२५ सत्सङ्गः

Being desirous of raising his family to eminence, he shall always form connections with superior kinds of people; he shalt, avoid all inferior ones.—(244)

viśuddhāḥ karmami(bhi?)ścaiva śrutismṛtinidarśitaiḥ | aviplutabrahmacaryā mahākulasamanvitāḥ | mahākule ye manbaddhā mahattve ca vyavasthitāḥ || santuṣṭāssajanahitāḥ sādhavaḥ samadarśinaḥ | lobharāgadveṣāmarṣamānamohādivarjitāḥ | a??odhanāḥ suprasādāḥ kārthāssambandhinaḥ sadā ||

बहुप्रकारत्वाद् उत्तमस्य तदपेक्षा वीप्सा । कश्चिज् जात्योत्कृष्टः कश्चिद् विद्यया कश्चिच् छीलेन । अथ वा संबन्धिभेदाद् यः कश्चित् संबन्धो येन¹ केनचिद् उत्तमेन योग्यः ।

• उत्तमैर् उत्तमैर् जात्यादिभिर् उत्कृष्टैः कन्यादानादिलक्षणान् संबन्धान् आचरेत् कुर्यान् निनीषुर् नेतुं प्रापयितुम् इच्छुः कुलम् उत्कर्षं श्रैष्ठ्यम् । अधमान् अधमांस् त्यजेत् । उत्तमैर् एव विधानाद् अधमानां त्यागे सिद्ध उत्तमासंभवे मध्यमानुज्ञानार्थं त्यागवचनम् । अधमा निकृष्टाः ॥ ४.२४४ ॥

The word, ‘uttumaiḥ,’ has been repeated, in view of the fact that there are several kinds of ‘superior’ people; some are ‘superior’ in caste, some in learning, some in character. Or, the repetition may be due to diversity of connections; some connections being desirable for some kinds of ‘superior’ people, and some with the other.

‘With superior people’—w ith people superior in caste, etc.,—‘he shall form connections’ of marriage, etc.

‘Being desirous of raising his family to eminence’—to a superior status.

‘He shall avoid the inferior kinds.’—The injunction that connections shall he formed with superior people, implies that those with inferior people shall be avoided; the emphasizing of this latter, therefore, is meant to permit the forming of connections with middle class people, if superior people are not available.

‘Inferior’—low.—(244)

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 587);—in Vidhānapārijāta (p. 674);—and in Saṃskāraratnamālā, (p. 75). All these quote the following description of the ‘uttama’ as from Manu; but these verses are not found in Manu—

viśuddhāḥ karmami(bhi?)ścaiva śrutismṛtinidarśitaiḥ |
aviplutabrahmacaryā mahākulasamanvitāḥ |
mahākule ye manbaddhā mahattve ca vyavasthitāḥ ||
santuṣṭāssajanahitāḥ sādhavaḥ samadarśinaḥ |
lobharāgadveṣāmarṣamānamohādivarjitāḥ |
a??odhanāḥ suprasādāḥ kārthāssambandhinaḥ sadā ||

and as description of ‘adharma’ they quote Manu 3.150-152.

It is quoted in Saṃskāramayūkha (p. 75);—and in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 205).

244 Let him, who desires to raise his race, ever form connexions with the most excellent (men), and shun all low ones.

Having recourse to superior kinds of people, and avoiding the inferior kinds, the Brāhmaṇa attains eminence; by the contrary procedure, he becomes a Śūdra.—(245)

उत्तमान् गच्छंस् तैः सह संबन्धं कुर्वन् ब्राह्मणः श्रेष्ठताम् एति । ब्राह्मणग्रहणं क्षत्रियवैश्ययोर् अपि प्रदर्शनार्थम् । प्रत्यवायेन विपरीताचरणेन हीनैः सह संबन्धेन² प्रातिलोम्येन शूद्रतां गच्छति । जातेर् अनपायात् तत्तुल्यतां³ प्राप्नोतीत्य् उक्तं भवति ॥ ४.२४५ ॥

‘Having recourse to superior people;’—i.e., forming connections with them,—‘the Brāhmaṇa attains eminence.’ The term, ‘brāhmaṇa,’ standing for the Kṣatriya and the Vaiśya also.

‘By the contrary procedure,’—by adopting the opposite process—i.e., by forming connections with inferior people—the man becomes a Śūdra. Since it is not possible for the caste of a man to disappear, what is meant is that he becomes equal to the Śūdra.—(245)

245 A Brahmana who always connects himself with the most excellent (ones), and shuns all inferior ones, (himself) becomes most distinguished; by an opposite conduct he becomes a Sudra.

He who acts resolutely, is gentle and tolerant, who does not associate with persons of cruel disposition, and who does no injury to others, shall win heaven by his self-control and liberality, if he sticks to this practice.—(246)

कर्तव्येषु दृढनिश्चयो दृढकारी । यत् करोति तद् अवश्यं समापयति न पुनः कार्यम् आरभ्यासमाप्य निवर्तते । नानवस्थित इत्य् अर्थः । तद् उक्तम् “प्रारब्धस्यान्तगमनम्” (श्सूक्ता ७९) । मृदुर् अनिष्ठुरः । क्रूराचारैः स्तेनादिभिर् न संबन्धः । तैः सह संबन्धम् अकुर्वन् । तथा⁴ दमदानाभ्यां स्वर्गं जयेत् प्राप्नुयात् । तथाव्रतः । एतद् व्रतं नियमं धारयन् । दमस्य पृथग् उपादानाद् दान्तो द्वन्द्वसहिष्णुर् द्रष्टव्यः ॥ ४.२४६ ॥

‘Who acts resolutely,’—i. e., he who is firm in his determination to do something; having undertaken an act, he is sure to finish it; having begun an act, he does not desist: i.e., who is not undetermined. This is what is asserted in such passages as—‘going to the end of what has been begun, etc., etc.’

‘Gentle’—not hard-hearted.

‘Has no connection with men of cruel conduct’—such as thieves and others.

‘By means o f self-control and liberality, he wins heaven’— ‘if he sticks to this practice;’—i.e., observing the said rules.

‘Self-control’ being mentioned separately, the term, ‘dāntaḥ,’ should he taken to mean ‘tolerant of opposition.’—(246)

246 He who is persevering, gentle, (and) patient, shuns the company of men of cruel conduct, and does no injury (to living creatures), gains, if he constantly lives in that manner, by controlling his organs and by liberality, heavenly bliss.