Adhyaya 151

Verse 1

इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे मन्वन्तराणि नाम पञ्चाशदधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः अथैकपञ्चाशदधिकशततनो ऽध्यायः वर्णेतरधर्माः अग्निर् उवाच मन्वादयो भुक्तिमुक्तिधर्मांश्चीर्त्वाप्नुवन्ति यान् प्रोचे परशुरामाय वरुणोक्तन्तु पुष्करः

Thus, in the Agni Mahāpurāṇa, the one-hundred-and-fiftieth chapter is entitled “The Manvantaras.” Now begins the one-hundred-and-fifty-first chapter: “Duties outside the varṇa order.” Agni said: “Those teachings which Manu and the other lawgivers, having expounded the disciplines leading to worldly enjoyment and to liberation, themselves attain—those I shall declare. What was taught by Varuṇa, as transmitted through Puṣkara, I will explain to Paraśurāma.”

Verse 2

पुष्कर उवाच वर्णाश्रमेतराणान्ते धर्मान्वक्ष्यामि सर्वदान् मन्वादिभिर् निगदितान् वासुदेवादितुष्टिदान्

Puṣkara said: “At the conclusion of the teaching on the duties of varṇa and āśrama, I shall now expound all those dharmas—taught by Manu and the other lawgivers—which bestow satisfaction upon Vāsudeva and the other deities.”

Verse 3

अहिंसा सत्यवचनन्दया भूतेष्वनुग्रहः तीर्थानुसरणं दानं ब्रह्मचर्यम्मत्सरः

Non-violence (ahiṃsā), truthful speech, compassion, benevolence toward living beings, the practice of resorting to sacred pilgrimage-sites (tīrthas), charitable giving (dāna), celibate self-restraint (brahmacarya), and freedom from envy—these are the marks of righteous conduct.

Verse 4

देवद्विजातिशुश्रूषा गुरूणाञ्च भृगूत्तम श्रवणं सर्वधर्माणां पितॄणां पूजनं तथा

Service to the gods and to the twice-born (dvija), and to the teachers as well, O best of the Bhṛgus; attentive listening to all dharmic teachings; and likewise the worship of the ancestors (pitṛ)—these are to be practiced.

Verse 5

भक्तिश् च नृपतौ नित्यं तथा सच्छास्त्रनेत्रता आनृशंष्यन्तितिक्षा च तथा चास्तिक्यमेव च

And constant loyalty to the king; likewise, being guided by sound scriptures (śāstra); compassion; forbearance; and indeed faith in Vedic authority (āstikya) as well.

Verse 6

वर्णाश्रमाणां सामान्यं धर्माधर्मं समीरितं यजनं याजनं दानं वेदाद्यध्यापनक्रिया

The common principles of dharma and adharma for the varṇas and āśramas have been declared: performing yajña, officiating yajña for others, giving dāna (gifts), and the discipline of teaching and studying the Vedas and related learning.

Verse 7

प्रतिग्रहञ्चाध्ययनं विप्रकर्माणि निर्दिशेत् दानमध्ययनञ्चैव यजनञ्च यथाविधिः

He should prescribe the duties of a brāhmaṇa as accepting gifts and Vedic study; likewise, giving (charity), teaching/study, and performing yajña according to the proper rules.

Verse 8

क्षत्रियस्य सवैश्यस्य कर्मेदं परिकीर्तितं क्षत्रियस्य विशेषेण पालनं दुष्टनिग्रहः

This duty has been declared for the kṣatriya, together with the vaiśya; but for the kṣatriya in particular, it is the protection (of the people) and the restraint and punishment of the wicked.

Verse 9

कृषिगोरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यस्य परिकीर्तितं शूद्रस्य द्विजशुश्रूषा सर्वशिल्पानि वाप्यथ

Agriculture, protection of cattle, and trade are declared to be the vocation of the vaiśya; for the śūdra, service to the dvija (the twice-born) is enjoined, and also the practice of all crafts.

Verse 10

मौञ्जीबन्धनतो जन्म विप्रादेश् च द्वितीयकं आनुलोम्येन वर्णानां जातिर्मातृसमा स्मृता

The “birth” (as a dvija) is from the tying on of the muñjā-girdle at upanayana; and a second birth is from the instruction given by a brāhmaṇa. In unions in the regular order (ānulomya), the child’s jāti is remembered as being the same as the mother’s.

Verse 11

चण्डालो ब्राह्मणीपुत्रः शूद्राच्च प्रतिलोमतः सूतस्तु क्षत्रियाज्जातो वैश्याद्वै देवलस् तथा

A Caṇḍāla is the son of a Brāhmaṇī by a Śūdra, arising from a pratiloma (reverse-order) union. A Sūta is born of a Kṣatriya father and a Vaiśyā mother; likewise, the Devala is counted among such mixed-status classifications.

Verse 12

पुक्कसः क्षत्रियापुत्रः शूद्रात् स्यात् प्रतिलोमजः मागधः स्यात्तथा वैश्याच्छूद्रादयोगवो भवेत्

A son born to a Kṣatriya woman by a Śūdra man is called a Pukkasa, a pratiloma (reverse-order) offspring. Likewise, a son born to a Vaiśya woman by a Śūdra man is called a Māgadha; and from a Śūdra woman (by a Vaiśya man) an Ayogava is born.

Verse 13

वैश्यायां प्रतिलोमेभ्यः प्रतिलोमाः सहस्रशः धर्मरूपमिति ग , घ , ङ , ञ च विवाहः सदृशैस्तेषां नोत्तमैर् नाधमैस् तथा

From a Vaiśyā woman, through pratiloma (reverse-order) unions, countless pratiloma lineages arise. For them, the lawful form of marriage is designated by the classes ga, gha, ṅa, and ña; and their marriage should be with those of similar standing—neither with higher nor with lower groups.

Verse 14

चण्डालकर्म निर्दिष्टं बध्यानां घातनं तथा स्त्रीजीवन्तु तद्रक्षाप्रोक्तं वैदेहकस्य च

The occupation of the Caṇḍāla is declared to be the execution of those condemned to death. Likewise, the Vaidehaka is said to be responsible for the protection of women who live by their livelihood.

Verse 15

सूतानामश्वसारथ्यं पुक्कसानाञ्च व्याधता स्तुतिक्रिया माघ्धानां तथा चायोगशस्य च

For the Sūtas, the occupation is charioteering, driving and managing horses. For the Pukkasas, it is hunting. For the Māgadhas, it is the performance of eulogies and praise-poetry; and likewise for the Āyogaśava, an occupation connected with praise and service.

Verse 16

रङ्गावतरणं प्रोक्तं तथा शिल्पैश् च जीवनं वहिर्ग्रामनिवासश् च मृतचेलस्य धारणं

The procedure for ascending/descending onto the stage has been declared; likewise, livelihood by the crafts; dwelling outside the village; and wearing the garments of the dead—namely, adopting a funerary, impure dress as a mark of outcaste-like status.

Verse 17

न संस्पर्शस्तथैवान्यैश् चण्डालस्य विधीयते ब्राह्मणार्थे गवार्थे वा देहत्यागो ऽत्र यः कृतः

Likewise, others are not to engage in physical contact with a Caṇḍāla. In this matter, the relinquishing of one’s body—performed for the sake of a Brāhmaṇa or for the sake of a cow—is declared a meritorious act.

Verse 18

स्त्रीबालाद्युपपतो वा वाह्याणां सिद्धिकारणं सङ्करे जातयो ज्ञेयाः पितुर्मातुश् च कर्मतः

Whether through illicit union involving women, children, and the like, or through intercourse with outsiders, the cause of (social) validation is still set forth: where mixture occurs, the resulting castes (jātis) are to be understood according to the karma—conduct and occupation—of both father and mother.