Critical Edition
भरद्वाज उवाच ब्राह्मणः केन भवति क्षत्रियो वा द्विजोत्तम वैश्यः शूद्रश्च विप्रर्षे तद्ब्रूहि वदतां वर
M. N. Dutt: Bharadwaja said By what deeds, does one became a Brahmana? By what, a Kshatriya? O foremost of twice-born ones, by what deeds again does one become a Vaishya or a Shudra? Tell me this, O foremost of orators.
भृगुरुवाच जातकर्मादिभिर्यस्तु संस्कारैः संस्कृतः शुचिः वेदाध्ययनसंपन्नः षट्सु कर्मस्ववस्थितः
AI Translation: Bhṛgu said: One who is purified by the rites of birth and so on, who is accomplished in Vedic study and established in the six duties,
शौचाचारस्थितः सम्यग्विघसाशी गुरुप्रियः नित्यव्रती सत्यपरः स वै ब्राह्मण उच्यते
AI Translation: One who is established in cleanliness and conduct, who eats only what is given, who is dear to the teacher, who is always a vow-keeper, who is devoted to truth, he is said to be a brahmin.
सत्यं दानं दमोऽद्रोह आनृशंस्यं क्षमा घृणा तपश्च दृश्यते यत्र स ब्राह्मण इति स्मृतः
M. N. Dutt: He, with whom truth, gifts, abstention from injury to others, mercy, shame, benevolence, and penance are associated, is called a Brahmana.
क्षत्रजं सेवते कर्म वेदाध्ययनसंमतः दानादानरतिर्यश्च स वै क्षत्रिय उच्यते
M. N. Dutt: He, who follows the profession of war, who studies the Vedas, who makes gifts and takes wealth, is called a Kshatriya.
कृषिगोरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं यो विशत्यनिशं शुचिः वेदाध्ययनसंपन्नः स वैश्य इति संज्ञितः
AI Translation: He who is always pure and engages in agriculture, cattle-rearing, and trade, and is well-versed in the study of the Vedas, is known as a Vaishya.
सर्वभक्षरतिर्नित्यं सर्वकर्मकरोऽशुचिः त्यक्तवेदस्त्वनाचारः स वै शूद्र इति स्मृतः
M. N. Dutt: He, who takes every sort of food, who is engaged in doing every sort of work, who is impure in behaviour, who does not study the Vedas, and whose conduct is unrighteous, is said to be a Shudra.
शूद्रे चैतद्भवेल्लक्ष्यं द्विजे चैतन्न विद्यते न वै शूद्रो भवेच्छूद्रो ब्राह्मणो न च ब्राह्मणः
M. N. Dutt: If these marks are not seen in a Shudra, and if they are not seen in a Brahmana, then such a Shudra is no Shudra, and such a Brahmana is no Brahmana.
सर्वोपायैस्तु लोभस्य क्रोधस्य च विनिग्रहः एतत्पवित्रं ज्ञातव्यं तथा चैवात्मसंयमः
M. N. Dutt: One should conquer cupidity and anger by every means. This, together with self-control, is the grandest results of Knowledge.
Supplementary Passages:
12.182.9 After 9, K6 V1 B0.6-9 Da3.a4 Dn1.n4 Ds D2.3.6.8 ins.: *496 वार्यौ सर्वात्मना तौ हि श्रेयोघातार्थमुत्थितौ
नित्यं क्रोधात्तपो रक्षेच्छ्रियं रक्षेत मत्सरात् विद्यां मानावमानाभ्यामात्मानं तु प्रमादतः
AI Translation: Always protect austerity from anger, protect glory from jealousy, protect knowledge from pride and contempt, and protect the self from carelessness.
यस्य सर्वे समारम्भा निराशीर्बन्धनास्त्विह त्यागे यस्य हुतं सर्वं स त्यागी स च बुद्धिमान्
AI Translation: He who has no attachment to any of his undertakings here, He who has given up everything, he is the giver, he is the wise one.
अहिंस्रः सर्वभूतानां मैत्रायणगतश्चरेत् अविस्रम्भे न गन्तव्यं विस्रम्भे धारयेन्मनः
AI Translation: He should be harmless to all beings and should be devoted to friendliness. He should not go where there is no trust, but should keep his mind in a place of trust.
परिग्रहान्परित्यज्य भवेद्बुद्ध्या जितेन्द्रियः अशोकं स्थानमातिष्ठेदिह चामुत्र चाभयम्
M. N. Dutt: One should, without taking any gifts, by the help of his own intelligence completely control his passions. One should live in his sclf where there is no grief. One would then have no fear in this world and attain to fearless region in the next world.
तपोनित्येन दान्तेन मुनिना संयतात्मना अजितं जेतुकामेन भाव्यं सङ्गेष्वसङ्गिना
M. N. Dutt: One should live always practising penances, and with all passions completely controlled; observing the vow of silence, and with soul concentrated on itself; desirous of conquering the senses, and unattached.
इन्द्रियैर्गृह्यते यद्यत्तत्तद्व्यक्तमिति स्थितिः अव्यक्तमिति विज्ञेयं लिङ्गग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम्
M. N. Dutt: All things that can be perceived by the sense are designated Manifest. One should seek to know all, however, that is Unmanifest, that is beyond the perception of the senses, that can be ascertained only by the subtile senses.
मनः प्राणे निगृह्णीयात्प्राणं ब्रह्मणि धारयेत् निर्वाणादेव निर्वाणो न च किंचिद्विचिन्तयेत् सुखं वै ब्राह्मणो ब्रह्म स वै तेनाधिगच्छति
AI Translation: One should restrain the mind in the breath, and hold the breath in the Self. One should be liberated from liberation itself, and not think of anything. The Brahman is indeed the happiness of the Brahmin. He attains it.
शौचेन सततं युक्तस्तथाचारसमन्वितः सानुक्रोशश्च भूतेषु तद्द्विजातिषु लक्षणम्
AI Translation: One who is always engaged in cleanliness and endowed with good conduct, And who is compassionate towards beings, those are the characteristics of a twice-born.