Shloka 17
Indra–Mataṅga Saṃvāda: On the rarity and responsibilities of Brāhmaṇya (इन्द्र-मतङ्ग संवादः)
गधी! तुझे कैसे मालूम हुआ कि मैं चाण्डाल हूँ? किस कर्मसे मेरा ब्राह्मणत्व नष्ट हुआ है? तू बड़ी समझदार है; अतः ये सारी बातें मुझे ठीक-ठीक बता” ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | gadhī! tvaṃ kathaṃ jānāsi yathāhaṃ cāṇḍālaḥ? kena karmaṇā mama brāhmaṇatvaṃ naṣṭam? tvaṃ mahābuddhiḥ; ata etat sarvaṃ mama yathāvat kathaya || gardabhy uvāca | brāhmaṇyāṃ vṛṣaleṇa tvaṃ mattāyāṃ nāpitena ha | jātas tvam asi cāṇḍālo brāhmaṇyaṃ tena te 'naśat ||
भीष्म उवाच—गाधि! कथं त्वया ज्ञातं यदहं चाण्डालः? केन कर्मणा मम ब्राह्मणत्वं नष्टम्? त्वं बुद्धिमती; तस्मात् सर्वमेतत् यथावत् मे ब्रूहि॥ गर्दभ्युवाच—मतङ्ग! त्वं ब्राह्मण्यां यौवनमदेन मत्तायां वृषलेन नापितेन च जातः। तस्मात् त्वं चाण्डालः, तव मातुः स व्यभिचारकर्मणा च तव ब्राह्मणत्वं विनष्टम्॥
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage frames social identity and religious status as tied to conduct (karma) and sexual propriety as understood in classical dharma discourse, warning that transgressive acts are believed to bring lasting social and ethical consequences.
Bhishma questions the she-donkey about how she knows he is considered a Caṇḍāla and what deed caused the loss of Brahmin status; she answers by alleging an illicit conception—birth from a Brahmin woman by a Śūdra barber—presented as the reason for his classification.