Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 5
ब्रह्मस्वहरण-निषेधः — Prohibition of Appropriating Brahmin Property
Brahmasva
चाण्डाल उवाच ब्राह्मणस्य गवां राजन् द्वियतीनां रज: पुरा । सोममुध्वंसयामास त॑ सोम॑ येडपिबन् द्विजा:
cāṇḍāla uvāca | brāhmaṇasya gavāṃ rājan dvijatīnāṃ rajaḥ purā | somam udhvaṃsayāmāsa tat somaṃ ye ’dapiban dvijāḥ ||
旃陀罗说道：“大王啊，久远以前，有人夺走一位婆罗门的几头牛，驱赶而去。牛群被驱之时，蹄下扬尘夹杂乳滴，落在苏摩之上，使其败坏。饮了那苏摩的二生者，以及为那祭仪受了灌顶入戒的国王，都迅速堕入地狱。连同主持祭祀的诸婆罗门，国王亦成地狱之徒，因为那场祭祀所凭借的，乃是从婆罗门处夺来的财富。”
चाण्डाल उवाच
Educational Q&A
A sacrifice does not become meritorious merely by correct ritual form; if it is supported by stolen or unrighteous wealth, it becomes tainted, and both patron and priests share the karmic consequence.
The Caṇḍāla recounts an earlier incident: cows belonging to a Brāhmaṇa were unlawfully taken; as they were driven away, dust from their hooves fell into the Soma and defiled it. Those who drank it—together with the initiated king and officiants connected with the rite—incurred grave downfall because the ritual was linked to the wrongdoing.