राजधर्मानुशासन पर्व — पुरोहित की नियुक्ति; ऐल-पुत्र और कश्यप का संवाद

Bhishma said The king, observing both religious merit and profit which are very intricate, should, forthwith, appoint a priest learned and acquainted intimately with the Vedas and the (other) scriptures.

Those kings, who have priests, who are pious and conversant with policy, and are possessed of good attributes, enjoy prosperity everywhere.

Both the priest and the king should have such qualities as arrest honour, and should observe the vows and penances. They would then succeed in supporting the subjects, the deities. the Pitris, and the children.

It is laid down that they should have similar hearts and should be each other's friends. For such friendship between Brahmana and Kshatriya, the subjects become happy.

If they do not respect each other, destruction would befall the people. The Brahmana and the Kshatriya are said to be the creators of all men.

Regarding it is cited the old story about the discourse between Aila's son and Kashyapa. Listen to it, О Yudhishthira.

Aila's son said When the Brahmana forsakes the Kshatriya or the Kshatriya forsakes the Brahmana, who amongst them should be considered superior, and upon whom would the other orders depend and maintain themselves?

Kashyapa said Ruin befalls the kingdom of the Kshatriya when the Brahmana and Kshatriya fight with each other. Robbers attack that kingdom in which anarchy reigns and all good men regard the king as a Mlechchha.

Their oxen do not thrive, nor do their children. Their pots (of milk) are not churned, and no sacrifices are celebrated there. The children do not study the Vedas in kingdoms where Brahmanas forsake Kshatriyas.

In their houses wealth does not multiply. There children do not become good and do not read the scriptures and celebrate sacrifices. Those Kshatriyas that forsake the Brahmanas become impure in blood.

The Brahmana and the Kshatriya are connected with each other by nature, and each protects the other. The Kshatriya is the root of the Brahmana's advancement and the Brahmana is the root of the Kshatriya's advancement.

When each helps the other, both enjoy great prosperity. If their friendship, existing from days of yore, is snapped anarchy prevails everywhere.

No person, desirous of crossing the ocean of life, succeeds in his attempts like a small boat floating on the bosom of the sea. The four orders of men become confounded and meet with destruction,

If the tree of a Brahmana is protected, it showers gold and honey. If on the other hand, it is not protected, it then showers tears and sin.

When Brahmanas neglect the study of the Vedas and seek protection from the scriptures, then Indra does not pour rain in time and various sorts of calamities constantly assail the kingdom.

When a sinful wretch, having killed a woman or a Brahmana, does not incur censure in assemblies of fellowmen and does not fear the king, then danger threatens the Kshatriya king.

For the sins perpetrated by sinful men, the god Rudra appears in the kingdom. Indeed, the sinful by their sins invite that god of vengeance. He then kills all, the honest and the wicked alike.

Aila said Whence does Rudra originate? What also is his form? Creatures are seen to be destroyed by creatures. Tell me all this, O Kashyapa, Whence does the god Rudra originate.

Kashyapa said Rudra exists in the hearts of men. He destroys the bodies themselves in which he lives as also the bodies of others. Rudra is like visitations of the sky and his form is like that of the wind-god.

The Wind does not, by blowing, visible destroy men at all times, nor does Indra do so by purring rain. On the other hand, it is seen among men that they lose their senses and are killed through lust and malice.

Kashyapa said, Fire burning in one house, burns a whole quarter or an entire village. Likewise this deity stupefies the senses of some one and then that stupefaction affects all, the honest and the wicked alike, without any distinction.

Aila Said: If punishment affects all, viz., the honest and the wicked alike, on account of the sins committed by the sinful, why should men, in that case, perform acts that are meritorious? Indeed, why should they abstain from wicked acts.

By standing aloof from the sinful, one becomes pure and stainless. However, by being mixed with the sinful, the sinless are punished. Wet wood, if mixed with dry wood, is consumed by the fire for such mixture. The sinless, therefore, should never associate with the sinful.

Aila said The Earth contains the honest and the wicked. The sun warms the honest and the wicked. The wind blows equally for them. Water cleanses them equally.

Kashyapa said Such, indeed, is the course of this world, O prince. It is not so, however, in another world. In the other world, there is a great difference between the person that acts virtuously and him that acts sinfully.

The regions which virtuous men acquire are full of honey and the splendour of gold or of fire upon which clarified butter has been poured. They are compared to the navel of ambrosia. The meritorious person enjoys great happiness there. Death, decrepitude, and sorrow are not there.

The region for the sinful is hell. Darkness and constant pain are there, and it is full of sorrow. Sinking in infamy, the sinful man grieves for many years.

For a division between Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, numberless griefs assail the people. Knowing this, a king should appoint a (Brahmana) priest having experience and wide knowledge. owner

A king should first engage the priest in his office, and then perform his own coronation. This has bean laid down in the scriptures. The ordinance declare that the Brahmana is the foremost of all creatures. Men who know the Vedas say that the Brahinana was created first.

For the precedence of his birth, all things that are good in this world are in him, the Brahmana, who is the of best productions of the creation, is also for such precedence, worthy of the respect and the worship of all creatures.

A king, however powerful, powerful, should according to the injunctions of the scriptures confer upon the Brahmana whatever is best and superior to all others,

The Brahmana contributes to the advancement of the Kshatriya, Kshatriya, and the Kshatriya to that of the Brahmana. Brahmana should, therefore, be especially and always adored by kings.'