Chapter 72
“Bhishma said, ‘That person, O king, who would protect the good andpunish the wicked, should be appointed as his priest by the king. In thisconnection is cited the old story about the discourse between Pururavas,the son of Aila and Matariswan.’
“Pururavas said, ‘Whence has the Brahmana sprung and whence the threeother orders? For what reason also has the Brahmana become the foremost?It behoveth thee to tell me all this.’
“Matariswan answered, ‘The Brahmana, O best of kings, has sprung from themouth of Brahman. The Kshatriya has sprung from his two arms, and theVaisya from his two thighs. For waiting upon these three orders, O rulerof men, a fourth order, viz., the Sudra, sprung into life, being createdfrom the feet (of Brahman). Originally created thus, the Brahmana takesbirth on earth as the lord of all creatures, his duty being the keep ofthe Vedas and the other scriptures.[230] Then, for ruling the earth andwielding the rod of chastisement and protecting all creatures, the secondorder, viz., the Kshatriya was created. The Vaisya was created forsupporting the two other orders and himself by cultivation and trade, andfinally, it was ordained by Brahman that the Sudra should serve the threeorders as a menial.’
“Pururavas said, ‘Tell me truly, O god of Winds, to whom, this earthrighteously belong. Does it belong to the Brahmana or to the Kshatriya?’
“The god of Winds said, ‘Everything that exists in the universe belongsto the Brahmana in consequence of his birth and precedence. Personsconversant with morality say this. What the Brahmana eats is his own. Theplace he inhabits is his own. What he gives away is his own. He deservesthe veneration of all the (other) orders. He is the first-born and theforemost. As a woman, in the absence of her husband, accepts his youngerbrother for him, even so the earth, in consequence of the refusal of theBrahmana, has accepted his next-born, viz., the Kshatriya, for her lord.This is the first rule. In times, however, of distress, there is anexception of this. If thou seekest to discharge the duties of the orderand wishest to obtain the highest place in heaven, then give unto theBrahmana all the land thou mayst succeed in conquering, unto him that ispossessed of learning and virtuous conduct, that is conversant withduties and observant of penances, that is satisfied with the duties ofhis order and not covetous of wealth. The well-born Brahmana, possessedof wisdom and humility, guides the king in every matter by his own greatintelligence. By means of sound counsels he causes the king to earnprosperity. The Brahmana points out to the king the duties the latter isto observe. As long as a wise king, observant of the duties of his order,and bereft of pride, is desirous of listening to the instructions of theBrahmana, so long is he honoured and so long does he enjoy fame. Thepriest of the king, therefore, has a share in the merit that the kingacquires. When the king behaves himself thus, all his subjects, relyingupon him, become virtuous in their behaviour, attentive to their duties,and freed from every fear. The king obtains a fourth part of thoserighteous acts which his subjects, properly protected by him, perform inhis kingdom. The gods, men, Pitris, Gandharvas, Uragas, and Rakshasas,all depend upon sacrifices for their support. In a country destitute of aking, there can be no sacrifice. The gods and the Pitris subsist on theofferings made in sacrifices. Sacrifice, however, depends upon the king.In the season of summer, men desire comfort from the shade of trees, coolwater, and cool breezes. In the season of winter they derive comfort fromfire, warm clothes, and the sun. The heart of man may find pleasure insound, touch, taste, vision, and scent. The man, however, who is inspiredwith fear, finds no pleasure in all these things. That person who dispelsthe fears of men obtains great merit. There is no gift so valuable in thethree worlds as the gift of life. The king is Indra. The king is Yama.The king is Dharma. The king assumes different forms. The king sustainsand supports everything.'”
