'
"Janaka said, 'When all have sprung from Brahmana alone, how came human
beings to have diversity in respect of race? O best of ascetics, an
infinite diversity of races is seen in this world. How could men devoted
to penances attain, to the status of Brahmanas, though of indiscriminate
origin? Indeed, those born of pure wombs and those of impure, all became
Brahmanas.'
"Parasara said, 'O king, the status of high-souled persons that succeeded
in cleansing their souls by penances could not be regarded as affected by
their low births. Great Rishis, O monarch, by begetting children in
indiscriminate wombs, conferred upon them the status of Rishis by means
of their power of asceticism. My grandfather Vasishtha, Rishyasringa,
Kasyapa, Veda, Tandya, Kripa, Kakshivat, Kamatha, and others, and
Yavakrita, O king, and Drona, that foremost of speakers, and Ayu, and
Matanga, and Datta, and Drupada, and Matsya, all these, O ruler of the
Videhas, obtained their respective positions through penance as the
means. Originally only four Gotras (races) arose, O monarch, viz.,
Angiras, Kasyapa, Vasishtha, and Bhrigu. In consequence of acts and
behaviour, O ruler of men, many other Gotras came into existence in time.
The names of those Gotras have been due to the penances of those that
have founded them. Good people use them.'
"Janaka said, 'Tell me, O holy one, the especial duties of the several
orders. Tell me also what their common duties are. Thou art conversant
with everything.
Pages:
2300
2301
2302
2303
2304
2305
2306
2307
2308
2309
2310
2311
2312
2313
2314
2315
2316
2317
2318
2319
2320
2321
2322
2323
2324