Mahabharata — Volume VII (Dutt edition) — Chapter 76
MBh 7 76.1
युधिष्ठिर उवाच स्वकर्मण्यपरे युक्तास्तथैवान्ये विकर्मणि। तेषां विशेषमाचक्ष्व ब्राह्मणानां पितामह॥
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca svakarmaṇyapare yuktāstathaivānye vikarmaṇi| teṣāṃ viśeṣamācakṣva brāhmaṇānāṃ pitāmaha||
Yudhishthira said O grandfather, amongst Brahmanas some follow the duties proper to their order while others follow other duties. Tell me the difference between tow lasses.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 76.2
भीष्म उवाच विद्यालक्षणसम्पन्नाः सर्वत्र समदर्शिनः। एते ब्रह्मसमा राजन् ब्राह्मणाः परिकीर्तिताः॥
bhīṣma uvāca vidyālakṣaṇasampannāḥ sarvatra samadarśinaḥ| ete brahmasamā rājan brāhmaṇāḥ parikīrtitāḥ||
Those Brahmanas, o king, who are learned and beneficent, and who look upon all creatures impartially, are said to be equal to। Brahma.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 76.3
ऋग्जयुःसामसम्पन्ना सर्वेषु कर्मस्ववस्थिताः। एते देवसमा राजन् ब्राह्मणानां भवन्त्युत॥
ṛgjayuḥsāmasampannā sarveṣu karmasvavasthitāḥ| ete devasamā rājan brāhmaṇānāṃ bhavantyuta||
Those who are conversant with the Rishis, the Yajus, and the Samans and who follow the practices of their order, are, O king, equal to the very gods.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 76.4
जन्मकर्मविहीना ये कदर्या ब्रह्मबन्धवः। एते शूद्रसमा राजन् ब्राह्मणानां भवन्त्युत॥
janmakarmavihīnā ye kadaryā brahmabandhavaḥ| ete śūdrasamā rājan brāhmaṇānāṃ bhavantyuta||
Those, however, who are not well-born and do not follow the duties of their order, and are, addicted to evil practices, are like Shudras.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 76.5
अश्रोत्रियाः सर्व एव सर्वे चानाहिताग्नयः। तान् सर्वान् धार्मिको राजा बलिं विष्टिं च कारयेत्॥
aśrotriyāḥ sarva eva sarve cānāhitāgnayaḥ| tān sarvān dhārmiko rājā baliṃ viṣṭiṃ ca kārayet||
A virtuous king should realise tribute from and compel to enter the public service without any remuneration those Brahmanas who are not well read in the Vedas and who have not their own fires to worship.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 76.6
आह्वायका देवलका नाक्षत्रा ग्रामयाजकाः। एते ब्राह्मणचाण्डाला महापथिकपञ्चमाः॥
āhvāyakā devalakā nākṣatrā grāmayājakāḥ| ete brāhmaṇacāṇḍālā mahāpathikapañcamāḥ||
Those, who are employed in law courts for summoning people, those who perform worship for other for money, those who perform the sacrifices of Vaishyas and Shudras, those who officiate in sacrifices on behalf of a whole village, and those who make voyages on the ocean,—these five are regarded as Chandalas among Brahmanas.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 76.7
ऋत्विक् पुरोहितो मन्त्री दूतो वार्तानुकर्षकः। एते क्षत्रसमा राजन् ब्राह्मणानां भवन्त्युत॥
ṛtvik purohito mantrī dūto vārtānukarṣakaḥ| ete kṣatrasamā rājan brāhmaṇānāṃ bhavantyuta||
Those who become Ritwijas, Purohitas, counsellors, envoys and messengers become, O king, equal to Kshatriyas.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 76.8
अश्वारोहा गजारोहा रथिनोऽथ पदातयः। एते वैश्यसमा राजन् ब्राह्मणानां भवन्त्युत॥
aśvārohā gajārohā rathino'tha padātayaḥ| ete vaiśyasamā rājan brāhmaṇānāṃ bhavantyuta||
Those, who ride horses or elephants or cars or become foot-soldiers, become, O king, equal to Vaishyas.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 76.9
एतेभ्यो बलिमादद्याद्धीनकोशो महीपतिः। ऋते ब्रह्मसमेभ्यश्च देवकल्पेभ्य एव च॥
etebhyo balimādadyāddhīnakośo mahīpatiḥ| ṛte brahmasamebhyaśca devakalpebhya eva ca||
If the king's treasury is not well replenished, he may take tribute from these. In realising tribute, the king, however, should except those Brahmanas who are equal to the gods or Brahma.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 76.10
अब्राह्मणानां वित्तस्य स्वामी राजेति वैदिकम्। ब्राह्मणानां च ये केचिद् विकर्मस्था भवन्त्युत॥
abrāhmaṇānāṃ vittasya svāmī rājeti vaidikam| brāhmaṇānāṃ ca ye kecid vikarmasthā bhavantyuta||
The Vedas say that the king is the master of the wealth of all the orders except Brahmanas. He can take the wealth of those Brahmanas who have neglected to perform their legitimate duties.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 76.11
विकर्मस्थाश्च नोपेक्ष्या विप्रा राज्ञा कथंचन। नियम्याः संविभज्याश्च धर्मानुग्रहकारणात्॥
vikarmasthāśca nopekṣyā viprā rājñā kathaṃcana| niyamyāḥ saṃvibhajyāśca dharmānugrahakāraṇāt||
The king should never treat in-differently those Brahmanas who do not observe their duties. For the sake of making his people virtuous, he should punish and take them away from their betters.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 76.12
यस्य स्म विषये राजन् स्तेनो भवति वै द्विजः। राज्ञ एवापराधं तं मन्यन्ते तद्विदो जनाः॥
yasya sma viṣaye rājan steno bhavati vai dvijaḥ| rājña evāparādhaṃ taṃ manyante tadvido janāḥ||
That king, O monarch, in whose territories a Brahmana becomes a thief, is charged by the learned as the doer of that misdeed.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 76.13
अवृत्त्या यो भवेत् स्तेनो वेदवित् स्नातकस्तथा। राजन् स राज्ञा भर्तव्य इति वेदविदो विदुः॥
avṛttyā yo bhavet steno vedavit snātakastathā| rājan sa rājñā bhartavya iti vedavido viduḥ||
Persons conversant with the Vedas declare that if a Brahmana versed in the Vedas and observant of vows becomes, through want of means, a thief, it is the duty of the king to support him.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 76.14
स चेन्नो परिवर्तेत कृतवृत्तिः परंतप। ततो निर्वासनीयः स्यात् तस्माद् देशात् सबान्धवः।
sa cenno parivarteta kṛtavṛttiḥ paraṃtapa| tato nirvāsanīyaḥ syāt tasmād deśāt sabāndhavaḥ|
If, after provision has been made for his maintenance, he does not abstain from thefts, he should then, O scorcher of foes, be exiled from the kingdom with all his relatives.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)