नारद उवाच-। तव प्रसादतो ज्ञातो विप्रः पुण्यतमश्च यः। यथा जानामि देवेश क्रियया ब्राह्मणाधमम्
Nārada said: By your grace, O Lord of the gods, I have come to know who is the most virtuous Brahmin; now tell me, how do I recognize the lowest Brahmin by his actions?
ब्रूहि शीघ्रं सुरश्रेष्ठ यदि प्रीतिं मयीच्छसि। ब्रह्मोवाच-। स्नानैर्दशविधैर्मुक्तस्तथैव तर्पणादिभिः
Speak quickly, O best of the gods, if you desire my affection. Brahmā said: One is freed by ten kinds of bathing and likewise by offerings of water and the like.
संध्यासंयमहीनश्च स एव ब्राह्मणाधमः। देवपूजाव्रतैर्मुक्तो वेदविद्यादिभिस्तथा
But the one who neglects the observances of twilight worship is indeed the lowest Brahmin, even if freed by worship of the gods, vows, Vedic study, and other practices.
सत्यशौचादिभिश्चैव योगज्ञानाग्नितर्पणैः। पंचस्नानानानि विप्राणां कीर्तितानि महर्षिभिः
Also by truthfulness, purity, and the like, by offerings into the fire of knowledge and yoga, the five kinds of bathing for Brahmins have been described by the great sages.
आग्नेयं वारुणं ब्राह्मं वायव्यं दिव्यमेव च। आग्नेयं भस्मना स्नानमद्भिर्वारुणमुच्यते
The five are: the fire-bath, the water-bath, the Brahma-bath, the wind-bath, and the divine bath. Bathing with ashes is called the fire-bath; with water, it is called the water-bath.
आपोहिष्ठेति वै ब्राह्मं वायव्यं गोरजः स्मृतम्। अद्भिरातपवर्षाभिर्दिव्यं स्नानमुदाहृतम्
Reciting 'āpohiṣṭha' is the Brahma-bath; dust from cows is known as the wind-bath; bathing with water from sun, rain, or the like is called the divine bath.
एतैस्तु मंत्रतः स्नानात्तीर्थानां फलमाप्नुयात्। तुलसीपत्रसंलग्नं सालग्रामशिलांबु च
By performing these baths with mantras, one obtains the merit of bathing at sacred fords; water touched by tulasī leaves, the śālagrāma stone, and
गवां शृंगोदकं चैव विप्रपादोदकं च यत्। गुरूणामेव मुख्यानां पूतात्पूतमिति स्मृतिः
water from the horns of cows, and water from the feet of Brahmins—especially eminent teachers—is considered purer than pure, according to tradition.
त्याग तीर्थादिभिर्यज्ञैर्व्रतहोमादिभिस्तथा। यत्फलं लभते धीरः स्नानैरेतैस्तु तत्फलम्
The result gained by renunciation, by sacred fords, sacrifices, vows, and offerings into the fire, that same result is obtained by these baths.
तर्पणैश्च विनिर्मुक्तः पितॄणामेव नित्यशः। पितृहा नरकं याति संध्याहीनस्तु विप्रहा
By offerings of water, one is always freed from debts to the ancestors; the slayer of ancestors goes to hell, and the neglecter of twilight worship is the slayer of Brahmins.
मंत्रव्रतविहीनश्च वेदविद्यागुणैरपि। यज्ञदानादिभिर्मुक्तो ब्राह्मणश्चाधमाधमः
One who lacks mantras and vows, even if endowed with Vedic knowledge and virtues, and freed by sacrifices and gifts, is still the lowest of Brahmins.
यज्ञार्थका देवलका नाक्षत्रा ग्रामयाजकाः। परदाररता नित्यं पंचैते ब्राह्मणाधमाः
Those who perform sacrifices for material gain, for gods, for stars, for villages, and those always attached to others’ wives—these five are the lowest of Brahmins.
मंत्रसंस्कारहीनाश्च शुचिसंयमवर्जिताः। मोघाशिनो दुरात्मानो ब्राह्मणाश्चाधमाधमाः
Brahmins who lack the sanctification of mantras, who are devoid of purity and self-restraint, who eat in vain, who are wicked in nature—these are the lowest of the low.
अपि स्तेयरता मूढाः सर्वधर्मविवर्जिताः। उन्मार्गगामिनो नित्यं ब्राह्मणाश्चाधमाधमाः
Indeed, those brahmins who are foolish, intent on theft, devoid of all righteousness, and always following a wrong path, are the lowest of the low.
श्राद्धादिकर्मरहिता गुरुसेवाविवर्जिताः। अमंत्रा भिन्नमर्यादा एते सर्वाधमाधमाः
Those who neglect rites such as śrāddha, who do not serve their teacher, who are without mantras and who transgress boundaries—these are considered the lowest of all.
असंभाष्या इमे दुष्टास्सर्वे निरयगामिनः। अमेध्यास्ते दुराचारा अपूज्याश्च समंततः
These wicked ones are not to be spoken with; all of them are bound for hell. They are impure, of bad conduct, and unworthy of worship everywhere.
खड्गोपजीविकाः प्रेष्या गोवाहनरता द्विजाः। कारुवृत्युपजीवाश्च गणवार्द्धषिकाश्च ये
Twice-born who make a living by the sword, who are servants, who delight in riding cattle, who subsist by crafts, or who are members of guilds and troupes—
बालापण्याभिचाराश्च अंत्यजाश्रयमाश्रिताः। कृतघ्नाश्च गुरुघ्नाश्च एते सर्वाधमाः स्मृताः
Those who practice sorcery for the sale of children, who take shelter among outcastes, who are ungrateful or who kill their teacher—these are all regarded as the lowest.
ये चैवान्ये हताचाराः पाषंडा धर्मनिंदकाः। दूषकादेव भेदानामेते ब्रह्मद्विषो द्विजाः
And those others who are of corrupt conduct, heretics, revilers of dharma, and those who cause divisions—these twice-born are haters of Brahman.
तथापि ब्राह्मणश्चैव न हंतव्यः कदाचन। एनं हत्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठ ब्रह्महा पुरुषो भवेत्
Nevertheless, a brahmin must never be killed under any circumstances; for, O best of twice-born, killing him makes a person a slayer of Brahman.
अंत्यजातिषु म्लेच्छेषु तथा चांडालजातिषु। पतितो वान्नयोनिभ्यां न हंतव्यः कथंचन
Even among outcastes, foreigners, and those of the caṇḍāla caste, or one fallen from both parents, he must never be killed in any way.
सर्वजातिस्त्रियं गत्वा सर्वाभक्ष्यस्य भक्षणात्। द्विजत्वं न विनश्येत पुण्याद्विप्रो भवेत्पुनः
Even after going to women of all castes or eating all forbidden foods, the state of being twice-born is not lost; by merit, he becomes a brahmin again.
नारद उवाच-। ईदृशं दुष्कृतं कृत्वा पश्चात्पुण्यं समाचरेत्। कां गतिं यात्यसौ विप्रः सर्वलोकपितामह
Nārada said: After committing such evil, if he later performs virtuous acts, O ancestor of all worlds, what fate does that brahmin attain?
ब्रह्मोवाच-। कृत्वा सर्वाणि पापानि पश्चाद्यस्तु जितेंद्रियः। मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यः पुनर्ब्रह्मत्वमर्हति
Brahmā said: Having committed all sins, if afterwards he controls his senses, he is freed from all sins and becomes worthy of Brahmanhood again.
शृणु पुत्र कथां रम्यां विचित्रां च पुरातनीम्। कस्यचिद्ब्राह्मणस्यापि यौवनाढ्यः सुतोऽभवत्
Listen, my son, to a delightful and remarkable ancient tale: There was once a brahmin who had a son endowed with youth.
ततो यौवनसंपत्तेर्मोहाच्च पूर्वकर्मणः। चांडालीमगमत्सद्यस्तस्याः प्रियतरोऽभवत्
Then, due to the attainment of youth, delusion, and previous karma, he immediately went to a caṇḍālī woman and became dearer to her.
तस्यामुत्पादितास्तेन पुत्रा दुहितरस्तथा। स्वकुटुंबं परित्यज्य गृहे तस्याश्चिरं स्थितः
He fathered sons and daughters by her, abandoned his own family, and stayed in her house for a long time.
अन्या भक्ष्यं न चाश्नाति घृणया च सुरां त्यजेत्। तमुवाच सदा सा च भक्षयान्यतरां सुराम्
He would not eat other food, and out of disgust, he would avoid liquor; yet she always told him to eat other things and to drink liquor.
तामुवाच तदा शौचं गदितुं नार्हसि प्रिये। उत्कारो जायते तस्याः श्रवणात्सततं मम
Then he said to her, 'My dear, you should not speak of purity; whenever I hear it from her, I always feel revulsion.'
एकदा स मृगान्वेषात्श्रांतः सुप्तो गृहे दिवा। गृहीत्वा सा सुरां तस्य हसित्वा च मुखे ददौ
One day, exhausted from hunting, he slept at home during the day; she took liquor, laughed, and put it in his mouth.