Mahabharata — Volume IX (Dutt edition) — Chapter 135

MBh 9 135.1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच के भोज्या ब्राह्मणस्येह के भोज्याः क्षत्रियस्य ह। तथा वैश्यस्य के भोज्याः के शूद्रस्य च भारत॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ke bhojyā brāhmaṇasyeha ke bhojyāḥ kṣatriyasya ha| tathā vaiśyasya ke bhojyāḥ ke śūdrasya ca bhārata||

Yudhishthira said Who are those persons, O Bharata from whom a Brahman in this world may take his food? From whom may a Kshatriya, a Vaishya and a Shudra take their food respectively?

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.2

भीष्म उवाच ब्राह्मणा ब्राह्मणस्येह भोज्या ये चैव क्षत्रियाः। वैश्याश्चापि तथा भोज्याः शूद्राश्च परिवर्जिताः॥

bhīṣma uvāca brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇasyeha bhojyā ye caiva kṣatriyāḥ| vaiśyāścāpi tathā bhojyāḥ śūdrāśca parivarjitāḥ||

Bhishma said A Brahmana may take his food from another Brahmana or from a Kshatriya or from a Vaishya but he must never take food from a Shudra.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.3

ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्या भोज्या वै क्षत्रियस्य ह। वर्जनीयास्तु वै शूद्राः सर्वभक्षा विकर्मिणः॥

brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā vaiśyā bhojyā vai kṣatriyasya ha| varjanīyāstu vai śūdrāḥ sarvabhakṣā vikarmiṇaḥ||

A Kshatriya may take his food from a Brahmana, a Kshatriya or a Vaishya. He must, however, not take food given by Shudras who are given to evil ways and who partake of all sorts of food without any hesitation.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.4

वैश्यास्तु भोज्या विप्राणां क्षत्रियाणां तथैव च। नित्याग्नयो विविक्ताश्च चातुर्मास्यरताश्च ये॥

vaiśyāstu bhojyā viprāṇāṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ tathaiva ca| nityāgnayo viviktāśca cāturmāsyaratāśca ye||

Brahmanas and Kshatriyas can partake of food given by such Vaishyas as serve the sacred fire everyday as are faultless in character and as perform the VOW of Chaturmasya.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.5

शूद्राणामथ यो भुङ्क्ते स भुङ्क्ते पृथिवीमलम्। मलं नृणां स पिबति मलं भुङ्क्ते जनस्य च॥

śūdrāṇāmatha yo bhuṅkte sa bhuṅkte pṛthivīmalam| malaṃ nṛṇāṃ sa pibati malaṃ bhuṅkte janasya ca||

But the man who accepts food from a Shudra, swallows the very abomination of the Earth and drinks the excretions of the human body, and partakes of the filth of all the world.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.6

शूद्राणां यस्तथा भुक्ते स भुङ्क्ते पृथिवीमलम्। पृथिवीमलमश्नन्ति ये द्विजाः शूद्रभोजिनः॥

śūdrāṇāṃ yastathā bhukte sa bhuṅkte pṛthivīmalam| pṛthivīmalamaśnanti ye dvijāḥ śūdrabhojinaḥ||

He partakes of the very filth of the Earth who takes his food thus from a Shudra. Indeed, those Brahinanas who accept their food from Shudras, take the dirt of the Earth.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.7

शूद्रस्य कर्मनिष्ठायां विकर्मस्थोऽपि पच्यते। ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियो वैश्यो विकर्मस्थश्च पच्यते॥

śūdrasya karmaniṣṭhāyāṃ vikarmastho'pi pacyate| brāhmaṇaḥ kṣatriyo vaiśyo vikarmasthaśca pacyate||

If one engages in the service of a Shudra, he is doomed to perdition though he may duly perform all the rites of his caste. A Brahmana a Kshatriya or a Vaishya, so engaging is doomed although given to the proper performance of religious rites.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.8

स्वाध्यायनिरता विप्रास्तथा स्वस्त्ययने नृणाम्। रक्षणे क्षत्रियं प्राहुर्वैश्यं पृष्ट्यर्थमेव च॥

svādhyāyaniratā viprāstathā svastyayane nṛṇām| rakṣaṇe kṣatriyaṃ prāhurvaiśyaṃ pṛṣṭyarthameva ca||

It is said that a Brahmana's duty consists in studying the Vedas and seeking the behoof of humanity that a Kshatriyas duty consists in protecting men and that a Vaishyas promoting their material prosperity.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.9

करोति कर्म यद् वैश्यस्तद् गत्वा ह्युपजीवति। कृषिगोरक्ष्यवाणिज्यमकुत्सा वैश्यकर्माणि॥

karoti karma yad vaiśyastad gatvā hyupajīvati| kṛṣigorakṣyavāṇijyamakutsā vaiśyakarmāṇi||

A Vaishya lives by distributing the fruits of his own deeds and agriculture. The breeding of kine and trade are the legitimate duties in which a Vaishya may engage without fear of censure.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.10

शूद्रकर्म तु यः कुर्यादवहाय स्वकर्म च। स विज्ञेयो यथा शूद्रो न च भोज्य: कदाचन।॥

śūdrakarma tu yaḥ kuryādavahāya svakarma ca| sa vijñeyo yathā śūdro na ca bhojya: kadācana|||

The man who gives up his own proper occupation and does that of a Shudra, should be regarded as a Shudra, and on no account should any food be accepted from him.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.11

चिकित्सकः काण्डपृष्ठः पुराध्यक्षः पुरोहितः। सांवत्सरो वृथाध्यायी सर्वे ते शूद्रसम्मिताः॥

cikitsakaḥ kāṇḍapṛṣṭhaḥ purādhyakṣaḥ purohitaḥ| sāṃvatsaro vṛthādhyāyī sarve te śūdrasammitāḥ||

Professors of medicine mercenary soldiers, the priest who acts as warder of the house, and persons who devote a whole year to study without any profit are all to be regarded as Shudras.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.12

शूद्रकर्मस्वथैतेषु यो भुङ्क्ते निरपत्रपः। अभोज्यभोजनं भुक्त्वा भयं प्राप्नोति दारुणम्॥ कुलं वीर्यं च तेजश्च तिर्यग्योनित्वमेव च। स प्रयाति यथा श्वा वै निष्क्रियो धर्मवर्जितः॥

śūdrakarmasvathaiteṣu yo bhuṅkte nirapatrapaḥ| abhojyabhojanaṃ bhuktvā bhayaṃ prāpnoti dāruṇam|| kulaṃ vīryaṃ ca tejaśca tiryagyonitvameva ca| sa prayāti yathā śvā vai niṣkriyo dharmavarjitaḥ||

And those who foolishly partake of food offered at ceremonials in a Shudra's house, suffer from a dreadful disaster. On account of partaking such forbidden food, they loose their family strength and energy, and acquire the status of lower animals degenerating to the position of dogs fallen in virtue and devoid of all religious observances.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.13

भुक्त चिकित्सकस्यान्नं तदनं च पुरीषवत्। पुंश्चल्यन्नं च मूत्रं स्यात् कारुकानं च शोणितम्॥१४

bhukta cikitsakasyānnaṃ tadanaṃ ca purīṣavat| puṃścalyannaṃ ca mūtraṃ syāt kārukānaṃ ca śoṇitam||14

He who takes food from a physician, takes but an excrement; the food of a harlot is like urine; that of a skilled mechanic is like blood.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.14

विद्योपजीविनोऽन्नं च यो भुङ्क्ते साधुसम्मतः। तदप्यन्नं यथा शौद्रं तत् साधुः परिवर्जयेत्॥

vidyopajīvino'nnaṃ ca yo bhuṅkte sādhusammataḥ| tadapyannaṃ yathā śaudraṃ tat sādhuḥ parivarjayet||

If a good Brahmana takes the food of one who lives by his learning. he is considered as taking the food of a Shudra. All good men should avoid such food.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.15

विचनीयस्य यो भुङ्क्ते तमाहुः शोणितं ह्रदम्। पिशुनं भोजनं भुङ्क्ते ब्रह्महत्यासमं विदुः॥

vicanīyasya yo bhuṅkte tamāhuḥ śoṇitaṃ hradam| piśunaṃ bhojanaṃ bhuṅkte brahmahatyāsamaṃ viduḥ||

The food of a person who is censured by all, is said to be like a drink from a pool of blood. The acceptance of food from a wicked person is as the killing of Brahmana.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.16

असत्कृतमवज्ञातं च भोक्तव्यं कदाचन॥ व्याधि कुलक्षयं चैव क्षिप्रं प्राप्नोति ब्राह्मणः।

asatkṛtamavajñātaṃ ca bhoktavyaṃ kadācana|| vyādhi kulakṣayaṃ caiva kṣipraṃ prāpnoti brāhmaṇaḥ|

One should not accept food if he is slighted and not received with due honors by the giver. A Brahmana, who does so, is soon possessed by disease, and his family soon becomes extinct.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.17

नगरीरक्षिणो भुङ्क्ते श्वपचप्रवणो भवेत्॥

nagarīrakṣiṇo bhuṅkte śvapacapravaṇo bhavet||

By accepting food from the warder of a city, one degenerates to the status, of the lowest outcast.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.18

गोने च ब्राह्मणध्ने च सुरापे गुरुतल्पगे। भुक्त्वान्नं जायते विप्रो रक्षसां कुलवर्धनः॥

gone ca brāhmaṇadhne ca surāpe gurutalpage| bhuktvānnaṃ jāyate vipro rakṣasāṃ kulavardhanaḥ||

If a Brahmana accepts food from one who is guilty of slaying either a cow or a Brahmana, or from one who has committed adultery with his preceptor's wife, or from a drunkard, he helps to promote the family of Rakshasas.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.19

न्यासापहारिणो भुक्त्वा कृतने क्लीववर्तिनि। जायते शबरावासे मध्यदेशबहिष्कृते॥

nyāsāpahāriṇo bhuktvā kṛtane klīvavartini| jāyate śabarāvāse madhyadeśabahiṣkṛte||

By taking food from a eunuch or from an ungrateful person, or from one who has misappropriated money entrusted to his care, one is born in the country of the Sabaras situated beyond the limit of the middle country.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.20

अभोज्याश्चैव भोज्याश्च मया प्रोक्ता यथाविधि। किमन्यदद्य कौन्तेय मत्तस्त्वं श्रोतुमिच्छसि॥

abhojyāścaiva bhojyāśca mayā proktā yathāvidhi| kimanyadadya kaunteya mattastvaṃ śrotumicchasi||

I have thus duly described to you the persons from whom food may be accepted and from whom it may not. Now tell me, O Kunti, what else do you wish to hear from me today. son of misappropriated money entrusted to his care, one is born in the country of the Sabaras situated beyond the limit of the middle country.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 9 135.21

अभोज्याश्चैव भोज्याश्च मया प्रोक्ता यथाविधि। किमन्यदद्य कौन्तेय मत्तस्त्वं श्रोतुमिच्छसि॥

abhojyāścaiva bhojyāśca mayā proktā yathāvidhi| kimanyadadya kaunteya mattastvaṃ śrotumicchasi||

I have thus duly described to you the persons from whom food may be accepted and from whom it may not. Now tell me, O Kunti, what else do you wish to hear from me today. son of

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)