शूद्राश्चैव भृशं दीनाः प्रतिभान्ति द्विजप्रभो । धर्मार्थकाममोक्षस्य शस्ताः स्युरवने कथम्
The passage declares that Shudras are intensely suffering yet appear before twice-born lords; how can they be fit instruments for the four goals — dharma, artha, kama, moksha?
आगमेन विहीना हि अहो कष्टं मतं मम् । कश्चैषामागमः प्रोक्तः पुरा द्विजमनीषिभिः । त्रिवर्गप्राप्तये ब्रह्मञ्छ्रेयसे च तथोभयोः
Woe — I find it grievous that they are deprived of the Agama traditions; which sacred teachings for them were once taught by twice-born sages to attain the threefold results and Brahmanhood, the highest welfare?
सुमन्तुरुवाच साधु साधु महाबाहो! शृणु मे परमं वचः । चतुर्णामपि वर्णानां यानि प्रोक्तानि श्रेयसे
Sumantu said: Well said, excellent-armed one! Hear my highest word: of the four varnas those precepts which lead to welfare are now declared.
धर्मशास्त्राणि राजेन्द्र! शृणु तानि नृपोत्तम । विशेषतश्च शूद्राणां पावनानि मनीषिभिः
O foremost king, listen to those dharma-shastras; sages have especially pronounced purifying rules for Shudras among the varnas.
अष्टादशपुराणानि चरितं राघवस्य च । रामस्य कुरुशार्दूल! धर्मकामार्थसिद्धये
Eighteen Puranas recount the deeds of Raghava; O tiger of the Kurus, these are for the attainment of dharma, kama and artha.
तथोक्तं भारतं वीर! पाराशर्येण धीमता । वेदार्थसकलं योज्य धर्मशास्त्राणि च प्रभो!
Thus was told, O Bharata! by the wise Parashara: combine all the meanings of the Vedas with the dharma-shastras, O lord.
कृपालुना कृतं शास्त्रं चतुर्णामिह श्रेयसे । वर्णानां भवमग्नानां कृतं पोतो ह्यनुत्तमम्
A compassionate scripture has been made here for the welfare of the four varnas; for those born of the fire (the twice-born) it is an excellent, perfected guide.
अष्टादशपुराणानि अष्टौ व्याकरणानि च । ज्ञात्वा सत्यवतीसूनुश्चक्रे भारतसंहिताम्
There are eighteen Puranas and eight treatises on grammar; having known them, the son of Satyavati composed the Bharata-samhita.
यां श्रुत्वा पुरुषो राजन्! मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया । प्रथमं प्रोच्यते ब्राह्मं द्वितीयं चैन्द्रमुच्यते
Having heard which, O king, a man is freed from the sin of killing a Brahmin: first the Brahma-mantra is declared, and second the Indra-mantra is given.
याम्यं प्रोक्तं ततो रौद्रं वायव्यं वारुणं तथा । सावित्रं च तथा प्रोक्तमष्टमं वैष्णवं तथा
Then follows the fierce nocturnal mantra, the northern Vayu-mantra, the Varuna-mantra, the Savitri-mantra, and finally the eighth, the Vaishnava mantra.
एतानि व्याकरणानि पुराणानि निबोध मे । ब्राह्मं पाद्मं वैष्णवं च शैवं भागवतं तथा
Hear these grammar-treatises and purāṇas that I set before you: the Brāhma, the Pādma, the Vaiṣṇava, the Śaiva, and the Bhāgavata.
तथान्यन्नारदीयं च मार्कण्डेयं च सप्तमम् । आग्नेयमष्टमं वीर भविष्यं नवमं स्मृतम्
Also listen to the others: the ārādīya, the Mārkaṇḍeya as seventh; the Āgneya as eighth; the Vīra as ninth, it is said.
दशमं ब्रह्मवैवर्त्तं लैङ्गमेकादशं स्मृतम् । वाराहं द्वादशं प्रोक्तं स्कान्दं चैव त्रयोदशम्
The tenth is the Brahmavaivarta; the eleventh is the Laiṅga; the twelfth is the Vārāha; the thirteenth is the Skanda.
चतुर्दशं वामनं च कौर्मं पञ्चदशं स्मृतम् । मात्स्यं च गारुडं चैव ब्रह्माण्डं च ततः परम्
The fourteenth is the Vāmana; the fifteenth is the Kaurma; then the Māṭśya and the Gāruda, and beyond them the Brahmāṇḍa.
एतानि कुरुशार्दूल धर्मशास्त्राणि पण्डितैः । साधारणानि प्रोक्तानि वर्णानां श्रेयसे सदा
These, O tiger of the Kurus, are the dharma-śāstras named by learned men; they are declared common and ever beneficial for the welfare of the castes.
चतुर्णामिह राजेन्द्र श्रोतुमर्हाणि सुव्रत । किमिच्छसि महाबाहो श्रोतुमेषां नृपोत्तम
O foremost of kings, a king should hear these four; what do you wish, mighty-armed one? Do you desire to listen to them?
शतानीक उवाच भारतं तु श्रुतं विप्र तातस्याङ्कगतेन तु । रामस्य चरितं चापि श्रुतं ब्रह्मन्समन्ततः
Śatanīka said: 'O brahmin, I have heard, and the account of Bharata as well, recited by him who dwells in the heart; I also have heard the deeds of Rāma from learned brahmins.'
पुराणानि च विप्रेन्द्र भविष्यं न तु सुव्रत । पुराणं वद विप्रेन्द्र! भविष्यं कौतुकं हि मे
The brahmin-chief replied: 'I will not speak the future purāṇas, O Suvrata. Speak, brahmin-chief, the purāṇa of the future; I am curious to hear it.'
सुमन्तुरुवाच साधु साधु महाबाहो साधु पृष्टोऽस्मि मानद । शृणु मे वदतो राजन् पुराणं नवमं महत्
Sumantu said: 'Well said, well said! O mighty-armed one, I am glad you asked. Hear now, O king, the great ninth purāṇa as I tell it.'
यच्छ्रुत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते मानवो नृप । अश्वमेधफलं प्राप्य गच्छेद् भानौ न संशयः
Whatsoever a king hears from this will free him from all sins; having obtained the fruit of an aśvamedha, he will go to the sun-god without doubt.
इदं तु ब्रह्मणा प्रोक्तं धर्मशास्त्रमनुत्तमम् । विदुषा ब्राह्मणेनेदमध्येतव्यं प्रयत्नतः
This supreme code of dharma has been declared by Brahmā; learned men say that a brahmin should study it diligently with effort.
शिष्येभ्यश्चैव वक्तव्यं चातुर्वर्ण्येभ्य एव हि । अध्येतव्यं न चान्येन ब्राह्मणं क्षत्रियं विना । श्रोतव्यमेव शूद्रेण नाध्येतव्यं कदाचन
It must be taught to disciples and to the four varṇas — indeed to the varṇas alone; it is not to be learned by anyone without a brahmin or kṣatriya, and a śūdra should never study it at any time.
देवार्चां पुरतः कृत्वा ब्राह्मणैश्च नृपोत्तम । श्रोतव्यमेव शूद्रैश्च तथान्यैश्च द्विजातिभिः
Having offered worship to the gods first, the best of kings should reverence brahmins; the śūdras and others are only fit to be listeners, likewise the twice-born.
श्रौतं स्मार्तं हि वै धर्मं प्रोक्तमस्मिन्नृपोत्तम । तस्माच्छूद्रैर्विना विप्रान्न श्रोतव्यं कथञ्चन
O best of kings, the śruti and smṛti are declared here as the law; therefore without śūdras, brahmins cannot be properly instructed in listening in any way.
इदं शास्त्रमधीयानो ब्राह्मणः संशितव्रतः । मनोवाग्देहजैर्नित्यं कर्मदोषैर्न लिम्पते
A brahmin who studies this scripture and is steadfast in vows, who constantly controls mind, speech and body and avoids sinful acts, does not become tainted by deeds.
शृण्वन्ति चापि ये राजन् भक्त्या वै ब्राह्मणादयः । मुच्यन्ते पातकैः सर्वैर्गच्छन्ति च दिवं प्रभो
Those, O king, who hear (the teaching) with devotion from brahmins are freed from all sins and go to heaven, my lord.
श्रावयेच्चापि यो विप्रः सर्वान्वर्णान्नृपोत्तम । स गुरुः प्रोच्यते तात वर्णानामिह सर्वशः
A brahmin who teaches all the varṇas, O best of kings, is called a guru; he should be proclaimed so for all the varṇas without exception.
स पूज्यः सर्वकालेषु सर्वैर्वर्णैर्नराधिप । पृथिवीं च तथैवेमां कृत्स्नामेकोऽपि सोऽर्हति
He is to be honored at all times by all varṇas, O sovereign; he alone is worthy even to possess the entire earth.
इदं स्वस्त्ययनं श्रेष्ठमिदं बुद्धिविवर्धनम् । इदं यशस्यं सततमिदं निःश्रेयसं परम्
This is auspicious study, the best; this increases intelligence; it is ever the source of fame and the supreme welfare.
अस्मिन्धर्मोऽखिलेनोक्तो गुणदोषौ च कर्मणाम् । चतुर्णामपि वर्णानामाचारश्चापि शाश्वतः
In this dharma are declared the qualities and faults of actions, and the conduct of the four varṇas as well — all of these are eternal.