The Duties of a Brahmin and the Glory of Giving

Verse 1 (12.240.1)

भूतग्रामे नियुक्तं यत्तदेतत्कीर्तितं मया । ब्राह्मणस्य तु यत्कृत्यं तत्ते वक्ष्यामि सांप्रतम् ॥

bhūtagrāme niyuktaṃ yattadetatkīrtitaṃ mayā | brāhmaṇasya tu yatkṛtyaṃ tatte vakṣyāmi sāṃpratam

What is laid down for the community of living beings I have now told you. Now I shall tell you what the duty of a brahmin is.

Verse 2 (12.240.2)

जातकर्मप्रभृत्यस्य कर्मणां दक्षिणावताम् । क्रिया स्यादासमावृत्तेराचार्ये वेदपारगे ॥

jātakarmaprabhṛtyasya karmaṇāṃ dakṣiṇāvatām | kriyā syādāsamāvṛtterācārye vedapārage

From the birth-rite onward, his rites, those that carry the priestly fee, are to be performed, and his schooling is to be under a teacher perfect in the Veda, until his return home.

Verse 3 (12.240.3)

अधीत्य वेदानखिलान्गुरुशुश्रूषणे रतः । गुरूणामनृणो भूत्वा समावर्तेत यज्ञवित् ॥

adhītya vedānakhilānguruśuśrūṣaṇe rataḥ | gurūṇāmanṛṇo bhūtvā samāvarteta yajñavit

Having studied all the Vedas, and been devoted to serving his teacher, let the man who knows sacrifice, freed from his debt to his teachers, return home.

Verse 4 (12.240.4)

आचार्येणाभ्यनुज्ञातश्चतुर्णामेकमाश्रमम् । आविमोक्षाच्छरीरस्य सोऽवतिष्ठेद्यथाविधि ॥

ācāryeṇābhyanujñātaścaturṇāmekamāśramam | āvimokṣāccharīrasya so'vatiṣṭhedyathāvidhi

Permitted by his teacher, he should follow, as the rule requires, one of the four stages of life until the body is released.

Verse 5 (12.240.5)

प्रजासर्गेण दारैश्च ब्रह्मचर्येण वा पुनः । वने गुरुसकाशे वा यतिधर्मेण वा पुनः ॥

prajāsargeṇa dāraiśca brahmacaryeṇa vā punaḥ | vane gurusakāśe vā yatidharmeṇa vā punaḥ

He may do so by begetting children and keeping wives, or by lifelong chastity, or in the forest, or in his teacher's presence, or again by the discipline of the ascetic.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रजासर्गण → प्रजासर्गेण (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign; CE prajāsargeṇa).

Verse 6 (12.240.6)

गृहस्थस्त्वेष धर्माणां सर्वेषां मूलमुच्यते । यत्र पक्वकषायो हि दान्तः सर्वत्र सिध्यति ॥

gṛhasthastveṣa dharmāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ mūlamucyate | yatra pakvakaṣāyo hi dāntaḥ sarvatra sidhyati

Of these the householder's stage alone is called the root of all the duties, for there the man whose faults have ripened and who is self-controlled succeeds everywhere.

Verse 7 (12.240.7)

प्रजावान्श्रोत्रियो यज्वा मुक्त एव ऋणैस्त्रिभिः । अथान्यानाश्रमान्पश्चात्पूतो गच्छेत कर्मभिः ॥

prajāvānśrotriyo yajvā mukta eva ṛṇaistribhiḥ | athānyānāśramānpaścātpūto gaccheta karmabhiḥ

Having children, learned in the Veda and a sacrificer, he is freed from the three debts. Purified by his deeds, he may afterwards go on to the other stages.

Verse 8 (12.240.8)

यत्पृथिव्यां पुण्यतमं विद्यात्स्थानं तदावसेत् । यतेत तस्मिन्प्रामाण्यं गन्तुं यशसि चोत्तमे ॥

yatpṛthivyāṃ puṇyatamaṃ vidyātsthānaṃ tadāvaset | yateta tasminprāmāṇyaṃ gantuṃ yaśasi cottame

Whatever place on earth he knows to be the holiest, there he should dwell, and he should strive to gain authority in it and the highest renown.

Verse 9 (12.240.9)

तपसा वा सुमहता विद्यानां पारणेन वा । इज्यया वा प्रदानैर्वा विप्राणां वर्धते यशः ॥

tapasā vā sumahatā vidyānāṃ pāraṇena vā | ijyayā vā pradānairvā viprāṇāṃ vardhate yaśaḥ

By great austerity, or by completing his studies, or by sacrifice, or by gifts, the renown of brahmins grows.

Note on the text: Corrected तपसा वः → तपसा वा (misprint in Wikisource; CE vā; the pronoun वः (of you) makes no sense here).

Verse 10 (12.240.10)

यावदस्य भवत्यस्मिन्कीर्तिर्लोके यशस्करी । तावत्पुण्यकृताँल्लोकाननन्तान्पुरुषोऽश्नुते ॥

yāvadasya bhavatyasminkīrtirloke yaśaskarī | tāvatpuṇyakṛtām̐llokānanantānpuruṣo'śnute

As long as his fame, the bringer of renown, endures in this world, so long does a man enjoy the endless worlds won by his merit.

Verse 11 (12.240.11)

अध्यापयेदधीयीत याजयेत यजेत वा । न वृथा प्रतिगृह्णीयान्न च दद्यात्कथंचन ॥

adhyāpayedadhīyīta yājayeta yajeta vā | na vṛthā pratigṛhṇīyānna ca dadyātkathaṃcana

Let him teach, study, officiate at sacrifices and perform them himself. He should not accept gifts in vain, and he should never give in vain.

Verse 12 (12.240.12)

याज्यतः शिष्यतो वाऽपि कन्याया वा धनं महत् । यद्यागच्छेद्यजेद्दद्यान्नैकोऽश्नीयात्कथंचन ॥

yājyataḥ śiṣyato vā'pi kanyāyā vā dhanaṃ mahat | yadyāgacchedyajeddadyānnaiko'śnīyātkathaṃcana

If great wealth comes to him from one for whom he performs sacrifices, or from a pupil, or from a maiden, he should use it to sacrifice and to give, and should never eat it alone.

Verse 13 (12.240.13)

गृहमावसतो ह्यस्य नान्यत्तीर्थमुदाहृतम् । देवर्षिपितृगुर्वर्थं वृद्धातुरबुभुक्षताम् ॥

gṛhamāvasato hyasya nānyattīrthamudāhṛtam | devarṣipitṛgurvarthaṃ vṛddhāturabubhukṣatām

For one who lives as a householder no other holy ford is declared than this: giving for the sake of the gods, the seers, the ancestors and the teachers, and to the aged, the sick and the hungry.

Verse 14 (12.240.14)

अन्तर्हिताभितप्तानां यथाशक्ति बुभूषताम् । द्रव्याणामतिशक्त्याऽपि देयमेषां कृतादपि ॥

antarhitābhitaptānāṃ yathāśakti bubhūṣatām | dravyāṇāmatiśaktyā'pi deyameṣāṃ kṛtādapi

To those who suffer in hidden want and those who are tormented, and to those who seek to live, gifts of goods should be made according to one's power, even beyond one's power, even out of what has already been prepared.

Verse 15 (12.240.15)

अर्हतामनुरूपाणां नादेयं ह्यस्ति किंचन । उच्चैः श्रवसमप्यश्वं काश्यपाय महात्मने । दत्त्वा जगाम प्रह्लादो लोकान्देवैरभिष्टुतान् ॥

arhatāmanurūpāṇāṃ nādeyaṃ hyasti kiṃcana | uccaiḥ śravasamapyaśvaṃ kāśyapāya mahātmane | dattvā jagāma prahlādo lokāndevairabhiṣṭutān

For those who are worthy and suitable there is nothing that may not be given. Prahlada gave even the horse Uccaihshravas to the great Kashyapa and went to the worlds praised by the gods.

Note on the text: Corrected उच्चैः श्रवसमप्यक्षं → उच्चैः श्रवसमप्यश्वं (misprint in Wikisource; Uccaihshravas is a horse; CE aśvam). Line 1 = CE 12.226.15a; line 2 is the vulgate's own text (CE 15c reads differently) and line 3 is the vulgate form of CE star line 12.226.15d*0674A_01 (dattvā jagāma brahmādau lokān daivair abhiṣṭutān).

Verse 16 (12.240.16)

अनुनीय तथा काव्यः सत्यसन्धो महाव्रतः । स्वैः प्राणैर्ब्राह्मणप्राणान्परित्राय दिवं गतः ॥

anunīya tathā kāvyaḥ satyasandho mahāvrataḥ | svaiḥ prāṇairbrāhmaṇaprāṇānparitrāya divaṃ gataḥ

Kavya (Ushanas), true to his word and firm in his great vows, after pacifying them, saved the lives of brahmins with his own life, and went to heaven.

Verse 17 (12.240.17)

रन्तिदेवश्च सांकृत्यो वसिष्ठाय महात्मने । अपः प्रदाय शीतोष्णा नाकपृष्ठे महीयते ॥

rantidevaśca sāṃkṛtyo vasiṣṭhāya mahātmane | apaḥ pradāya śītoṣṇā nākapṛṣṭhe mahīyate

Rantideva, descendant of Sankriti, gave water, both cold and hot, to the great Vasishtha, and is honoured in the vault of heaven.

Verse 18 (12.240.18)

आत्रेयश्चेन्द्रद्रुमये ह्यर्हते विविधं धनम् । दत्त्वा लोकान्ययौ धीमाननन्तान्स महीपतिः ॥

ātreyaścendradrumaye hyarhate vividhaṃ dhanam | dattvā lokānyayau dhīmānanantānsa mahīpatiḥ

Atreya, that wise king, gave wealth of many kinds to the worthy Indradrumaya, and went to endless worlds.

Verse 19 (12.240.19)

शिबिरौशीनरोऽङ्गानि सुतं च प्रियमौरसम् । ब्राह्मणार्थमुपाकृत्य नाकपृष्ठमितो गतः ॥

śibirauśīnaro'ṅgāni sutaṃ ca priyamaurasam | brāhmaṇārthamupākṛtya nākapṛṣṭhamito gataḥ

Shibi, son of Ushinara, offered his own limbs and his dear son, born of his body, for the sake of a brahmin, and went from here to the vault of heaven.

Verse 20 (12.240.20)

प्रतर्दनः काशिपतिः प्रदाय नयने स्वके । ब्राह्मणायातुलां कीर्तिमिह चामुत्र चाश्नुते ॥

pratardanaḥ kāśipatiḥ pradāya nayane svake | brāhmaṇāyātulāṃ kīrtimiha cāmutra cāśnute

Pratardana, lord of Kashi, gave his own eyes to a brahmin, and wins unequalled fame both here and in the world beyond.

Verse 21 (12.240.21)

दिव्यमष्टशलाकं तु सौवर्णं परमर्द्धिमत् । छत्रं देवावृधो दत्त्वा सराष्ट्रोऽभ्यगमद्दिवम् ॥

divyamaṣṭaśalākaṃ tu sauvarṇaṃ paramarddhimat | chatraṃ devāvṛdho dattvā sarāṣṭro'bhyagamaddivam

Devavridha gave a divine umbrella of gold, with eight ribs and of surpassing splendour, and went to heaven together with his kingdom.

Verse 22 (12.240.22)

सांकृतिश्च तथाऽऽत्रेयः शिष्येभ्यो ब्रह्म निर्गुणम् । उपदिश्य महातेजा गतो लोकाननुत्तमान् ॥

sāṃkṛtiśca tathā''treyaḥ śiṣyebhyo brahma nirguṇam | upadiśya mahātejā gato lokānanuttamān

Sankriti, and likewise Atreya, taught the attributeless Brahman to their disciples, and, radiant with great power, went to the highest worlds.

Verse 23 (12.240.23)

अम्बरीषो गवां दत्त्वा ब्राह्मणेभ्यः प्रतापवान् । अर्बुदानि दशैकं च सराष्ट्रोऽभ्यगमद्दिवम् ॥

ambarīṣo gavāṃ dattvā brāhmaṇebhyaḥ pratāpavān | arbudāni daśaikaṃ ca sarāṣṭro'bhyagamaddivam

Ambarisha, the mighty, gave to brahmins cows numbering ten and one arbudas, and went to heaven together with his kingdom.

Verse 24 (12.240.24)

सावित्री कुण्डले दिव्ये शरीरं जनमेजयः । ब्राह्मणार्थे परित्यज्य जग्मतुर्लोकमुत्तमम् ॥

sāvitrī kuṇḍale divye śarīraṃ janamejayaḥ | brāhmaṇārthe parityajya jagmaturlokamuttamam

Savitri gave her two divine earrings and Janamejaya gave his body, abandoned for the sake of brahmins, and the two went to the highest world.

Verse 25 (12.240.25)

सर्वरत्नं वृषादर्विर्युवनाश्वः प्रियाः स्त्रियः । रम्यमावसथं चैव दत्त्वामुं लोकमास्थितः ॥

sarvaratnaṃ vṛṣādarviryuvanāśvaḥ priyāḥ striyaḥ | ramyamāvasathaṃ caiva dattvāmuṃ lokamāsthitaḥ

Vrishadarbhi gave all his jewels, and Yuvanashva his dear wives and a lovely dwelling, and each reached that other world.

Verse 26 (12.240.26)

निमी राष्ट्रं च वैदेहो जामदग्न्यो वसुंधराम् । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ददौ चापि गयश्चोर्वीं सपत्तनाम् ॥

nimī rāṣṭraṃ ca vaideho jāmadagnyo vasuṃdharām | brāhmaṇebhyo dadau cāpi gayaścorvīṃ sapattanām

Nimi, king of Videha, gave his kingdom to brahmins, the son of Jamadagni gave the earth, and Gaya gave the land with its cities.

Note on the text: Corrected गयश्चोर्वी सपत्तनाम् → गयश्चोर्वीं सपत्तनाम् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara; the object of ददौ needs the accusative, CE corvīṃ).

Verse 27 (12.240.27)

अवर्षति च पर्जन्ये सर्वभूतानि भूतकृत् । वसिष्ठो जीवयामास प्रजापतिरिव प्रजाः ॥

avarṣati ca parjanye sarvabhūtāni bhūtakṛt | vasiṣṭho jīvayāmāsa prajāpatiriva prajāḥ

When Parjanya gave no rain, Vasishtha, maker of beings, brought all creatures back to life, as Prajapati would his creatures.

Note on the text: Corrected भूतकृत → भूतकृत् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped virama; the epithet qualifies Vasishtha. CE reads cāsakṛt here instead).

Verse 28 (12.240.28)

करंधमस्य पुत्रस्तु मरुतो नृपतिस्तथा । कन्यामङ्गिरसे दत्त्वा दिवमाशु जगाम ह ॥

karaṃdhamasya putrastu maruto nṛpatistathā | kanyāmaṅgirase dattvā divamāśu jagāma ha

Marutta, the king, son of Karandhama, gave his daughter to Angiras and swiftly went to heaven.

Verse 29 (12.240.29)

ब्रह्मदत्तश्च पाञ्चाल्यो राजा बुद्धिमतां वरः । निधिं शङ्खं द्विजाग्र्येभ्यो दत्त्वा लोकानवाप्तवान् ॥

brahmadattaśca pāñcālyo rājā buddhimatāṃ varaḥ | nidhiṃ śaṅkhaṃ dvijāgryebhyo dattvā lokānavāptavān

Brahmadatta of Panchala, the best of the wise, gave the treasure called Shankha to the foremost brahmins and gained the worlds.

Verse 30 (12.240.30)

राजा मित्रसहश्चापि वसिष्ठाय महात्मने । मदयन्तीं प्रियां दत्त्वा तया सह दिवं गतः ॥

rājā mitrasahaścāpi vasiṣṭhāya mahātmane | madayantīṃ priyāṃ dattvā tayā saha divaṃ gataḥ

King Mitrasaha gave his beloved Madayanti to the great Vasishtha and went to heaven with her.

Verse 31 (12.240.31)

सहस्रजिच्च राजर्षिः प्राणानिष्टान्महायशाः । ब्राह्मणार्थं परित्यज्य गतो लोकाननुत्तमान् ॥

sahasrajicca rājarṣiḥ prāṇāniṣṭānmahāyaśāḥ | brāhmaṇārthaṃ parityajya gato lokānanuttamān

The royal sage Sahasrajit, of great renown, gave up his dear life for the sake of a brahmin and went to the highest worlds.

Note on the text: Corrected प्राणानिंष्टान् → प्राणानिष्टान् (misprint in Wikisource; stray anusvara before ष्ट; CE iṣṭān).

Verse 32 (12.240.32)

सर्वकामैश्च संपूर्णं दत्त्वा वेश्म हिरण्मयम् । मुद्गलाय गतः स्वर्गं शतद्युम्नो महीपतिः ॥

sarvakāmaiśca saṃpūrṇaṃ dattvā veśma hiraṇmayam | mudgalāya gataḥ svargaṃ śatadyumno mahīpatiḥ

King Shatadyumna gave Mudgala a golden house filled with every desirable thing, and went to heaven.

Verse 33 (12.240.33)

नाम्ना च द्युतिमान्नाम साल्वराजः प्रतापवान् । दत्त्वा राज्यमृचीकाय गतो लोकाननुत्तमान् ॥

nāmnā ca dyutimānnāma sālvarājaḥ pratāpavān | dattvā rājyamṛcīkāya gato lokānanuttamān

The mighty king of the Salvas, named Dyutiman, gave his kingdom to Richika and went to the highest worlds.

Verse 34 (12.240.34)

लोमपादश्च राजर्षिः शान्तां दत्त्वा सुतां प्रभुः । ऋश्यशृङ्गाय विपुलैः सर्वकामैरयुज्यत ॥

lomapādaśca rājarṣiḥ śāntāṃ dattvā sutāṃ prabhuḥ | ṛśyaśṛṅgāya vipulaiḥ sarvakāmairayujyata

The royal sage Lomapada, the lord, gave his daughter Shanta to Rishyashringa and was blessed with abundant fulfilment of every desire.

Note on the text: CE places this verse (12.226.35) after the Madirashva verse (12.226.34); the order of the two is reversed in the vulgate.

Verse 35 (12.240.35)

मदिराश्वश्च राजर्षिर्दत्त्वा कन्यां सुमध्यमाम् । हिरण्यहस्ताय गतो लोकान्देवैरभिष्टुतान् ॥

madirāśvaśca rājarṣirdattvā kanyāṃ sumadhyamām | hiraṇyahastāya gato lokāndevairabhiṣṭutān

The royal sage Madirashva gave his slender-waisted daughter to Hiranyahasta and went to the worlds praised by the gods.

Note on the text: CE reads this verse as 12.226.34, before the Lomapada verse.

Verse 36 (12.240.36)

दत्त्वा शतसहस्रं तु गवां राजा प्रसेनजित् । सवत्सानां महातेजा गतो लोकाननुत्तमान् ॥

dattvā śatasahasraṃ tu gavāṃ rājā prasenajit | savatsānāṃ mahātejā gato lokānanuttamān

King Prasenajit, of great power, gave a hundred thousand cows with their calves and went to the highest worlds.

Verse 37 (12.240.37)

एते चान्ये च बहवो दानेन तपसैव च । महात्मानो गताः स्वर्गं शिष्टात्मानो जितेन्द्रियाः ॥

ete cānye ca bahavo dānena tapasaiva ca | mahātmāno gatāḥ svargaṃ śiṣṭātmāno jitendriyāḥ

These and many others, great souls of disciplined self who had conquered their senses, went to heaven by giving and by austerity.

Verse 38 (12.240.38)

तेषां प्रतिष्ठिता कीर्तिर्यावत्स्थास्यति मेदिनी । दानयज्ञप्रजासर्गैरेते हि दिवमाप्नुवन् ॥

teṣāṃ pratiṣṭhitā kīrtiryāvatsthāsyati medinī | dānayajñaprajāsargairete hi divamāpnuvan

Their fame stands firm as long as the earth endures; by gifts, sacrifices and the begetting of offspring they won heaven.