The Greatness of Brahmins

Verse 1 (13.70.1)

जन्मनैव महाभागो ब्राह्मणो नाम जायते । नमस्यः सर्वभूतानामतिथिः प्रश्रिताग्रभुक् ॥

janmanaiva mahābhāgo brāhmaṇo nāma jāyate | namasyaḥ sarvabhūtānāmatithiḥ praśritāgrabhuk

By birth alone a brahmin comes into the world greatly blessed. He is worthy of the homage of all beings, he is a guest, and he is the first to eat of food that is offered with respect.

Note on the text: Recension variant of CE 13.35.1c (CE: prasṛtāgrabhuk, Wikisource प्रश्रिताग्रभुक्); kept.

Verse 2 (13.70.2)

सर्वेषां सुहृदस्तात ब्राह्मणाः सुमनोमुखाः । सर्वानेते हनिष्यन्ति ब्राह्मणा जातमन्यवः । गीर्भिर्मङ्गलयुक्ताभिरनुध्यायन्ति पूजिताः ॥

sarveṣāṃ suhṛdastāta brāhmaṇāḥ sumanomukhāḥ | sarvānete haniṣyanti brāhmaṇā jātamanyavaḥ | gīrbhirmaṅgalayuktābhiranudhyāyanti pūjitāḥ

O dear one, brahmins are friends to all, gentle of countenance. Yet once their anger is roused, these brahmins will destroy everyone. When they are honoured, they wish one well in words of blessing.

Note on the text: Corrected सुमनोमुकाः → सुमनोमुखाः (misprint in Wikisource; "mukāḥ" is not the word wanted, CE sumanomukhāḥ). Removed the stray backtick and closing quote (and the stray ।) round line 2, by which Wikisource marks it as an addition. Lines 1 and 3 = CE 13.35.2a, 2c; line 2 is the CE star passage 13.35.2b*0280_01 (sarvān ete haniṣyanti brāhmaṇā jātamanyavaḥ), which the CE prints between them.

Verse 3 (13.70.3)

सर्वान्नो द्विषतस्तात ब्राह्मणा जातमन्यवः । गीर्भिर्दारुणयुक्ताभिर्हन्युश्चैते ह्यपूजिताः ॥

sarvānno dviṣatastāta brāhmaṇā jātamanyavaḥ | gīrbhirdāruṇayuktābhirhanyuścaite hyapūjitāḥ

O dear one, brahmins whose anger has been roused against all who hate us would destroy those people with fierce words if they were left unhonoured by them.

Note on the text: Line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.35.3c (CE: abhihanyur apūjitāḥ); kept.

Verse 4 (13.70.4)

अत्र गाथाः पुरा गीताः कीर्तयन्ति पुराविदः । सृष्ट्वा द्विजातीन्धाता हि यथापूर्वं समादधत् ॥

atra gāthāḥ purā gītāḥ kīrtayanti purāvidaḥ | sṛṣṭvā dvijātīndhātā hi yathāpūrvaṃ samādadhat

On this subject, those who know the old accounts recite verses sung in ancient times: having created the twice-born, the Creator laid down their course for them as before.

Verse 5 (13.70.5)

न वोऽन्यदिह कर्तव्यं किञ्चिदूर्ध्वायनं विधि । गुप्तो गोपायते ब्रह्मा श्रेयो वस्तेन शोभनम् ॥

na vo'nyadiha kartavyaṃ kiñcidūrdhvāyanaṃ vidhi | gupto gopāyate brahmā śreyo vastena śobhanam

You have nothing else to do here, no other higher course beyond this ordinance. The brahmin, himself guarded, guards in turn; through that your welfare is well secured.

Note on the text: Kept विधि as printed (it may be a dropped visarga, but the line is a recension variant of CE 13.35.5a, yathāvidhi). Line 2 varies slightly from CE 13.35.5c (guptā gopāyata brahma).

Verse 6 (13.70.6)

स्वमेव कुर्वतां कर्म श्रीर्वो ब्राह्मी भविष्यति । प्रमाणं सर्वभूतानां प्रग्रहाश्च भविष्यथ ॥

svameva kurvatāṃ karma śrīrvo brāhmī bhaviṣyati | pramāṇaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ pragrahāśca bhaviṣyatha

If you keep to your own work alone, the fortune of brahmanhood will be yours. You will be the standard for all beings, and you will be their reins.

Verse 7 (13.70.7)

न शौद्रं कर्म कर्तव्यं ब्राह्मणेन विपश्चिता । शौद्रं हि कुर्वतः कर्म ब्राह्मी श्रीरुपरुध्यते ॥

na śaudraṃ karma kartavyaṃ brāhmaṇena vipaścitā | śaudraṃ hi kurvataḥ karma brāhmī śrīruparudhyate

A wise brahmin must not do the work of a shudra. For when he does a shudra's work, the fortune of brahmanhood is blocked.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 13.35.7a; line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.35.7c (CE: dharmaḥ samuparudhyate); kept.

Verse 8 (13.70.8)

श्रीश्च बुद्धिश्च तेजश्च विभूतिश्च प्रतापिनी । स्वाध्यायेनैव महात्म्यं विपुलं प्रतिपत्स्यथ ॥

śrīśca buddhiśca tejaśca vibhūtiśca pratāpinī | svādhyāyenaiva mahātmyaṃ vipulaṃ pratipatsyatha

Fortune, understanding, radiance, and glorious power: through Vedic study alone you will gain vast greatness.

Verse 9 (13.70.9)

हुत्वा चाहवनीयस्थं महाभाग्ये प्रतिष्ठिताः । अग्रभोज्याः प्रसूतीनां श्रिया ब्राह्म्याऽनुकल्पिताः ॥

hutvā cāhavanīyasthaṃ mahābhāgye pratiṣṭhitāḥ | agrabhojyāḥ prasūtīnāṃ śriyā brāhmyā'nukalpitāḥ

Having made offerings in the Ahavaniya fire, you stand firm in great good fortune. You are to be fed first, even before the children, and the fortune of sacred knowledge makes you fit for it.

Note on the text: Corrected ब्राह्मयाऽनुकल्पिताः → ब्राह्म्याऽनुकल्पिताः (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct म्य, CE brāhmyānukalpitāḥ).

Verse 10 (13.70.10)

श्रद्धया परया युक्ता ह्यनभिद्रोहलब्धया । दमस्वाध्यायनिरताः सर्वान्कामानवाप्स्यथ ॥

śraddhayā parayā yuktā hyanabhidrohalabdhayā | damasvādhyāyaniratāḥ sarvānkāmānavāpsyatha

Endowed with the highest faith, gained through freedom from malice, and devoted to self-control and Vedic study, you will obtain all that you desire.

Verse 11 (13.70.11)

यच्चैव मानुषे लोके यच्च देवेषु किञ्चन । सर्वं वस्तपसा साध्यं ज्ञानेन नियमेन च ॥

yaccaiva mānuṣe loke yacca deveṣu kiñcana | sarvaṃ vastapasā sādhyaṃ jñānena niyamena ca

Whatever there is in the world of men, and whatever there is among the gods, all of it can be won by you through austerity, knowledge and discipline.

Note on the text: Line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.35.11c (CE: jñānena vinayena ca); kept.

Verse 12 (13.70.12)

युष्मत्संमाननां प्रीतिं पावनैः क्षत्रिया भृशम् । अमुत्रेह समायान्ति वैश्यशूद्राधिकास्तथा ॥

yuṣmatsaṃmānanāṃ prītiṃ pāvanaiḥ kṣatriyā bhṛśam | amutreha samāyānti vaiśyaśūdrādhikāstathā

By their purifying acts the kshatriyas win your regard and affection in full measure; and so, in this world and the next, do the vaishyas and shudras and others besides.

Note on the text: Removed the stray backtick and closing quote (with the doubled danda) by which Wikisource marks this as an addition. Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE star passage 13.35.11d*0281_01-02 (yuṣmatsaṃmānanāṃ prītiṃ pāvanaiḥ kṣatriyāśramam / amutreha samāyānti vaiśyaśūdrādikās tathā), with variants (क्षत्रिया भृशम् for kṣatriyāśramam, वैश्यशूद्राधिकाः for vaiśyaśūdrādikāḥ); kept.

Verse 13 (13.70.13)

अरक्षिताश्च युष्माभिर्विरुद्धा यान्ति विप्लवम् । युष्मत्तेजोधृता लोकास्तद्रक्ष्यथ जगत्त्रयम् ॥

arakṣitāśca yuṣmābhirviruddhā yānti viplavam | yuṣmattejodhṛtā lokāstadrakṣyatha jagattrayam

Unprotected by you, and set against you, they go to ruin. The worlds are upheld by your radiance; therefore you protect the three worlds.

Note on the text: Corrected विप्रवम् → विप्लवम् (misprint in Wikisource; "viprava" is no word here, the sense is "ruin", CE viplavam). Removed the stray closing quote and doubled danda before the verse-end mark. Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE star passage 13.35.11d*0281_03-04 (arakṣitāś ca yuṣmābhir viruddhā yānti viplavam / yuṣmattejodhṛtā lokās tad rakṣatha jagattrayam), which closes the passage begun in the previous verse.

Verse 14 (13.70.14)

इत्येवं ब्रह्मगीतास्ते समाख्याता मयाऽनघ । विप्रानुकम्पार्थमिदं तेन प्रोक्तं हि धीमता ॥

ityevaṃ brahmagītāste samākhyātā mayā'nagha | viprānukampārthamidaṃ tena proktaṃ hi dhīmatā

These, sinless one, are the verses sung by Brahma, as I have related them to you. That wise one spoke this out of compassion for brahmins.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a recension variant of CE 13.35.12a (CE: ity etā brahmagītās te); kept.

Verse 15 (13.70.15)

भूयस्तेषां बलं मन्ये यथा राज्ञस्तपस्विनः । दुरासदाश्च चण्डाश्च तपसा क्षिप्रकारिणः ॥

bhūyasteṣāṃ balaṃ manye yathā rājñastapasvinaḥ | durāsadāśca caṇḍāśca tapasā kṣiprakāriṇaḥ

I think their strength greater still, like that of kings and ascetics: hard to approach, fierce, and swift in action through their austerity.

Note on the text: Line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.35.13c (CE: durāsadāś ca caṇḍāś ca rabhasāḥ kṣiprakāriṇaḥ); kept.

Verse 16 (13.70.16)

सन्त्येषां सिम्हसत्वाश्च व्याघ्रसत्वास्तथाऽपरे । वराहमृगसत्वाश्च गजसत्वास्तथाऽपरे ॥

santyeṣāṃ simhasatvāśca vyāghrasatvāstathā'pare | varāhamṛgasatvāśca gajasatvāstathā'pare

Some among them have the nature of lions, others of tigers; some have the nature of boars and deer, and others of elephants.

Verse 17 (13.70.17)

सर्पस्पर्शसमाः केचित्तथाऽन्ये मकरस्पृशः । विभाष्य घातिनः केचित्तथा चक्षुर्हणोऽपरे ॥

sarpasparśasamāḥ kecittathā'nye makaraspṛśaḥ | vibhāṣya ghātinaḥ kecittathā cakṣurhaṇo'pare

Some are like the touch of a serpent, others like the touch of a sea-monster. Some kill by a word, and others strike with a glance.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a recension variant of CE 13.35.15a (CE: karpāsamṛdavaḥ kecit); kept.

Verse 18 (13.70.18)

सन्ति चाशीविषसमाः सन्ति मन्दास्तथाऽपरे । विविधानीह वृत्तानि ब्राह्मणानां युधिष्ठिर ॥

santi cāśīviṣasamāḥ santi mandāstathā'pare | vividhānīha vṛttāni brāhmaṇānāṃ yudhiṣṭhira

Some are like venomous snakes, and others are mild. Manifold, Yudhishthira, are the ways of brahmins in this world.

Verse 19 (13.70.19)

मेकला द्राविडा लाटाः पौण्ड्राः कान्वशिरास्तथा । शौण्डिका दरदा दार्वाश्चोराः शबरबर्बराः ॥

mekalā drāviḍā lāṭāḥ pauṇḍrāḥ kānvaśirāstathā | śauṇḍikā daradā dārvāścorāḥ śabarabarbarāḥ

The Mekalas, Dravidas, Latas, Paundras, Kanvashiras, Shaundikas, Daradas, Darvas, Choras, Shabaras and Barbaras,

Note on the text: The names of peoples differ from CE 13.35.17 (CE: mekalā dramiḍāḥ kāśāḥ pauṇḍrāḥ kollagirās tathā / … darvāḥ); kept as printed.

Verse 20 (13.70.20)

किराता यवनाश्चैव तास्ताः क्षत्रियजातयः । वृषलत्वमनुप्राप्ता ब्राह्मणानामदर्शनात् ॥

kirātā yavanāścaiva tāstāḥ kṣatriyajātayaḥ | vṛṣalatvamanuprāptā brāhmaṇānāmadarśanāt

the Kiratas and Yavanas: these and other kshatriya peoples fell into the state of outcastes through never seeing any brahmins.

Note on the text: Corrected वृषत्वम् → वृषलत्वम् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara ल, which leaves the pāda a syllable short; CE vṛṣalatvam).

Verse 21 (13.70.21)

ब्राह्मणानां परिभवादसुराः सलिलेशयाः । ब्राह्मणानां प्रसादाच्च देवाः स्वर्गनिवासिनः ॥

brāhmaṇānāṃ paribhavādasurāḥ salileśayāḥ | brāhmaṇānāṃ prasādācca devāḥ svarganivāsinaḥ

Through insult to brahmins the asuras came to dwell in the waters, and through the favour of brahmins the gods dwell in heaven.

Verse 22 (13.70.22)

अशक्यं स्प्रष्टुमाकाशमचाल्यो हिमवान्गिरिः । अवार्या सेतुना गङ्गा दुर्जया ब्राह्मणा भुवि ॥

aśakyaṃ spraṣṭumākāśamacālyo himavāngiriḥ | avāryā setunā gaṅgā durjayā brāhmaṇā bhuvi

The sky cannot be touched, the Himalaya cannot be moved, the Ganga cannot be held back by a dam, and brahmins cannot be conquered on earth.

Note on the text: Corrected ब्राह्ममा → ब्राह्मणा (misprint in Wikisource; ण mistyped as म, CE brāhmaṇā).

Verse 23 (13.70.23)

न ब्राह्मणविरोधेन शक्या शास्तुं वसुन्धरा । ब्राह्मणा हि महात्मानो देवानामपि देवताः ॥

na brāhmaṇavirodhena śakyā śāstuṃ vasundharā | brāhmaṇā hi mahātmāno devānāmapi devatāḥ

The earth cannot be ruled in opposition to brahmins. Brahmins are great souls, gods even of the gods.

Verse 24 (13.70.24)

तान्पूजयस्व सततं दानेन परिचर्यया । यदीच्छसि महीं भोक्तमिमां सागरमेखलाम् ॥

tānpūjayasva satataṃ dānena paricaryayā | yadīcchasi mahīṃ bhoktamimāṃ sāgaramekhalām

So honour them always with gifts and with service, if you wish to enjoy this earth girdled by the sea.

Verse 25 (13.70.25)

प्रतिग्रहेण तेजो हि विप्राणां शाम्यतेऽनघ । प्रतिग्रहं ये नेच्छेयुस्तेऽपि रक्ष्यास्त्वया नृप ॥

pratigraheṇa tejo hi viprāṇāṃ śāmyate'nagha | pratigrahaṃ ye neccheyuste'pi rakṣyāstvayā nṛpa

By accepting gifts, sinless one, the radiance of brahmins is quenched. And even those who refuse to accept gifts must be protected by you, O king.

Note on the text: Corrected विप्राणा → विप्राणां (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara, CE viprāṇāṃ).