The Chandala and the Kshatriya: The Sin of Taking a Brahmin's Property

Verse 1 (13.158.1)

ब्राह्मणस्वानि ये मन्दा हरन्ति भरतर्षभ । नृशंसकारिणो योनिं कां ते गच्छन्ति मानवाः ॥

brāhmaṇasvāni ye mandā haranti bharatarṣabha | nṛśaṃsakāriṇo yoniṃ kāṃ te gacchanti mānavāḥ

O best of the Bharatas, those fools who seize the property of Brahmins and do cruel deeds, into what womb do those men go?

Note on the text: Line 2 reads योनिं कां ते गच्छन्ति ("into what womb") against CE 13.104.1c 'kva te gacchanti' ("where"); recension variant, kept.

Verse 2 (13.158.2)

पातकानां परं ह्येतद्ब्रह्मस्वहरणं बलात् । सान्वयास्ते विनश्यन्ति चण्डालाः प्रेत्य चेह च ॥

pātakānāṃ paraṃ hyetadbrahmasvaharaṇaṃ balāt | sānvayāste vinaśyanti caṇḍālāḥ pretya ceha ca

The forcible seizure of a Brahmin's property is the worst of sins. Those who commit it perish together with their lineages, becoming Chandalas, both in this world and after death.

Note on the text: Speaker heading is printed 'भीष्य उवाच' (misprint for भीष्म; read भीष्म). Not in the critical edition's numbered text: the couplet is CE star passage 13.104.2d*0464_01-02.

Verse 3 (13.158.3)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । चण्डालस्य च संवादं क्षत्रबन्धोश्च भारत ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | caṇḍālasya ca saṃvādaṃ kṣatrabandhośca bhārata

On this they recount an ancient tale: the conversation between a Chandala and a man of Kshatriya birth, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Corrected पुरातनमम् → पुरातनम् (misprint in Wikisource; stray म; CE 'purātanam'). Lines = CE 13.104.2a, 2c. Speaker: Bhishma (heading misprinted भीष्य, as in verse 2).

Verse 4 (13.158.4)

वृद्धरूपोऽसि चण्डाल बालवच्च विचेष्टसे । श्वखराणां रजःसेवी कस्मादुद्विजसे गवाम् ॥

vṛddharūpo'si caṇḍāla bālavacca viceṣṭase | śvakharāṇāṃ rajaḥsevī kasmādudvijase gavām

"You look old, Chandala, yet you behave like a child. You live in the dust of dogs and asses; why do you shrink from the dust of cows?"

Note on the text: Speaker heading is 'राजोवाच' (the Kshatriya, CE 'rājanya uvāca'); given as the king, with speaker_line. Same as CE 13.104.3.

Verse 5 (13.158.5)

साधुभिर्गर्हितं कर्म चण्डालस्य विधीयते । कस्माद्गोरजसा ध्वस्तमङ्गं तोयेन सिञ्चसि ॥

sādhubhirgarhitaṃ karma caṇḍālasya vidhīyate | kasmādgorajasā dhvastamaṅgaṃ toyena siñcasi

"The work laid down for a Chandala is condemned by the good. Why do you sprinkle with water your body that is covered with the dust of cows?"

Note on the text: Speaker heading 'राजोवाच'. Line 2 reads गोरजसा ध्वस्तमङ्गं तोयेन सिञ्चसि against CE 13.104.4c '… apāṃ kuṇḍe niṣiñcasi'; recension variant, kept.

Verse 6 (13.158.6)

ब्राह्मणस्य गवां राजन्प्रयान्तीनां रजः पुरा । सोममुद्ध्वंसयामास तं सोममपिबन्द्विजाः ॥

brāhmaṇasya gavāṃ rājanprayāntīnāṃ rajaḥ purā | somamuddhvaṃsayāmāsa taṃ somamapibandvijāḥ

"O king, long ago the dust of a Brahmin's cows as they walked along spoiled the Soma, and the twice-born drank that Soma."

Note on the text: Line 1 reads प्रयान्तीनां against CE 13.104.5a 'hriyatīnāṃ'; recension variant, kept.

Verse 7 (13.158.7)

भृत्यानामपि राज्ञस्तु रजसा ध्वंसितं मखे । तत्पानाच्च द्विजाः सर्वे क्षिप्रं नरकमाविशन् ॥

bhṛtyānāmapi rājñastu rajasā dhvaṃsitaṃ makhe | tatpānācca dvijāḥ sarve kṣipraṃ narakamāviśan

"At the sacrifice it was spoiled also by the dust of the king's servants, and from drinking it all those twice-born quickly entered hell."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's numbered text: CE star passage 13.104.5d*0465_01-02.

Verse 8 (13.158.8)

दीक्षितश्च स राजाऽपि क्षिप्रं नरकमाविशत् । सह तैर्याजकैः सर्वैर्ब्रह्मस्वमुपजीव्य तत् ॥

dīkṣitaśca sa rājā'pi kṣipraṃ narakamāviśat | saha tairyājakaiḥ sarvairbrahmasvamupajīvya tat

"The king too, who had been consecrated for the sacrifice, quickly entered hell, together with all those officiating priests, since he had lived on that Brahmin's property."

Verse 9 (13.158.9)

येऽपि तत्रापिबन्क्षीरं घृतं दधि च मानवाः । ब्राह्मणाः सहराजन्याः सर्वे नरकमाविशन् ॥

ye'pi tatrāpibankṣīraṃ ghṛtaṃ dadhi ca mānavāḥ | brāhmaṇāḥ saharājanyāḥ sarve narakamāviśan

"And those people who drank the milk, ghee and curds there, Brahmins together with Kshatriyas, all entered hell."

Verse 10 (13.158.10)

जघ्नुस्ताः पयसा पुत्रांस्तथा पौत्रान्विधूय तान् । पशूनवेक्षमाणश्च साधुवृत्तेन दंपती ॥

jaghnustāḥ payasā putrāṃstathā pautrānvidhūya tān | paśūnavekṣamāṇaśca sādhuvṛttena daṃpatī

"By their milk those cows struck down the sons and likewise the grandsons, casting them off, and the cattle, and the husband and wife who looked after them with upright conduct."

Note on the text: Line 1 reads विधूय तान् and line 2 अवेक्षमाणश्च against CE 13.104.8a,c 'vidhunvatīḥ' and 'avekṣamāṇāś ca'; recension variants, kept. The page's footnote glosses the verse as the cows, by the milk drunk by others, killing the drinkers' sons, grandsons and cattle and the couple.

Verse 11 (13.158.11)

अहं तत्रावसं राजन्ब्रह्मचारी जितेन्द्रियः । तासां मे रजसा ध्वस्तं भैक्षमासीन्नराधिप ॥

ahaṃ tatrāvasaṃ rājanbrahmacārī jitendriyaḥ | tāsāṃ me rajasā dhvastaṃ bhaikṣamāsīnnarādhipa

"I lived there then, O king, as a student of sacred knowledge, with my senses under control. The alms I had received were spoiled by the dust of those cows, O lord of men."

Verse 12 (13.158.12)

चण्डालोऽहं ततो राजन्भुक्त्वा तदभवं नृप । ब्रह्मस्वहारी च नृपः सोऽप्रतिष्ठां गतिं ययौ ॥

caṇḍālo'haṃ tato rājanbhuktvā tadabhavaṃ nṛpa | brahmasvahārī ca nṛpaḥ so'pratiṣṭhāṃ gatiṃ yayau

"After I ate it, O king, I became that, a Chandala, O king; and the king too, who had seized a Brahmin's property, went to a fate that has no foothold."

Note on the text: Corrected ब्रह्मस्वहारी न नृपः → ब्रह्मस्वहारी च नृपः (misprint in Wikisource; न for च, which gives the opposite sense; CE 'brahmasvahārī ca nṛpaḥ'). Line 1 ends भुक्त्वा तदभवं नृप against CE 10a 'tad abhavaṃ mṛtaḥ'; recension variant, kept.

Verse 13 (13.158.13)

तस्माद्धरेन्न विप्रस्वं कदाचिदपि किञ्चन । न पश्येन्नानुमोदेच्च न हर्तुं किञ्चिदाहरेत् ॥

tasmāddharenna viprasvaṃ kadācidapi kiñcana | na paśyennānumodecca na hartuṃ kiñcidāharet

"Therefore a man should never take anything at all that belongs to a Brahmin. He should not look on while it is taken, nor approve of it, nor fetch anything in order to seize it."

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 13.104.11a; line 2 is CE star line 11b*0466_01 (na paśyen nānumodec ca na hartuṃ kiṃ cid ācaret).

Verse 14 (13.158.14)

ब्रह्मस्वं रजसा ध्वस्तं भुक्त्वा मां पश्य यादृशम् । तस्मात्सोमोऽप्यविक्रेयः पुरुषेण विपश्चिता ॥

brahmasvaṃ rajasā dhvastaṃ bhuktvā māṃ paśya yādṛśam | tasmātsomo'pyavikreyaḥ puruṣeṇa vipaścitā

"Look at me, what I have become from eating a Brahmin's property spoiled by dust. And for that reason Soma must not be sold by a wise man."

Note on the text: Line 1 is a variant of CE 13.104.11c (brahmasvarajasā dhvastaṃ bhuktvā māṃ paśya yādṛśam); line 2 = CE 12a.

Verse 15 (13.158.15)

एतद्धि धनमुत्कृष्टं द्विजानामविशेषतः । विक्रयं त्विह सोमस्य गर्हयन्ति मनीषिणः ॥

etaddhi dhanamutkṛṣṭaṃ dvijānāmaviśeṣataḥ | vikrayaṃ tviha somasya garhayanti manīṣiṇaḥ

"This is the finest wealth, belonging to the twice-born without distinction; and the wise condemn the sale of Soma here."

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE star line 13.104.12b*0467_01 (etad dhi dhanam utkṛṣṭaṃ dvijānām aviśeṣataḥ); line 2 = CE 12c. Not matched by the alignment.

Verse 16 (13.158.16)

ये चैनं क्रीणते तात ये च विक्रीणते जनाः । ते तु वैवस्वतं प्राप्य रौरवं यान्ति सर्वशः ॥

ye cainaṃ krīṇate tāta ye ca vikrīṇate janāḥ | te tu vaivasvataṃ prāpya rauravaṃ yānti sarvaśaḥ

"Those who buy it, my friend, and those who sell it, reach Vaivasvata and go entirely to the Raurava hell."

Note on the text: Reads तात … जनाः against CE 13.104.13a 'rājan … janāḥ'; recension variant, kept.

Verse 17 (13.158.17)

सोमं तु रजसा ध्वस्तं विक्रीणन्विधिपूर्वकम् । श्रोत्रियो वार्धुषी भूत्वा नचिरं स विनश्यति ॥

somaṃ tu rajasā dhvastaṃ vikrīṇanvidhipūrvakam | śrotriyo vārdhuṣī bhūtvā naciraṃ sa vinaśyati

"A Brahmin learned in the Veda who becomes a usurer and sells Soma that has been spoiled by dust, even in due form, soon perishes."

Note on the text: Differs from CE 13.104.14a,c (somaṃ tu rajasā dhvastaṃ vikrīyād buddhipūrvakam / … cirarātrāya naśyati): विक्रीणन्विधिपूर्वकम् and नचिरं स विनश्यति. Recension variant, kept.

Verse 18 (13.158.18)

नरकं त्रिंशतं प्राप्य स्वविष्ठामुपजीवति । ब्रह्मस्वहारी नरकान्यातनाश्चानुभूय तु । मलेषु च कृमिर्भूत्वा श्वविष्ठामुपजीवति ॥

narakaṃ triṃśataṃ prāpya svaviṣṭhāmupajīvati | brahmasvahārī narakānyātanāścānubhūya tu | maleṣu ca kṛmirbhūtvā śvaviṣṭhāmupajīvati

"Having gone to hell thirty times, he lives on his own filth. The man who seized a Brahmin's property, after enduring the torments of the hells and becoming a worm among excrement, lives on the filth of dogs."

Note on the text: Corrected श्वविष्ठामुपजीवती → श्वविष्ठामुपजीवति (misprint in Wikisource; long ई; CE 'upajīvati'). Line 1 = CE 13.104.14e (here स्वविष्ठाम् for 'śvaviṣṭhām', a good reading, kept); lines 2-3 = CE star lines 14f*0468_01-02.

Verse 19 (13.158.19)

श्वचर्यामतिमानं च सखिदारेषु विप्लवम् । तुलयाधारयद्धर्मो ह्यतिमानोऽतिरिच्यते ॥

śvacaryāmatimānaṃ ca sakhidāreṣu viplavam | tulayādhārayaddharmo hyatimāno'tiricyate

"Living like a dog, excessive pride, and outrage upon a friend's wives: when dharma weighed these in the balance, excessive pride proved the heaviest."

Verse 20 (13.158.20)

म्लानं मां विकलं पश्य विवर्णं हरिणं कृशम् । अतिमानेन मां पश्य पापां गतिमुपागतम् ॥

mlānaṃ māṃ vikalaṃ paśya vivarṇaṃ hariṇaṃ kṛśam | atimānena māṃ paśya pāpāṃ gatimupāgatam

"Look at me, withered, maimed, discoloured, pale and thin. See me, who through excessive pride have come to a wretched fate."

Note on the text: Corrected अतिमानेनि → अतिमानेन (misprint in Wikisource; stray ि; CE 'atimānena'). Differs from CE 13.104.16 (śvānaṃ vai pāpinaṃ paśya … atimānena bhūtānām imāṃ gatim upāgatam) in line 1 and the end of line 2; recension variant, kept.

Verse 21 (13.158.21)

अहं वै विपुले तात कुले धनसमन्विते । पौराणे जन्मनि विभो ज्ञानविज्ञानपारगः ॥

ahaṃ vai vipule tāta kule dhanasamanvite | paurāṇe janmani vibho jñānavijñānapāragaḥ

"In an earlier birth, my friend, I was born into a great and wealthy family, and I was a master of knowledge and learning."

Note on the text: Corrected दनसमन्विते → धनसमन्विते (misprint in Wikisource; द for ध; CE 'dhanasamanvite'). Line 2 reads पौराणे जन्मनि against CE 13.104.17c 'anyasmiñ janmani'; recension variant, kept.

Verse 22 (13.158.22)

अभवं तत्र जानानो ह्येतान्दोषान्मदात्सदा । संरब्ध एव भूतानां पृष्ठमांसमभक्षयम् ॥

abhavaṃ tatra jānāno hyetāndoṣānmadātsadā | saṃrabdha eva bhūtānāṃ pṛṣṭhamāṃsamabhakṣayam

"Though I knew these faults, out of pride I was always hot-tempered, and I fed on the back-flesh of living beings, slandering them behind their backs."

Note on the text: Lines differ slightly from CE 13.104.18a,c (madāt tadā; pṛṣṭhamāṃsāny abhakṣayam); recension variants, kept.

Verse 23 (13.158.23)

सोऽहं वै विदितः सर्वैर्दूरगो वनिनो वने । साधूनां परिभावेप्सुर्विप्राणां गर्वितो धनैः । इमामवस्थां सम्प्राप्तः पश्य कालस्य पर्ययम् ॥

so'haṃ vai viditaḥ sarvairdūrago vanino vane | sādhūnāṃ paribhāvepsurviprāṇāṃ garvito dhanaiḥ | imāmavasthāṃ samprāptaḥ paśya kālasya paryayam

"I, known to all, wandering far, a forest-dweller in the forest, eager to humiliate good men and proud of my riches before Brahmins, have come to this condition. See how time turns."

Note on the text: Lines 1-2 are CE star lines 13.104.18d*0469_01-02 (so 'haṃ vai viditaḥ sarvair dūrago malino vane …); line 3 = CE 19c. Line 1 reads वनिनो वने where the CE has malino vane ('मलिनो'); the page's word is a real one, so it is kept as printed, but flagged as a possible misprint.

Verse 24 (13.158.24)

आदीप्तमिव चैलान्तं भ्रमरैरिव चार्दितम् । धावमानं सुसंरब्धं पश्य मां रजसाऽन्वितम् ॥

ādīptamiva cailāntaṃ bhramarairiva cārditam | dhāvamānaṃ susaṃrabdhaṃ paśya māṃ rajasā'nvitam

"Look at me, as if the hem of my garment were on fire, as if tormented by bees, running about in great agitation, covered with dust."

Note on the text: Corrected फश्य → पश्य and सुसंरब्दं → सुसंरब्धं (misprints in Wikisource; फ for प, द for ध; CE 'paśya', 'susaṃrabdhaṃ').

Verse 25 (13.158.25)

स्वाध्यायैस्तु महत्पापं हरन्ति गृहमेधिनः । दानैः पृथग्विधैश्चापि विप्रजात्यां मनीषिणः ॥

svādhyāyaistu mahatpāpaṃ haranti gṛhamedhinaḥ | dānaiḥ pṛthagvidhaiścāpi viprajātyāṃ manīṣiṇaḥ

"Householders remove a great sin by the study of the Veda, and the wise among the Brahmins do so by gifts of various kinds."

Note on the text: Corrected महात्पापं → महत्पापं (misprint in Wikisource; spurious long ā; CE 'mahat pāpaṃ'). Differs from CE 13.104.21 (taranti; yathā prāhur manīṣiṇaḥ): हरन्ति and विप्रजात्यां मनीषिणः; recension variants, kept.

Verse 26 (13.158.26)

तथा पापकृतं विप्रमाश्रमस्थं महीपते । सर्वसङ्गविनिर्मुक्तं छन्दांस्युत्तारयन्त्युत ॥

tathā pāpakṛtaṃ vipramāśramasthaṃ mahīpate | sarvasaṅgavinirmuktaṃ chandāṃsyuttārayantyuta

"So too the Vedic hymns carry across a Brahmin who has done wrong, O lord of the earth, when he is established in an order of life and free of every attachment."

Note on the text: Corrected विप्रमाश्रमस्तं → विप्रमाश्रमस्थं (misprint in Wikisource; स्त for स्थ; CE 'āśramasthaṃ').

Verse 27 (13.158.27)

अहं हि पापयोन्यां वै प्रसूतः क्षत्रियर्षभ । निश्चयं नाधिगच्छामि कथं मुच्येयमित्युत ॥

ahaṃ hi pāpayonyāṃ vai prasūtaḥ kṣatriyarṣabha | niścayaṃ nādhigacchāmi kathaṃ mucyeyamityuta

"But I was born in a sinful womb, O best of Kshatriyas, and I cannot find any sure way by which I might be freed."

Note on the text: Alignment found no match; the couplet is CE 13.104.23 (ahaṃ tu pāpayonyāṃ vai prasūtaḥ kṣatriyarṣabha / niścayaṃ nādhigacchāmi kathaṃ mucyeyam ity uta).

Verse 28 (13.158.28)

जातिस्मरत्वं च मम केनचित्पूर्वकर्मणा । शुभेन येन मोक्षं वै प्राप्तुमिच्छाम्यहं नृप ॥

jātismaratvaṃ ca mama kenacitpūrvakarmaṇā | śubhena yena mokṣaṃ vai prāptumicchāmyahaṃ nṛpa

"Through some deed of an earlier life I remember my former births. By some good deed, O king, I wish to attain release."

Note on the text: Corrected शुभने → शुभेन (misprint in Wikisource; CE 'śubhena').

Verse 29 (13.158.29)

त्वमिमं सम्प्रपन्नाय संशयं ब्रूहि पृच्छते । चण्डालत्वात्कथमहं मुच्येयमिति सत्तम ॥

tvamimaṃ samprapannāya saṃśayaṃ brūhi pṛcchate | caṇḍālatvātkathamahaṃ mucyeyamiti sattama

"To me who have come to you for refuge and ask, tell this doubt: how may I be freed from being a Chandala, O best of men?"

Note on the text: Line 1 reads सम्प्रपन्नाय against CE 13.104.25a 'me prapannāya'; recension variant, kept.

Verse 30 (13.158.30)

चण्डाल प्रतिजानीहि येन मोक्षमवाप्स्यसि । ब्राह्मणार्थे त्यजन्प्राणान्गतिमिष्टामवाप्स्यसि ॥

caṇḍāla pratijānīhi yena mokṣamavāpsyasi | brāhmaṇārthe tyajanprāṇāngatimiṣṭāmavāpsyasi

"Chandala, make this vow, by which you will gain release: by giving up your life for the sake of a Brahmin you will reach the destination you desire."

Note on the text: Speaker heading 'राजोवाच'.

Verse 31 (13.158.31)

दत्त्वा शरीरं क्रव्याद्भ्यो रणाग्नौ द्विजहेतुकम् । हित्वा प्राणान्प्रमोक्षस्ते नान्यथा मोक्षमर्हसि ॥

dattvā śarīraṃ kravyādbhyo raṇāgnau dvijahetukam | hitvā prāṇānpramokṣaste nānyathā mokṣamarhasi

"Having given your body to the flesh-eaters in the fire of battle, for the sake of Brahmins, you will be freed by abandoning your life; in no other way do you deserve release."

Note on the text: Speaker heading 'राजोवाच' still holds. Line 2 reads हित्वा against CE 13.104.27c 'hutvā'; recension variant, kept.

Verse 32 (13.158.32)

इत्युक्तः स तदा तेन ब्रह्मस्वार्थे परन्तप । हित्वा रणमुखे प्राणान्गतिमिष्टामवाप ह ॥

ityuktaḥ sa tadā tena brahmasvārthe parantapa | hitvā raṇamukhe prāṇāngatimiṣṭāmavāpa ha

Thus addressed by him, O scorcher of foes, he gave up his life at the head of the battle for the sake of a Brahmin's property and reached the destination he desired.

Verse 33 (13.158.33)

तस्माद्रक्ष्यं त्वया पुत्र ब्रह्मस्वं भरतर्षभ । यदीच्छसि महाबाहो शाश्वतीं गतिमात्मनः ॥

tasmādrakṣyaṃ tvayā putra brahmasvaṃ bharatarṣabha | yadīcchasi mahābāho śāśvatīṃ gatimātmanaḥ

Therefore, my son, O best of the Bharatas, you must protect a Brahmin's property, if you desire, O mighty-armed one, the everlasting destination for yourself.