"'Yudhisthira said, "I wish to know, O royal sage, whether any fault is
incurred by one who from interested or disinterested friendship imparts
instructions unto a person belonging to a low order of birth! O
grandsire, I desire to hear this, expounded to me in detail. The course
of duty is exceedingly subtile. Men are often seen to be stupefied in
respect of that course."
"'Bhishma said, "In this connection, O king, I shall recite to thee, in
due order, what I heard certain Rishis say in days of yore. Instruction
should not be imparted unto one that belongs to a low or mean caste. It
is said that the preceptor who imparts instruction to such a person
incurs great fault. Listen to me, O chief of Bharata's race, as I recite
to thee, O Yudhishthira, this instance that occurred in days of old, O
monarch, of the evil consequences of the imparting of instruction unto a
low-born person fallen into distress. The incident which I shall relate
occurred in the asylum of certain regenerate sages that stood on the
auspicious breast of Himavat. There, on the breast of that prince of
mountains, was a sacred asylum adorned with trees of diverse kinds.
Overgrown also with diverse species of creepers and plants, it was the
resort of many animals and birds. Inhabited by Siddhas and Charanas also,
it was exceedingly delightful in consequence of the woods that flowered
these at every season. Many were the Brahmacharins that dwelt there, and
many belonging to the forest mode of life. Many also were the Brahmanas
that took up their residence there, that were highly blessed and that
resembled the sun or the fire in energy and effulgence. Ascetics of
diverse kinds, observant of various restraints and vows, as also others,
O chief of the Bharatas, that had undergone Diksha and were frugal in
fare and possessed of cleansed souls, took up their residence there.
Large numbers of Valakhilyas and many that were observant of the vow of
Sanyasa also, used to dwell there. The asylum, in consequence of all
this, resounded with the chanting of the Vedas and the sacred Mantras
uttered by its inhabitants. Once upon a time a Sudra endued with
compassion for all creatures, ventured to come into that asylum. Arrived
at that retreat, he was duly honoured by all the ascetics. Beholding
those ascetics of diverse classes that were endued with great energy,
that resembled the deities (in purity and power), and that were observing
diverse kinds of Diksha, O Bharata, the Sudra became highly pleased at
heart. Beholding everything, O chief of Bharata's race, the Sudra felt
inclined to devote himself to the practice of penances. Touching the feet
of the Kulapati (the head man of the group), O Bharata, he addressed him
saying,[19] 'Through thy grace, O foremost of regenerate persons, I
desire, to learn (and practise) the duties of religion. It behoveth thee,
O illustrious one, to discourse to me on those duties and introduce me
(by performing the rites of initiation) into a life of Renunciation. I am
certainly inferior in colour, O illustrious one, for I am by caste a
Sudra, O best of men. I desire to wait upon and serve you here. Be
gratified with me that humbly seek thy shelter.'
"'"The Kulapati said, 'It is impossible that a Sudra should live here
adopting the marks specially intended for those practising lives of
Renunciation. If it pleases thee, thou mayest stay here, engaged in
waiting upon and serving us. Without doubt, by such service thou shalt
attain to many regions of high felicity.'"
"'Bhishma continued, "Thus addressed by the ascetic, the Sudra began to
reflect in his mind, O king, saying, 'How should I now act? Great is my
reverence for those religious duties that lead to merit. Let this,
however, be settled, that I shall do what would be for my benefit.'[20]
Proceeding to a spot that was distant from that asylum, he made a hut of
the twigs and leaves of trees. Erecting also a sacrificial platform, and
making a little space for his sleep, and some platforms for the use of
the deities, he began, O chief of the Bharatas, to lead a life regulated
by rigid observances and vows and to practise penances, abstaining
entirely from speech all the while. He began to perform ablutions thrice
a day, observe other vows (in respect of food and sleep), make sacrifices
to the deities, pour libations on the sacrificial fire, and adore the
worship and deities in this way. Restraining all carnal desires, living
abstemiously upon fruits and roots, controlling all his senses, he daily
welcomed and entertained all that came to his retreat as guests, offering
them herbs and fruits that grew plentifully around. In this way he passed
a very long time in that hermitage of his.[21] One day an ascetic came to
that Sudra's retreat for the purpose of making his acquaintance. The
Sudra welcomed and worshipped the Rishi with due rites, and gratified him
highly. Endued with great energy, and possessed of 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 asylum of the
Sudra times out of a number for the object of seeing him. On one of these
occasions, the Sudra, O king, addressing the Rishi said,--'I desire to
perform the rites that are ordained for the Pitris. Do thou instruct me
kindly in this matter.'--'Very well,'--the Brahmana said in reply unto him,
O monarch. The Sudra then, purifying himself by a bath, brought water for
the Rishi to wash his feet, and he also brought some Kusa grass, and wild
herbs and fruits, and a sacred seat, and the seat called Vrishi. The
Vrishi, however, was placed by the Sudra towards the south, with his head
turned to the west. Beholding this and knowing that it was against the
ordinance, the Rishi addressed the Sudra, saying,--'Place the Vrishi with
its head turned towards the East, and having purified thyself, do thou
sit with thy face turned towards the north'--The Sudra did everything as
the Rishi directed. Possessed of great intelligence, and observant of
righteousness, the Sudra received every direction, about the Sraddha, as
laid down in the ordinance, from that Rishi endued with penances
regarding the manner of spreading the Kusa 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 accomplished, the Rishi, was dismissed by
the Sudra, whereupon he returned to his own abode.[22] After a long time,
the whole of which he passed in the practice of such penances and vows,
the Sudra ascetic met with his death in those woods. In consequence of
the merit he acquired by those practices, the Sudra in the next life,
took birth in the family of a great king, and in course of time became
possessed of great splendour. The regenerate Rishi also, when the time
came, paid his debt in Nature. In his next life, O chief of Bharata's
race, he took birth in the family of a priest. It was in this way that
those two, viz., that Sudra who had passed a life of penances and that
regenerate Rishi who had in kindness given the former some instructions
in the matter of the rites performed in honour of the Pitris, became
reborn, the one as scion of a royal race and the other as the member of a
priestly family. Both of them began to grow and both acquired great
knowledge in the usual branches of study. The Brahmana became well versed
in the Vedas as also in the Atharvans.[23] In the matter, again of all
sacrifices ordained in the Sutras, of that Vedanga which deals with
religious rites and observances, astrology and astronomy the reborn Rishi
attained great excellence. In the Sankhya philosophy too he began to take
great delight. Meanwhile, the reborn Sudra who had become a prince, when
his father, the king died, performed his last rites; and after he had
purified himself by accomplishing all the obsequial ceremonies, 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
reborn Rishi as his priest. Indeed, having made the Brahmana his priest,
the king began to pass his days in great happiness. He ruled his kingdom
righteously and protected and cherished all his subjects. Everyday,
however, the king on the occasion of receiving benedictions from his
priest as also of the performance of religious and other sacred rites,
smiled or laughed at him loudly. In this way, O monarch, the reborn Sudra
who had become a king, laughed at sight of his priest on numberless
occasions.[24] The priest, marking that the king always smiled or laughed
whenever he happened to cast his eyes on him, became angry. On one
occasion he met the king in a place where there was nobody else. He
pleased the king by agreeable discourse. Taking advantage of that moment,
O chief of Bharata's race, the priest addressed the king, saying,--'O
thou of great splendour, I pray thee to grant me a single boon.'
"'"The king said, 'O best of regenerate persons, I am ready to grant thee a
hundred of boons, what dost thou say then of one only? From the affection
I bear thee and the reverence in which I hold thee, there is nothing that
I cannot give thee.'
"'"The priest said, 'I desire to have only one boon, O king, thou hast been
pleased with me. Swear that thou wouldst tell me the truth instead of any
untruth.'"
"'Bhishma continued, "Thus addressed by the priest, O Yudhishthira, the
king said unto him--'So be it. If what thou wouldst ask me be known to me,
I shall certainly tell thee truly. If on the other hand, the matter be
unknown to me, I shall not say anything.'
"'"The priest said, 'Every day, on occasions of obtaining my benedictions,
when, again, I am engaged in the performance of religious rites on thy
behalf, on occasions also of the Homa and other rites of propitiation,
why is it that thou laughest upon beholding me? Seeing thee laugh at me
on all occasions, my mind shrinks with shame. I have caused thee to
swear, O king, that thou wouldst answer me truly. It does not behove thee
to say what is untrue. There must be some grave reason for thy behaviour.
Thy laughter cannot be causeless. Great is my curiosity to know the
reason. Do thou speak truly unto me.'
"'"The king said, 'When thou hast addressed me in this strain, O regenerate
one, I am bound to enlighten thee, even if the matter be one that should
not be divulged in thy hearing. I must tell thee the truth. Do thou
listen to me with close attention, O regenerate one. Listen to me, O
foremost of twice-born persons, as I disclose to thee what happened (to
us) in our former births. I remember that birth. Do thou listen to me
with concentrated mind. In my former life I was a Sudra employed in the
practice of severe penances. Thou, O best of regenerate persons, wert a
Rishi of austere penances. O sinless one, gratified with me, and impelled
by the desire of doing me good, thou, O Brahmana, wert pleased to give me
certain instructions in the rites I performed (on one occasion) in honour
of my Pitris. The instructions thou gayest me were in respect of the
manner of spreading the Vrishi and the Kusa blades and of offering
libations and meat and other food to the manes, O foremost of ascetics.
In consequence of this transgression of thine thou hast taken birth as a
priest, and I have taken birth as a king, O foremost of Brahmanas. Behold
the vicissitudes that Time brings about. Thou hast reaped this fruit in
consequence of thy having instructed me (in my former birth). It is for
this reason, O Brahmana, that I smile at sight of thee, O foremost of
regenerate persons. I do not certainly laugh at thee from desire of
disregarding thee. Thou art my preceptor.[25] At this change of condition
I am really very sorry. My heart burns at the thought. I remember our
former births, hence do I laugh at sight of thee. Thy austere penances
were all destroyed by the instructions thou gayest me. Relinquishing thy
present office of priest, do thou endeavour to regain a superior birth.
Do thou exert so that thou mayst not obtain in thy next life a birth
meaner than thy present one. Take as much wealth as thou wishest, O
learned Brahmana, and cleanse thy soul, O best of men.'"
"'Bhishma continued, "Dismissed by the king (from the office of priest),
the Brahmana made many gifts, unto persons of his own order, of wealth
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 unto Brahmanas in those places. Making gifts of kine unto
persons of the regenerate order, his soul became cleansed and he
succeeded in acquiring a knowledge of it. Repairing to that very asylum
whither he had lived in his former birth, he practised very severe
penances. As the consequence of all this, O foremost of kings, that
Brahmana succeeded in attaining to the highest success. He became an
object of veneration with all the ascetics that dwelt in that asylum. In
this way, O best of monarchs, that regenerate Rishi fell into great
distress. Unto Sudras, therefore, the Brahmanas should never give
instructions. Hence, O king, the Brahmana should avoid imparting
instructions (to such as are low-born), for it was by imparting
instruction to a low-born person a Brahmana came to grief. O best of
kings, the Brahmana should never desire to obtain instruction from, or
impart instruction to, a person that belongs to the lowest order.
Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaisyas, the three orders, are regarded as
twice-born. By imparting instruction unto these, a Brahmana does not
incur any fault. They, therefore, that are good, should never discourse
on any subject, for imparting any instruction, before persons of the
inferior order. The course of morality is exceedingly subtile and
incapable of being comprehended by persons of uncleansed souls. It is for
this reason that ascetics adopt the vow of silence, and being respected
by all, pass through Diksha (initiation) without indulging in speech.[26]
For fear of saying what is incorrect or what may offend, ascetics often
forego speech itself. Even men that are righteous and possessed of every
accomplishment, and endued with truth and simplicity of behaviour, have
been known to incur great fault in consequence of words spoken
improperly. Instruction should never be imparted on anything unto any
person. If in consequence of the instructions imparted, the instructed
commit any sin, that sin, attaches to the Brahmana who imparted the
instruction. The man of wisdom, therefore, that desires to earn merit,
should always act with wisdom. That instruction which is imparted in
barter for money always pollutes the instructor.[27] Solicited by others,
one should say only what is correct after settling it with the aid of
reflection. One should impart instruction in such a way that one may, by
imparting it, earn merit. I have thus told thee everything respecting the
subject of instructions. Very often persons become plunged into great
afflictions in consequence of imparting instructions. Hence it is meet
that one should abstain from giving instruction unto others."'"