यामाहुस्तारकैषा विकेशीति दुच्छुनां ग्राममवपद्यमानाम् । सा ब्रह्मजाया वि दुनोति राष्ट्रं यत्र प्रापादि शश उल्कुषीमान्
That one whom they call the star-haired, the disheveled, who brings misfortune as she enters a village—she is the Brahmin's wife, and she scatters the kingdom where the hare, bearing a blazing brand, has arrived.
ब्रह्मचारी चरति वेविषद्विषः स देवानां भवत्येकमङ्गम् । तेन जायामन्वविन्दद्बृहस्पतिः सोमेन नीतां जुह्वं न देवाः
The celibate moves about, free from hatred, and he becomes a limb of the gods; by him, Bṛhaspati found the wife, whom the gods, led by Soma, had carried away like an oblation.
देवा वा एतस्यामवदन्त पूर्वे सप्तऋषयस्तपसा ये निषेदुः । भीमा जाया ब्राह्मणस्यापनीता दुर्धां दधाति परमे व्योमन्
The gods, indeed, spoke about her, and the ancient Seven Sages, who sat with austerity; the terrible wife of the Brahmin, once taken away, places a grievous burden in the highest heaven.
ये गर्भा अवपद्यन्ते जगद्यच्चापलुप्यते । वीरा ये तृह्यन्ते मिथो ब्रह्मजाया हिनस्ति तान्
Those embryos that are cast down, whatever moves and is destroyed, and those heroes who perish in mutual strife—the Brahmin's wife brings harm to them.
उत यत्पतयो दश स्त्रियाः पूर्वे अब्राह्मणाः । ब्रह्मा चेद्धस्तमग्रहीत्स एव पतिरेकधा
And even if a woman had ten previous husbands who were not Brahmins, if the Brahmin grasps her hand, he alone is her husband in truth.
ब्राह्मण एव पतिर्न राजन्यो न वैश्यः । तत्सूर्यः प्रब्रुवन्न् एति पञ्चभ्यो मानवेभ्यः
The Brahmin alone is the husband—not the Kṣatriya, not the Vaiśya; thus the Sun proclaims this to the five races of men.
पुनर्वै देवा अददुः पुनर्मनुष्या अददुः । राजानः सत्यं गृह्णाना ब्रह्मजायां पुनर्ददुः
Indeed, the gods restored her, and men restored her; the kings, upholding truth, restored the Brahmin's wife.
पुनर्दाय ब्रह्मजायां कृत्वा देवैर्निकिल्बिषम् । ऊर्जं पृथिव्या भक्त्वोरुगायमुपासते
Having restored the Brahmin's wife, making her free from guilt with the gods, they partake of the earth's nourishment and abundant praise.
नास्य जाया शतवाही कल्याणी तल्पमा शये । यस्मिन् राष्ट्रे निरुध्यते ब्रह्मजायाचित्त्या
His wife does not lie on a splendid, well-adorned couch, in that kingdom where the Brahmin's wife is held in captivity.
न विकर्णः पृथुशिरास्तस्मिन् वेश्मनि जायते । यस्मिन् राष्ट्रे निरुध्यते ब्रह्मजायाचित्त्या
No one with mutilated ears or a broad head is born in that house, in that kingdom where the Brahmin's wife is held in captivity.
नास्य क्षत्ता निष्कग्रीवः सूनानामेत्यग्रतः । यस्मिन् राष्ट्रे निरुध्यते ब्रह्मजायाचित्त्या
No one with a necklace of coins, acting as a servant, comes before his sons, in that kingdom where the Brahmin's wife is held in captivity.
नास्य श्वेतः कृष्णकर्णो धुरि युक्तो महीयते । यस्मिन् राष्ट्रे निरुध्यते ब्रह्मजायाचित्त्या
No white ox with black ears, yoked to the plough, is made to toil in that kingdom where the Brahmin's wife is held in captivity.
नास्य क्षेत्रे पुष्करिणी नाण्डीकं जायते बिसम् । यस्मिन् राष्ट्रे निरुध्यते ब्रह्मजायाचित्त्या
No lotus pond, nor lotus stalk, is produced in his field, in that kingdom where the Brahmin's wife is held in captivity.
नास्मै पृश्निं वि दुहन्ति येऽस्या दोहमुपासते । यस्मिन् राष्ट्रे निरुध्यते ब्रह्मजायाचित्त्या
No one milks a speckled cow for him, those who attend to her milking, in that kingdom where the Brahmin's wife is held in captivity.
नास्य धेनुः कल्याणी नानड्वान्त्सहते धुरम् । विजानिर्यत्र ब्राह्मणो रात्रिं वसति पापया
His fine cow does not endure the yoke with the bull, in that place where the Brahmin spends the night in sin.
5.18 नैतां ते देवा अददुस्तुभ्यं नृपते अत्तवे । मा ब्राह्मणस्य राजन्य गां जिघत्सो अनाद्याम्
The gods did not give her to you, O king, nor to you in the wilderness; do not desire to seize the Brahmin's ancient cow, O Kṣatriya.
अक्षद्रुग्धो राजन्यः पाप आत्मपराजितः । स ब्राह्मणस्य गामद्यादद्य जीवानि मा श्वः
The Kṣatriya who, blinded by dice, anger, or evil, and defeated by himself, seeks to take the Brahmin's cow—let him die today, not tomorrow.
आविष्टिताघविषा पृदाकूरिव चर्मणा । सा ब्राह्मणस्य राजन्य तृष्टैषा गौरनाद्या
She is covered with the poison of sin, as with a fresh hide; that cow of the Brahmin, O Kṣatriya, is fierce and not to be eaten.
निर्वै क्षत्रं नयति हन्ति वर्चोऽग्निरिवारब्धो वि दुनोति सर्वम् । यो ब्राह्मणं मन्यते अन्नमेव स विषस्य पिबति तैमातस्य
He leads away the power of the warrior, destroys brilliance, like fire when kindled he burns up everything; whoever thinks the Brahmin is merely food, he drinks poison, he is ruined by that very act.
य एनं हन्ति मृदुं मन्यमानो देवपीयुर्धनकामो न चित्तात्। सं तस्येन्द्रो हृदयेऽग्निमिन्धे उभे एनं द्विष्टो नभसी चरन्तम्
Whoever kills him, thinking him gentle, desiring wealth like one who eats what belongs to the gods without thought, Indra kindles fire in his heart; both heaven and earth hate him as he moves about.
न ब्राह्मणो हिंसितव्योऽग्निः प्रियतनोरिव । सोमो ह्यस्य दायाद इन्द्रो अस्याभिशस्तिपाः
A Brahmin must not be harmed, just as one would not harm fire cherished in the home; Soma is his heir, Indra is his protector from curses.
शतापाष्ठां नि गिरति तां न शक्नोति निःखिदम् । अन्नं यो ब्रह्मणां मल्वः स्वाद्वद्मीति मन्यते
He throws down one with a hundred bones, yet cannot subdue him completely; whoever thinks the Brahmin’s food is sweet, saying, 'I will eat it,' is a fool.
जिह्वा ज्या भवति कुल्मलं वाङ्नाडीका दन्तास्तपसाभिदिग्धाः । तेभिर्ब्रह्मा विध्यति देवपीयून् हृद्बलैर्धनुर्भिर्देवजूतैः
His tongue becomes a bowstring, his speech a reed, his teeth are sharpened by austerity; with these, the Brahmin strikes down those who consume what belongs to the gods, with the strength of his heart, with bows guided by the gods.
तीक्ष्णेषवो ब्राह्मणा हेतिमन्तो यामस्यन्ति शरव्यां न सा मृषा । अनुहाय तपसा मन्युना चोत दूरादव भिन्दन्त्येनम्
The Brahmins are sharp-arrowed, armed with weapons; their missiles do not miss, like arrows shot; by austerity and anger, even from afar, they pierce him.
ये सहस्रमराजन्न् आसन् दशशता उत । ते ब्राह्मणस्य गां जग्ध्वा वैतहव्याः पराभवन्
O king, those who were a thousand, even ten hundred, after eating the Brahmin’s cow, the Vaitahavyas, were destroyed.
गौरेव तान् हन्यमाना वैतहव्यामवातिरत्। ये केसरप्राबन्धायाश्चरमाजामपेचिरन्
Like a cow being slaughtered, the Vaitahavyas were swept away; those who cut off the last tuft of her mane perished.
एकशतं ता जनता या भूमिर्व्यधूनुत । प्रजां हिंसित्वा ब्राह्मणीमसंभव्यं पराभवन्
Of that people, only one hundred remained, the earth shook them off; having harmed the Brahmin’s offspring, they met with destruction.
देवपीयुश्चरति मर्त्येषु गरगीर्णो भवत्यस्थिभूयान् । यो ब्राह्मणं देवबन्धुं हिनस्ति न स पितृयाणमप्येति लोकम्
He who consumes what belongs to the gods moves among mortals, becomes swollen with poison, turns to bone; whoever harms the Brahmin, the friend of the gods, does not reach the world of the ancestors.
अग्निर्वै नः पदवायः सोमो दायाद उच्यते । हन्ताभिशस्तेन्द्रस्तथा तद्वेधसो विदुः
Agni is our guide, Soma is called our heir; Indra is the destroyer of curses—thus the wise know.
इषुरिव दिग्धा नृपते पृदाकूरिव गोपते । सा ब्राह्मणस्येषुर्घोरा तया विध्यति पीयतः
Like a poisoned arrow, O king, like a sharp goad, so is the Brahmin’s arrow, terrible; with it he strikes down the one who consumes.