Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 59, Shloka 13
विश्वामित्रस्य शरणागति-प्रशंसा तथा वासिष्ठपुत्र-शापः
Visvamitra grants refuge; the curse upon Vasishta’s sons
क्षत्रियो याजको यस्य चण्डालस्य विशेषत:।कथं सदसि भोक्तारो हविस्तस्य सुरर्षय:।।1.59.13।।
kṣatriyo yājako yasya caṇḍālasya viśeṣataḥ | kathaṃ sadasi bhoktāro havis tasya surarṣayaḥ || 1.59.13 ||
Nếu một kṣatriya làm tư tế chủ lễ—nhất là cho một caṇḍāla—thì trong hội tế, làm sao chư Thiên và các bậc Thánh hiền có thể thọ hưởng phần hiến cúng ấy?
Joining Viswamitra, (in chanting the mantras during the yaga) how will the great brahmins attain heaven after partaking the food offered by of Chandala?
FAQs
It raises (from the speakers’ perspective) the dharmic concern of ritual eligibility and purity; however, it also warns that dharma-claims can be weaponized through harsh, contemptuous speech.
Vasiṣṭha’s sons challenge Viśvāmitra’s role in a sacrifice, questioning whether offerings can be accepted when the officiant is a kṣatriya and the patron is labeled a caṇḍāla.
Negatively, it foregrounds the lack of restraint and charity in judgment; positively, it implicitly points to the virtue of fair discernment (viveka) in applying dharma.