Chapter 60

Vaisampayana said, “After this, Yudhishthira, saluted his grandsire, viz.the son of Ganga, and with joined hands and concentrated attention, oncemore asked him, saying, ‘What are the general duties of the four ordersof men, and what the special duties of each order? What mode of lifeshould be adopted by which order? What duties are especially called theduties of kings? By what means does a kingdom grow, and what are thosemeans by which the king himself grows? How also, O bull of Bharata’srace, do the citizens and the servants of the king grow? What sorts oftreasuries, punishments, forts, allies, counsellors, priests, andpreceptors, should a king avoid?[179] Whom should the king trust in whatkinds of distress and danger? From what evils should the king guardhimself firmly? Tell me all this, O grandsire!’

“Bhishma said, ‘I bow down to Dharma who is great, and to Krishna who isBrahma. Having bowed down also unto the Brahmanas (assembled here), Ishall discourse on duties that are eternal. The suppression of wrath,truthfulness of speech, justice, forgiveness, begetting children uponone’s own wedded wives, purity of conduct, avoidance of quarrel,simplicity, and maintenance of dependants, these nine duties belong toall the four orders (equally). Those duties, however, which belongexclusively to Brahmanas, I shall now tell thee. Self-restraint, O king,has been declared to be the first duty of Brahmanas. Study of the Vedas,and patience in undergoing austerities, (are also their other duties). Bypractising these two, all their acts are accomplished. If while engagedin the observance of his own duties, without doing any improper act,wealth comes to a peaceful Brahmana possessed of knowledge, he shouldthen marry and seek to beget children and should also practise charityand perform sacrifices. It has been declared by the wise that wealth thusobtained should be enjoyed by distributing it (among deserving personsand relatives). By his study of the Vedas all the pious acts (laid downfor the Brahmana) are accomplished. Whether he does or does not achieveanything else, if he devotes himself to the study of the Vedas, hebecomes (by that) known as a Brahmana or the friend of all creatures. Ishall also tell thee, O Bharata, what the duties are of a Kshatriya. AKshatriya, O king, should give but not beg, should himself performsacrifices but not officiate as a priest in the sacrifices of others. Heshould never teach (the Vedas) but study (them with a Brahmanapreceptor). He should protect the people. Always exerting himself for thedestruction of robbers and wicked people, he should put forth his prowessin battle. Those among Kshatriya rulers who perform great sacrifices, whoare possessed of a knowledge of the Vedas, and who gain victories inbattle, become foremost of those that acquire many blessed regionshereafter by their merit. Persons conversant with the old scriptures donot applaud that Kshatriya who returns unwounded from battle. This hasbeen declared to be the conduct of a wretched Kshatriya.[180] There is nohigher duty for him than the suppression of robbers. Gifts, study, andsacrifices, bring prosperity to kings. Therefore, a king who desires toacquire religious merit should engage in battle.[181] Establishing allhis subjects in the observance of their respective duties, it king shouldcause all of them to do everything according to the dictates ofrighteousness. Whether he does or does not do any other act, if only heprotects his subjects, he is regarded to accomplish all religious actsand is called a Kshatriya and the foremost of men. I shall now tell thee,O Yudhishthira, what the eternal duties of the Vaisya are. A Vaisyashould make gifts, study the Vedas, perform sacrifices, and acquirewealth by fair means. With proper attention he should also protect andrear all (domestic) animals as a sire protecting his sons. Anything elsethat he will do will be regarded as improper for him. By protecting the(domestic) animals, he would obtain great happiness. The Creator, havingcreated the (domestic) animals, bestowed their care upon the Vaisya. Uponthe Brahmana and the Kshatriya he conferred (the care of) all creatures.I shall tell thee what the Vaisya’s profession is and how he is to earnthe means of his sustenance. If he keeps (for others) six kine, he maytake the milk of one cow as his remuneration; and if he keeps (forothers) a hundred kine, he may take a single pair as such fee. If hetrades with other’s wealth, he may take a seventh part of the profits (ashis share). A seventh also is his share in the profits arising from thetrade in horns, but he should take a sixteenth if the trade be in hoofs.If he engages in cultivation with seeds supplied by others, he may take aseventh part of the yield. This should be his annual remuneration. AVaisya should never desire that he should not tend cattle. If a Vaisyadesires to tend cattle, no one else should be employed in that task. Ishould tell thee, O Bharata, what the duties of a Sudra are. The Creatorintended the Sudra to become the servant of the other three orders. Forthis, the service of the three other classes is the duty of Sudra. Bysuch service of the other three, a Sudra may obtain great happiness. Heshould wait upon the three other classes according to their order ofseniority. A Sudra should never amass wealth, lest, by his wealth, hemakes the members of the three superior classes obedient to him. By thishe would incur sin. With the king’s permission, however, a Sudra, forperforming religious acts, may earn wealth. I shall now tell thee theprofession he should follow and the means by which he may earn hislivelihood. It is said that Sudras should certainly be maintained by the(three) other orders. Worn-out umbrellas, turbans, beds and seats, shoes,and fans, should be given to the Sudra servants.[182] Torn clothes whichare no longer fit for wear, should be given away by the regenerateclasses unto the Sudra. These are the latter’s lawful acquisitions. Menconversant with morality say that if the Sudra approaches any onebelonging to the three regenerate orders from desire of doing menialservice, the latter should assign him proper work. Unto the sonless Sudrahis master should offer the funeral cake. The weak and the old amongstthem should be maintained.[183] The Sudra should never abandon hismaster, whatever the nature or degree of the distress into which thelatter may fall. If the master loses his wealth, he should with excessivezeal be supported by the Sudra servant. A Sudra cannot have any wealththat is his own. Whatever he possesses belongs lawfully to hismaster.[184] Sacrifice has been laid down as a duty of the three otherorders. It has been ordained for the Sudra also, O Bharata! A Sudra,however, is not competent to titter swaha and swadha or any other Vedicmantra. For this reason, the Sudra, without observing the vows laid downin the Vedas, should worship the gods in minor sacrifices calledPaka-yajnas. The gift called Purna-patra is declared to be the Dakshinaof such sacrifices.[185] It has been heard by us that in days of old aSudra of the name of Paijavana gave a Dakshina (in one of his sacrifices)consisting of a hundred thousand Purnapatras, according to the ordinancecalled Aindragni.[186] Sacrifice (as has been already said), is as muchlaid down for the Sudra as for the three other classes. Of allsacrifices, devotion has been laid down to be the foremost.[187] Devotionis a high deity. It cleanses all sacrificers. Then again Brahmanas arethe foremost of gods unto their respective Sudra attendants. They worshipthe gods in sacrifices, for obtaining the fruition of various wishes. Themembers of the three other classes have all sprung from theBrahmanas.[188] The Brahmanas are the gods of the very gods. Whateverthey would say would be for thy great good. Therefore, all kinds ofsacrifices naturally appertain to all the four orders. The obligation isnot one whose discharge is optional. The Brahmana, who is conversant withRichs, Yajuses, and Samans, should always be worshipped as a god. TheSudra, who is without Richs and Yajuses and Samans, has Prajapati for hisgod.[189] Mental sacrifice. O sire, is laid down for all the orders, OBharata! It is not true that the gods and other (Superior) persons do notmanifest a desire to share the offerings in such sacrifices of even theSudra.[190] For, this reason, the sacrifice that consists in devotion islaid down for all the classes.[191] The Brahmana is the foremost of gods.It is not true that they that belong to that order do not perform thesacrifices of the other orders. The fire called Vitana, though procuredfrom Vaisyas and inspired with mantras, is still inferior.[192] TheBrahmana is the performer or the sacrifices of the three other orders.For this reason all the four orders are holy. All the orders bear towardsone another to relation of consanguinity, through the intermediateclasses. They have all sprung from Brahmanas. In ascertaining (thepriority or subsequence of men in respect of their creation) it willappear that amongst all the orders the Brahmana was created first.Originally Saman  was one; Yajus was one, and Rich was one.[193] In thisconnection, persons conversant with ancient histories cite a verse, Oking, sung in praise of sacrifice by the Vaikhanasa Munis on the occasionof performing a sacrifice of theirs. Before or after sunrise a person ofsubdued senses, with heart filled with devotion, poureth libations on the(sacrificial) fire according to the ordinance. Devotion is a mightyagent. With regard to homas again, that variety which is called skanna isthe initial one, while that which is called askanna is the last (butforemost in point of merit). Sacrifices are multifarious. Their rites andfruits again are multifarious. The Brahmana possessed of devotion who,endued with scriptural learning, who is acquainted with them all, iscompetent to perform sacrifices. That person who desires to perform asacrifice is regarded as righteous even if he happens to be a thief, asinner, or the worst of sinners. The Rishis applaud such a man. Withoutdoubt they are right. This then is the conclusion that all the ordersshould always and by every means in their power perform sacrifices. Thereis nothing in the three worlds equal to sacrifice. Therefore, it has beensaid that every one with heart free from malice, should performsacrifices, aided by devotion which is sacred, to the best of his powerand according as he pleases.'”