Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच प्रज्ञाश्रुताभ्यां वृत्तेन शीलेन च यथा भवान् गुणैः समुदितः सर्वैर्वयसा च समन्वितः तस्माद्भवन्तं पृच्छामि धर्मं धर्मभृतां वर
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said You, O grandfather, are endued with wisdom and knowledge of the scriptures, with conduct and behaviour, with various kinds of excellent attributes and also with years.
Supplementary Passages:
13.28.1 After 1cd, B1-3.5 Dn1.n2 D1-10 ins.: *245 भवान्विशिष्टो बुद्ध्या च प्रज्ञया तपसा तथा While Dn3 S (except T1) ins. after 1cd: *246 सर्वेषां चैव जातानां सतामेतन्न संशयः After 1, N (except Dn3) ins.: *247 नान्यस्त्वदन्यो लोकेषु प्रष्टव्योऽस्ति जनाधिप
क्षत्रियो यदि वा वैश्यः शूद्रो वा राजसत्तम ब्राह्मण्यं प्राप्नुयात्केन तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि
AI Translation: O best of kings, if a kshatriya, a vaishya, or a shudra, how can he attain brahminhood? It befits you to explain this to me.
तपसा वा सुमहता कर्मणा वा श्रुतेन वा ब्राह्मण्यमथ चेदिच्छेत्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह
AI Translation: If one wishes to attain the state of a Brahmin through austerities, great deeds, or learning, please tell me, O Grandfather.
भीष्म उवाच ब्राह्मण्यं तात दुष्प्रापं वर्णैः क्षत्रादिभिस्त्रिभिः परं हि सर्वभूतानां स्थानमेतद्युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said The dignity of a Brahmana, O Yudhishthira, cannot be acquired by a person belonging to any of the three other castes. That dignity is the highest with respect to all creatures.
बह्वीस्तु संसरन्योनीर्जायमानः पुनः पुनः पर्याये तात कस्मिंश्चिद्ब्राह्मणो नाम जायते
M. N. Dutt: Passing through numberless orders of existence by undergoing repeated births, one at last in some birth, becomes born as a Brahmana.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् मतङ्गस्य च संवादं गर्दभ्याश्च युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: Regarding it is cited an old history, O Yudhishthira, of a conversation between Matanga and a she-ass.
द्विजातेः कस्यचित्तात तुल्यवर्णः सुतः प्रभुः मतङ्गो नाम नाम्नाभूत्सर्वैः समुदितो गुणैः
M. N. Dutt: Once on a time a Brahmana obtained a son who, though procerated by a person belonging 10 a different caste, had, however, the rites of infancy and youth performed according to the ordinances laid down for Brahmanas. The Child passed by the name of Matanga and was endued with every accomplishment.
स यज्ञकारः कौन्तेय पित्रा सृष्टः परंतप प्रायाद्गर्दभयुक्तेन रथेनेहाशुगामिना
M. N. Dutt: His father wishing to celebrate a sacrifice, ordered him, O destroyer of enemies, to collect the articles required for the act. Having received the command of his father, he started for the purpose, riding on a quick coursing car, drawn by an ass.
Supplementary Passages:
13.28.8 For 8cd, Dn3 S subst.: *248 त्वरया तं खरैर्युक्तमास्थाय रथमाव्रजत्
स बालं गर्दभं राजन्वहन्तं मातुरन्तिके निरविध्यत्प्रतोदेन नासिकायां पुनः पुनः
M. N. Dutt: It so happened that the ass yoked to that car was very young. Instead, therefore of being reined, the animal bore away the car near its dam. viz., the she-ass that had brought it forth. Malanga, dissatisfied with this, began to strike the animal with his goad on its nose.
तं तु तीव्रव्रणं दृष्ट्वा गर्दभी पुत्रगृद्धिनी उवाच मा शुचः पुत्र चण्डालस्त्वाधितिष्ठति
M. N. Dutt: Seeing those marks of violence on her child's nose, the she-ass, full of affection for him, said, Do not grieve, O child, for this treatinent! A Chandala is driving you.
ब्राह्मणे दारुणं नास्ति मैत्रो ब्राह्मण उच्यते आचार्यः सर्वभूतानां शास्ता किं प्रहरिष्यति
M. N. Dutt: There is no harshness in a Brahmana. The Brahmana is said to be the friend of all creatures. He is the teacher also of all creatures and their ruler. Can he punish any creature so cruelly.
अयं तु पापप्रकृतिर्बाले न कुरुते दयाम् स्वयोनिं मानयत्येष भावो भावं निगच्छति
M. N. Dutt: This fellow, however, is of sinful deeds. He has no mercy to show to even such a young creature. He is simply proving the order of his birth by behaving thus. The nature which he has derived from his father forbids the growth of the sentiments of pity and kindness which are natural to the Brahmana.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा मतङ्गस्तु दारुणं रासभीवचः अवतीर्य रथात्तूर्णं रासभीं प्रत्यभाषत
M. N. Dutt: Hearing these harsh words of the she-ass Matanga speedily came down from the car and addressing the she-ass said, Tell me, O blessed dame, by what fault is my mother stained?
ब्रूहि रासभि कल्याणि माता मे येन दूषिता कथं मां वेत्सि चण्डालं क्षिप्रं रासभि शंस मे
M. N. Dutt: How do you know that I am a Chandala? Do you answer me forthwith,
केन जातोऽस्मि चण्डालो ब्राह्मण्यं येन मेऽनशत् तत्त्वेनैतन्महाप्राज्ञे ब्रूहि सर्वमशेषतः
M. N. Dutt: How, indeed do you know that I am a Chandala? How have I lost the dignity of a Brahman? O you of great wisdom tell me all this fully, from beginning to end.
गर्दभ्युवाच ब्राह्मण्यां वृषलेन त्वं मत्तायां नापितेन ह जातस्त्वमसि चण्डालो ब्राह्मण्यं तेन तेऽनशत्
M. N. Dutt: The She-ass said You were begotten upon a Brahmana woman worked up with desire, by a Shudra following the calling of a barber. You are therefore, a Chandala by birth. You have not the dignity of a Brahmana.
एवमुक्तो मतङ्गस्तु प्रत्युपायाद्गृहं प्रति तमागतमभिप्रेक्ष्य पिता वाक्यमथाब्रवीत्
AI Translation: Thus addressed, Matanga returned to his house. Seeing him come, his father spoke these words:
मया त्वं यज्ञसंसिद्धौ नियुक्तो गुरुकर्मणि कस्मात्प्रतिनिवृत्तोऽसि कच्चिन्न कुशलं तव
AI Translation: I have appointed you to perform the sacrificial rites of the teacher. Why have you turned back? Is all well with you?
मतङ्ग उवाच अयोनिरग्र्ययोनिर्वा यः स्यात्स कुशली भवेत् कुशलं तु कुतस्तस्य यस्येयं जननी पितः
M. N. Dutt: Matanga said How can he who belongs to no definite order of birth, or to low caste be regarded as all right and happy? How O father, can that person be happy whose mother is impure.
ब्राह्मण्यां वृषलाज्जातं पितर्वेदयतीह माम् अमानुषी गर्दभीयं तस्मात्तप्स्ये तपो महत्
M. N. Dutt: O father, this sheass, who seems to be more than a human being, tells me that I have been begotten upon a Brahman woman by a Shudra. I shall for this reason, practise the severest penances.
एवमुक्त्वा स पितरं प्रतस्थे कृतनिश्चयः ततो गत्वा महारण्यमतप्यत महत्तपः
M. N. Dutt: Having said these words to his father, and firmly resolved upon what he had said, he went to the great forest and began to practise the austerest of penances.
ततः संतापयामास विबुधांस्तपसान्वितः मतङ्गः सुसुखं प्रेप्सुः स्थानं सुचरितादपि
M. N. Dutt: Beginning those penances for the purpose of happily acquiring the dignity of a Brahmana Matanga began to scorch the very gods by the severity of his asceticism,
तं तथा तपसा युक्तमुवाच हरिवाहनः मतङ्ग तप्यसे किं त्वं भोगानुत्सृज्य मानुषान्
M. N. Dutt: The king of the celestials, viz., Indra, appeared to him thus practising penances and said Why, O Matanga, do you pass your time in such grief, abstaining from all sorts of human enjoyments.
वरं ददानि ते हन्त वृणीष्व त्वं यदिच्छसि यच्चाप्यवाप्यमन्यत्ते सर्वं प्रब्रूहि माचिरम्
M. N. Dutt: I shall give you boons. Do you name the boons. Do not delay, but tell me what is in your mind. Even if it be unattainable, I Shall yet bestow it on you.
मतङ्ग उवाच ब्राह्मण्यं कामयानोऽहमिदमारब्धवांस्तपः गच्छेयं तदवाप्येह वर एष वृतो मया
M. N. Dutt: Matanga said Desirous of acquiring the dignity of a Brahmana I have begun to practise these penances. After having obtained it, I shall go home. Even this is the boon I pray for.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं तमुवाच पुरंदरः ब्राह्मण्यं प्रार्थयानस्त्वमप्राप्यमकृतात्मभिः
AI Translation: Hearing these words, Purandara said to him: "You are asking for the state of a Brahmin, which is unattainable for those who have not purified their souls.
Supplementary Passages:
13.28.26 After 26ab, B Dn D5 ins.: *249 मतङ्ग दुर्लभमिदं विप्रत्वं प्रार्थ्यते त्वया After 26, N (V1 missing) ins.: *250 विनशिष्यसि दुर्बुद्धे तदुपारम माचिरम्
श्रेष्ठं यत्सर्वभूतेषु तपो यन्नातिवर्तते तदग्र्यं प्रार्थयानस्त्वमचिराद्विनशिष्यसि
M. N. Dutt: This object of your desire viz., the dignity of Brahmana, which is the foremost of everything, cannot be even acquired by penances. Therefore by coveting that foremost dignity, you will surely meet with destruction.
देवतासुरमर्त्येषु यत्पवित्रं परं स्मृतम् चण्डालयोनौ जातेन न तत्प्राप्यं कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: One born as a Chandala can never acquire that dignity which is considered as the most sacred among the celestials and Asuras and human beings. once