SECTION CCXCVII
"Janaka said, 'Whence, O great Rishi, does this difference of colour
arise among men belonging to the different orders? I desire to know this.
Tell me this, O foremost of speakers! The Srutis say that the offspring
one begets are one's own self. Originally sprung from Brahmana, all the
inhabitants of the earth should have been Brahmanas. Sprung from
Brahmanas, why have men betaken themselves to practices distinguished
from those of Brahmanas.'
"Parasara said, 'It is as thou sayst, O king! The offspring procreated
are none else than the procreator himself. In consequence, however, of
falling away from penance, this distribution into classes of different
colours has taken place. When the soil becomes good and the seed also is
good, the offspring produced become meritorious. If, however, the soil
and seed become otherwise or inferior, the offspring that will be born
will be inferior. They that are conversant with the scriptures know that
when the Lord of all creatures set himself to create the worlds, some
creatures sprang from his mouth, some from his arms, some from his
thighs, and some from his feet. They that thus sprang from his mouth, O
child, came to be called Brahmanas. They that sprang from his arms were
named Kshatriyas. They, O king, that sprang from his thighs were the
wealthy class called the Vaisyas. And, lastly, they that were born of his
feet were the serving class, viz., the Sudras. Only these four orders of
men, O monarch, were thus created. They that belong to classes over and
other than these are said to have sprung from an intermixture of these.
The Kshatriyas called Atirathas, Amvashthas, Ugras, Vaidehas, Swapakas,
Pukkasas, Tenas, Nishadas, Sutas, Magadhas, Ayogas, Karanas, Vratyas, and
Chandalas, O monarch, have all sprung from the four original orders by
intermixture with one another.'
"Janaka said, 'When all have sprung from Brahmana alone, how came human
beings to have diversity in respect of race? O best of ascetics, an
infinite diversity of races is seen in this world. How could men devoted
to penances attain, to the status of Brahmanas, though of indiscriminate
origin? Indeed, those born of pure wombs and those of impure, all became
Brahmanas.'
"Parasara said, 'O king, the status of high-souled persons that succeeded
in cleansing their souls by penances could not be regarded as affected by
their low births. Great Rishis, O monarch, by begetting children in
indiscriminate wombs, conferred upon them the status of Rishis by means
of their power of asceticism. My grandfather Vasishtha, Rishyasringa,
Kasyapa, Veda, Tandya, Kripa, Kakshivat, Kamatha, and others, and
Yavakrita, O king, and Drona, that foremost of speakers, and Ayu, and
Matanga, and Datta, and Drupada, and Matsya, all these, O ruler of the
Videhas, obtained their respective positions through penance as the
means. Originally only four Gotras (races) arose, O monarch, viz.,
Angiras, Kasyapa, Vasishtha, and Bhrigu. In consequence of acts and
behaviour, O ruler of men, many other Gotras came into existence in time.
The names of those Gotras have been due to the penances of those that
have founded them. Good people use them.'
"Janaka said, 'Tell me, O holy one, the especial duties of the several
orders. Tell me also what their common duties are. Thou art conversant
with everything.'
"Parasara said, 'Acceptance of gifts, officiation at the sacrifices of
others, and the teaching of pupils, O king, are the especial duties of
the Brahmanas. The protection of the other orders is proper for the
Kshatriya. Agriculture, cattle-rearing, and trade are the occupations of
the Vaisyas. While service of the (three) regenerate classes is the
occupation, O king, of the Sudras. I have now told thee what the especial
duties are of the four orders, O monarch. Listen now to me, O child, as I
tell thee what the common duties are of all the four orders. Compassion,
abstention from injury, heedfulness, giving to others what is due to
them, Sraddhas in honour of deceased ancestors, hospitality to guests,
truthfulness, subjugation of wrath, contentedness with one's own wedded
wives, purity (both internal and external), freedom from malice,
knowledge of Self, and Renunciation,--these duties, O king, are common to
all the orders. Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, and Vaisyas,--these are the three
regenerate orders. All of them have an equal right to the performance of
these duties, O foremost of men. These three orders, betaking themselves
to duties other than those laid down for them, come to grief, O monarch
(and fall down from their own status), even as they go up and acquire
great merit by taking for their model some righteous individual of their
respective classes who is duly observant of his own duties. The Sudra
never falls down (by doing forbidden acts); nor is he worthy of any of
the rites of regeneration. The course of duties flowing from the Vedas is
not his. He is not interdicted, however, from practising the three and
ten duties that are common to all the orders. O ruler of the Videhas,
Brahmanas learned in the Vedas, O monarch, regard a (virtuous) Sudra as
equal to Brahmana himself. I, however, O king, look upon such a Sudra as
the effulgent Vishnu of the universe, the foremost one in all the
worlds.[1544] Persons of the lowest order, desiring to exterminate the
evil passions (of lust and wrath, etc.) may betake themselves to the
observance of the conduct of the good; and, indeed, while so acting, they
may earn great merit by performing all rites that lead to advancement,
omitting the mantras that are utterable by the other orders while
performing the self-same ceremonies. Wherever persons of the lowest order
adopt the behaviour of the good, they succeed in attaining to happiness
in consequence of which they are able to pass their time in felicity both
here and hereafter.'
"Janaka said, 'O great ascetic, is man stained by his acts or is he
stained by the order or class in which he is born? A doubt has arisen in
my mind. It behoveth thee to expound this to me.'
"Parasara said, 'Without doubt, O king, both, viz., acts and birth, are
sources of demerit. Listen now to their difference. That man who, though
stained by birth, does not commit sin, abstains from sin notwithstanding
birth and acts. If, however, a person of superior birth perpetrates
censurable acts, such acts stain him. Hence, of the two, viz., acts and
birth, acts stain man (more than birth).[1545]
"Janaka said, 'What are those righteous acts in this world, O best of all
regenerate persons, the accomplishment of which does not inflict any
injury upon other creatures?'
"Parasara said, 'Hear from me, O monarch, about what thou askest me'
viz., those acts free from injury which always rescue man. Those who,
keeping aside their domestic fires, have dissociated themselves from all
worldly attachments, become freed from all anxieties. Gradually ascending
step by step, in the path of Yoga, they at last behold the stage of
highest felicity (viz., Emancipation).[1546] Endued with faith and
humility, always practising self-restraint, possessed of keen
intelligence, and abstaining from all acts, they attain to eternal
felicity. All classes of men, O king, by properly accomplishing acts that
are righteous, by speaking the truth, and by abstaining from
unrighteousness, in this world, ascend to heaven. In this there is no
doubt.'"
