Adi Puran Part 1

SR No.: 090010
Original Sutra Author: Jinsenacharya
Author: Pannalal Jain
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith
Publication Year: 2004
Total Pages: 782
Language: Sanskrit, Hindi
Classification: Book_Devnagari, Mythology, & Story
File Size: 27 MB

Page 64

आदिपुरान पैदा नहीं होते ? राजन्, एकान से यही एक बात ग्राह्य नहीं है कि यह पढ़ता है इसलिए द्विज है, चारित्र की खोज की जाये । क्या राक्षस नहीं पढ़ते? नट की तरह दुरात्मा मनुष्य के बहुत पढ़ने से क्या ? उसी ने पढ़ा
और उसी ने सुना जो कि क्रिया का पालन करता है। जिस प्रकार कपाल में रखा हुआ पानी और कुत्ते की मशक में रखा हुआ दूध दूषित होता है उसी प्रकार वृत्तहीन मनुष्य का श्रुत भी स्थान के दोष से दूषित होता है। दुराचारी मनुष्य भले ही चतुर्वेदों का जानकार हो, यदि दुराचारी है तो वह शूद्र से भी कहीं अधिक नीच है। इसलिए हे राजन्, वृत्त को ही ब्राह्मण का लक्षण जानो।"
वृद्ध गौतमीय धर्मशास्त्र में भी उल्लेख है :
"हे राजन् ! जाति नहीं पूजी जाती, गुण ही कल्याण के करने वाले हैं, वृत्त-सदाचार में स्थित चाण्डाल को भी देवों ने ब्राह्मण कहा है ।"२
शुक्रनीतिसार का भी उल्लेख द्रष्टव्य है :
"न केवल जाति को देखना चाहिए और न केवल कूल को। कर्म, शील और दया, दाक्षिण्य आदि गुण ही पूज्य होते हैं, जाति और कुल नहीं । जाति और कुल के ही द्वारा श्रेष्ठता नहीं प्राप्त की जा सकती।"
ब्राह्मण कौन हो सकता है ? इसका समाधान करते हुए वैशम्पायन महर्षि महाभारत में युधिष्ठिर के प्रति कहते हैं
"सत्यशौच, दयाशौच, इन्द्रियनिग्रह शौच, सर्वप्राणिदया शौच और तपःशौच ये पांच प्रकार के शौच हैं। जो द्विज इस पञ्चलक्षण शौच से सम्पन्न होता है हम उसे ब्राह्मण कहते हैं। हे युधिष्ठिर, शेष द्विज शुद्र हैं । मनुष्य न कुल से ब्राह्मण होता है और न जाति से किन्तु क्रियाओं से ब्राह्मण होता है । हे युधिष्ठिर, वृत्त में स्थिर रहने वाला चाण्डाल भी ब्राह्मण है। पहले यह सारा संसार एक वर्णात्मक था परन्तु कर्म और क्रियाओं की विशेषता से चतुर्वर्ण हो गया। शीलसम्पन्न गुणवान् शूद्र भी ब्राह्मण हो सकता है और ब्राह्मण शुद्ध से भी नीच हो सकता है। जिसने पञ्चेन्द्रिय रूप भयानक सागर पार कर लिया है-अर्थात पञ्चेन्द्रियों को वश में कर लिया है, भले ही शद्र हो उसके लिए अपरिमित दान देना चाहिए। हे राजन,
१. "न जाति नकुलं राजन न स्वाध्यायः श्रुतं न च । कारणानि द्विजत्वस्य वृत्तमेव हि कारणम् ॥
किं कुलं वृत्तहीनस्य करिष्यति दुरात्मनः । कृमयः किं न जायन्ते कुसुमेषु सुगन्धिषु ॥ नैकमेकान्ततो ग्राह्य पठनं हि विशाम्पते । वृत्तमन्विष्यतां तात रक्षोभिः किं न पठ्यते ॥ बहुना किमधीतेन नटस्येव दुरात्मनः । तेनाधीतं श्रुतं वापि यः क्रियामनुतिष्ठति ॥ कपालस्थं यथा तोयं श्वदृतौ च यथा पयः । दूष्यं स्यात्स्थानदोषेण वृत्तहीनं तथा श्रुतम् ॥ चतुर्वेदोऽपि दुर्वृत्तः शूद्रादल्पतरः स्मृतः । तस्माद् विद्धि महाराज वृत्तं ब्राह्मणलक्षणम् ॥"
-वह्निपुराण २. “न जातिः पूज्यते राजन् गुणाः कल्याणकारकाः । चण्डालमपि वृत्तस्थं तं देवा ब्राह्मण विदुः ॥"
-वृद्ध गौतमीय धर्मशास्त्र ३. "मैव जातिर्न च कुलं केवलं लक्षयेवपि । कर्मशीलगुणाः पूज्याः तथा जातिकुले न हि ॥ न जात्या न कुलेनैव श्रेष्ठत्वं प्रतिपद्यते।"
--शु० नी०, सा० अ०३

Translation AI Generated

"Are the Adipuranas not born? King, only one thing is not acceptable from this that he reads, therefore he is a Dvija, his character should be investigated. Do not the Rakshasas read? What is the use of a wicked man reading like an actor? He who follows the action, he has read and he has heard. Just as water kept in a skull and milk kept in a dog's bladder becomes contaminated, so too the Shruta of a man without character becomes contaminated due to the fault of the place. A wicked man, even if he is a knower of the four Vedas, if he is wicked, he is more lowly than a Shudra. Therefore, O King, know character as the mark of a Brahmin."
The old Gautamīya Dharmaśāstra also mentions:
"O King! Caste is not worshipped, virtues are the doers of good, even a Chandala who is situated in character and good conduct is called a Brahmin by the gods."
The Shukranītisāra also mentions:
"One should not look only at caste and not only at lineage. Actions, character and compassion, generosity, etc. are the virtues that are worshipped, not caste and lineage. Superiority cannot be attained by caste and lineage alone."
Who can be a Brahmin? While resolving this, the sage Vaishampayana says to Yudhishthira in the Mahabharata:
"Truthfulness, purity, compassion, control of the senses, compassion for all beings, and austerity, these are the five types of purity. We call him a Brahmin who is endowed with these five characteristics of purity. O Yudhishthira, the rest of the Dvijas are Shudras. A man does not become a Brahmin by lineage or by caste, but by actions. O Yudhishthira, even a Chandala who is steadfast in character is a Brahmin. Earlier, this whole world was of one caste, but due to the special nature of actions and deeds, it became four-caste. A virtuous, virtuous Shudra can also become a Brahmin, and a Brahmin can also become lower than the pure. One who has crossed the terrible ocean of five senses - that is, who has brought the five senses under control, even if he is a Shudra, one should give him unlimited charity. O King,
1. "Neither caste nor lineage, O King, nor study, nor scripture. The reason for being a Dvija is character alone. What will lineage do for a wicked man without character? Do not worms arise in fragrant flowers? Reading is not to be accepted in isolation, O King. Investigate character, for what is not read by the Rakshasas? What is the use of a wicked man reading like an actor? He who follows the action, he has read and he has heard. Just as water kept in a skull and milk kept in a dog's bladder becomes contaminated, so too the Shruta of a man without character becomes contaminated due to the fault of the place. Even if he is a knower of the four Vedas, a wicked man is considered lower than a Shudra. Therefore, O King, know character as the mark of a Brahmin."
- Vahnipurana 2. "Caste is not worshipped, O King, virtues are the doers of good. Even a Chandala who is situated in character and good conduct is called a Brahmin by the gods."
- Old Gautamīya Dharmaśāstra 3. "I do not look at caste or lineage alone. Actions, character and virtues are worshipped, not caste and lineage. Superiority cannot be attained by caste and lineage alone."
- Shukranītisāra, Chapter 3