुद्धरेत् स्वस्य कुलस्य तन्त्रम्। ज्येष्ठो यवीयानपि यो द्विजस्य शुश्रूषया दानपरायणः स्यात्॥
With all means in his power, he should maintain his family. Even if he happens to be elder in age, he should still dutifully serve the other children of his father, who in age may be younger to him, and give them whatever he may succeed in acquiring.
तिस्रः क्षत्रियसम्बन्धाद् द्वयोरात्मास्य जायते। हीनवर्णास्तृतीयायां शूद्रा उग्रा इति स्मृतिः॥
A Kshatriya may take three wives. In two of them, he takes birth himself. His third wife being of the Shudra caste, is considered as very inferior. The son that he begets upon her is called an Ugra.
द्वो चापि भार्ये द्वयोरात्मास्य जायते। शूद्रा शूद्रस्य यचाप्येका शूद्रमेव प्रजायते॥
The Vaishya may take two wives. In both of them, he takes birth himself. The Shudra can take only one wife, from his own caste. The son begotten by him upon her becomes a Shudra.
अतोऽविशिष्टस्त्वधमो गुरुदारप्रधर्षकः। बाह्यं वर्णं जनयति चातुर्वर्ण्यविगर्हितम्॥
A son who takes birth under circumstances other than those mentioned above, is considered as a very inferior one. If a person of a lower caste begets a son upon a woman of a superior caste, such son is regarded as outside the pale of the four pure castes. Indeed, such son becomes an object of derision with the four principal castes.
विप्रायां क्षत्रियो बाह्यं सूतं स्तोमक्रियापरम्। वैश्यो वैदेहकं चापि मौद्गल्यमपवर्जितम्॥
If a Kshatriya begets a son upon Brahmani woman, such son, without being included in any of the four pure castes, comes to be considered as a Suta, The duties of a Suta consist in reciting eulogies and encomiums of kings and other great men. The son begotten by a Vaishya upon a woman of the Brahmana, order, is known as a Vaidehaka. Their duties consist in taking charge of bars and bolts for protecting the privacy of women of respectable families. Such sons have no purifying rites laid down for them.
शूद्रश्चाण्डालमत्युग्रं वध्यघ्नं बाह्यवासिनम्। ब्राह्मण्यां सम्प्रजायन्त इत्येते कुलपांसनाः। एते मतिमतां श्रेष्ठ वर्णसंकरजाः प्रभो॥
If a Shudra knows a woman belonging to the foremost of the four castes, the son that is begotten is called a Chandala. Endued with a dreadful disposition, he must live in the outskirts of cities and towns and his duty is that are a or। of the public executioner. Such sons are always considered as wretches of their race. These, O foremost of intelligent persons, the offspring of intermixed castes.
बन्दी तु जायते वैश्यान्मागधो वाक्यजीवनः। शूद्रान्निषादो मत्स्यनः क्षत्रियायां व्यतिक्रमात्॥
The son begotten by a Vaishya upon a Kshatriya woman becomes Bandi Magadha. His duties are eloquent recitations of praise. The son begotten through transgression, by a Shudra upon a Kshatriya woman, becomes a Nishada and his duties consist in the catching of fish.
शूद्रादायोगवश्चापि वैश्यायां ग्राभ्यधर्मिणः। ब्राह्मणैरप्रतिग्राह्यस्तक्षा स्वधनजीवनः॥
If a Shudra happens to know a Vaishya woman, the son begotten upon her comes to be called Ayogava. The duties of such a person are those of a carpenter. The Brahmana should never accept gifts from such a person. They are not entitled to possess any kind of riches.
एतेऽपि सदृशान् वर्णान् जनयन्ति स्वयोनिषु। मातृजात्याः प्रसूयन्ते ह्यवरा हीनयोनिषु॥
Persons belonging to the mixed castes beget upon wives taken from their own castes children invested with their position. When they procreate children in women taken from other inferior castes, such children become inferior to their fathers, for they become invested with the position of their mothers.
यथा चतुर्पु वर्णेषु द्वयोरात्मास्य जायते। आनन्तर्यात् प्रजायन्ते तथा बाह्यः प्रधानतः॥
Thus as regards the four pure castes, persons beget children invested with their own position upon wives taken from their own castes as also upon them that are taken from the castes immediately below their own. When, however, offspring is begotten upon other wives, they are regarded as invested with a position that is, principally, outside the pale of the four pure castes.
ते चापि सदृशं वर्णं जनयन्ति स्वयोनिषु। परस्परस्य दारेषु जनयन्ति विगर्हितान्॥ तु
When such children beget sons in women, taken from their own classes, those sons take the position of their fathers. It is only when they take wives from castes other than their own, that the children they beget, become invested with inferior position.
यथा शूद्रोऽपि ब्राह्मण्यां जन्तुं बाह्यं प्रसूयते। एवं बाह्यतराद् बाह्यश्चातुर्वर्णात् प्रजायते॥
As an example of this it may be said that a Shudra begets upon a woman belonging to the inost superior cast a son that is outside the pale of the four castes, by uniting with women belonging to the four principal castes, begets offspring that is further degraded in point of position.
प्रतिलोमं वर्धन्ते बाह्याद् बाह्यतरात् पुनः। हीनाद्धीनाः प्रसूयन्ते वर्णाः पञ्चदशैव तु॥
From those outside the pale of the four castes and those again that are further outside that limit, children multiply on account of the union of persons with women of classes superior to their own. Thus, from persons of inferior position classes spring up, altogether fifteen in number, that are equally low or still lower in dignity.
अगम्यागमनाच्चैव जायते वर्णसंकरः। बाह्यानामनुजायन्ते सैरन्ध्रयां मागधेषु च। प्रसाधनोपचारज्ञमदासं दासजीवनम्॥
It is only from sexual union with women of persons who should not have such union with them that mixed castes originate. Among the classes that are thus outside the limit of the four principal or pure castes, children are begotten upon woman belonging to the class called Sairindhri by men of the class called Magadha.
अतश्चायोगवं सूते वागुराबन्धजीवनम्। मैरेयकं च वैदेहः सम्प्रसूतेऽथ माधुकम्॥
The occupation of such children is the adorement of the bodies of kings and others. They are well acquainted with the preparation of unguents, the making of garlands, and the manufacture of articles used for the decoration of the body. Though free by the position that belongs to them by birth, they should live like servants. From the union of Magadhas of a certain class with women of the caste called Sairindhri, another caste originates, called Ayogava. Their business consists in the making of nets. Vaidehas, by knowing Sairindhri women, beget children called Maireyakas whose business is the manufacture of wines and spirits.
निषादो मद्गुरं सूते दासं नावोपजीविनम्। मृतपं चापि चाण्डालः श्वपाकमिति विश्रुतम्॥
From the Nishadas originate a caste called Madgura and another known by the name of Dasas whose business is plying boats. From the Chandalas originates a race called Shvapaka whose business lies in keeping guard over the dead.
चतुरो मागधी सूते क्रूरान् मायोपजीविनः। मांसं स्वादुकरं क्षौद्रं सौगन्धमिति विश्रुतम्॥
The women of the Magadhi caste, by union with these four castes of wicked nature, produce four others who live by deceitful means. These are Mangsa, Svadukara, Kshaudra, and Saugandha.
वैदेहकाच्च पापिष्ठा क्रूरं मायोपजीविनम्। निषादान्मद्रनाभं च खरयानप्रयायिनम्॥
From the Vaideha originates cruel and sinful caste that lives by practising deception. From the Nishadas again originates the Madranabha caste whose members are seen to ride on cars drawn by asses.
चाण्डालात् पुल्कसं चापि खराश्वगजभोजिनम्। मृतचैलप्रतिच्छन्नं भिन्नभाजनभोजिनम्॥
From the Chandalas originates the caste called Pukkasa whose members are seen to eat the flesh of asses, horses and elephants. These are clad in clothes, procured by stripping human corpses. They are again seen to eat off broken earthenware.
आयोगवीषु जायन्ते हीनवर्णास्तु ते त्रयः। क्षुद्रो वैदेहकाद-ध्रो बहिर्गामप्रतिश्रयः॥
These three castes of very low origin, are born of women of the Ayogava caste (by fathers taken from different castes). The caste called Kshudra originates from the Vaidehaka. The caste called Andhra which lives in the outskirts of towns and cities, also originates (from the Vaidehakas).
कारावरो निषाद्यां तु चर्मकारः प्रसूयते। चाण्डालात् पाण्डुसौपाकस्त्वक्सारव्यवहारवान्॥
Then, again, the Charmakara, knowing woman of the Nishada caste, begets the class called Karavara. From the Chandala, again, originates the caste known by the name of Pandusaupaka whose business is to make baskets and other things with cleft bamboos.
आहिण्डको निषादेन वैदेह्यां सम्प्रसूयते। चण्डालेन तु सौपाकश्चण्डालसमवृत्तिमान्॥
From the union of the Nishada with a woman of the Vaidehi caste, originates one who is called by the name of Ahindaka. The Chandala begets upon a Saupaka women a son who does not differ from the Chandala in position or occupation.
निषादी चापि चाण्डालात् पुत्रमन्तेवसायिनम्। श्मशानगोचरं सूते बाबैरपि बहिष्कृतम्॥
A Nishadi woman, by union with a Chandala, produces a son who lives in the outskirts of villages and towns. Indeed, the members of such a caste live in crematoria and are considered by the very lowest orders as incapable of being classed among them.
इत्येते संकरे जाताः पितृमातृव्यतिक्रमात्। प्रच्छन्ना वा प्रकाशा वा वेदितव्याः स्वकर्मभिः।२९।
Thus do these mixed castes originate from improper and sinful union of fathers and mothers belonging to different castes. Whether they live hidden or openly, they should be known by their occupations.
चतुर्णामेव वर्णानां धर्मो नान्यस्य विद्यते। वर्णानां धर्महीनेषु संख्या नास्तीह कस्यचित्॥
The duties have been laid down in the scriptures of only the four principal castes. About others, the scriptures are entirely silent. Among all the castes, the members of those castes that have no duties assigned to them by the scriptures, need entertain no fears as to what they do.
यदृच्छयोपसम्पन्नेर्यज्ञसाधुबहिष्कृतैः। बाह्या बाह्येश्च जायन्ते यथावृत्ति यथाश्रयम्॥
Persons unaccustomed to the performance of sacrifices or for whom sacrifices have not been laid down, and who are deprived of the company and the instructions of the pious, whether classed among the four principal castes or out of their limit, by uniting themselves with women of other castes, led not by considerations of virtue but by uncontrolled lust, cause numerous mixed castes to originate whose occupations and houses depend on the circumstances connected with the irregular unions from which they spring.
चतुष्पथश्मशानानि शैलाश्चान्यान् वनस्पतीन्। कार्णायसमलंकारं परिगृह्य च नित्यशः॥
Having recourse to such places where four roads meet, or crematoria, or hills and mountains, or forests and trees, they build their houses. The ornaments they wear are made of iron.
वसेयुरेते विज्ञाता वर्तयन्तः स्वकर्मभिः। युञ्जन्तो वाप्यलंकारांस्तथोपकरणानि च॥
Living in such places, openly, following their own occupations for acquiring livelihood. They may be seen to live thus, adorning their persons with ornaments and engaged in the work of manufacturing various domestic and other utensils.
गोब्राह्मणाय साहाय्यं कुर्वाणा वै न संशयः। आनृशंस्यमनुक्रोशः सत्यवाक्यं तथा क्षमा॥
Forsooth, by assisting kine and Brahmanas, and practising the virtues of abstention from cruelty, compassion, truthfulness of speech, and forgiveness, and, if it is necessary, protecting others by sacrificing their own lives, persons of the mixed castes, may acquire success. I have no doubt, o king that these virtucs become the causes of their success.
स्वशरीरैरपि त्राणं बाह्यानां सिद्धिकारणम्। भवन्ति मनुज्व्याघ्र तत्र मे नास्ति संशयः॥ यथोपदेशं परिकीर्तितासु नरः प्रजायेत विचार्य बुद्धिमान्। निहीनयोनिर्हि सुतोऽवसादयेत् तितीप्रमाणं हि यथोपलो जले॥
He who is gifted with intelligence, should, taking everything into consideration, beget children according to the scriptural injunctions, upon women that have been declared as proper or fit for him. A son begotten upon a woman belonging to a degraded caste, instead of rescuing the father, brings him to grief even as a heavy burden brings to grief a swimmer desirous of crossing a pool of water.
अविद्वांसमलं लोके विद्वांसमपि वा पुनः। नयन्ति ह्यपथं नार्यः कामक्रोधवशानुगम्॥
Whether a man is learned or otherwise, lust and anger are natural tendencies of humanity in this world. Women, therefore, may always be seen to drag men into the wrong path.
स्वभावश्चैव नारीणां नराणामिह दूषणम्। अत्यर्थं न प्रसज्जन्ते प्रमदासु विपश्चितः ॥
The disposition of women is such that man's contact with her produces misery. Hence, wise men do not allow themselves to be excessively attached to women.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच वर्णापेतमविज्ञाय नरं कलुषयोनिजम्। आर्यरूपमिवानार्यं कथं विद्यामहे वयम्॥
Yudhishthira said There are men who belong to the mixed castes, and who are of very impure birth. Putting respectable appearance, they are, in sooth, disrespectable. On account of those external signs we may not be able to know the truth about their birth. Are there any signs, O grandfather, by which the truth may be known about the origin of such men?
भीष्म उवाच योनिसंकलुषे जातं नानाभावसमन्वितम्। कर्मभिः सज्जनाचीर्णैर्विज्ञेया योनिशुद्धता॥
Bhishma said A person who is born of an irregular union shows various features of disposition. One's purity of birth, again, is to be determined from one's acts which must resemble the acts of those who are admittedly good and pious.
अनार्यत्वमनाचारः क्रूरत्वं निष्क्रियात्मता। पुरुषं व्यञ्जयन्तीह लोके कलुषयोनिजम्॥
A disrespectable conduct, acts opposed to those laid down in the scriptures, crookedness and cruelty, and abstention from sacrifices and other scriptural acts that lead to merit, show one's impurity of birth.
पित्र्यं वा भजते शीलं मातृजं वा तथोभयम्। न कथंचन संकीर्णः प्रकृतिं स्वां नियच्छति॥
A son inherits the disposition of either the father or the mother. Sometimes he inherits the dispositions of both. A person of impure birth can never succeed in concealing his true nature.
यथैव सदृशो रूपे मातापित्रोहि जायते। व्याघ्रश्चित्रैस्तथा योनि पुरुषः स्वां नियच्छति॥
As the cub of a tiger resembles its father and dam in form and in stripes or spots, so a person cannot but show the circumstance of his origin.
कुले स्रोतसि संच्छन्ने यस्य स्याद् योनिसंकरः। संश्रयत्येव तच्छीलं नरोऽल्पमथवा बहु॥
However secret may one's birth be, if that birth happens to be impure, its character or nature is sure to show itself slightly or largely.
आर्यरूपसमाचारं चरन्तं कृतके पथि। सुवर्णमन्यवर्णं वा स्वशीलं शास्ति निश्चये॥
A person may for purposes of his own, choose to follow an insincere path, practising such conduct as seems to be pious. His own nature, however, in the matter of those acts that he does, always announces whether he belongs to a good caste or to a different one.
नानावृत्तेषु भूतेषु नानाकर्मरतेषु च। जन्मवृत्तसमं लोके सुश्लिष्टं न विरज्यते॥
Creatures in the world are gifted with various kinds of disposition. They are, again, seen to be employed in various kinds of acts. Amongst creatures thus engaged, there is nothing that is so good or valuable as pure birth and righteous conduct.
शरीरमिह सत्त्वेन न तस्य परिकृष्यते। ज्येष्ठमध्यावरं सत्त्वं तुल्यसत्त्वं प्रमोदते॥
If a person be born in a low caste, good understanding originating from a study of the scriptures fails to rescue his body from low acts. Absolute goodness of understanding is of different degrees. It may be high, middling, and low. Even if it appears in a person of low birth, it disappears like autumnal clouds without producing any result. On the other hand, goodness of understanding which, according to its measure, has ordained the position in which the person is born, shows itself in his deeds.
ज्यायांसमपि शीलेन विहीनं नैव पूजयेत्। अपि शूद्रं च धर्मज्ञं सद्वृत्तभिपूजयेत्॥
If a person happens to belong to a superior caste but still if he happens to be divested of good conduct, he should receive no respect or worship. One may adore even a Shudra if he knows his duties and is of good conduct.
आत्मानमाख्याति हि कर्मभिर्नरः सुशीलचारित्रकुलैः शुभाशुभैः। प्रणष्टमप्याशु कुलं तथा नरः पुनः प्रकाशं कुरुते स्वकर्मतः॥
A person proclaims himself by his own good and bad deeds and by his good or bad nature and race of birth. If ones' race of birth happens to be degraded for any reason, one soon raises it and makes it resplendent and famous by his deeds.
योनिष्वेतासु सर्वासु संकीर्णास्वितरासु च। यत्रात्मानं न जनयेद् बुधस्तां परिवर्जयेत्॥
For these reasons the wise should avoid those women among these various castes mixed, upon whom they should not beget children.