| KARN PARV MAHABHARAT BOOK 8 CHAPTER 30 Mahabharat
Book 8 Chapter 30 : English
"Sanjay continued, 'Unto the ruler of Madras, of harsh features, who was saying such disagreeable things unto Karn, the latter once more said words that were twice bitter.
"'Karn said, "Listen with devoted attention to this, O ruler of the Madras, that was heard by me while it was recited in the presence of Dhritrashtra. In Dhritrashtra's abode the Brahmans used to narrate the accounts of diverse delightful regions and many kings of ancient times. A foremost one among Brahmans, venerable in years while reciting old histories, said these words, blaming the Vahiks and Madraks, 'One should always avoid the Vahiks (bahik), those impure people that are out of the pale of virtue, and that live away from the Himavat and the Ganga River and Sarasvati and Yamuna and Kurukshetra and the Sindhu and its five tributary rivers. I remember from the days of my youth that a slaughter-ground for kine and a space for storing intoxicating spirits always distinguish the entrances of the abodes of the (Vahika) kings. On some very secret mission I had to live among the Vahiks.
In consequence of such residence the conduct of these people is well known to me. There is a town of the name of Sakal, a river of the name of Apag, and a clan of the Vahiks known by the name of the Jarttiks. (VIII.30.14) The practices of these people are very censurable. They drink the liquor called Gaud, and eat fried barley with it. They also eat beef with garlic. They also eat cakes of flour mixed with meat, and boiled rice that is bought from others. Of righteous practices they have none. Their women, intoxicated with drink and divested of robes, laugh and dance outside the walls of the houses in cities, without garlands and unguents, singing while drunk obscene songs of diverse kinds that are as musical as the bray of the ass or the bleat of the camel. In intercourse they are absolutely without any restraint, and in all other matters they act as they like. Maddened with drink, they call upon one another, using many endearing epithets. Addressing many drunken exclamations to their husbands and lords, the fallen women among the Vahiks, without observing restrictions even on sacred days, give themselves up to dancing. One of those wicked Vahiks,--one that is, that lived amongst those arrogant women,--who happened to live for some days in Kurujangal, burst out with cheerless heart, saying,
"Alas, that (Vahika) maiden of large proportions, dressed in thin blankets, is thinking of me,--her Vahik lover--that is now passing his days in Kurujangal, (VIII.30.19) at the hour of her going to bed." Crossing the Sutlej and the delightful Iravati, and arriving at my own country, when shall I cast my eyes upon those beautiful women with thick frontal bones, with blazing circlets of red arsenic on their foreheads, with streaks of jet black collyrium on their eyes, and their beautiful forms attired in blankets and skins and themselves uttering shrill cries! When shall I be happy, in the company of those intoxicated ladies amid the music of drums and kettle-drums and conchs sweet as the cries of asses and camels and mules! When shall I be amongst those ladies eating cakes of flour and meat and balls of pounded barley mixed with skimmed milk, in the forests, having many pleasant paths of Sami and Pilu and Karira! (VIII.30.24) When shall I, amid my own countrymen, mustering in strength on the high-roads, fall upon passengers, and snatching their robes and attires beat them repeatedly! What man is there that would willingly dwell, even for a moment amongst the Vahiks that are so fallen and wicked, and so depraved in their practises?' Even thus did that Brahman describe the Vahiks of base behaviour, a sixth of whose merits and demerits is thine, O Shalya.
Having said this, that pious Brahman began once more to say what I am about to repeat respecting the wicked Vahiks. Listen to what I say, 'In the large and populous town of Sakal, a Rakshash woman used to sing on every fourteenth day of the dark fortnight, in accompaniment with a drum, "When shall I next sing the songs of the Vahiks in this Sakal town, having gorged myself with beef and drunk the Gaud liquor? When shall I again, decked in ornaments, and with those maidens and ladies of large proportions, gorge upon a large number of sheep and large quantities of pork and beef and the meat of fowls and asses and camels? They who do not eat sheep live in vain!"' Even thus, O Shalya, the young and old, among the inhabitants of Sakal, intoxicated with spirits, sing and cry. How can virtue be met with among such a people? Thou shouldst know this. I must, however, speak again to thee about what another Brahman had said unto us in the Kuru court, 'There where forests of Pilus stand, and those five rivers flow, viz., the Satadru, the Vipas, the Iravati, the Chandrabhaga, and the Vitasa and which have the Sindhu for their sixth, there in those regions removed from the Himavat, are the countries called by the name of the Arattas. Those regions are without virtue and religion. No one should go thither. (VIII.30.36) The gods, the pitris, and the Brahmans, never accept gifts from those that are fallen, or those that are begotten by Shudras on the girls of other castes, or the Vahikas who never perform sacrifices and are exceedingly irreligious.' That learned Brahman had also said in the Kuru court, 'The Vahikas, without any feelings of revulsion, eat of wooden vessels having deep stomachs and earthen plates and vessels that have been licked by dogs and that are stained with pounded barley and other corn. The Vahikas drink the milk of sheep and camels and asses and eat curds and other preparations from those different kinds of milk. Those degraded people number many bastards among them.
There
is no food and no milk that they do not take. The Aratta-Vahikas
that are steeped in ignorance, should be avoided.' (VIII.30.40)
Thou shouldst know this, O Shalya. I must, however, again speak
to thee about what another Brahman had said unto me in the Kuru
court, 'How can one go to heaven, having drunk milk in the town
called Yugandhar, and resided in the place called Acyutasthal, and
bathed in the spot called Bhutilaya? There where the five rivers
flow just after issuing from the mountains, there among the Aratta-Vahikas,
no respectable person should dwell even for two days. There
are two Pishachas named Vahi and Hika in the river Vipash. The Vahikas
are the offspring of those two Pishachas. They are not
creatures created by the Creator. Being of such low origin, how
can they be conversant with the duties ordained in the scriptures?
The Karasakars, the Mahishaks, the Kalings, the Karkotaks, the Atavis,
the Viraks, and other peoples of no religion, one should always
avoid.' (VIII.30.45) Even thus did a Rakshasa woman of gigantic
hips speak unto a Brahman who on a certain occasion went to that
country for bathing in a sacred water and passed a single night
there. The regions are called by the name of Arattas. The people
residing there are called the Vahiks. (VIII.30.47) The lowest of
Brahmans also are residing there from very remote times. They are
without the Veda and without knowledge, without sacrifice and without
the power to assist at other's sacrifices. They are all fallen and
many amongst them have been begotten by Shudras upon other peoples'
girls. The gods never accept any gifts from them. The Prasthals,
the Madras, the Gandhars, the Arattas, those called Khasas, the
Vasatis, the Sindhus and the Sauviras are almost as blamable in
their practices.'" (VIII.30.74)
The Kauravs with the Panchals, the Salwas, the Matsyas, the Naimishas, the Koshals, the Kasapaundras, the Kalings, the Magadhas, (VIII.30.60) and the Chedis who are all highly blessed, know what the eternal religion is. (VIII.30.61) The wicked even of these various countries know what religion is. The Vahiks, however, live without righteousness. Beginning with the Matsyas, the residents of the Kuru and the Panchal countries, the Naimishs as well and the other respectable peoples, (VIII.30.62) the pious among all races are conversant with the eternal truths of religion. This cannot be said of the Madrakas and the crooked-hearted race that resides in the country of the five rivers. Knowing all these things, O king, hold thy tongue, O Shalya, like one deprived of utterance, in all matters connected with religion and virtue. Thou art the protector and king of that people, and, therefore, the partaker of sixth part of their merits and demerits. Or perhaps, thou art the partaker of a sixth part of their demerits only, for thou never protectest them. A king that protects is a sharer in the merits of his subjects. Thou art not a sharer in their merits. In days of yore, when the eternal religion was reverenced in all countries, the Grandsire, observing the practices of the country of the five rivers, cried fie on them. When even in the krita age, Brahman had censured the practices of those fallen people of evil deeds who were begotten by Shudras on others' wives, what would you now say to men in the world? Even thus did the Grandsire condemn the practices of the country of the five waters. When all people were observant of the duties of their respective orders, the Grandsire had to find fault with these men. Thou shouldst know all this, O Shalya.
I shall, however, again speak to thee. A Rakshash of the name of Kalmashapad, while plunging in a tank, said, 'Eleemosynation is a kshatriya's dirt, while the non-observance of vows is a Brahman's dirt. The Vahiks are the dirt of the Earth, and the Madra women are the dirt of the whole female sex. While sinking in the stream, a king rescued the Rakshash. Asked by the former, the latter gave this answer. I will recite it to you. Listen to me. 'The malechs are the dirt of mankind: the oilmen are the dirt of the Malechs; eunuchs are the dirt of oilmen; they who avail of the priestly ministrations of Kshatriyas, in their sacrifices, are the dirt of eunuchs. The sin of those again that have the last-named persons for their priests, of also of the Madraks, shall be thine if thou do not abandon me.' Even this was declared by the Rakshash to be the formula that should be used for curing a person possessed by a Rakshash or one killed by the energy of a poison. The words that follow are all very true.
The Panchals observe the duties enjoined in the Veds; the Kauravs observe truth; the Matsyas and the Surasenas perform sacrifices, the Easterners follow the practices of the Shudras; the Southerners are fallen; the Vahiks are thieves; the Saurashtras are bastards. (VIII.30.73)
They that are defiled by ingratitude, theft, drunkenness, adultery with the wives of their preceptors, harshness of speech, slaughter of kine, lustful wanderings during the night out of home, and the wearing of other people's ornaments,--what sin is there that they do not incur? Fie on the Arattas and the people of the country of the five rivers! Commencing with the Panchals, the Kauravs, the Naimishs, the Matsyas,--all these,--know what religion is. (VIII.30.75)
The old men among the Northerners, the Angs, the Magadhs, (without themselves knowing what virtue is) follow the practices of the pious. Many gods, headed by Agni, dwell in the East. The pitris dwell in the South that is presided over by Yam of righteous deeds. The West is protected by the mighty Varun who overlooks the other gods there. The north is protected by the divine Som along with the Brahmans. So Rakshashs and Pishachs protect the Himavat, the best of mountains. The Guhyakas, O great king, protect the mountains of Gandhamadana. Without doubt, Vishnu, otherwise, called Janardan, protects all creatures. (For all that the Vahiks have no especial protectors among the gods). The Magadhas are comprehenders of signs; the Koshals comprehend from what they see; the Kurus and the Panchals comprehend from a half-uttered speech; the Salwas cannot comprehend till the whole speech is uttered. The Mountaineers, like the Sivis, are very stupid.
The Yavanas, O king, are omniscient; the Suras are particularly so. The Malechs are wedded to the creations of their own fancy. Other peoples cannot understand. The Vahikas resent beneficial counsels; as regards the Madrakas there are none amongst those (mentioned above.) Thou, O Shalya, art so. Thou shouldst not reply to me. The Madrakas are regarded on Earth as the dirt of every nation. So the Madra woman is called the dirt of the whole female sex. They that have for their practices the drinking of spirits, the violation of the beds of their preceptors, the destruction of the embryo by procuring miscarriage, and the robbing of other people's wealth, there is no sin that they have not. Fie on the Arattas and the people of the country of the five rivers. Knowing this, be silent. Do not seek to oppose me. Do not let me slay Keshav and Arjun, having slain thee first.'"
"'Shalya said, "The abandonment of the afflicted and the sale of wives and children are, O Karn, prevalent amongst the Angs whose king thou art. Recollecting those faults of thine that Bhishma recited on the occasion of the tale of Rathis and Atirathis, drive away thy wrath. Do not be angry. Brahmans may be found everywhere; Kshatriyas may be found everywhere; so also Vaishyas and Shudras, O Karn, women of chastity and excellent vows may also be found everywhere. Everywhere men take delight in jesting with men and wounding one another. Lustful men also may be found everywhere. Everyone on every occasion can command skill in speaking of the faults of others. No one, however, knows his own faults, or knowing them, feels shame. Everywhere are kings devoted to their respective religions, and employed in chastising the wicked. Everywhere may be found virtuous men. It cannot be, O Karn, that all the people of a country are sinful. There are men in many countries that surpass the very gods by their behaviour.'"
"Sanjay continued, 'Then king Duryodhan stopped Karn and Shalya (from going on with their wordy warfare), addressing the son of Radha as a friend, and beseeching Shalya with joined hands, Karn, O sire, was quieted by thy son and forbore saying anything more. Shalya also then faced the enemy. Then Radha's son, smiling, once more urged Shalya, saying, "Proceed.'"
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