Janaka Questions Parashara on Class, Gotra and Duty

Verse 1 (12.302.1)

वर्णो विशेषवर्णानां महर्षे केन जायते । एतदिच्छाम्यहं ज्ञातुं तद्ब्रूहि वदतां वर ॥

varṇo viśeṣavarṇānāṃ maharṣe kena jāyate | etadicchāmyahaṃ jñātuṃ tadbrūhi vadatāṃ vara

Janaka said: "Great sage, how does the distinction of class arise among the several classes? I wish to know this; tell me, best of speakers.

Verse 2 (12.302.2)

यदेतज्जायतेऽपत्यं स एवायमिति श्रुतिः । कथं ब्राह्मणतो जातो विशेषग्रहणं गतः ॥

yadetajjāyate'patyaṃ sa evāyamiti śrutiḥ | kathaṃ brāhmaṇato jāto viśeṣagrahaṇaṃ gataḥ

Scripture says that whatever child is born is the very same as the one who begot him. How then, being born of a brahmin, has he come to have a distinct designation?"

Verse 3 (12.302.3)

एवमेतन्महाराज येन जातः स एव सः । तपसस्त्वपकर्षेण जातिग्रहणतां गतः ॥

evametanmahārāja yena jātaḥ sa eva saḥ | tapasastvapakarṣeṇa jātigrahaṇatāṃ gataḥ

Parashara said: "So it is, great king: he is the very one from whom he is born. But through a falling-off of austerity he comes to be reckoned under another birth.

Verse 4 (12.302.4)

सुक्षेत्राच्च सुबीजाच्च पुण्यो भवति संभवः । अतोऽन्यतरतो हीनादवरो नाम जायते ॥

sukṣetrācca subījācca puṇyo bhavati saṃbhavaḥ | ato'nyatarato hīnādavaro nāma jāyate

From a good field and good seed comes a pure birth; when either of the two is lacking, a lower one is born.

Verse 5 (12.302.5)

वक्त्राद्भुजाभ्यामूरुभ्यां पद्भ्यां चैवाथ जज्ञिरे । सृजतः प्रजापतेर्लोकानिति धर्मविदो विदुः ॥

vaktrādbhujābhyāmūrubhyāṃ padbhyāṃ caivātha jajñire | sṛjataḥ prajāpaterlokāniti dharmavido viduḥ

From the mouth, the arms, the thighs and the feet they were born, as Prajapati created the worlds: so those who know dharma say.

Note on the text: Corrected वक्राद्भुजाभ्याम् → वक्त्राद्भुजाभ्याम् (misprint in Wikisource; the conjunct त्र is dropped, and वक्र means 'crooked', not 'mouth'; CE vaktrād).

Verse 6 (12.302.6)

मुखजा ब्राह्मणास्तात बाहुजाः क्षत्रियाः स्मृताः । ऊरुजा धनिनो राजन्पादजाः परिचारकाः ॥

mukhajā brāhmaṇāstāta bāhujāḥ kṣatriyāḥ smṛtāḥ | ūrujā dhanino rājanpādajāḥ paricārakāḥ

Brahmins, dear one, are called mouth-born, and kshatriyas arm-born; the wealthy, O king, are thigh-born, and servants foot-born.

Note on the text: Wikisource's बाहुजाः क्षत्रियाः स्मृताः is a variant of CE bāhujāḥ kṣatrabandhavaḥ (12.285.6a); the page's footnote cites ऊरुजा वणिजो राजन् as another reading of line 2. Kept as printed.

Verse 7 (12.302.7)

चतुर्णामेव वर्णानामागमः पुरुषर्षभ । अतोऽन्ये त्वतिरिक्ता ये ते वै संकरजाः स्मृताः ॥

caturṇāmeva varṇānāmāgamaḥ puruṣarṣabha | ato'nye tvatiriktā ye te vai saṃkarajāḥ smṛtāḥ

The origin is of the four classes alone, O best of men. Whoever are others, beyond these, are called born of mixture.

Note on the text: Corrected अतोन्ये → अतोऽन्ये (misprint in Wikisource; the avagraha is dropped, CE ato 'nye).

Verse 8 (12.302.8)

क्षत्रियातिरथाम्बष्ठा उग्रा वैदेहकास्तथा । श्वपाकाः पुल्कसाः स्तेना निषादाः सूतमागधाः ॥

kṣatriyātirathāmbaṣṭhā ugrā vaidehakāstathā | śvapākāḥ pulkasāḥ stenā niṣādāḥ sūtamāgadhāḥ

The Kshatriya-born Atirathas, the Ambashthas, the Ugras and the Vaidehakas, the Shvapakas, the Pulkasas, the Stenas, the Nishadas, the Sutas and the Magadhas;

Note on the text: Wikisource's क्षत्रियातिरथाम्बष्ठा is a vulgate form; the critical edition reads kṣatrajātir athāmbaṣṭhā (12.285.8a). Rendered as printed, taking क्षत्रिय- with अतिरथ- ('Kshatriya-born Atirathas'); the sense is uncertain.

Verse 9 (12.302.9)

अयोगाः कारणा व्रात्याश्चाण्डालाश्च नराधिप । एते चतुर्भ्यो वर्णेभ्यो जायन्ते वै परस्परात् ॥

ayogāḥ kāraṇā vrātyāścāṇḍālāśca narādhipa | ete caturbhyo varṇebhyo jāyante vai parasparāt

The Ayogas, the Karanas, the Vratyas and the Chandalas, O lord of men: these are born of the four classes from one another."

Verse 10 (12.302.10)

ब्रह्मणैकेन जातानां नानात्वं गोत्रतः कथम् । बहूनीह हि लोके वै गोत्राणि मुनिसत्तम ॥

brahmaṇaikena jātānāṃ nānātvaṃ gotrataḥ katham | bahūnīha hi loke vai gotrāṇi munisattama

Janaka said: "Among those born of the one Brahma, how is there diversity by gotra? Many gotras exist in the world, best of sages.

Verse 11 (12.302.11)

यत्र तत्र कथं जाताः स्वयोनिं मुनयो गताः । शूद्रयोनौ समुत्पन्ना वियोनौ च तथा परे ॥

yatra tatra kathaṃ jātāḥ svayoniṃ munayo gatāḥ | śūdrayonau samutpannā viyonau ca tathā pare

How is it that sages, born here and there, came to their own proper birth? Some were born in a shudra womb, and others in a womb not their own."

Verse 12 (12.302.12)

राजन्नैतद्भवेद्ब्राह्ममपकृष्टेन जन्मना । महात्मनां समुत्पत्तिस्तपसा भावितात्मनाम् ॥

rājannaitadbhavedbrāhmamapakṛṣṭena janmanā | mahātmanāṃ samutpattistapasā bhāvitātmanām

Parashara said: "O king, this does not hold for the brahmin's state on account of a low birth: the origin of great souls, whose selves are refined by austerity, is through austerity.

Note on the text: Wikisource's ब्राह्मम् is a variant of CE grāhyam (12.285.12a), kept as printed.

Verse 13 (12.302.13)

उत्पाद्य पुत्रान्मुनयो नृपते यत्र तत्र ह । स्वेनैव तपसा तेषामृषित्वं विदधुः पुनः ॥

utpādya putrānmunayo nṛpate yatra tatra ha | svenaiva tapasā teṣāmṛṣitvaṃ vidadhuḥ punaḥ

Having begotten sons wherever it might be, the sages, O king, afterwards bestowed seerhood on them by their own austerity.

Verse 14 (12.302.14)

पितामहश्च मे पूर्वमृश्यशृङ्गश्च काश्यपः । वेदस्ताण्ड्यः कृपश्चैव काक्षीवत्कमठादयः ॥

pitāmahaśca me pūrvamṛśyaśṛṅgaśca kāśyapaḥ | vedastāṇḍyaḥ kṛpaścaiva kākṣīvatkamaṭhādayaḥ

My own grandfather of old, and Rishyashringa, and Kashyapa, Veda and Tandya, Kripa, Kakshivat, Kamatha and the rest,

Note on the text: Wikisource's वेदस्ताण्ड्यः, काक्षीवत् differ from CE vaṭas tāṇḍyaḥ … kakṣīvān (12.285.14c); the page's footnote cites वसुस्ताण्ड्य and वटस्ताण्ड्य as other readings. Kept as printed, with वेद and ताण्ड्य taken as two names.

Verse 15 (12.302.15)

यवक्रीतश्च नृपते द्रोणश्च वदतांवरः । आयुर्मतङ्गो दत्तश्च द्रुमदो मात्स्य एव च ॥

yavakrītaśca nṛpate droṇaśca vadatāṃvaraḥ | āyurmataṅgo dattaśca drumado mātsya eva ca

Yavakrita, O king, and Drona, best of speakers, Ayu, Matanga, Datta, Drumada, and Matsya too:

Note on the text: Wikisource's द्रुमदो मात्स्य is a variant of CE drupado matsya (12.285.15c), kept as printed.

Verse 16 (12.302.16)

एते स्वां प्रकृतिं प्राप्ता वैदेह तपसो बलात् । प्रतिष्ठिता वेदविदो दमेन तपसैव हि ॥

ete svāṃ prakṛtiṃ prāptā vaideha tapaso balāt | pratiṣṭhitā vedavido damena tapasaiva hi

these, O king of Videha, attained their own nature by the power of austerity; as knowers of the Veda they were established through self-control and austerity alone.

Note on the text: Wikisource's तपसो बलात्, दमेन तपसैव हि are variants of CE tapaso ''śrayāt, dame tapasi caiva hi (12.285.16); the page's footnote cites तपसो श्रयात् as another reading. Kept as printed.

Verse 17 (12.302.17)

मूलगोत्राणि चत्वारि समुत्पन्नानि पार्थिव । अङ्गिराः कश्यपश्चैव वसिष्ठो भृगुरेव च ॥

mūlagotrāṇi catvāri samutpannāni pārthiva | aṅgirāḥ kaśyapaścaiva vasiṣṭho bhṛgureva ca

Four root gotras arose, O king: Angiras, Kashyapa, Vasishtha and Bhrigu.

Verse 18 (12.302.18)

कर्मतोऽन्यानि गोत्राणि समुत्पन्नानि पार्थिव । नामधेयानि तपसा तानि च ग्रहणं सताम् ॥

karmato'nyāni gotrāṇi samutpannāni pārthiva | nāmadheyāni tapasā tāni ca grahaṇaṃ satām

Other gotras arose from deeds, O king; their names came through austerity, and they are accepted by the good."

Verse 19 (12.302.19)

विशेषधर्मान्वर्णानां प्रब्रूहि भगवन्मम । ततः सामान्यधर्मांश्च सर्वत्र कुशलो ह्यसि ॥

viśeṣadharmānvarṇānāṃ prabrūhi bhagavanmama | tataḥ sāmānyadharmāṃśca sarvatra kuśalo hyasi

Janaka said: "Tell me, revered one, the special duties of the classes, and then the common duties; for you are skilled in everything."

Note on the text: Wikisource's ततः for CE tathā is a variant, kept.

Verse 20 (12.302.20)

प्रतिग्रहो याजनं च तथैवाध्यापनं नृप । विशेषधर्मा विप्राणां रक्षा क्षत्रस्य शोभना ॥

pratigraho yājanaṃ ca tathaivādhyāpanaṃ nṛpa | viśeṣadharmā viprāṇāṃ rakṣā kṣatrasya śobhanā

Parashara said: "Accepting gifts, performing sacrifices for others, and likewise teaching, O king: these are the special duties of brahmins; protection is the fair duty of the kshatriya.

Note on the text: Wikisource's विशेषधर्मा (plural) for CE viśeṣadharmo is a variant, kept.

Verse 21 (12.302.21)

कृषिश्च पाशुपाल्यं च वाणिज्यं च विशामपि । द्विजानां परिचर्या च शूद्रकर्म नराधिप ॥

kṛṣiśca pāśupālyaṃ ca vāṇijyaṃ ca viśāmapi | dvijānāṃ paricaryā ca śūdrakarma narādhipa

Farming, herding and trade belong to the vaishyas too; and service to the twice-born is the shudra's work, O lord of men.

Verse 22 (12.302.22)

विशेषधर्मा नृपते वर्णानां परिकीर्तिताः । धर्मान्साधारणांस्तात विस्तरेण शृणुष्व मे ॥

viśeṣadharmā nṛpate varṇānāṃ parikīrtitāḥ | dharmānsādhāraṇāṃstāta vistareṇa śṛṇuṣva me

The special duties of the classes have been set out, O king. Now hear from me at length, dear one, the common duties.

Verse 23 (12.302.23)

आनृशंस्यमहिंसा चाप्रमादः संविभागिता । श्राद्धकर्मातिथेयं च सत्यमक्रोध एव च ॥

ānṛśaṃsyamahiṃsā cāpramādaḥ saṃvibhāgitā | śrāddhakarmātitheyaṃ ca satyamakrodha eva ca

Freedom from cruelty, non-injury, heedfulness, sharing with others, rites for the ancestors, hospitality, truthfulness and freedom from anger;

Note on the text: Corrected आनृशंस्यमर्हिसा → आनृशंस्यमहिंसा (misprint in Wikisource; the anusvara and ह are misplaced, अर्हिसा is not a word; CE ānṛśaṃsyam ahiṃsā).

Verse 24 (12.302.24)

स्वेषु दारेषु संतोषः शौचं नित्याऽनसूयता । आत्मज्ञानं तितिक्षा च धर्माः साधारणा नृप ॥

sveṣu dāreṣu saṃtoṣaḥ śaucaṃ nityā'nasūyatā | ātmajñānaṃ titikṣā ca dharmāḥ sādhāraṇā nṛpa

contentment with one's own wives, purity, constant freedom from envy, knowledge of the self and forbearance: these are the common duties, O king.

Verse 25 (12.302.25)

ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्यास्त्रयो वर्णा द्विजातयः । अत्र तेषामधीकारो धर्मेषु द्विपदां वर ॥

brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā vaiśyāstrayo varṇā dvijātayaḥ | atra teṣāmadhīkāro dharmeṣu dvipadāṃ vara

Brahmins, kshatriyas and vaishyas: these three classes are twice-born; in these duties, best of men, they alone have the right.

Note on the text: Corrected वैश्यास्रयो → वैश्यास्त्रयो (misprint in Wikisource; the conjunct स्त्र is broken, CE vaiśyās trayo).

Verse 26 (12.302.26)

विकर्मावस्थिता वर्णाः पतन्ति नृपते त्रयः । उन्नमन्ति यथा सन्त आश्रित्येह स्वकर्मसु ॥

vikarmāvasthitā varṇāḥ patanti nṛpate trayaḥ | unnamanti yathā santa āśrityeha svakarmasu

The three classes fall, O king, when they stand in wrong action; and they rise, as the good do, by keeping to their own duties.

Note on the text: Wikisource's यथा सन्त आश्रित्य differs from CE yathāsantam āśritya (12.285.26c); the page's footnote cites निरयेत्रय as another reading of line 1. Kept as printed.

Verse 27 (12.302.27)

न चापि शूद्रः पततीति निश्चयो । न चापि संस्कारमिहार्हतीति वा । श्रुतिप्रयुक्तं न च धर्ममाप्नुते । न चास्य धर्मे प्रतिषेधनं कृतम् ॥

na cāpi śūdraḥ patatīti niścayo | na cāpi saṃskāramihārhatīti vā | śrutiprayuktaṃ na ca dharmamāpnute | na cāsya dharme pratiṣedhanaṃ kṛtam

It is the settled view that a shudra does not fall, nor is he fit here for the sacraments; he does not gain a dharma enjoined by scripture, yet no prohibition has been laid upon him in dharma.

Note on the text: A four-line verse, as printed on the page (labels 12-302-27a to 27d) = CE 12.285.27a, 27c (two lines each). Wikisource's श्रुतिप्रयुक्तम् is a variant of CE śrutipravṛttam.

Verse 28 (12.302.28)

वैदेहकं शूद्रमुदाहरन्ति । द्विजा महाराज श्रुतोपपन्नाः । अहं हि पश्यामि नरेन्द्र देवं । विश्वस्य विष्णुं जगतः प्रधानम् ॥

vaidehakaṃ śūdramudāharanti | dvijā mahārāja śrutopapannāḥ | ahaṃ hi paśyāmi narendra devaṃ | viśvasya viṣṇuṃ jagataḥ pradhānam

Learned twice-born men, great king, name the Vaidehaka as an instance of a shudra. But I, O lord of men, see the god Vishnu, the chief of the universe and of the world.

Note on the text: A four-line verse, as printed on the page (labels 12-302-28a to 28d) = CE 12.285.28a, 28c (two lines each).

Verse 29 (12.302.29)

सतां वृत्तमधिष्ठाय निहीना उद्दिधीर्षवः । मन्त्रवर्जं न दुष्यन्ति कुर्वाणाः पौष्टिकीः क्रियाः ॥

satāṃ vṛttamadhiṣṭhāya nihīnā uddidhīrṣavaḥ | mantravarjaṃ na duṣyanti kurvāṇāḥ pauṣṭikīḥ kriyāḥ

Those of low estate who wish to raise themselves, taking up the conduct of the good, are not sullied if they perform the rites of prosperity without mantras.

Note on the text: Wikisource's सतां वृत्तमधिष्ठाय, उद्दिधीर्षवः are variants of CE satāṃ vṛttam anuṣṭhāya, ujjihīrṣavaḥ (12.285.29), kept as printed.

Verse 30 (12.302.30)

यथायथा हि सद्वृत्तमालम्बन्तीतरे जनाः । तथातथा सुखं प्राप्य प्रेत्य चेह च मोदते ॥

yathāyathā hi sadvṛttamālambantītare janāḥ | tathātathā sukhaṃ prāpya pretya ceha ca modate

In proportion as other people lean on good conduct, in just that measure they win happiness, and rejoice here and after death."

Note on the text: Corrected सद्वॄत्तमालम्बन्ती → सद्वृत्तमालम्बन्ती (misprint in Wikisource; long vocalic ॄ for ृ) and यथातथा → तथातथा (misprint in Wikisource; the correlative of यथायथा is तथातथा, CE tathā tathā). Wikisource's मोदते for CE śerate is a variant, kept.

Verse 31 (12.302.31)

किं कर्म दूषयत्येनमथो जातिर्महामुने । संदेहो मे समुत्पन्नस्तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि ॥

kiṃ karma dūṣayatyenamatho jātirmahāmune | saṃdeho me samutpannastanme vyākhyātumarhasi

Janaka said: "Great sage, what corrupts a man: his action, or his birth? A doubt has arisen in me; you should explain it to me."

Verse 32 (12.302.32)

असंशयं महाराज उभयं दोषकारकम् । कर्म चैव हि जातिश्च विशेषं तु निशामय ॥

asaṃśayaṃ mahārāja ubhayaṃ doṣakārakam | karma caiva hi jātiśca viśeṣaṃ tu niśāmaya

Parashara said: "Without doubt, great king, both are causes of fault, action and birth alike; but hear the particular distinction.

Verse 33 (12.302.33)

जात्या च कर्मणा चैव दुष्टं कर्म निषेवते । जात्या दुष्टश्च यः पापं न करोति स पूरुषः ॥

jātyā ca karmaṇā caiva duṣṭaṃ karma niṣevate | jātyā duṣṭaśca yaḥ pāpaṃ na karoti sa pūruṣaḥ

One who is corrupt both by birth and by action practises corrupt action; but he who is corrupt by birth and yet does no sin is a true man.

Note on the text: Corrected कर्म न सेवते → कर्म निषेवते (misprint in Wikisource; निषेवते was split into न सेवते, which reverses the sense and contradicts line 2; CE niṣevate).

Verse 34 (12.302.34)

जात्या प्रधानं पुरुषं कुर्वाणं कर्म धिक्कृतम् । कर्म तद्दूषयत्येनं तस्मात्कर्म न शोभनम् ॥

jātyā pradhānaṃ puruṣaṃ kurvāṇaṃ karma dhikkṛtam | karma taddūṣayatyenaṃ tasmātkarma na śobhanam

When a man eminent by birth does a deed that is censured, that deed corrupts him; therefore that deed is not good."

Verse 35 (12.302.35)

कानि कर्माणि धर्म्याणि लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विजसत्तम । न हिंसन्तीह भूतानि क्रियमाणानि सर्वदा ॥

kāni karmāṇi dharmyāṇi loke'smindvijasattama | na hiṃsantīha bhūtāni kriyamāṇāni sarvadā

Janaka said: "Best of the twice-born, what actions in this world are lawful, and, when always performed, harm no creature?"

Note on the text: Corrected द्विजसत्तम् → द्विजसत्तम (misprint in Wikisource; stray final halant on a vocative, CE dvijasattama).

Verse 36 (12.302.36)

शृणु मेऽत्र महाराज यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि । यानि कर्माण्यहिंस्राणि नरं त्रायन्ति सर्वदा ॥

śṛṇu me'tra mahārāja yanmāṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi | yāni karmāṇyahiṃsrāṇi naraṃ trāyanti sarvadā

Parashara said: "Hear from me, great king, what you ask of me: the non-violent actions that always protect a man.

Verse 37 (12.302.37)

संन्यस्याग्नीनुदासीनाः पश्यन्ति विगतज्वराः । नैःश्रेयसं कर्मपथं समारुह्य यथाक्रमम् ॥

saṃnyasyāgnīnudāsīnāḥ paśyanti vigatajvarāḥ | naiḥśreyasaṃ karmapathaṃ samāruhya yathākramam

Having renounced the fires, indifferent, free of fever, they see clearly, having climbed in due order the path of action that leads to the highest good,

Note on the text: Wikisource's उदासीनाः and कर्मपथम् are variants of CE upāsīnāḥ and dharmapatham (12.285.37), kept as printed.

Verse 38 (12.302.38)

प्रश्रिता विनयोपेता दमनित्याः सुसंशिताः । प्रयान्ति स्थानमजरं सर्वकर्मविवर्जिताः ॥

praśritā vinayopetā damanityāḥ susaṃśitāḥ | prayānti sthānamajaraṃ sarvakarmavivarjitāḥ

humble, endowed with modesty, ever self-controlled, of keen vows, they go forth to the ageless abode, free of all action.

Note on the text: Corrected पयान्ति → प्रयान्ति (misprint in Wikisource; the र is dropped, पयान्ति is not a word; CE prayānti).

Verse 39 (12.302.39)

सर्वे वर्णा धर्मकार्याणि सम्यक् । कृत्वा राजन्सत्यवाक्यानि चोक्त्वा । त्यक्त्वाधर्मं दारुणं जीवलोके । यान्ति स्वर्गं नात्र कार्यो विचारः ॥

sarve varṇā dharmakāryāṇi samyak | kṛtvā rājansatyavākyāni coktvā | tyaktvādharmaṃ dāruṇaṃ jīvaloke | yānti svargaṃ nātra kāryo vicāraḥ

All the classes, O king, having rightly done their duties and spoken words of truth, abandoning cruel adharma in the world of the living, go to heaven. There is no room for doubt in this."

Note on the text: Corrected त्यक्त्वा धर्मं दारुणं → त्यक्त्वाधर्मं दारुणं (misprint in Wikisource; the initial अ of अधर्मम् is lost, leaving 'abandoning cruel dharma', which reverses the sense; CE tyaktvādharmaṃ dāruṇaṃ). A four-line verse, as printed on the page (labels 12-302-39a to 39d) = CE 12.285.39a, 39c (two lines each).