Chapter 45

“‘Karna continued, “Thou shouldst know all this, O Shalya. I shallhowever, again speak unto thee. Listen with close attention to what Isay. Once on a time a brahmana came to our house as a guest. Observingour practices he became highly gratified and said unto us, ‘I dwelt for along time on a peak of the Himavat quite alone. Since then I have seendiverse countries following diverse religions. Never, however, have Iseen all the people of a country act unrighteously. All the races I havemet will admit that to be true religion which has been declared bypersons conversant with the Vedas. Travelling through various countriesfollowing various religions, I at last, O king, came among the Vahikas.There I heard that one at first becomes a brahmana and then he becomes akshatriya. Indeed, a Vahika would, after that, become a Vaishya, and thena Shudra, and then a barber. Having become a barber, he would then againbecome a brahmana. Returning to the status of a brahmana, he would againbecome a slave. One person in a family becomes a brahmana: all theothers, falling off from virtue, act as they like. The Gandharas, theMadrakas, and the Vahikas of little understanding are even such. Havingtravelled through the whole world I heard of these practices, destructiveof virtue, of these sinful irregularities amongst the Vahikas.’ Thoushouldst know all this, O Shalya. I shall, however, again speak to theeabout those ugly words that another said unto me regarding the Vahikas.In former days a chaste woman was abducted by robbers (hailing) fromAratta. Sinfully was she violated by them, upon which she cursed them,saying, ‘Since ye have sinfully violated a helpless girl who am notwithout a husband, therefore, the women of your families shall all becomeunchaste. Ye lowest of men, never shall ye escape from the consequencesof this dreadful sin.’ It is for this, O Shalya, that the sisters’ sonsof the Arattas, and not their own sons, become their heirs. The Kauravaswith the Pancalas, the Salwas, the Matsyas, the Naimishas, the Koshalas,the Kasapaundras, the Kalingas, the Magadhas, and the Cedis who are allhighly blessed, know what the eternal religion is. The wicked even ofthese various countries know what religion is. The Vahikas, however, livewithout righteousness. Beginning with the Matsyas, the residents of theKuru and the Pancala countries, the Naimishas as well and the otherrespectable peoples, the pious among all races are conversant with theeternal truths of religion. This cannot be said of the Madrakas and thecrooked-hearted race that resides in the country of the five rivers.Knowing all these things, O king, hold thy tongue, O Shalya, like onedeprived of utterance, in all matters connected with religion and virtue.Thou art the protector and king of that people, and, therefore, thepartaker of sixth part of their merits and demerits. Or perhaps, thou artthe partaker of a sixth part of their demerits only, for thou neverprotectest them. A king that protects is a sharer in the merits of hissubjects. Thou art not a sharer in their merits. In days of yore, whenthe eternal religion was reverenced in all countries, the Grandsire,observing the practices of the country of the five rivers, cried fie onthem. When even in the krita age, Brahman had censured the practices ofthose fallen people of evil deeds who were begotten by Shudras on others’wives, what would you now say to men in the world? Even thus did theGrandsire condemn the practices of the country of the five waters. Whenall people were observant of the duties of their respective orders, theGrandsire had to find fault with these men. Thou shouldst know all this,O Shalya. I shall, however, again speak to thee. A Rakshasa of the nameof Kalmashapada, while plunging in a tank, said, ‘Eleemosynation is akshatriya’s dirt, while the non-observance of vows is a brahmana’s dirt.The Vahikas are the dirt of the Earth, and the Madra women are the dirtof the whole female sex. While sinking in the stream, a king rescued theRakshasa. Asked by the former, the latter gave this answer. I will reciteit to you. Listen to me. ‘The mlecchas are the dirt of mankind: theoilmen are the dirt of the Mlecchas; eunuchs are the dirt of oilmen; theywho avail of the priestly ministrations of Kshatriyas, in theirsacrifices, are the dirt of eunuchs. The sin of those again that have thelast-named persons for their priests, of also of the Madrakas, shall bethine if thou do not abandon me.’ Even this was declared by the Rakshasato be the formula that should be used for curing a person possessed by aRakshasa or one killed by the energy of a poison. The words that followare all very true. The Pancalas observe the duties enjoined in the Vedas;the Kauravas observe truth; the Matsyas and the Surasenas performsacrifices, the Easterners follow the practices of the Shudras; theSoutherners are fallen; the Vahikas are thieves; the Saurashtras arebastards. They that are defiled by ingratitude, theft, drunkenness,adultery with the wives of their preceptors, harshness of speech,slaughter of kine, lustful wanderings during the night out of home, andthe wearing of other people’s ornaments,–what sin is there that they donot incur? Fie on the Arattas and the people of the country of the fiverivers! Commencing with the Pancalas, the Kauravas, the Naimishas, theMatsyas,–all these,–know what religion is. The old men among theNortherners, the Angas, the Magadhas, (without themselves knowing whatvirtue is) follow the practices of the pious. Many gods, headed by Agni,dwell in the East. The pitris dwell in the South that is presided over byYama of righteous deeds. The West is protected by the mighty Varuna whooverlooks the other gods there. The north is protected by the divine Somaalong with the Brahmanas. So Rakshasas and Pishacas protect the Himavat,the best of mountains. The Guhyakas, O great king, protect the mountainsof Gandhamadana. Without doubt, Vishnu, otherwise, called Janardana,protects all creatures. (For all that the Vahikas have no especialprotectors among the gods). The Magadhas are comprehenders of signs; theKoshalas comprehend from what they see; the Kurus and the Pancalascomprehend from a half-uttered speech; the Salwas cannot comprehend tillthe whole speech is uttered. The Mountaineers, like the Sivis, are verystupid. The Yavanas, O king, are omniscient; the Suras are particularlyso. The mlecchas are wedded to the creations of their own fancy. Otherpeoples cannot understand. The Vahikas resent beneficial counsels; asregards the Madrakas there are none amongst those (mentioned above.)Thou, O Shalya, art so. Thou shouldst not reply to me. The Madrakas areregarded on Earth as the dirt of every nation. So the Madra woman iscalled the dirt of the whole female sex. They that have for theirpractices the drinking of spirits, the violation of the beds of theirpreceptors, the destruction of the embryo by procuring miscarriage, andthe robbing of other people’s wealth, there is no sin that they have not.Fie on the Arattas and the people of the country of the five rivers.Knowing this, be silent. Do not seek to oppose me. Do not let me slayKeshava and Arjuna, having slain thee first.'”

“‘Shalya said, “The abandonment of the afflicted and the sale of wivesand children are, O Karna, prevalent amongst the Angas whose king thouart. Recollecting those faults of thine that Bhishma recited on theoccasion of the tale of Rathas and Atirathas, drive away thy wrath. Donot be angry. Brahmanas may be found everywhere; Kshatriyas may be foundeverywhere; so also Vaishyas and Shudras, O Karna, women of chastity andexcellent vows may also be found everywhere. Everywhere men take delightin jesting with men and wounding one another. Lustful men also may befound everywhere. Everyone on every occasion can command skill inspeaking of the faults of others. No one, however, knows his own faults,or knowing them, feels shame. Everywhere are kings devoted to theirrespective religions, and employed in chastising the wicked. Everywheremay be found virtuous men. It cannot be, O Karna, that all the people ofa country are sinful. There are men in many countries that surpass thevery gods by their behaviour.'”

“Sanjaya continued, ‘Then king Duryodhana stopped Karna and Shalya (fromgoing on with their wordy warfare), addressing the son of Radha as afriend, and beseeching Shalya with joined hands, Karna, O sire, wasquieted by thy son and forbore saying anything more. Shalya also thenfaced the enemy. Then Radha’s son, smiling, once more urged Shalya,saying, “Proceed.”‘”