अनुशासनिक पर्व — हीन वर्णका व्यक्तिलाई उपदेश दिँदा पाप लाग्छ कि लाग्दैन; एक ब्राह्मण र एक शूद्रको कथा

Yudhishthira said I wish to know, O royal sage, whether any sin is committed by one who from interested or disinterested friendship delivers instructions to a person of a low order of birth.

O grandfather, I wish to hear this explained to me in full. The course of duty is highly subtile. Men are often seen to be stupefied about that course.

Bhishma said About it, o king, I shall recite to you, in due order, what I heard certain Rishis say in days of yore.

Instruction should not be given to one who belongs to a low or degraded caste. It is said that the preceptor who delivers instruction to such a person commits great sin.

Listen to me, O chief of Bharatas, as I recite to you, O Yudhishthira, this incident which took place in days of yore, o king, of the evil consequences of imparting of instruction to a lowborn person fallen into distress.

The incident which I shall describe, took place in the hermitage of certain twice born sages which stood on the auspicious breast of Himavat. There, on the breast of that king of mountains, was a sacred asylum adorned with trees of various kinds.

Overgrown also with various species of crecpers and plants, it was the resort of many animals and birds. Inhabited by Siddhas and Charanas also, it was highly delightful on account of the woods that flowered there at every scason.

Many Brahmacharins lived there, and many herimits. Many Brahmanas lived there, who were highly blessed and who resembled the sun or the fire in energy and effulgence.

Ascetics of various kinds, observant of various restraints and vows, as also others, O king of the Bharatas, who had gone through initiatory rites and were frugal in fare and possessed of purified souls, lived there.

Large numbers of Valikhilyas and inany who observed the vow of Sanyasa also, used to live there. On account of all this, the hermitage resounded with the recitation of the Vedas and the sacred Mantras uttered by its dwellers.

Once upon a time a Shudra endued with mercy for all creatures, ventured to come into that herinitage. Arrived at that retreat, he was duiy honoured by all the ascetics.

Seeing those ascetics of diverse classes who were endued with great energy, that resembled the gods, and who were observing diverse kinds of initiation, O Bharata, the Shudra became highly pleased at heart.

Seeing everything, ( chief of Bharata's race, the Shudra felt inclined to devote himself to the practice of penances. Touching the feet of the head of the order, O Bharata, he said to hiin. Through your favour, O foremost of twice born persons, I wish to learn the duties of religion. You should, o illustrious one, describe to me those duties and introduce me into a life of Renunciation.

I am certainly inferior in colour, O illustrious one, for I am by caste a Shudra, O best of men! I wish to wait upon and serve you here. Be pleased with me who humbly seek your shelter.

The Kulapati said It is impossible that a Shudra should live here following the life of Renunciation. If it pleases you, you may stay here and serve us. Forsooth, by such service you shall acquire many regions of great happiness.

Bhishma said Thus addressed by the ascetic, the Shudra began to think in his mind, o king How should I now act? I have great reverence for those religious duties which lead to merit.

Let this, however, be settled, that I shall do what would be for my behoof. Proceeding to a spot that was distant from that hermitage, he inade a hut of the twigs and leaves of trees.

Erecting also a sacrificial platform and making a little room for his sleep, and some platforms for the use of the gods, he began, O chief of the Bharatas, to lead a life governed by rigid observances and vows and to practise penances, abstaining entirely from speech.

He began to perform ablutions thrice a day, observe other vows, make sacrifices to the gods, pour libations on the sacrificial fire, and adore and worship the gods in this way.

Governing all carnal desires, living sparingly upon fruits and roots, governing all his senses, he daily welcomed and entertained all that came to his hermitage as guests, offering them herbs and fruits which grew in abundance around. In this way he passed a very long time in that hermitage of his.

One day an ascetic came to that Shudra's asylum for making his acquaintance. The Sudra welcomed and adored the Rishi with due rites, and pleased him highly.

Possessed of great energy, and a righteous soul, that Rishi of rigid vows conversed with his host on many agreeable subjects and informed him of the place whence he had come.

In this way, O chief of the Bharatas, that Rishi, O best of men, came into the hermitage of the Shudra in numerable times for seeing him.

On one of these occasions the Shudra, O king, addressing the Rishi, said I wish to perform the rites that are ordained for the Pitris. Do you show me kindness in this matter.

Very well the Brahmana said in reply to him, O king. Then, purifying himself by a bath, the Shudra brought water for the Rishi to wash his feet, and he also brought some Kusha grass, and wild herbs and fruits, and a sacred seat. and the seat called Vrishi.

The Vrishi, however, was placed by the Shudra towards the south, with its head turned to the west. Seeing this and knowing that it was against the ordinance, the Rishi addressed the Shudra, saying Place the Vrishni with its head turned towards the East and having purified yourself, do you sit with your face turned towards the north.The Shudra did everything as the Rishi directed.

Endued with great intelligence, and practising righteousness, the Shudra received every direction, about the Sraddha, as laid down in the ordinance, from that Rishi gifted with penances, marking the manner of spreading the Kusha grass, and placing the Arghyas, and as regards the rites to be observed in the matter of the libations to be poured and the food to be offered. After the rites in honour of the Pitris had been finished, the Rishi, was sent away the Shudra, whercupon he returned to his own abode. After a long time, the whole of which he passed practising such penances and vows, the Shudra ascetic died in the those woods. On account of I the merit he acquired by those practices, the Shudra, in his next life, was born in the family of a great king, and in time became possessed of great splendour. The twiceborn Rishi also, when the time came, paid his debt to Nature.

In his next life, O chief of Bharata's race, he was born in the family of a priest. Thus those two, viz., that Shudra who had passed a life of penances and that twiceborn Rishi who had out of kindness given the former some instructions in the matter of the rites performed in honour of the Pitris, became reborn, the one as the son of a royal race and the other as the member of a priestly family.

Both of them began to grow and both gained great knowledge in the usual branches of study. The Brahmana became well versed in the Vedas as also in the Atharvans.

The reborn Rishi gained great perfection in all sacrifices ordained in the Sutras, of the Vedanga which deals with religious rites and observances, astrology and astronomy. He took great pleasure in the Sankhya philosophy too.

Meanwhile, the reborn Shudra who had become a prince, when his father the king died, performed his last rites; and after he had purified himself by performing all the obsequial rites, he was installed by the subjects of his father as their king on his paternal throne.

But soon after his own installation as king, he installed the rebora Rishi as his priest. Having made the Brahmana his priest, the king began to pass his days happily.

He ruled his kingdom piously and protected and maintained all his subject. Every day, however, the king, seeing his priest on the occasion of receiving benedictions from him as also of the performance of religious and other sacred rites, smiled or laughed loudly. In this way, O king, the reborn Shudra who had become a king, laughed at seeing his priest on numberless occasions.

The priest, marking that the king always smiled or laughed whenever he happened to look at him, became angry.

On one occasion he met the king in a place where there was nobody present. He pleased the king by agreeable conversation.

Taking advantage of that moment, О chief of Bharata's race, the priest addressed the king, saying you of great splendour, I pray you to grant me a single boon.

The king said Of boons, O best of twiceborn persons, I am ready to grant you a hundred, what do you say then of one only? From the affection I have for you and the reverence in which I hold you, there is nothing that I cannot give you.

The priest said I wish to have only one boon, if, O king, you have been pleased with me. Promise that you would tell me the truth, instead of any untruth.

Bhishma said Thus addressed by the priest, O Yudhishthira, the king said to himSo be it! If I know what you would ask me, I shall certainly tell you truly. If, on the other hand, I do not know it, I shall not say anything.

The priest said Every day, on occasions of receiving benedictions from me, when, again, I am engaged in the performance of religious rites, on your behalf, on occasions also of the Homa and other rites of propitiation, why do you laugh upon seeing me?

Seeing you laugh at me on all occasions, my mind shrinks with shame, I have made you promise, O king, that you would answer me truly. You should not tell an untruth.

There must be some grave reason for your conduct. Your laughter cannot be causeless. I have great curiosity to know the reason. Do you speak truly to me.

The king said While you have thus accosted me, o twiceborn one, I am bound to enlighten you even if the matter be one that should not be given out to you! I must tell you the truth. Do you listen to me with rapt attention, O twiceborn one.

Listen, O foremost of twiceborn persons, to me as I give out to you what took place (to us) in our pristine births. I remember that birth. Do you listen to me with concentrated mind.

In my former life I was a Shudra engaged in the practice of severe penances. You, O best of twiceborn persons, were a Rishi of austere penances.

O sinless one, pleased with me, and moved by the desire of doing me good, you, O Brahmana, were pleased to give me certain instruction about the rites I performed in honour of my departed manes.

You instructed me about the manner of spreading the Vrishi and the Kusha blades and of offering libations and meat and other food, O foremost of ascetics. On account of this transgression of yours you are born as a priest.

I have taken birth as a king, O foremost of Brahinanas. See the changes that Time encompasses. You have reaped this fruit on account of your having instructed me.

It is for this reason, O Brahmana, that I smile at seeing you, O foremost of twiceborn persons. I do not certainly laugh at you from desire of disregarding you. You are my preceptor.

I am really very sorry at this change of condition. My heart burns at the thought. I remember our former births, hence do I laugh at seeing you.

Your austere penances were all destroyed by the instructions you gave me. Removing your present office of priest, do you try to regain a superior birth.

Do you exert so that you may not obtain in your next life a birth meaner than your present one. Take as much riches as you wish, O learned Brahmana, and purify your soul, O best of men.

Bhishma continued Dismissed by the king, the Brahmana made many gifts, to persons of his own order, of riches and land and villages.

He observed many rigid and severe vows as laid down by the foremost of Brahmanas. He sojourned to many sacred waters and made many gifts to Brahmanas in those places.

Making gifts of kine to persons of the twiceborn order, his soul became purified and he succeeded in gaining a knowledge of it. Going to that very asylum where he had lived in his former birth, he practised very severe penances.

As the result of all this, O foremost of kings, that Brahmana gained the highest success. He became an object of respect with all the ascetics who lived in that asylum.

In this way, O best of kings, that twice born Rishi fell into great distress. The Brahmana should, therefore, never give instructions to Shudras.

Hence, O king, the Brahmana should avoid delivering instructions to such as are lowborn, for it was by giving instructions to a lowborn person a Brahmana came to grief. O best of kings, the Brahmana should never desire to acquire instruction from, or impart instruction to, a person who belongs to the lowest order.

Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaishyas, these three orders, are considered as twice born. By delivering instruction to these, a Brahmana does not commit any sin.

They, therefore, who are good, should never discourse on any subject, for giving any instruction, before persons of the inferior caste. The course of morality is highly subtle and incapable of being understood by persons of uncleansed soul.

It is for this reason that ascetics adopt the vow of silence, and, honoured by all, pass through initiation without speaking a single word, For fear of saying what is incorrect or what may offend, ascetics never utter a single word.

Even men who are righteous and endued with every accomplishment, and truth and simplicity of conduct, have been known to commit great sin on account of words spoken improperly.

Instruction should never be given on anything to any person. If on account of the instructions given, the instructed cominit any sin, that sin attaches to the Brahmana who gave the instruction.

The wise man, therefore, who wishes to acquire merit, should always act with wisdom. That instruction which is given in exchange for money always sullies the instructor.

Requested by others, one should say only what is correct after determining it with the help of reflection. One should give instruction in such a way that one may, by giving it, acquire merit.

I have thus told you everything about instructions very often persons become plunged into great afflictions on account of giving instruction. Hence it is proper that one should abstain from giving instruction to others.