What a shameful discourse on the part of Bhishma?

Volume 13 Book of Discipline (AnusAsanika parva) Chapter 48
001 yudhiSThira uvAca

arthAsrayAd vA kAmAd vA varNAnAM vApy aniscayAt` ajJAnAd vApi varNAnAM jAyate varNasaMkaraH

002 teSAm etena vidhinA jAtAnAM varNasaMkare` ko dharmaH kAni karmANi tan me brUhi pitAmaha

bhISma uvAca

003 cAturvarNyasya karmANi cAturvarNyaM ca kevalam` asRjat sa ha yajJArthe pUrvam eva prajApatiH

004 bhAryAs catasro viprasya dvayor AtmAsya jAyate` AnupUrvyAd dvayor hInau mAtRjAtyau prasUyataH

005 paraM savAd brAhmaNasyaiSa putraH; sUdrAputraM pArasavaM tam AhuH` susrUSakaH svasya kulasya sa syAt; svaM cAritraM nityam atho na jahyAt

006 sarvAn upAyAn api saMpradhArya; samuddharet svasya kulasya tantum` jyeSTho yavIyAn api yo dvijasya; susrUSavAn dAnaparAyaNaH syAt

007 tisraH kSatriyasaMbandhAd dvayor AtmAsya jAyate` hInavarNas tRtIyAyAM sUdra ugra iti smRtaH

008 dve cApi bhArye vaisyasya dvayor AtmAsya jAyate` sUdrA sUdrasya cApy ekA sUdram eva prajAyate

009 ato visiSTas tv adhamo gurudArapradharSakaH` bAhyaM varNaM janayati cAturvarNyavigarhitam

010 ayAjyaM kSatriyo vrAtyaM sUtaM stomakriyAparam` vaisyo vaidehakaM cApi maudgalyam apavarjitam

011 sUdras caNDAlam atyugraM vadhyaghnaM bAhyavAsinam` brAhmaNyAM saMprajAyanta ity ete kulapAMsanAH

011e ete matimatAM sreSTha varNasaMkarajAH prabho

012 bandI tu jAyate vaisyAn mAgadho vAkyajIvanaH` sUdrAn niSAdo matsyaghnaH kSatriyAyAM vyatikramAt

013 sUdrAd Ayogavas cApi vaisyAyAM grAmadharmiNaH` brAhmaNair apratigrAhyas takSA sa vanajIvanaH

014 ete 'pi sadRsaM varNaM janayanti svayoniSu` mAtRjAtyAM prasUyante pravarA hInayoniSu

015 yathA caturSu varNeSu dvayor AtmAsya jAyate` AnantaryAt tu jAyante tathA bAhyAH pradhAnataH

016 te cApi sadRsaM varNaM janayanti svayoniSu` parasparasya vartanto janayanti vigarhitAn

017 yathA ca sUdro brAhmaNyAM jantuM bAhyaM prasUyate` evaM bAhyatarAd bAhyas cAturvarNyAt prasUyate

018 pratilomaM tu vartanto bAhyAd bAhyataraM punaH` hInA hInAt prasUyante varNAH paJcadasaiva te

019 agamyAgamanAc caiva vartate varNasaMkaraH` vrAtyAnAm atra jAyante sairandhrA mAgadheSu ca

019e prasAdhanopacArajJam adAsaM dAsajIvanam

020 atas cAyogavaM sUte vAgurAvanajIvanam` maireyakaM ca vaidehaH saMprasUte 'tha mAdhukam

021 niSAdo mudgaraM sUte dAsaM nAvopajIvinam` mRtapaM cApi caNDAlaH svapAkam atikutsitam

022 caturo mAgadhI sUte krUrAn mAyopajIvinaH` mAMsasvAdukaraM sUdaM saugandham iti saMjJitam

023 vaidehakAc ca pApiSThaM krUraM bhAryopajIvinam` niSAdAn madranAbhaM ca kharayAnaprayAyinam

024 caNDAlAt pulkasaM cApi kharAsvagajabhojinam` mRtacelapraticchannaM bhinnabhAjanabhojinam

025 AyogavISu jAyante hInavarNAsu te trayaH` kSudro vaidehakAd andhro bahir grAmapratisrayaH

026 kArAvaro niSAdyAM tu carmakArAt prajAyate` caNDAlAt pANDusaupAkas tvaksAravyavahAravAn

027 AhiNDiko niSAdena vaidehyAM saMprajAyate` caNDAlena tu saupAko maudgalyasamavRttimAn

028 niSAdI cApi caNDAlAt putram antAvasAyinam` smasAnagocaraM sUte bAhyair api bahiSkRtam

029 ity etAH saMkare jAtyaH pitRmAtRvyatikramAt` pracchannA vA prakAsA vA veditavyAH svakarmabhiH

030 caturNAm eva varNAnAM dharmo nAnyasya vidyate` varNAnAM dharmahIneSu saMjJA nAstIha kasya cit

031 yadRcchayopasaMpannair yajJasAdhubahiSkRtaiH` bAhyA bAhyais tu jAyante yathAvRtti yathAsrayam

032 catuSpathasmasAnAni sailAMs cAnyAn vanaspatIn` yuJjante cApy alaMkArAMs tathopakaraNAni ca

033 gobrAhmaNArthe sAhAyyaM kurvANA vai na saMsayaH` AnRsaMsyam anukrosaH satyavAkyam atha kSamA

034 svasarIraiH paritrANaM bAhyAnAM siddhikArakam` manujavyAghra bhavati tatra me nAsti saMsayaH

035 yathopadesaM parikIrtitAsu; naraH prajAyeta vicArya buddhimAn` vihInayonir hi suto 'vasAdayet; titIrSamANaM salile yathopalam

036 avidvAMsam alaM loke vidvAMsam api vA punaH` nayante hy utpathaM nAryaH kAmakrodhavasAnugam

037 svabhAvas caiva nArINAM narANAm iha dUSaNam` ityarthaM na prasajjante pramadAsu vipascitaH

038 yudhiSThira uvAca

038 varNApetam avijJAtaM naraM kaluSayonijam` AryarUpam ivAnAryaM kathaM vidyAmahe nRpa

039 bhISma uvAca

039 yonisaMkaluSe jAtaM nAnAcArasamAhitam` karmabhiH sajjanAcIrNair vijJeyA yonisuddhatA

040 anAryatvam anAcAraH krUratvaM niSkriyAtmatA` puruSaM vyaJjayantIha loke kaluSayonijam

041 pitryaM vA bhajate sIlaM mAtRjaM vA tathobhayam` na kathaM cana saMkIrNaH prakRtiM svAM niyacchati

042 yathaiva sadRso rUpe mAtApitror hi jAyate` vyAghras citrais tathA yoniM puruSaH svAM niyacchati

043 kulasrotasi saMchanne yasya syAd yonisaMkaraH` saMsrayaty eva tacchIlaM naro 'lpam api vA bahu

044 AryarUpasamAcAraM carantaM kRtake pathi` svavarNam anyavarNaM vA svasIlaM sAsti niscaye

045 nAnAvRtteSu bhUteSu nAnAkarmarateSu ca` janmavRttasamaM loke susliSTaM na virajyate

046 sarIram iha sattvena narasya parikRSyate` jyeSThamadhyAvaraM sattvaM tulyasattvaM pramodate

047 jyAyAMsam api sIlena vihInaM naiva pUjayet` api sUdraM tu sadvRttaM dharmajJam abhipUjayet

048 AtmAnam AkhyAti hi karmabhir naraH; svasIlacAritrakRtaiH subhAsubhaiH` pranaSTam apy AtmakulaM tathA naraH; punaH prakAsaM kurute svakarmabhiH

049 yoniSv etAsu sarvAsu saMkIrNAsv itarAsu ca` yatrAtmAnaM na janayed budhas tAH parivarjayet

GANGULI'S TRANSLATION

Bhishma said, "In the beginning, the Lord of all creatures created the four orders and laid down their respective acts or duties, for the sake of sacrifice.
The Brahmana may take four wives, one from each of the
four orders. In two of them (vis., the wife taken from his own order and that taken from the one next below), he takes birth himself (the children begotten upon them being regarded as invested with the same status as his own). Those sons, however, that are begotten by him on the two spouses that belong to the next two orders (vis., Vaisya and Sudra), are inferior, their status being determined not by that of their father but by that of their mothers. The son that is begotten by a Brahmana upon a Sudra wife is called Parasara, implying one born of a corpse, for the Sudra woman's body is as inauspicious as a corpse. He should serve the persons of his (father's) race. Indeed, it is not proper for him to give up the duty of service that has been laid down for him.

Adopting all means in his power, he should uphold the burden of his family. Even if he happens to be elder in age, he should still dutifully serve the other children of his father who may be younger to him in years, and bestow upon them whatever he may succeed in earning.

A Kshatriya may take three wives. In two of them (vis., the one taken from his own order and the other that is taken from the order immediately below), he takes birth himself (so that those children are invested with the status of his own order). His third wife being of the Sudra order is regarded as very inferior. The son that he begets upon her comes to be called as an Ugra.


The Vaisya may take two spouses. In both of them (vis., the one taken
from his own order, and the other from the lowest of the four pure
orders), he takes birth himself (so that those children become invested with the status of his own order). The Sudra can take only one wife, vis., she that is taken from his own order. The son begotten by him upon her becomes a Sudra. A son that takes birth under circumstances other than those mentioned above, comes to be looked upon as a very inferior one. If a person of a lower order begets a son upon a woman of a superior order, such a son is regarded as outside the pale of the four pure orders. Indeed, such a son becomes on object of censure with the four principal orders. If a Kshatriya begets a son upon a Brahmana woman, such a son, without being included in any of the four pure orders, comes to be
regarded as a Suta. The duties of a Suta are all connected with the
reciting of eulogies and encomiums of kings and other great men. The son begotten by a Vaisya upon a woman of the Brahmana order comes to be regarded as a Vaidehaka. The duties assigned to him are the charge of bars and bolts for protecting the privacy of women of respectable households. Such sons have no cleansing rites laid down for them.


If a Sudra unites with a woman belonging to the foremost of the four orders, the son that is begotten is called a Chandala. Endued with a fierce disposition, he must live in the outskirts of cities and towns and the duty assigned to him is that of the public executioner. Such sons are always regarded as wretches of their race. These, O foremost of intelligent persons, are the offspring of intermixed orders. The son begotten by a Vaisya upon a Kshatriya woman becomes a Vandi or Magadha. The duties assigned to him are eloquent recitations of praise.

The son begotten through transgression, by a Sudra upon a Kshatriya woman, becomes a Nishada and the duties assigned to him have reference to the catching of fish.

If a Sudra happens to have intercourse with a Vaisya woman, the son begotten upon her comes to be called Ayogava. The duty
assigned to such a person are those of a Takshan (carpenter). They that are Brahmanas should never accept gifts from such a person. They are not entitled to possess any kind of wealth.


Persons belonging to the mixed castes beget upon spouses taken from their own castes children invested with the status that is their own. When they beget children in women taken from castes that are inferior to theirs, such children become inferior to their fathers, for they become invested with the status that
belongs to their mothers. Thus as regards the four pure orders, persons
beget children invested with their own status upon spouses taken from
their own orders as also upon them that are taken from the orders
immediately below their own. When, however, offspring are begotten upon other spouses, they come to be regarded as invested with a status that is, principally, outside the pale of the four pure orders. When such children beget sons in women taken from their own classes, those sons take the status of their sires. It is only when they take spouse from castes other than their own, that the children they beget become invested with inferior status.


As an example of this it may be said that a Sudra begets upon a woman belonging to the most superior order a son that is
outside the pale of the four orders (for such a son comes to be regarded as a Chandala who is much inferior). The son that is outside the pale of the four orders by uniting with women belonging to the four principal orders, begets offspring that are further degraded in point of status. From those outside the pale of the four orders and those again that are further outside that pale, children multiply in consequence of the union of persons with women of classes superior to their own. In this way, from persons of inferior status classes spring up, altogether fifteen in
number, that are equally low or still lower in status. It is only from sexual union of women with persons who should not have such union with them that mixed classes spring up. Among the classes that are thus outside the pale of the four principal or pure orders, children are begotten upon women belonging to the class called sairindhri by men of the class called Magadha. The occupation of such offspring is the adornment of the bodies of kinds and others. They are well-acquainted with the preparation of unguents, the making of wreaths, and the manufacture of articles used for the decoration of the person. Though free by the status that attaches to them by birth, they should yet lead a life of service. From the union of Magadhas of a certain class with women of the caste called sairindhri, there springs up another caste called Ayogava. Their occupation consists in the making of nets (for catching fish and fowl and animals of the chase). Vaidehas, by uniting themselves
with women of the sairindhri caste, beget children called Maireyakas
whose occupation consists in the manufacture of wines and spirits.


From the Nishadas spring a caste called Madgura and another known by the name of Dasas whose occupation consists in plying boats. From the Chandala springs a race called Swapaka whose occupation consists in keeping guard over the dead. The women of the Magadhi caste, by union with these four castes of wicked dispositions produce four others who live by practising deceit. These are Mansa, Swadukara, Kshaudra, and Saugandha.

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

From the Chandalas springs up the caste called Pukkasa whose members are seen to eat the flesh of asses, horses and elephants. These cover themselves with the garments obtained by stripping human corpses. They are again seen to eat from broken earthenware. These three castes of very low status are born of women of the Ayogava caste (by fathers taken from different
castes).


The caste called Kshudra springs from the Vaidehaka.

The caste called Andhra which takes up its residence in the outskirts of towns and cities, also springs up (from the Vaidehakas).

Then again the Charmakara, uniting himself with a woman of Nishada caste, begets the class called Karavara. From the Chandala again springs up the caste known by the name of Pandusaupaka whose occupation consists in making baskets and other things with cleft bamboos.

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


A Nishada woman, by union with a Chandala, brings forth a son who lives in the outskirts of villages and towns. Indeed, the members of such a caste live in crematoria and are regarded by the very lowest orders as incapable of being numbered among them.


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


The duties have been laid down in the scriptures for only the four principal orders. As regards the others the scriptures are entirely silent. Among all the orders, the members of those castes that have no duties assigned to them by the scriptures, need have no fears as to what they do (to earn their livelihood).


Persons unaccustomed to the performance or for whom sacrifices have not been laid down, and who are deprived of the company and the instructions of the righteous whether numbered among the four
principal orders or out of their pale, by uniting themselves with women of other castes, led not by considerations of righteousness but by uncontrolled lust, cause numerous mixed castes to come into existence whose occupations and abodes depend on the circumstances connected with the irregular unions to which they owe their origin. Having recourse to spots where four roads meet, or crematoria, or hills and mountains, or forests and trees, they build their habitations there.

The ornaments they wear are made of iron. Living in such places openly, they betake themselves to their own occupations to earn their livelihood. They may be seen to live in this way, adorning their persons with ornaments and employed in the task of manufacturing diverse kinds of domestic and other utensils. Without doubt, by assisting kine and Brahmanas, and practising the virtues of abstention from cruelty, compassion, truthfulness of speech, and forgiveness, and, if need be, by preserving others by laying
down their very lives, persons of the mixed castes may achieve success. I have no doubt, O chief of men, that these virtues become the causes of their success. He that is possessed of intelligence, should, taking everything into consideration, beget offspring according to the ordinances of the scriptures, upon women that have been declared proper or fit for him.

A son begotten upon a woman belonging to a degraded caste, instead of rescuing the sire, brings him to grief even as a heavy weight brings to grief a swimmer desirous of crossing water.

Whether a man happens to be possessed of learning or not, lust and wrath are natural attributes of humanity in this world. Women, therefore, may always be seen to drag men into the wrong path. This natural disposition of women is such that man's contact with her is productive of misery to him. Hence, men possessed of wisdom do not suffer themselves to be excessively attached to women.

ybrao a donkey's feelings
*A reader at my Vivekanandayb.blogspot.com asked me whether I was mad. I become an idiot, when I read this.