Mahabharata — Volume IX (Dutt edition) — Chapter 48

MBh 9 48.1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच अर्थाल्लोभाद् वा कामाद् वा वर्णानां चाप्यनिश्चयात्। अज्ञानाद् वापि वर्णानां जायते वर्णसंकरः॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca arthāllobhād vā kāmād vā varṇānāṃ cāpyaniścayāt| ajñānād vāpi varṇānāṃ jāyate varṇasaṃkaraḥ||

Yudhishthira said The intermixture of castes is brought about through inducements offered by richies, or through mere lust, or through ignorance of the true order of birth.

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

MBh 9 48.2

तेषामेतेन विधिना जातानां वर्णसंकरे। को धर्मः कानि कर्माणि तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥

teṣāmetena vidhinā jātānāṃ varṇasaṃkare| ko dharmaḥ kāni karmāṇi tanme brūhi pitāmaha||

What, O grandfather, are the duties of persons who are born in the mixed classes and what are the acts laid down for them? Do you describe them to me.

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

MBh 9 48.3

भीष्म उवाच चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य कर्माणि चातुर्वण्र्यं च केवलम्। असृजत् स हि यज्ञार्थे पूर्वमेव प्रजापतिः॥

bhīṣma uvāca cāturvarṇyasya karmāṇi cāturvaṇryaṃ ca kevalam| asṛjat sa hi yajñārthe pūrvameva prajāpatiḥ||

Bhishma said In the beginning, the Lord of all creatures created the four castes and laid down their respective duties, for the sake of sacrifice.

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

MBh 9 48.4

भार्याश्चतस्रो विप्रस्य द्वयोरात्मा प्रजायते। आनुपूर्व्याद् द्वयो_नौ मातृजात्यौ प्रसूयतः॥

bhāryāścatasro viprasya dvayorātmā prajāyate| ānupūrvyād dvayo_nau mātṛjātyau prasūyataḥ||

The Brahmana may take four wives, one from each of the four castes. In two of them, he takes birth himself. Those sons, however, who are begotten by him on the two other inferior, (viz., Vaishya and Shudra), are inferior, their position being settled not by that of their father but by that of their mothers.

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

MBh 9 48.5

परं शवाद् ब्राह्मणस्यैव पुत्रः शूद्रापुत्रं पारशवं तमाहुः। शुश्रूषकः स्वस्य कुलस्य स स्यात् स्वचारित्रं नित्यमथो न जह्यात्॥

paraṃ śavād brāhmaṇasyaiva putraḥ śūdrāputraṃ pāraśavaṃ tamāhuḥ| śuśrūṣakaḥ svasya kulasya sa syāt svacāritraṃ nityamatho na jahyāt||

The son begotten by a Brahmana upon a Shudra wife is called Parashva, meaning one bom of a dead body for the Shudra woman's body is as inauspicious as a dead body. He should serve the persons of his (father's) race. Indeed, it is not proper for him to renounce the duty of service that has been laid down for him.

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

MBh 9 48.6

सर्वानुपायानथ सम्प्रधार्य समुद्धरेत् स्वस्य कुलस्य तन्त्रम्। ज्येष्ठो यवीयानपि यो द्विजस्य शुश्रूषया दानपरायणः स्यात्॥

sarvānupāyānatha sampradhārya samuddharet svasya kulasya tantram| jyeṣṭho yavīyānapi yo dvijasya śuśrūṣayā dānaparāyaṇaḥ syāt||

With all means in his power, he should maintain his family. Even if he happens to be elder in age, he should still dutifully serve the other children of his father, who in age may be younger to him, and give them whatever he may succeed in acquiring.

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

MBh 9 48.7

तिस्रः क्षत्रियसम्बन्धाद् द्वयोरात्मास्य जायते। हीनवर्णास्तृतीयायां शूद्रा उग्रा इति स्मृतिः॥

tisraḥ kṣatriyasambandhād dvayorātmāsya jāyate| hīnavarṇāstṛtīyāyāṃ śūdrā ugrā iti smṛtiḥ||

A Kshatriya may take three wives. In two of them, he takes birth himself. His third wife being of the Shudra caste, is considered as very inferior. The son that he begets upon her is called an Ugra.

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

MBh 9 48.8

द्वो चापि भार्ये द्वयोरात्मास्य जायते। शूद्रा शूद्रस्य यचाप्येका शूद्रमेव प्रजायते॥

dvo cāpi bhārye dvayorātmāsya jāyate| śūdrā śūdrasya yacāpyekā śūdrameva prajāyate||

The Vaishya may take two wives. In both of them, he takes birth himself. The Shudra can take only one wife, from his own caste. The son begotten by him upon her becomes a Shudra.

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

MBh 9 48.9

अतोऽविशिष्टस्त्वधमो गुरुदारप्रधर्षकः। बाह्यं वर्णं जनयति चातुर्वर्ण्यविगर्हितम्॥

ato'viśiṣṭastvadhamo gurudārapradharṣakaḥ| bāhyaṃ varṇaṃ janayati cāturvarṇyavigarhitam||

A son who takes birth under circumstances other than those mentioned above, is considered as a very inferior one. If a person of a lower caste begets a son upon a woman of a superior caste, such son is regarded as outside the pale of the four pure castes. Indeed, such son becomes an object of derision with the four principal castes.

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

MBh 9 48.10

विप्रायां क्षत्रियो बाह्यं सूतं स्तोमक्रियापरम्। वैश्यो वैदेहकं चापि मौद्गल्यमपवर्जितम्॥

viprāyāṃ kṣatriyo bāhyaṃ sūtaṃ stomakriyāparam| vaiśyo vaidehakaṃ cāpi maudgalyamapavarjitam||

If a Kshatriya begets a son upon Brahmani woman, such son, without being included in any of the four pure castes, comes to be considered as a Suta, The duties of a Suta consist in reciting eulogies and encomiums of kings and other great men. The son begotten by a Vaishya upon a woman of the Brahmana, order, is known as a Vaidehaka. Their duties consist in taking charge of bars and bolts for protecting the privacy of women of respectable families. Such sons have no purifying rites laid down for them.

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

MBh 9 48.11

शूद्रश्चाण्डालमत्युग्रं वध्यघ्नं बाह्यवासिनम्। ब्राह्मण्यां सम्प्रजायन्त इत्येते कुलपांसनाः। एते मतिमतां श्रेष्ठ वर्णसंकरजाः प्रभो॥

śūdraścāṇḍālamatyugraṃ vadhyaghnaṃ bāhyavāsinam| brāhmaṇyāṃ samprajāyanta ityete kulapāṃsanāḥ| ete matimatāṃ śreṣṭha varṇasaṃkarajāḥ prabho||

If a Shudra knows a woman belonging to the foremost of the four castes, the son that is begotten is called a Chandala. Endued with a dreadful disposition, he must live in the outskirts of cities and towns and his duty is that are a or। of the public executioner. Such sons are always considered as wretches of their race. These, O foremost of intelligent persons, the offspring of intermixed castes.

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

MBh 9 48.12

बन्दी तु जायते वैश्यान्मागधो वाक्यजीवनः। शूद्रान्निषादो मत्स्यनः क्षत्रियायां व्यतिक्रमात्॥

bandī tu jāyate vaiśyānmāgadho vākyajīvanaḥ| śūdrānniṣādo matsyanaḥ kṣatriyāyāṃ vyatikramāt||

The son begotten by a Vaishya upon a Kshatriya woman becomes Bandi Magadha. His duties are eloquent recitations of praise. The son begotten through transgression, by a Shudra upon a Kshatriya woman, becomes a Nishada and his duties consist in the catching of fish.

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

MBh 9 48.13

शूद्रादायोगवश्चापि वैश्यायां ग्राभ्यधर्मिणः। ब्राह्मणैरप्रतिग्राह्यस्तक्षा स्वधनजीवनः॥

śūdrādāyogavaścāpi vaiśyāyāṃ grābhyadharmiṇaḥ| brāhmaṇairapratigrāhyastakṣā svadhanajīvanaḥ||

If a Shudra happens to know a Vaishya woman, the son begotten upon her comes to be called Ayogava. The duties of such a person are those of a carpenter. The Brahmana should never accept gifts from such a person. They are not entitled to possess any kind of riches.

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

MBh 9 48.14

एतेऽपि सदृशान् वर्णान् जनयन्ति स्वयोनिषु। मातृजात्याः प्रसूयन्ते ह्यवरा हीनयोनिषु॥

ete'pi sadṛśān varṇān janayanti svayoniṣu| mātṛjātyāḥ prasūyante hyavarā hīnayoniṣu||

Persons belonging to the mixed castes beget upon wives taken from their own castes children invested with their position. When they procreate children in women taken from other inferior castes, such children become inferior to their fathers, for they become invested with the position of their mothers.

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

MBh 9 48.15

यथा चतुर्पु वर्णेषु द्वयोरात्मास्य जायते। आनन्तर्यात् प्रजायन्ते तथा बाह्यः प्रधानतः॥

yathā caturpu varṇeṣu dvayorātmāsya jāyate| ānantaryāt prajāyante tathā bāhyaḥ pradhānataḥ||

Thus as regards the four pure castes, persons beget children invested with their own position upon wives taken from their own castes as also upon them that are taken from the castes immediately below their own. When, however, offspring is begotten upon other wives, they are regarded as invested with a position that is, principally, outside the pale of the four pure castes.

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

MBh 9 48.16

ते चापि सदृशं वर्णं जनयन्ति स्वयोनिषु। परस्परस्य दारेषु जनयन्ति विगर्हितान्॥ तु

te cāpi sadṛśaṃ varṇaṃ janayanti svayoniṣu| parasparasya dāreṣu janayanti vigarhitān|| tu

When such children beget sons in women, taken from their own classes, those sons take the position of their fathers. It is only when they take wives from castes other than their own, that the children they beget, become invested with inferior position.

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

MBh 9 48.17

यथा शूद्रोऽपि ब्राह्मण्यां जन्तुं बाह्यं प्रसूयते। एवं बाह्यतराद् बाह्यश्चातुर्वर्णात् प्रजायते॥

yathā śūdro'pi brāhmaṇyāṃ jantuṃ bāhyaṃ prasūyate| evaṃ bāhyatarād bāhyaścāturvarṇāt prajāyate||

As an example of this it may be said that a Shudra begets upon a woman belonging to the inost superior cast a son that is outside the pale of the four castes, by uniting with women belonging to the four principal castes, begets offspring that is further degraded in point of position.

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

MBh 9 48.18

प्रतिलोमं वर्धन्ते बाह्याद् बाह्यतरात् पुनः। हीनाद्धीनाः प्रसूयन्ते वर्णाः पञ्चदशैव तु॥

pratilomaṃ vardhante bāhyād bāhyatarāt punaḥ| hīnāddhīnāḥ prasūyante varṇāḥ pañcadaśaiva tu||

From those outside the pale of the four castes and those again that are further outside that limit, children multiply on account of the union of persons with women of classes superior to their own. Thus, from persons of inferior position classes spring up, altogether fifteen in number, that are equally low or still lower in dignity.

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

MBh 9 48.19

अगम्यागमनाच्चैव जायते वर्णसंकरः। बाह्यानामनुजायन्ते सैरन्ध्रयां मागधेषु च। प्रसाधनोपचारज्ञमदासं दासजीवनम्॥

agamyāgamanāccaiva jāyate varṇasaṃkaraḥ| bāhyānāmanujāyante sairandhrayāṃ māgadheṣu ca| prasādhanopacārajñamadāsaṃ dāsajīvanam||

It is only from sexual union with women of persons who should not have such union with them that mixed castes originate. Among the classes that are thus outside the limit of the four principal or pure castes, children are begotten upon woman belonging to the class called Sairindhri by men of the class called Magadha.

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

MBh 9 48.20

अतश्चायोगवं सूते वागुराबन्धजीवनम्। मैरेयकं च वैदेहः सम्प्रसूतेऽथ माधुकम्॥

ataścāyogavaṃ sūte vāgurābandhajīvanam| maireyakaṃ ca vaidehaḥ samprasūte'tha mādhukam||

The occupation of such children is the adorement of the bodies of kings and others. They are well acquainted with the preparation of unguents, the making of garlands, and the manufacture of articles used for the decoration of the body. Though free by the position that belongs to them by birth, they should live like servants. From the union of Magadhas of a certain class with women of the caste called Sairindhri, another caste originates, called Ayogava. Their business consists in the making of nets. Vaidehas, by knowing Sairindhri women, beget children called Maireyakas whose business is the manufacture of wines and spirits.

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

MBh 9 48.21

निषादो मद्गुरं सूते दासं नावोपजीविनम्। मृतपं चापि चाण्डालः श्वपाकमिति विश्रुतम्॥

niṣādo madguraṃ sūte dāsaṃ nāvopajīvinam| mṛtapaṃ cāpi cāṇḍālaḥ śvapākamiti viśrutam||

From the Nishadas originate a caste called Madgura and another known by the name of Dasas whose business is plying boats. From the Chandalas originates a race called Shvapaka whose business lies in keeping guard over the dead.

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

MBh 9 48.22

चतुरो मागधी सूते क्रूरान् मायोपजीविनः। मांसं स्वादुकरं क्षौद्रं सौगन्धमिति विश्रुतम्॥

caturo māgadhī sūte krūrān māyopajīvinaḥ| māṃsaṃ svādukaraṃ kṣaudraṃ saugandhamiti viśrutam||

The women of the Magadhi caste, by union with these four castes of wicked nature, produce four others who live by deceitful means. These are Mangsa, Svadukara, Kshaudra, and Saugandha.

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

MBh 9 48.23

वैदेहकाच्च पापिष्ठा क्रूरं मायोपजीविनम्। निषादान्मद्रनाभं च खरयानप्रयायिनम्॥

vaidehakācca pāpiṣṭhā krūraṃ māyopajīvinam| niṣādānmadranābhaṃ ca kharayānaprayāyinam||

From the Vaideha originates cruel and sinful caste that lives by practising deception. From the Nishadas again originates the Madranabha caste whose members are seen to ride on cars drawn by asses.

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

MBh 9 48.24

चाण्डालात् पुल्कसं चापि खराश्वगजभोजिनम्। मृतचैलप्रतिच्छन्नं भिन्नभाजनभोजिनम्॥

cāṇḍālāt pulkasaṃ cāpi kharāśvagajabhojinam| mṛtacailapraticchannaṃ bhinnabhājanabhojinam||

From the Chandalas originates the caste called Pukkasa whose members are seen to eat the flesh of asses, horses and elephants. These are clad in clothes, procured by stripping human corpses. They are again seen to eat off broken earthenware.

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

MBh 9 48.25

आयोगवीषु जायन्ते हीनवर्णास्तु ते त्रयः। क्षुद्रो वैदेहकाद-ध्रो बहिर्गामप्रतिश्रयः॥

āyogavīṣu jāyante hīnavarṇāstu te trayaḥ| kṣudro vaidehakāda-dhro bahirgāmapratiśrayaḥ||

These three castes of very low origin, are born of women of the Ayogava caste (by fathers taken from different castes). The caste called Kshudra originates from the Vaidehaka. The caste called Andhra which lives in the outskirts of towns and cities, also originates (from the Vaidehakas).

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

MBh 9 48.26

कारावरो निषाद्यां तु चर्मकारः प्रसूयते। चाण्डालात् पाण्डुसौपाकस्त्वक्सारव्यवहारवान्॥

kārāvaro niṣādyāṃ tu carmakāraḥ prasūyate| cāṇḍālāt pāṇḍusaupākastvaksāravyavahāravān||

Then, again, the Charmakara, knowing woman of the Nishada caste, begets the class called Karavara. From the Chandala, again, originates the caste known by the name of Pandusaupaka whose business is to make baskets and other things with cleft bamboos.

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

MBh 9 48.27

आहिण्डको निषादेन वैदेह्यां सम्प्रसूयते। चण्डालेन तु सौपाकश्चण्डालसमवृत्तिमान्॥

āhiṇḍako niṣādena vaidehyāṃ samprasūyate| caṇḍālena tu saupākaścaṇḍālasamavṛttimān||

From the union of the Nishada with a woman of the Vaidehi caste, originates one who is called by the name of Ahindaka. The Chandala begets upon a Saupaka women a son who does not differ from the Chandala in position or occupation.

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

MBh 9 48.28

निषादी चापि चाण्डालात् पुत्रमन्तेवसायिनम्। श्मशानगोचरं सूते बाबैरपि बहिष्कृतम्॥

niṣādī cāpi cāṇḍālāt putramantevasāyinam| śmaśānagocaraṃ sūte bābairapi bahiṣkṛtam||

A Nishadi woman, by union with a Chandala, produces a son who lives in the outskirts of villages and towns. Indeed, the members of such a caste live in crematoria and are considered by the very lowest orders as incapable of being classed among them.

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

MBh 9 48.29

इत्येते संकरे जाताः पितृमातृव्यतिक्रमात्। प्रच्छन्ना वा प्रकाशा वा वेदितव्याः स्वकर्मभिः।२९।

ityete saṃkare jātāḥ pitṛmātṛvyatikramāt| pracchannā vā prakāśā vā veditavyāḥ svakarmabhiḥ|29|

Thus do these mixed castes originate from improper and sinful union of fathers and mothers belonging to different castes. Whether they live hidden or openly, they should be known by their occupations.

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

MBh 9 48.30

चतुर्णामेव वर्णानां धर्मो नान्यस्य विद्यते। वर्णानां धर्महीनेषु संख्या नास्तीह कस्यचित्॥

caturṇāmeva varṇānāṃ dharmo nānyasya vidyate| varṇānāṃ dharmahīneṣu saṃkhyā nāstīha kasyacit||

The duties have been laid down in the scriptures of only the four principal castes. About others, the scriptures are entirely silent. Among all the castes, the members of those castes that have no duties assigned to them by the scriptures, need entertain no fears as to what they do.

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

MBh 9 48.31

यदृच्छयोपसम्पन्नेर्यज्ञसाधुबहिष्कृतैः। बाह्या बाह्येश्च जायन्ते यथावृत्ति यथाश्रयम्॥

yadṛcchayopasampanneryajñasādhubahiṣkṛtaiḥ| bāhyā bāhyeśca jāyante yathāvṛtti yathāśrayam||

Persons unaccustomed to the performance of sacrifices or for whom sacrifices have not been laid down, and who are deprived of the company and the instructions of the pious, whether classed among the four principal castes or out of their limit, by uniting themselves with women of other castes, led not by considerations of virtue but by uncontrolled lust, cause numerous mixed castes to originate whose occupations and houses depend on the circumstances connected with the irregular unions from which they spring.

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

MBh 9 48.32

चतुष्पथश्मशानानि शैलाश्चान्यान् वनस्पतीन्। कार्णायसमलंकारं परिगृह्य च नित्यशः॥

catuṣpathaśmaśānāni śailāścānyān vanaspatīn| kārṇāyasamalaṃkāraṃ parigṛhya ca nityaśaḥ||

Having recourse to such places where four roads meet, or crematoria, or hills and mountains, or forests and trees, they build their houses. The ornaments they wear are made of iron.

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

MBh 9 48.33

वसेयुरेते विज्ञाता वर्तयन्तः स्वकर्मभिः। युञ्जन्तो वाप्यलंकारांस्तथोपकरणानि च॥

vaseyurete vijñātā vartayantaḥ svakarmabhiḥ| yuñjanto vāpyalaṃkārāṃstathopakaraṇāni ca||

Living in such places, openly, following their own occupations for acquiring livelihood. They may be seen to live thus, adorning their persons with ornaments and engaged in the work of manufacturing various domestic and other utensils.

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

MBh 9 48.34

गोब्राह्मणाय साहाय्यं कुर्वाणा वै न संशयः। आनृशंस्यमनुक्रोशः सत्यवाक्यं तथा क्षमा॥

gobrāhmaṇāya sāhāyyaṃ kurvāṇā vai na saṃśayaḥ| ānṛśaṃsyamanukrośaḥ satyavākyaṃ tathā kṣamā||

Forsooth, by assisting kine and Brahmanas, and practising the virtues of abstention from cruelty, compassion, truthfulness of speech, and forgiveness, and, if it is necessary, protecting others by sacrificing their own lives, persons of the mixed castes, may acquire success. I have no doubt, o king that these virtucs become the causes of their success.

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

MBh 9 48.35

स्वशरीरैरपि त्राणं बाह्यानां सिद्धिकारणम्। भवन्ति मनुज्व्याघ्र तत्र मे नास्ति संशयः॥ यथोपदेशं परिकीर्तितासु नरः प्रजायेत विचार्य बुद्धिमान्। निहीनयोनिर्हि सुतोऽवसादयेत् तितीप्रमाणं हि यथोपलो जले॥

svaśarīrairapi trāṇaṃ bāhyānāṃ siddhikāraṇam| bhavanti manujvyāghra tatra me nāsti saṃśayaḥ|| yathopadeśaṃ parikīrtitāsu naraḥ prajāyeta vicārya buddhimān| nihīnayonirhi suto'vasādayet titīpramāṇaṃ hi yathopalo jale||

He who is gifted with intelligence, should, taking everything into consideration, beget children according to the scriptural injunctions, upon women that have been declared as proper or fit for him. A son begotten upon a woman belonging to a degraded caste, instead of rescuing the father, brings him to grief even as a heavy burden brings to grief a swimmer desirous of crossing a pool of water.

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

MBh 9 48.36

अविद्वांसमलं लोके विद्वांसमपि वा पुनः। नयन्ति ह्यपथं नार्यः कामक्रोधवशानुगम्॥

avidvāṃsamalaṃ loke vidvāṃsamapi vā punaḥ| nayanti hyapathaṃ nāryaḥ kāmakrodhavaśānugam||

Whether a man is learned or otherwise, lust and anger are natural tendencies of humanity in this world. Women, therefore, may always be seen to drag men into the wrong path.

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

MBh 9 48.37

स्वभावश्चैव नारीणां नराणामिह दूषणम्। अत्यर्थं न प्रसज्जन्ते प्रमदासु विपश्चितः ॥

svabhāvaścaiva nārīṇāṃ narāṇāmiha dūṣaṇam| atyarthaṃ na prasajjante pramadāsu vipaścitaḥ ||

The disposition of women is such that man's contact with her produces misery. Hence, wise men do not allow themselves to be excessively attached to women.

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

MBh 9 48.38

युधिष्ठिर उवाच वर्णापेतमविज्ञाय नरं कलुषयोनिजम्। आर्यरूपमिवानार्यं कथं विद्यामहे वयम्॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca varṇāpetamavijñāya naraṃ kaluṣayonijam| āryarūpamivānāryaṃ kathaṃ vidyāmahe vayam||

Yudhishthira said There are men who belong to the mixed castes, and who are of very impure birth. Putting respectable appearance, they are, in sooth, disrespectable. On account of those external signs we may not be able to know the truth about their birth. Are there any signs, O grandfather, by which the truth may be known about the origin of such men?

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

MBh 9 48.39

भीष्म उवाच योनिसंकलुषे जातं नानाभावसमन्वितम्। कर्मभिः सज्जनाचीर्णैर्विज्ञेया योनिशुद्धता॥

bhīṣma uvāca yonisaṃkaluṣe jātaṃ nānābhāvasamanvitam| karmabhiḥ sajjanācīrṇairvijñeyā yoniśuddhatā||

Bhishma said A person who is born of an irregular union shows various features of disposition. One's purity of birth, again, is to be determined from one's acts which must resemble the acts of those who are admittedly good and pious.

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

MBh 9 48.40

अनार्यत्वमनाचारः क्रूरत्वं निष्क्रियात्मता। पुरुषं व्यञ्जयन्तीह लोके कलुषयोनिजम्॥

anāryatvamanācāraḥ krūratvaṃ niṣkriyātmatā| puruṣaṃ vyañjayantīha loke kaluṣayonijam||

A disrespectable conduct, acts opposed to those laid down in the scriptures, crookedness and cruelty, and abstention from sacrifices and other scriptural acts that lead to merit, show one's impurity of birth.

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

MBh 9 48.41

पित्र्यं वा भजते शीलं मातृजं वा तथोभयम्। न कथंचन संकीर्णः प्रकृतिं स्वां नियच्छति॥

pitryaṃ vā bhajate śīlaṃ mātṛjaṃ vā tathobhayam| na kathaṃcana saṃkīrṇaḥ prakṛtiṃ svāṃ niyacchati||

A son inherits the disposition of either the father or the mother. Sometimes he inherits the dispositions of both. A person of impure birth can never succeed in concealing his true nature.

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

MBh 9 48.42

यथैव सदृशो रूपे मातापित्रोहि जायते। व्याघ्रश्चित्रैस्तथा योनि पुरुषः स्वां नियच्छति॥

yathaiva sadṛśo rūpe mātāpitrohi jāyate| vyāghraścitraistathā yoni puruṣaḥ svāṃ niyacchati||

As the cub of a tiger resembles its father and dam in form and in stripes or spots, so a person cannot but show the circumstance of his origin.

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

MBh 9 48.43

कुले स्रोतसि संच्छन्ने यस्य स्याद् योनिसंकरः। संश्रयत्येव तच्छीलं नरोऽल्पमथवा बहु॥

kule srotasi saṃcchanne yasya syād yonisaṃkaraḥ| saṃśrayatyeva tacchīlaṃ naro'lpamathavā bahu||

However secret may one's birth be, if that birth happens to be impure, its character or nature is sure to show itself slightly or largely.

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

MBh 9 48.44

आर्यरूपसमाचारं चरन्तं कृतके पथि। सुवर्णमन्यवर्णं वा स्वशीलं शास्ति निश्चये॥

āryarūpasamācāraṃ carantaṃ kṛtake pathi| suvarṇamanyavarṇaṃ vā svaśīlaṃ śāsti niścaye||

A person may for purposes of his own, choose to follow an insincere path, practising such conduct as seems to be pious. His own nature, however, in the matter of those acts that he does, always announces whether he belongs to a good caste or to a different one.

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

MBh 9 48.45

नानावृत्तेषु भूतेषु नानाकर्मरतेषु च। जन्मवृत्तसमं लोके सुश्लिष्टं न विरज्यते॥

nānāvṛtteṣu bhūteṣu nānākarmarateṣu ca| janmavṛttasamaṃ loke suśliṣṭaṃ na virajyate||

Creatures in the world are gifted with various kinds of disposition. They are, again, seen to be employed in various kinds of acts. Amongst creatures thus engaged, there is nothing that is so good or valuable as pure birth and righteous conduct.

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

MBh 9 48.46

शरीरमिह सत्त्वेन न तस्य परिकृष्यते। ज्येष्ठमध्यावरं सत्त्वं तुल्यसत्त्वं प्रमोदते॥

śarīramiha sattvena na tasya parikṛṣyate| jyeṣṭhamadhyāvaraṃ sattvaṃ tulyasattvaṃ pramodate||

If a person be born in a low caste, good understanding originating from a study of the scriptures fails to rescue his body from low acts. Absolute goodness of understanding is of different degrees. It may be high, middling, and low. Even if it appears in a person of low birth, it disappears like autumnal clouds without producing any result. On the other hand, goodness of understanding which, according to its measure, has ordained the position in which the person is born, shows itself in his deeds.

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

MBh 9 48.47

ज्यायांसमपि शीलेन विहीनं नैव पूजयेत्। अपि शूद्रं च धर्मज्ञं सद्वृत्तभिपूजयेत्॥

jyāyāṃsamapi śīlena vihīnaṃ naiva pūjayet| api śūdraṃ ca dharmajñaṃ sadvṛttabhipūjayet||

If a person happens to belong to a superior caste but still if he happens to be divested of good conduct, he should receive no respect or worship. One may adore even a Shudra if he knows his duties and is of good conduct.

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

MBh 9 48.48

आत्मानमाख्याति हि कर्मभिर्नरः सुशीलचारित्रकुलैः शुभाशुभैः। प्रणष्टमप्याशु कुलं तथा नरः पुनः प्रकाशं कुरुते स्वकर्मतः॥

ātmānamākhyāti hi karmabhirnaraḥ suśīlacāritrakulaiḥ śubhāśubhaiḥ| praṇaṣṭamapyāśu kulaṃ tathā naraḥ punaḥ prakāśaṃ kurute svakarmataḥ||

A person proclaims himself by his own good and bad deeds and by his good or bad nature and race of birth. If ones' race of birth happens to be degraded for any reason, one soon raises it and makes it resplendent and famous by his deeds.

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

MBh 9 48.49

योनिष्वेतासु सर्वासु संकीर्णास्वितरासु च। यत्रात्मानं न जनयेद् बुधस्तां परिवर्जयेत्॥

yoniṣvetāsu sarvāsu saṃkīrṇāsvitarāsu ca| yatrātmānaṃ na janayed budhastāṃ parivarjayet||

For these reasons the wise should avoid those women among these various castes mixed, upon whom they should not beget children.

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