Who Is a True Brahmin, and the Worship of the Lord's Images

Verse 1 (14.116.1)

कीदृशा ब्राह्मणाः पुण्या भावशुद्धाः सुरेश्वर । यत्कर्म सफलं नेति कथयस्य ममानघ ॥

kīdṛśā brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhāvaśuddhāḥ sureśvara | yatkarma saphalaṃ neti kathayasya mamānagha

Which Brahmins are holy and pure in heart, O lord of the gods? Tell me, sinless one, whose rites bear fruit and whose do not.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3213–_3214; not in the critical edition's constituted text (the CE prints the speaker line 'yudhiṣṭhira uvāca' at @004_3212).

Verse 2 (14.116.2)

शृणु पाण्डव तत्सर्वं ब्राह्मणानां यथाक्रमम् । सफलं निष्फलं चैव तेषां कर्म ब्रवीमि ते ॥

śṛṇu pāṇḍava tatsarvaṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ yathākramam | saphalaṃ niṣphalaṃ caiva teṣāṃ karma bravīmi te

Listen, O Pandava, to all of it in due order. I shall tell you of the Brahmins whose rites bear fruit and of those whose rites are fruitless.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3215–_3216; not in the critical edition's constituted text (the CE prints 'bhagavān uvāca' at @004_3214).

Verse 3 (14.116.3)

त्रिदण्डधारणं मौनं जटाधारणमुण्डनम् । वल्कलाजिनसंवासो व्रतचर्याऽभिषेचनम् ॥

tridaṇḍadhāraṇaṃ maunaṃ jaṭādhāraṇamuṇḍanam | valkalājinasaṃvāso vratacaryā'bhiṣecanam

Carrying the triple staff, keeping silence, wearing matted hair or a shaven head, living in bark and deerskin, practising vows, and ritual bathing;

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3217–_3218; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 4 (14.116.4)

अग्निहोत्रं गृहे वासः स्वाध्यायं दारसत्क्रिया । सर्वाण्येतानि वै मिथ्या यदि भावो न निर्मलः ॥

agnihotraṃ gṛhe vāsaḥ svādhyāyaṃ dārasatkriyā | sarvāṇyetāni vai mithyā yadi bhāvo na nirmalaḥ

the fire-offering, dwelling at home, Vedic study, and honouring one's wife — all of these are false if the inner disposition is not pure.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3219–_3220; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 5 (14.116.5)

अग्निहोत्रं वृथा राजन्वृथा वेदास्तथैव च । शीलेन देवास्तुष्यन्ति श्रुतयस्तत्र कारणम् ॥

agnihotraṃ vṛthā rājanvṛthā vedāstathaiva ca | śīlena devāstuṣyanti śrutayastatra kāraṇam

The fire-offering is in vain, O king, and the Vedas too are in vain. The gods are pleased by good character; the sacred texts are the authority for this.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3221–_3222; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 6 (14.116.6)

क्षान्तं दान्तं जितक्रोधं जितात्मानं जितेन्द्रियम् । तमग्र्यं ब्राह्मणं मन्ये शेषाः शूद्रा इति स्मृताः ॥

kṣāntaṃ dāntaṃ jitakrodhaṃ jitātmānaṃ jitendriyam | tamagryaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ manye śeṣāḥ śūdrā iti smṛtāḥ

One who is patient, self-controlled, has conquered anger, has mastered himself and subdued his senses — him I regard as the foremost Brahmin; the rest are called Shudras.

Note on the text: Corrected क्षान्तः दान्तं → क्षान्तं दान्तं (misprint in Wikisource; visarga and stray space for anusvara; CE kṣāntaṃ dāntaṃ). Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3223–_3224; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 7 (14.116.7)

अग्निहोत्रव्रतपरान्स्वाध्यायनिरताञ्शुचीन् । उपवासरतान्दान्तांस्तान्देवा ब्राह्मणान्विदुः ॥

agnihotravrataparānsvādhyāyaniratāñśucīn | upavāsaratāndāntāṃstāndevā brāhmaṇānviduḥ

Those devoted to the vow of the fire-offering, intent on Vedic study, pure, fond of fasting and self-restrained — the gods know these as Brahmins.

Note on the text: Corrected तादेवा → तान्देवा (misprint in Wikisource; dropped न् of तान्; CE tān devā). Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3225–_3226; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 8 (14.116.8)

न जात्या पूजितो राजन्गुणाः कल्याणकारणाः । चण्डालमपि वृत्तस्थं तं देवा ब्राह्मणं विदुः ॥

na jātyā pūjito rājanguṇāḥ kalyāṇakāraṇāḥ | caṇḍālamapi vṛttasthaṃ taṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ

O king, one is honoured not by birth; virtues are the cause of welfare. Even a Chandala who stands firm in right conduct — the gods know him as a Brahmin.

Note on the text: Corrected पुजीतो → पूजितो (misprint in Wikisource; garbled word; the smallest fix is पूजितो "is honoured" (CE has the different wording na jātiḥ pūjyate)). Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3227–_3228; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 9 (14.116.9)

मनश्शौचं कर्मशौचं कुलशौचं च भारत । शरीरशौचं वाक्छौचं शौचं पञ्चविधं स्मृतम् ॥

manaśśaucaṃ karmaśaucaṃ kulaśaucaṃ ca bhārata | śarīraśaucaṃ vākchaucaṃ śaucaṃ pañcavidhaṃ smṛtam

Purity of mind, purity of action, purity of family, O Bharata, purity of body and purity of speech — purity is held to be of five kinds.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3229–_3230; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 10 (14.116.10)

पञ्चस्वेतेषु शौचेषु हृदि शौचं विशिष्यते । हृदयस्य च शौचेन स्वर्गं गच्छन्ति मानवाः ॥

pañcasveteṣu śauceṣu hṛdi śaucaṃ viśiṣyate | hṛdayasya ca śaucena svargaṃ gacchanti mānavāḥ

Among these five purities, purity of the heart is the best; by purity of heart people reach heaven.

Note on the text: Corrected हृदिं → हृदि (misprint in Wikisource; stray anusvara on the locative; CE hṛdi). Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3231–_3232; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 11 (14.116.11)

अग्निहोत्रपरिभ्रष्टः प्रसक्तः क्रयविक्रयैः । वर्णसङ्करकर्ता च ब्राह्मणो वृषलैः समः ॥

agnihotraparibhraṣṭaḥ prasaktaḥ krayavikrayaiḥ | varṇasaṅkarakartā ca brāhmaṇo vṛṣalaiḥ samaḥ

A Brahmin who has fallen from the fire-offering, who is absorbed in buying and selling, and who brings about the mixing of the classes is equal to the Vrishalas.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3233–_3234; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 12 (14.116.12)

यस्य वेदश्रुतिर्नष्टा कर्षकश्चापि यो द्विजः । विकर्मसेवी कौन्तेय स वै वृषल उच्यते ॥

yasya vedaśrutirnaṣṭā karṣakaścāpi yo dvijaḥ | vikarmasevī kaunteya sa vai vṛṣala ucyate

One whose Vedic learning is lost, or the twice-born who is a ploughman, who practises forbidden acts, O son of Kunti — he is truly called a Vrishala.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3235–_3236; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 13 (14.116.13)

वृषो हि धर्मो विज्ञेयस्तस्य यः कुरुते लयम् । वृषलं तं विदुर्देवा निकृष्टं श्वपचादपि ॥

vṛṣo hi dharmo vijñeyastasya yaḥ kurute layam | vṛṣalaṃ taṃ vidurdevā nikṛṣṭaṃ śvapacādapi

Dharma is to be understood as Vrisha; whoever brings it to ruin, the gods know as a Vrishala, lower even than a dog-cooker.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3237–_3238; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 14 (14.116.14)

स्तुतिभिर्ब्रह्मगीताभिर्यः शूद्रं स्तौति मानवः । न तु मां स्तौति पापात्मा स तु चण्डालतः समः ॥

stutibhirbrahmagītābhiryaḥ śūdraṃ stauti mānavaḥ | na tu māṃ stauti pāpātmā sa tu caṇḍālataḥ samaḥ

The man who praises a Shudra with hymns sanctified by the Veda, and does not praise me — that sinful soul is the equal of a Chandala.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3239–_3240; not in the critical edition's constituted text. Second line differs from the CE (Wikisource 'na tu māṃ stauti pāpātmā sa tu caṇḍālataḥ samaḥ' / CE 'na ca māṃ stauti … sa mām ākrośayed bhṛśam'); Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 15 (14.116.15)

श्वदृतौ तु यथा क्षीरं ब्रह्म वै वृषले तथा । दुष्टतामेति तत्सर्वं शुना लीढं हविर्यथा ॥

śvadṛtau tu yathā kṣīraṃ brahma vai vṛṣale tathā | duṣṭatāmeti tatsarvaṃ śunā līḍhaṃ haviryathā

As milk in a dog-skin bag, so is sacred knowledge in a Vrishala: all of it is spoiled, like an oblation licked by a dog.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3241–_3242; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 16 (14.116.16)

अङ्गानि वेदाश्चत्वारो मीमांसान्यायविस्तरः । धर्मशास्त्रं पुराणं च विद्या ह्येताश्चतुर्दश ॥

aṅgāni vedāścatvāro mīmāṃsānyāyavistaraḥ | dharmaśāstraṃ purāṇaṃ ca vidyā hyetāścaturdaśa

The limbs of the Veda, the four Vedas, Mimamsa with the full range of Nyaya, the law-codes and the Puranas — these are the fourteen branches of learning.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3243–_3244; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 17 (14.116.17)

यान्युक्तानि मया सम्यग्विद्यास्थानानि भारत । उत्पन्नानि पवित्राणि भुवनार्थं तथैव च ॥

yānyuktāni mayā samyagvidyāsthānāni bhārata | utpannāni pavitrāṇi bhuvanārthaṃ tathaiva ca

These foundations of learning, which I have declared in full, O Bharata, arose as holy things, and likewise for the good of the world.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3245–_3246; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 18 (14.116.18)

तस्मात्तानि न शूद्रस्य स्प्रष्टव्यानि युधिष्ठिर । सर्वं त्रीण्यपवित्राणि पञ्चामेध्यानि भारत ॥

tasmāttāni na śūdrasya spraṣṭavyāni yudhiṣṭhira | sarvaṃ trīṇyapavitrāṇi pañcāmedhyāni bhārata

Therefore, O Yudhishthira, they are not to be touched by a Shudra. In all, three things are impure and five are unclean, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3247–_3249; not in the critical edition's constituted text. Wikisource's second line 'सर्वं त्रीण्यपवित्राणि पञ्चामेध्यानि भारत' corresponds to CE @004_3249 (loke trīṇy apavitrāṇi …); CE @004_3248 ('sarvaṃ tac chūdrasaṃspṛṣṭam apavitraṃ na saṃśayaḥ') has no counterpart on the page and is not added. The reading सर्वं (CE loke) is kept as a recension variant.

Verse 19 (14.116.19)

श्वा च शूद्रः श्वपाकश्च अपवित्राणि पाण्डव । गायकः कुक्कुटो यूपो ह्युदक्या वृषलीपतिः ॥

śvā ca śūdraḥ śvapākaśca apavitrāṇi pāṇḍava | gāyakaḥ kukkuṭo yūpo hyudakyā vṛṣalīpatiḥ

The dog, the Shudra and the dog-cooker are impure, O Pandava. And the singer, the cock, the sacrificial post, the menstruating woman and the husband of a Vrishali —

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3250–_3251; not in the critical edition's constituted text. Wikisource reads गायकः where the CE has devalaḥ; Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 20 (14.116.20)

पञ्चैते स्युरमेध्याश्च स्प्रष्टव्या न कदातन । स्पृष्ट्वैतानष्ट वै विप्रः सचेलो जलमाविशेत् ॥

pañcaite syuramedhyāśca spraṣṭavyā na kadātana | spṛṣṭvaitānaṣṭa vai vipraḥ sacelo jalamāviśet

these five are unclean and are never to be touched. A Brahmin who has touched these eight must enter water with his clothes on.

Note on the text: Corrected प?ञ्चैते → पञ्चैते (misprint in Wikisource; stray "?" inside the word; CE pañcaite). Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3252–_3253; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 21 (14.116.21)

मद्भक्ताञ्शूद्रसामान्यादवमन्यन्ति ये नराः । नरकेष्वेव तिष्ठन्ति वर्षकोटिं नराधमाः ॥

madbhaktāñśūdrasāmānyādavamanyanti ye narāḥ | narakeṣveva tiṣṭhanti varṣakoṭiṃ narādhamāḥ

Men who slight my devotees, thinking them no better than Shudras, remain in the hells for ten million years — the lowest of men.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3254–_3255; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 22 (14.116.22)

चण्डालमपि मद्भक्तं नावमन्येत बुद्धिमान् । अवमानात्पतन्त्येव नरके रौरवे नराः ॥

caṇḍālamapi madbhaktaṃ nāvamanyeta buddhimān | avamānātpatantyeva narake raurave narāḥ

A wise man should not slight even a Chandala who is my devotee; those who do so fall at once into the Raurava hell.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3256–_3257; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 23 (14.116.23)

मम भक्तस्य भक्तेषु प्रीतिरभ्यधिका मम । तस्मान्मद्भक्तभक्ताश्च पूजनीया विशेषतः ॥

mama bhaktasya bhakteṣu prītirabhyadhikā mama | tasmānmadbhaktabhaktāśca pūjanīyā viśeṣataḥ

My love is greater still for the devotees of my devotee; therefore the devotees of my devotees are to be honoured above all.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3258–_3259; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 24 (14.116.24)

कीटपक्षिमृगाणां च मयि संन्यस्तचेतसाम् । ऊर्ध्वामेव गतिं विद्धि किं पुनर्ज्ञानिनां नृणाम् ॥

kīṭapakṣimṛgāṇāṃ ca mayi saṃnyastacetasām | ūrdhvāmeva gatiṃ viddhi kiṃ punarjñānināṃ nṛṇām

Know that even insects, birds and beasts whose minds are surrendered to me go to a higher state — how much more so learned human beings.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3260–_3261; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 25 (14.116.25)

पत्रं वाऽप्यथवा पुष्पं फलं वाऽप्यप एव वा । ददाति मम शूद्रो यच्छिरसा धारयामि तत् ॥

patraṃ vā'pyathavā puṣpaṃ phalaṃ vā'pyapa eva vā | dadāti mama śūdro yacchirasā dhārayāmi tat

Whether a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water — whatever a Shudra gives me, I bear it on my head.

Note on the text: Corrected पुष्पंक → पुष्पं (misprint in Wikisource; stray क after the anusvara; CE puṣpaṃ). Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3262–_3263; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 26 (14.116.26)

विप्रानेवार्चयेद्भक्त्या शूद्रप्रायांश्च मत्प्रियान् । तेषां तेनैव रूपेण पूजां गृह्णामि भारत ॥

viprānevārcayedbhaktyā śūdraprāyāṃśca matpriyān | teṣāṃ tenaiva rūpeṇa pūjāṃ gṛhṇāmi bhārata

One should worship with devotion the Brahmins, and also those dear to me who are mostly Shudras; through that very form I accept their worship, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3264–_3265; not in the critical edition's constituted text. Second line of the CE reads 'śūdraḥ prāyeṇa matpriyaḥ'; Wikisource's 'शूद्रप्रायांश्च मत्प्रियान्' kept.

Verse 27 (14.116.27)

वेदोक्तेनैव मार्गेण सर्वभूतहृदि स्थितम् । मामर्चयन्ति ये विप्रा मत्सायुज्यं व्रजन्ति ते ॥

vedoktenaiva mārgeṇa sarvabhūtahṛdi sthitam | māmarcayanti ye viprā matsāyujyaṃ vrajanti te

Those Brahmins who worship me, who dwell in the heart of every being, by the path taught in the Veda, attain union with me.

Note on the text: Corrected वेदोत्तेनैव → वेदोक्तेनैव (misprint in Wikisource; त for क; CE vedoktenaiva). Corrected पिप्रा → विप्रा (misprint in Wikisource; प for व; CE viprā). Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3266–_3267; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 28 (14.116.28)

मद्भक्तानां हितायैव प्रादुर्भावः कृतो मया । प्रादुर्भावकृता काचिदर्चनीया युधिष्ठिर ॥

madbhaktānāṃ hitāyaiva prādurbhāvaḥ kṛto mayā | prādurbhāvakṛtā kācidarcanīyā yudhiṣṭhira

It is only for the good of my devotees that I have taken manifestations; some form made in the likeness of one of these manifestations is to be worshipped, O Yudhishthira.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रदुर्भावकृता → प्रादुर्भावकृता (misprint in Wikisource; short vowel; the word is प्रादुर्भाव, as in the line above; CE prādurbhāvākṛtiḥ). Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3268–_3269; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 29 (14.116.29)

आसामन्यतमां मूर्तिं यो मद्भक्त्या समर्चति । तेनैव परितुष्टोऽहं भविष्यामि न संशयः ॥

āsāmanyatamāṃ mūrtiṃ yo madbhaktyā samarcati | tenaiva parituṣṭo'haṃ bhaviṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ

Whoever worships with devotion to me any one of these images — by that alone I shall be fully pleased; there is no doubt of it.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3270–_3271; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 30 (14.116.30)

मृदा च मणिरत्नैश्च ताम्रेण रजतेन च । कृत्वा प्रतिकृतिं कुर्यादर्चनां काञ्चनेन वा । पुण्यं दशगुणं विद्यादेतेषामुत्तरोत्तरम् ॥

mṛdā ca maṇiratnaiśca tāmreṇa rajatena ca | kṛtvā pratikṛtiṃ kuryādarcanāṃ kāñcanena vā | puṇyaṃ daśaguṇaṃ vidyādeteṣāmuttarottaram

Having made an image of clay, or of gems and jewels, of copper or of silver, one should perform the worship — or with gold; know that the merit is ten times greater with each of these in turn.

Note on the text: Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3272–_3274; not in the critical edition's constituted text.

Verse 31 (14.116.31)

जयकामो भवेद्राजा विद्याकामो द्विजोत्तमः । वैश्यो वा धनकामस्तु शूद्रः सुखफलप्रियः । सर्वकामाः स्त्रियो वाऽपि सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयुः ॥

jayakāmo bhavedrājā vidyākāmo dvijottamaḥ | vaiśyo vā dhanakāmastu śūdraḥ sukhaphalapriyaḥ | sarvakāmāḥ striyo vā'pi sarvānkāmānavāpnuyuḥ

A king who desires victory, a best of Brahmins who desires learning, a Vaishya who desires wealth, a Shudra fond of happy results, or women with every kind of wish — all of them will obtain all their desires.

Note on the text: Corrected जपकामो → जयकामो (misprint in Wikisource; प for य; the king wishes for victory, parallel to the other classes; CE jayakāmo). Appendix I No. 4 (14,096.015d@004), lines _3275–_3277; not in the critical edition's constituted text. Wikisource 'सुखफलप्रियः' (CE puṇyaphalapriyaḥ) and 'भवेद्' (CE 'rcayed) kept as variants.