जनक उवाच वर्णो विशेषवर्णानां महर्षे केन जायते। एतदिच्छाम्यहं ज्ञातुं तद् ब्रूहि वदतां वरा॥
Janaka said Whence, O great Rishi, does this difference of colour arise among men of the different orders? I wish to know this. Tell me this, O foreinost of speakers.
यदेतज्जायतेऽपत्यं स एवायमिति श्रुतिः। कथं ब्राह्मणतो जातो विशेषग्रहणं गतः॥
The Shrutis say that the offspring one begets is his own self. Originally sprung from Brahman, all the inhabitants of the Earth should have been Brahmanas. Sprung from Brahmanas, why have men begun to perform works distinguished from those of Brahmanas.
पराशर उवाच एवमेतन्महाराज येन जातः स एव सः। तपसस्त्वपकर्षेण जातिग्रहणतां गतः॥ सुक्षेत्राच्च सुबीजाच्च पुण्यो भवति सम्भवः। अतोऽन्यतरतो हीनादवरो नाम जायते॥
Parashara said It is as you say, O king! The offspring begotten by one is none else than the begetter himself. Because men have deviated from penance, this distribution into classes of different colours has taken place. When the soil and the seed is good, the offspring produced become meritorious. If, however, the soil and seed are inferior, the offspring that will be born will be inferior.
वक्त्राद् भुजाभ्यामूरुभ्यां पद्भ्यां चैवाथ जज्ञिरे। सृजतः प्रजापतेर्लोकानिति धर्मविदो विदुः॥
Persons well read in the scriptures know that when the Lord of all creatures began to create the worlds, some creatures originated from his mouth, some from his arms, some from his thighs, and some from his feet.
मुखजा ब्राह्मणास्तात बाहुजाः क्षत्रियाः स्मृताः। उरुजा धनिनो राजन् पादजाः परिचारकाः॥
Those who came out of his mouth, O child, were called Brahmanas. Those who originated from his arms were called Kshatriyas. Those, O king, sprang from his thighs, and some from his feet.
चतुर्णामेव वर्णानामागमः पुरुषर्षभ। अतोऽन्ये त्वतिरिक्ता ये ते वै संकरजाः स्मृताः॥
Only these four orders of men, O king, were thus created. They who belong to classes besides these are said to have originated from an intermixture of these.
क्षत्रियातिरथाम्बष्ठा उग्रा वैदेहकास्तथा। श्वपाकाः पुल्कसाः स्तेना निषादाः सूतमागधाः॥ अयोगाः करणा व्रात्याश्चाण्डालाच नराधिप। एते चतुर्थ्यो वर्णेभ्यो जायन्ते वै परस्परात्॥
The Kshatriyas called Atirathas, Amvashthas, Ugras, Vaidehas, Shvapakas, Pukasas, Stenas, Nishadas, Sutas, and Chandalas, O monarch, have all originated form the four original castes by intermixture with one another.
जनक उवाच ब्रह्मणैकेन जातानां नानात्वं गोत्रतः कथम्। बहूनीह हि लोके वै गोत्राणि मुनिसत्तम॥
Janka said When all have originated from Brahman alone, how did human beings become divergent of race? O best of ascetics, numberless diversity of races is seen in this world.
यत्र तत्र कथं जाताः स्वयोनि मुनयो गताः। शुद्धयोनौ समुत्पन्ना वियोनौ च तथा परे॥
How could, men devoted to penances acquire the dignity of Brahmanas, though of indiscriminate origin? Indeed, those born in pure wombs and those in impure, all became Brahmanas.
पराशर उवाच राजन्नेतद् भवेद् ग्राह्यमपकृष्टेन जन्मना। महात्मनां समुत्पत्तिस्तपसा भावितात्मनाम्॥
O king, that status of great persons who succeeded in purifying their souls by penances could not be regarded as affected by their low births.
उत्पाद्य पुत्रान् मुनयो नृपते यत्र तत्र ह। स्वेनैव तपसा तेषामृषित्वं विदधुः पुनः॥
Great Rishi, O monarch, by begetting children in indiscriminate wombs, gave them the dignity of Rishis by means of their power of asceticism.
पितामहश्च मे पूर्वमृष्यशृङ्गश्च काश्यपः। वेदस्ताण्ड्यः कृपश्चैव कक्षीवान् कमठादयः॥ यवक्रीतश्च नृपते द्रोणच वदतां वरः। आयुर्मतङ्गो दत्तश्च दुपदो मत्स्य एव च॥ एते स्वां प्रकृति प्राप्ता वैदेह तपसोऽऽश्रयात्। प्रतिष्ठिता वेदविदो दमेन तपसैव हि॥
My grandfather Vashishtha, Rishyashringa, Kashyapa, Veda, Tandya, Kripa, Kakshivat, Kamatha, and others, and Yavakrita, O king, and Drona, that foremost of speakers, and Ayu, and Matanga and Datta, and Drupada, and Matsya-all these, O king of the Videhas, gained their respective positions through penance as the means.
मूलगोत्राणि चत्वारि समुत्पन्नानि पार्थिव। अङ्गिराः कश्यपश्चैव वसिष्ठो भृगुरेव च॥
Originally only four families arose, O king viz., Angiras, Kashyapa, Vashishtha and Bhrigu.
कर्मतोऽन्यानि गोत्राणि समुत्पन्नानि पार्थिव। नामधेयानि तपसा तानि च ग्रहणं सताम्॥
On account of acts and behaviour, O king, many other families came into existence in time. The names of those families have originated from the penances of those who have founded them. Good people use them.
जनक उवाच विशेषधर्मान् वर्णानां प्रबूहि भगवन् मम। ततः सामान्यधर्माश्च सर्वत्र कुशलो ह्यसि॥
Janaka said Tell me, O holy one, the especial duties of the several castes. Tell me also with their common duties are. You know everything.
पराशर उवाच प्रतिग्रहो याजनं च तथैवाध्यापनं नृप। विशेषधर्मा विप्राणां रक्षा क्षत्रस्य शोभना॥
Parashara said Taking gifts, officiating at the sacrifices of others, the teaching of pupils, O king, are the especial duties of the Brahmanas. The protection of the other castes is the special duty of the Kshatriya.
कृषिश्च पाशुपाल्यं च वाणिज्यं च विशामपि। द्विजानां परिचर्या च शूद्रकर्म नराधिप॥
Agriculture, cattle-tending, and trade are the duties, of the Vaishyas. While service of the (three) twice-born classes is the duty, 0 king, of the Shudras.
विशेषधर्मा नृपते वर्णानां परिकीर्तिताः। धर्मान् साधारणांस्तात विस्तरेण शृणुष्व मे॥
I have now told you what the especial duties are of the four castes, O king. Hear, now, O child as I tell you what the common duties are of all the four castes.
आनृशंस्यमहिंसा चाप्रमादः संविभागिता। श्राद्धकर्मातिथेयं च सत्यमक्रोध एव च॥ स्वेषु दारेषु संतोषः शौचं नित्यानसूयता। आत्मज्ञानं तितिक्षा च धर्माः साधारणा नृप॥
Compassion, abstention from injury, carefulness, giving to others what is due to them, Shraddhas in honour of departed manes, hospitality to guests, truthfulness, subjugation of anger, contentedness with one's own married wives, purity, freedom from malice, knowledge of Self, and Renunciation,-these duties, O king are common to all the castes.
ब्राह्मणा: क्षत्रिया वैश्यास्त्रयो वर्णा द्विजातयः। अत्र तेषामधीकारो धर्मेषु द्विपदां वर॥
Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas,these are the three twice-born orders, They have all an equal right to the performance of these dutics, O foremost of men.
विकर्मावस्थिता वर्णाः पतन्ते नृपते त्रयः। उन्नमन्ति यथासन्तमाश्रित्येह स्वकर्मसु॥
These three castes following the duties Other than those sanctioned for them, suffer indignity, O king, as they go up and acquire great merit by taking for their model some righteous individual of their respective classes who duly satisfies his own duties.
न चापि शूद्रः पततीति निश्चयो न चापि संस्कारमिहार्हतीति वा। श्रुतिप्रवृत्तं न च धर्ममाप्नुते न चास्य धर्मे प्रतिषेधनं कृतम्॥
The Shudra never falls down; nor is he worthy of any of the rites of regeneration. The course of duties originating from the Vedas is not his. He is not interdicted, however, from practising the thirteen duties which are common to all the castes.
वैदेह कं शूद्रमुदाहरन्ति द्विजा महाराज श्रुतोपपन्नाः। अहं हि पश्यामि नरेन्द्र देवं विश्वस्य विष्णु जगतः प्रधानम्॥
O king of the Videhas, Brahmanas learned in the Vedas, O king, regard a (virtutous) Shudra as equal to Brahman himself. I, however, O king, regard such a Shudra as the effulgent Vishnu of the universe, the foremost one in all the worlds.
सतां वृत्तमधिष्ठाय निहीना उद्दिधीर्षवः। मन्त्रवर्जं न दुष्यन्ति कुर्वाणाः पौष्टिकी: क्रियाः॥
Persons of the lowest caste, desiring to root out the evil passions, may follow the conduct of the good; and, while so acting, they may acquire great merit by performing all rites that lead to advancement, omitting the Mantras which are to be uttered by the other castes while performing the self-same ceremonies.
यथा यथा हि सद्वृत्तमालम्बन्तीतरे जनाः। तथा तथा सुखं प्राप्य प्रेत्य चेह च मोदते।॥
Wherever persons of the lowest caste follow the conduct of the good, they succeed in acquiring happiness on account of which they are able to pass their time in happiness both in this world and the next.
जनक उवाच किं कर्म दूषयत्येनमथो जातिर्महामुने। संदेहो मे समुत्पन्नस्तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि॥
Janaka said O great ascetic, is man sullied by his deeds or is he stained by the order or class in which he is born? A doubt has arisen in my mind. You should expound this to me.
पराशर उवाच असंशयं महाराज उभयं दोषकारकम्। कर्म चैव हि जातिश्च विशेषं तु निशामय॥
Parashara said Forsooth, O king, both, viz., acts and birth, are sources of demerit. Listen now to their difference.
जात्या च कर्मणा चैव दुष्टं कर्म न सेवते। जात्या दुष्टश्च य: पापं न करोति स पूरुषः॥
That man who, though sullied by birth, does not coinmit sin, abstains from sin notwithstanding birth and acts.
जात्या प्रधानं पुरुषं कुर्वाणं कर्म धिक्कृतम्। कर्म तद् दूषयत्येनं तस्मात् कर्म न शोभनम्॥
If, however, a person of superior birth perpetrates censurable deeds, such acts pollute him. Hence, of the two, viz., acts and birth, acts pollute man.
जनक उवाच कानि कर्माणि धाणि लोकेऽस्मिन् द्विजसत्तम। न हिंसन्तीह भूतानि क्रियमाणानि सर्वदा॥
Janaka said What are those righteous acts in this world, 0 best of all twice-born ones, the accomplishment of which does not inflict any injury upon other creatures?
पराशर उवाच शृणु मेऽत्र महाराज यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि। यानि कर्माण्यहिंस्राणि नरं त्रायन्ति सर्वदा॥
Parashara said Hear from me, O king, about what you ask, viz.., those acts free from injury which always rescue man.
संन्यस्याग्नीनुदासीनाः पश्यन्ति विगतज्वराः। नैःश्रेयसं कर्मपथं समारुह्य यथाक्रमम्॥ प्रश्रिता विनयोपेता दमनित्याः सुसंशिताः। प्रयान्ति स्थानमजरं सर्वकर्मविवर्जिताः॥
Those who, keeping aside their domestic fires, have freed themselves from all worldly attachments, become freed from all anxieties. Gradually getting up step by step, in the path of Yoga, they at last see the stage of highest happiness. Gifted with faith and humility, always practising self-control, possessed of keen intelligence, and abstaining from all acts, they acquire eternal happiness.
सर्वे वर्णा धर्मकार्याणि सम्यक् कृत्वा राजन् सत्यवाक्यानि चोक्त्वा। त्यक्तवाधर्म दारुणं जीवलोके यान्ति स्वर्ग नात्र कार्यो विचारः॥
All classes of men, O king, by duly doing virtuous acts, by speaking the truth, and by abstaining from sin, in this world, go up to heaven. There is no doubt in this.