Para dúvidas de vocabulário, ver glossário ao final.
I
“He who can be perceived by the internal organ, who is subtile, indiscernible, and eternal, who contains all created beings and is inconceivable, shone forth of his own.
He, desiring to produce beings of many kinds from his own body, first with a thought created the waters, and placed his seed in them.
That became a golden egg, in brilliancy equal to the sun; in that he himself was born as Brahman, the progenitor of the whole world.
The waters are called narah, the waters are, indeed, the offspring of Nara; as they were his first residence (ayana), he thence is named Narayana.
From that cause, which is indiscernible, eternal, and both real and unreal, was produced that male (Purusha), who is famed in this world under the appellation of Brahman.
The divine one resided in that egg during a whole year, then he himself by his thought divided it into two halves;
And out of those two halves he formed heaven and earth, between them the middle sphere, the 8 points of the horizon, and the eternal abode of the waters.
From himself he also drew forth the mind, which is both real and unreal, likewise from the mind egoism, which possesses the function of self-consciousness lordly;”
“from minute body particles of these 7 very powerful Purushas springs this world, the perishable from the imperishable.”
“But in the beginning he assigned their several names, actions, and conditions to all, even according to the words of the Veda.
He, the Lord, also created the class of the gods, who are endowed with life, and whose nature is action; [à imagem e semelhança do homem!] and the subtile class of the Sadhyas, and the eternal sacrifice.”
“Dividing his own body, the Lord became half male and half female; with that he produced Virag.”
“They created 7 other Manus possessing great brilliancy, gods and classes of gods and great sages of measureless power,
“Cattle, deer, carnivorous beasts with 2 rows of teeth, Rakshasas, Pisakas, and men are born from the womb.
From eggs are born birds, snakes, crocodiles, fishes, tortoises, as well as similar terrestrial and aquatic animals.”
“Those trees which bear fruit without flowers are called vanaspati (lords of the forest); but those which bear both flowers and fruit are called vriksha.”
“These plants which are surrounded by multiform Darkness, the result of their acts (in former existences), possess internal consciousness and experience pleasure and pain.
The conditions in this always terrible and constantly changing circle of births and deaths to which created beings are subject, are stated to begin with Brahman, and to end with these.
When he whose power is incomprehensible, had thus produced the universe and men, he disappeared in himself, repeatedly suppressing one period by means of the other.
When that divine one wakes, then this world stirs; when he slumbers tranquilly, then the universe sinks to sleep.”
“When this soul has entered darkness, it remains for a long time united with the organs of sensation, but performs not its functions; it then leaves the corporeal frame.
When, being clothed with minute particles only, it enters into vegetable or animal seed, it then assumes, united with the fine body, a new corporeal frame.
Thus he, the imperishable one, by waking and slumbering, incessantly revivifies and destroys this whole movable and immovable creation.
But he having composed these Institutes, himself taught them, according to the rule, to me alone in the beginning; next I to Mariki and the other sages.
Bhrigu, here, will fully recite to you these Institutes; for that sage learned the whole in its entirety from me.”
“Six other high-minded, very powerful Manus, who belong to the race of this Manu, the descendant of the Self-existent (Svayambhu), and who have severally produced created beings,
Svarokisha, Auttami, Tamasa, Raivata, Kakshusha, possessing great lustre, and the son of Vivasvat.
These seven very glorious Manus, the first among whom is Svayambhuva, produced and protected this whole movable and immovable, each during the period allotted to him.
Eighteen nimeshas (twinklings of the eye, are one kashtha), 30 kashthas one kala, 30 kalas one muhurta, and as many muhurtas one day and night.” Estritamente falando, em contas matemáticas (muhurta/30, etc., 1 nimesha seria 0,177s).
“A month is a day and a night of the manes, but the division is according to fortnights. The dark (fortnight) is their day for active exertion, the bright (fortnight) their night for sleep.” A famosa equivalência de 1 mês humano = 1 dia dos semi-deuses, espíritos que no ciclo de reencarnações já estão entre um deus e um humano.
24×28=672h
Deveríamos dormir 12h. E trabalhar umas 3…
“A year is a day and a night of the gods; their division is as follows: the half year during which the sun progresses to the north will be the day, that during which it goes southwards the night.”
Se tu és vinte e oito vezes melhor que ele, sou doze vezes melhor que tu. (Ou onze. Não sabemos quantos dias tinha o ano hindu de então. 28 * 12 = 336 dias)
“But hear now the brief description of the duration of a night and a day of Brahman and of the several ages (yuga) according to their order.” Do nimesha ao grande ano.
“They declare that the Krita age consists of 4,000 years of the gods;¹ the twilight preceding it consists [single-handedly] of as many hundreds”
¹ 1 milhão 344 mil anos do mortal.
“In the other 3 ages with their twilights preceding and following, the thousands and hundreds are diminished by one (in each).” 3000 ou 2900 mil.
“These 12,000 years which thus have been just mentioned as the total of 4 human ages, are called one age of the gods.
“But know that the sum of 1,000 ages of the gods makes one day of Brahman, and that his night has the same length.” 2000 anos dos deuses = 24h do deus dos deuses
“The before-mentioned age of the gods, 12,000 of their years, being multiplied by 71, is here named the period of a Manu (Manvantara).” Quase 300 milhões dos nossos anos.
“The Manvantaras, the creations and destructions of the world, are numberless; sporting, as it were, Brahman repeats this again and again.
In the Krita age Dharma is 4-footed and entire, and so is Truth; nor does any gain accrue to men by unrighteousness.
In the other 3 ages, by reason of unjust gains, Dharma is deprived successively of 1 foot, and through theft, falsehood, and fraud the merit gained by men is diminished by ¼ in each.
Men are free from disease, accomplish all their aims, and live 400 years in the Krita age, but in the Treta and the succeeding ages their life is lessened by ¼.” Supondo que estamos na quarta idade e o homem vive 70 anos, o verdadeiro homem do eterno e universal mito da idade de ouro vivia 136 anos, não 400. Se calculássemos a partir de 400, viveríamos 168 anos na quarta era. Realmente estamos numa era fodida!
“In the Krita age the chief virtue is declared to be austerities, in the Treta knowledge, in the Dvapara sacrifices, in the Kali liberality alone. [Ver GLOSSÁRIO ao final]
But in order to protect this universe He, the most resplendent one, assigned separate duties and occupations to those who sprang from his mouth, arms, thighs, and feet.” As quatro castas hindus, da superior à inferior: os brâmanes provieram da boca de Brahma; são os sacerdotes da religião. Os Chatriya são os guerreiros, e por isso provieram de seus braços; a terceira casta provêm das coxas – embora uma ligação intuitiva entre esta parte do corpo e o ofício de mercador ou camponês não possa ser descoberta rapidamente, são os membros desta casta mais nobres, ou menos indignos, que os últimos, que vêm dos pés de Brahma, a parte mais baixa, e escravos e servos não dispõem de autonomia.
“One occupation only the lord prescribed to the Sudras, to serve meekly even these three castes.” E estes que vêm dos pés de Brahma, que não são de barro, são os únicos que não devem estudar os Vedas.
“Man is stated to be purer above the navel; hence the Self-existent (Svayambhu) has declared the purest part of him to be his mouth.
“The very birth of a Brahmana is an eternal incarnation of the sacred law; for he is born to fulfil the sacred law, and becomes one with Brahman.”
CENTÉSIMO MANDAMENTO: “Whatever exists in the world is the property of the Brahmana; on account of the excellence of his origin the Brahmana is, indeed, entitled to all.”
“The Brahmana eats but his own food, wears but his own apparel, bestows but his own in alms; other mortals subsist through the benevolence of the Brahmana.” Ao contrário de outras civilizações baseadas nos serviços dos escravos, o brâmane está interdito de comer alimentos feitos por castas inferiores, produz as próprias roupas, deve estudar os preceitos do Veda constante e ininterruptamente. Não é uma casta ociosa, como no Ocidente. Ou assim nos quer fazer parecer o legislador!
“A learned Brahmana must carefully study them, and he must duly instruct his pupils in them, but nobody else”
“He sanctifies any company, seven ancestors and seven descendants, and he alone deserves this whole earth.”
“In this work the sacred law has been fully stated as well as the good and bad qualities of human actions and the immemorial rule of conduct, to be followed by all the four castes (varna).”
twice-born man: um brâmane versado no sagrado. Auxiliarmente, no que tange ao princípio da transmigração, nenhum brâmane viveu primeiramente como brâmane. Já foi de uma das castas inferiores, renasceu brâmane. E se não se comportar diligentemente como brâmane, renascerá novamente como homem inferior, ou animal ou planta, ou ainda destino pior, como veremos no livro apropriado – sendo ignorar o Veda um pecado irreparável. Não haveria ressentimento se, por via da transmigração, toda a sociedade hindu entender que a cada um será dada sua oportunidade. Se o dogma da reencarnação não for aceitável, isso é uma outra história… Enquanto for, não é uma organização social estapafúrdia, e elimina os ressentimentos sobre “desigualdades” entre castas.
“The laws concerning women, of hermits, final emancipation and renouncing the world, the whole duty of a king and the manner of deciding lawsuits,
The rules for the examination of witnesses, the laws concerning husband and wife, the law of division, gambling and the removal of thorns,¹
[¹ Nesse contexto, homens nocivos como espinhos.]
The behaviour of Vaisyas and Sudras, the origin of the mixed castes, the law for all castes in times of distress and the law of penances,
(…)
The primeval laws of countries, of castes (gati), of families, and the rules concerning heretics and companies – Manu has declared in these Institutes.
As Manu, in reply to my questions, formerly promulgated these Institutes, even so learn ye also from me.”
II
“To act solely from a desire for rewards is not laudable, yet an exemption from that desire is not to be found in this world: for on that desire is grounded the study of the Veda and the performance of the actions prescribed by the Veda.”
“Not a single act here below appears ever to be done by a man free from desire; for whatever man does, it is the result of the impulse of desire.”
“The whole Veda is the first source of the sacred law, next the tradition and the virtuous conduct of those who know the Veda further, also the customs of holy men, and finally self-satisfaction.”
“Manu (…) was omniscient.”
“The man who obeys the law prescribed in the revealed texts and in the sacred tradition gains fame in this world and after death unsurpassable bliss.”
“Every twice-born man, who, relying on the Institutes of dialectics, [retórica, oratória] treats with contempt those 2 sources [revelação e tradição], must be cast out by the virtuous, as an atheist and a scorner of the Veda.”
“The knowledge of the sacred law is prescribed for those who are not given to the acquisition of wealth and to the gratification of their desires; to those who seek the knowledge of the sacred law the supreme authority is the revelation (Sruti).
But when 2 sacred texts (Sruti) are conflicting, both are held to be law; for both are pronounced by the wise valid law.” Ou seja: é próprio do (inevitável ao) grande homem ser visto como um herético ou imoral, porque o homem pequeno não serve como avaliador justo.
“That land, created by the gods, which lies between the two divine rivers Sarasvati and Drishadvati, the sages call Brahmavarta.” Seria interessante apurar a que zona geográfica corresponde atualmente. Provavelmente uma pequena porção da Índia, ou talvez outro Estado-nação.
“The precise location and size of the region has been the subject of academic uncertainty. Some scholars, such as the archaeologists Bridget and Raymond Allchin, believe the term Brahmavarta to be synonymous with the Aryavarta region.”
“The custom handed down in regular succession since time immemorial among the 4 chief castes (varna) and the mixed races of that country is called the conduct of virtuous men.” Há muito mais no hinduísmo do que aparenta aos olhos ocidentais (4 castas e só – há dezenas de castas e há pessoas fora do sistema de castas que não são os excluídos – proscritos – que compõem na verdade a casta inferior por definição). Talvez que o mundo ainda aguarde o Lévi-Strauss dos hindus.
“That country which lies between the Himavat and the Vindhya (mountains) to the east of Prayaga and to the west of Vinasana (the place where the river Sarasvati disappears) is called Madhyadesa (the central region).
But the tract between those two mountains, which extends as far as the eastern and the western oceans, the wise call Aryavarta (the country of the Aryans).”
“Por onde não perambula o veado negro, esta é terra de bárbaros.
O homem nascido duas vezes pode residir na terra sagrada; mas um Sudra, este que viva onde for.” Aqui temos duas sentenças seguidas que comprovam o parentesco mais arcano do hinduísmo tanto com a antropologia grega quanto com o hebraísmo mais ortodoxo.
“Thus has the origin of the sacred law been succinctly described to you and the origin of this universe; learn now the duties of the castes.
With holy rites, prescribed by the Veda, must the ceremony on conception and other sacraments be performed for twice-born men, which sanctify the body and purify from sin in this life and after death.” Instituição do batismo para o brâmane//católico. Conquanto “concepção” é já o ato sexual gerador, não só o sacramento pós-parto (do qual se trata na sentença seguinte).
Kauda, ou tonsura: “substantivo feminino Corte de cabelo redondo, no topo da cabeça, conferido pelo Bispo aos eclesiásticos que obtiveram o primeiro grau do clericato; a cerimônia em que esse corte é realizado; prima tonsura;
Cercilho; esse corte de cabelo;
Ação ou efeito de cortar os cabelos e a barba.”
Vê-se que isso antecede em muito qualquer “bispo”…
Não pecar (perder a nobreza), nesse sentido, é:
Estudar o Veda;
orar;
recitar;
sacrificar;
procriar.
“Before the navel-string is cut, the Gatakarman (birth-rite) must be performed for a male; and while sacred formulas are being recited, he must be fed with gold, honey, and butter.” Uma péssima primeira refeição.
“But let the father perform or cause to be performed the Namadheya (the rite of naming the child), on the 10th or 12th day after birth, or on a lucky lunar day, in a lucky muhurta, under an auspicious constellation.
Let the first part of a Brahmana’s name denote something auspicious, a Kshatriya’s be connected with power, and a Vaisya’s with wealth, but a Sudra’s express something contemptible.” A origem consciente dos nomes próprios feios e vulgares.
“The second part of a Brahmana’s name shall be a word implying happiness, of a Kshatriya’s a word implying protection, of a Vaisya’s a term expressive of thriving, and of a Sudra’s an expression denoting service.
The names of women should be easy to pronounce, not imply anything dreadful, possess a plain meaning, be pleasing and auspicious, end in long vowels, and contain a word of benediction.
In the 4th month the Nishkramana (the first leaving of the house) of the child should be performed, in the 6th month the Annaprasana (first feeding with rice), and optionally any other auspicious ceremony required by the custom of the family.
According to the teaching of the revealed texts, the Kudakarman (tonsure) must be performed, for the sake of spiritual merit, by all twice-born men in the first or third year.” Repare na insistência no tema (e no já 2º vocábulo utilizado para tonsura).
“In the 8th year after conception [7 anos e 3 meses aproximados de vida, este é o aniversário], one should perform the initiation (upanayana) of a Brahmana, in the 11th after conception that of a Kshatriya, but in the 12th that of a Vaisya.” Os brâmanes amadurecem mais rápido (como as mulheres).
“The initiation of a Brahmana who desires proficiency in sacred learning should take place in the 5th year after conception, that of a Kshatriya who wishes to become powerful [o Kshatriya está no meio do caminho do que nós consideraríamos como guerreiro e político] in the 6th, and that of a Vaisya who longs for success in his business in the 8th.” Absurdo. Ao mesmo tempo que o nome deve reforçar o destino, o “eleito” deve escolher “livremente” numa idade muito anterior à do próprio juízo, e anterior até à da iniciação ritual. Hoje todos são Vaisyas de berço.
“The time for the Savitri (initiation) of a Brahmana does not pass until the completion of the 16th year after conception, of a Kshatriya until the completion of the 22nd, and of a Vaisya until the completion of the 24th.” De novo, o ocidental tem todo o espírito do comércio em sua “formação individual”.
“After those periods men of these 3 castes who have not received the sacrament at the proper time become Vratyas (outcasts), excluded from the initiation and despised by the Aryans.
With such men, if they have not been purified according to the rule, let no Brahmana ever, even in times of distress, form a connexion either through the Veda or by marriage.” O apartheid mais intenso jamais imaginado. O Vratya está abaixo do Sudra (quarta casta).
“Let students, according to the order of their castes, wear the skins of black antelopes, spotted deer, and he-goats” Não sei precisar a diferença entre antelope e deer nesse caso, ambos tradutíveis como veado ou corça.
“The girdle of a Brahmana shall consist of a triple cord of Munga grass, smooth and soft” O comerciante usa cânhamo, quanta ironia, burguesia!
“If Munga grass be not procurable, the girdles may be made of Kusa, Asmantaka, and Balbaga fibres, with a single threefold knot, or with 3 or 5 knots according to the custom of the family.” Esses trechos necessitam de consulta a comentadores.
“The staff of a Brahmana shall be made of such length as to reach the end of his hair; that of a Kshatriya, to reach his forehead; and that of a Vaisya, to reach the tip of his nose.”
“the student should beg alms according to the prescribed rule.” Quem está a serviço, está a serviço, ainda que seja um aristocrata.
“Let him first beg food of his mother, or of his sister, or of his own maternal aunt, or of some other female who will not disgrace him by a refusal.”
“let him eat, turning his face towards the east, [voltado para o nascer do Sol] and having purified himself by sipping water.
His meal will procure long life, if he eats facing the east; fame, if he turns to the south; prosperity, if he turns to the west; truthfulness, if he faces the east.” Aqui não sei se o texto está corrompido ou se o leste é duas vezes bendito e o norte poluído.
“Let him always worship his food, and eat it without contempt; when he sees it, let him rejoice, show a pleased face, and pray that he may always obtain it.
Food, that is always worshipped, gives strength and manly vigour; but eaten irreverently, it destroys them both.” O pai do pai-nosso.
“Let him not give to any man what he leaves, and beware of eating between the 2 meal-times; let him not over-eat himself, nor go anywhere without having purified himself.”
“They call the part at the root of the thumb the tirtha sacred to Brahman, that at the root of the little finger the tirtha sacred to Ka (Pragapati), that at the tips of the fingers, the tirtha sacred to the gods, and that below between the index and the thumb, the tirtha sacred to the manes.”
“Let him first sip water thrice; next twice wipe his mouth; and, lastly, touch with water the cavities of the head, the seat of the soul” As origens do TOC.
“…and turning to the east or to the north.” (ablução – o que significa que o trecho acima provavelmente omite norte de forma errada)
“This whole series of ceremonies must be performed for females also, in order to sanctify the body, at the proper time and in the proper order, but without the recitation of sacred texts.” O super-apartheid.
“The nuptial ceremony is stated to be the Vedic sacrament for women and to be equal to the initiation, serving the husband equivalent to the residence in the house of the teacher, and the household duties the same as the daily worship of the sacred fire.” O homem é o sol da mulher, e seu professor, e sua casa.
“Thus has been described the rule for the initiation of the twice-born, which indicates a new birth, and sanctifies; learn now to what duties they must afterwards apply themselves.
Having performed the initiation, the teacher must first instruct the pupil in the rules of personal purification, of conduct, of the fire-worship, and of the twilight devotions.”
“At the beginning and at the end of a lesson in the Veda he must always clasp both the feet of his teacher, [abraçar, apertar – com as mãos ou com os pés, porém? Manter apertado não parece ser o sentido, uma vez que contradiria a sentença seguinte, se se tratar mesmo das mãos – parece ser apenas um amplexo inicial de cumprimento] and he must study joining his hands; that is called the Brahmangali (joining the palms for the sake of the Veda).
With crossed hands he must clasp the feet of the teacher, and touch the left foot with his left hand, the right foot with his right hand. [esclarecimento do ‘mistério’ acima – pode parecer óbvio, mas implica que o discípulo deve cruzar os braços na saudação, posto que estão um de frente para o outro]”
“Let him [o aprendiz novato] always pronounce the syllable Om at the beginning and at the end of a lesson in the Veda; [if] the syllable Om [does not] precede the lesson, [it] will slip away, and unless it follow[s] it will fade away.” Se o discípulo não recitar Om antes e depois da lição, não será capaz de compreender o que vem a seguir ou esquecerá o que acabou de aprender.
“…and sanctified by 3 suppressions of the breath (Pranayama), he is worthy to pronounce the syllable Om.
Pragapati (the lord of creatures) milked out from the 3 Vedas the sounds A, U, and M, and the Vyahritis Bhuh, Bhuvah, Svah.” Não só os deuses tiram leite de pedra como do próprio livro, ou Palavra, ou Grande Verdade. Extraem o mais puro e o máximo do (aparente) mínimo.
“A twice-born man who daily repeats those three [vowels] 1000 times outside the village will be freed after a month even from great guilt, as a snake from its slough. [pele]” Who repeats, repents. Pêgo com as calças na mão.
“The Brahmana, the Kshatriya, and the Vaisya who neglect the recitation of that Rik-verse and the timely performance of the rites prescribed will be blamed among virtuous men.
Know that the 3 imperishable Mahavyahritis, preceded by the syllable Om, and followed by the 3-footed Savitri are the portal of the Veda and the gate leading to union with Brahman.
He who daily recites that verse, untired, during 3 years, will enter after death the highest Brahman, move as free as air, and assume an ethereal form.
The monosyllable Om is the highest Brahman, 3 suppressions of the breath are the best form of austerity, but nothing surpasses the Savitri [iniciação, mote ou lema neste contexto, isto é, expressão curta que resume toda uma doutrina] ‘truthfulness is better than silence’.” A afetação na fala seria o mais ridículo de 3 estados possíveis (pode-se dizer a verdade, calar ou mentir). O silêncio é mais digno. Mas mais digna que o silêncio é a fala sincera.
“All rites ordained in the Veda, burnt oblations and other sacrifices pass away; but know that the syllable Om is imperishable, and it is Brahman, and the Lord of creatures (Pragapati).
Uma oferenda sob a forma de orações em murmúrio, é dez vezes mais eficaz que um sacrifício realizado conforme as leis do Veda; uma oração inaudível aos outros, no entanto, supera em cem vezes aquela oferenda; e a recitação puramente mental dos textos sagrados, mil vezes.
Se juntarmos os 4 Pakayagnas [?] e essas oferendas sancionadas pelo Veda, ainda não alcançamos nem um dezesseis avos do valor da oferenda sob a forma de orações em murmúrio.
[?] Ou Pakayanas
Mas também é verdade que um Brahmana pode, sem dúvida, alcançar a mais nobre elevação apenas por orações murmuradas; se ele executa outros ritos ou os negligencia, aquele que é o amigo de todas as criaturas [é ‘duas vezes nascido’, i.e., da primeira casta] é de todo modo um verdadeiro Brahmana [e alcança o que outros não podem alcançar].
Um homem sábio deve se esforçar para controlar seus órgãos que deixados a seu curso natural são seduzidos pelos objetos atrativos do mundo; um homem sábio controla seus órgãos vitais assim como o carroceiro seus cavalos.
Os 11 órgãos que os antigos sábios enumeraram eu vou ensinar na ordem própria e precisa,
o ouvido, a pele, os olhos, a língua, o nariz como o quinto, o ânus, o órgão da geração, mãos e pés e o órgão da fala [sistema fonador – do qual a língua participa; mas na primeira série de órgãos a língua era considerada apenas enquanto instrumento do paladar] como o décimo.”
“Know that the internal organ (manas) is the 11th, which by its quality belongs to both sets [órgãos dos sentidos e órgãos da ação]; when that has been subdued, both those sets of 5 organs have been conquered.”
“O desejo nunca é extinto através da fruição do desejo; quanto mais prazer se usufrui, mais forte o desejo, como fogo alimentado por combustível.
Portanto, entre obter todos os prazeres e renunciar a todos eles, a renúncia absoluta é sem dúvida melhor.
É extremamente difícil restringir os órgãos sensuais apenas através da abstinência; é preciso buscar constantemente o conhecimento a fim de lograr a renúncia absoluta.
Tampouco bastam os Vedas, a profissão da generosidade, a performance de sacrifícios nem qualquer restrição auto-imposta, nem uma rotina austera, para a obtenção de recompensa divina, se o coração do homem em questão se encontra contaminado pela sensualidade.
Apenas o homem que, escutando, tocando, vendo, provando e cheirando seja o que for, não sente prazer nem desprazer pode ser chamado de homem que domou seus órgãos.
Porém, basta que um dos órgãos escape do controle para que a sabedoria também escape, exatamente como a água derramada do recipiente escorre pelo corpo daquele que vai buscá-la ao poço.
Se o homem conserva os dez órgãos (e a mente, o décimo primeiro órgão) em sujeição, conquistará toda sua meta, sem que careça da prática da Yoga.”
“O praticante deve erguer-se com o céu ainda escuro, sussurrando o Savitri até a aurora, mas que ele não deixe de recitá-lo, sentado, manhã e tarde e noite adentro, até as constelações estarem visíveis no céu.” Netero alcançando seu auge (Hunter x Hunter). Gratidão é a palavra-chave (hoje tão banalizada).
“There are no forbidden days for the daily recitation, since that is declared to be a Brahmasattra; at that the Veda takes the place of the burnt oblations”
“Unless one be asked, one must not explain anything to anybody, nor must one answer a person who asks improperly; let a wise man, though he knows, behave among men as an idiot.
Of the two persons, him who illegally explains, and him who illegally asks, one or both will die or incur the other’s enmity.”
“good seed must not be thrown on barren land.” Se ao menos os cristãos fossem mais orgulhosos e assim pensassem teríamos evitado muitos genocídios de povos originários.
“But he who acquires without permission the Veda from one who recites it, incurs the guilt of stealing the Veda, and shall sink into hell.”
“A Brahmana who completely governs himself, though he know the Savitri only, is better than he who knows the 3 Vedas but does not control himself, eats all sorts of food, and sells all sorts of goods.
One must not sit down on a couch or seat which a superior occupies; and he who occupies a couch or seat shall rise to meet a superior, and salute him.”
“After the salutation, a Brahmana who greets an elder must pronounce his name, saying, ‘I am N. N.’”
“In saluting he should pronounce after his name the word bhoh; for the sages have declared that the nature of bhoh is the same as that of all proper names.”
“and the vowel ‘a’ must be added at the end of the name of the person addressed, the syllable preceding it being drawn out to the length of 3 moras [unidades].
A Brahmana who does not know the form of returning a salutation, must not be saluted by a learned man; as a Sudra, even so is he.
Let him ask a Brahmana, on meeting him, after his health, with the word kusala, a Kshatriya, anamaya, a Vaisya kshema, and a Sudra anarogya.”
“But to a female who is the wife of another man, and not a blood-relation, he must say, ‘Lady’ (bhavati) or ‘Beloved sister!’”
“To his maternal and paternal uncles, fathers-in-law, officiating priests, venerable persons, he must say, ‘I am N. N.’, and rise, even though they be younger.
A maternal aunt, the wife of a maternal uncle, a mother-in-law, and a paternal aunt must be honoured like the wife of one’s teacher; they are equal to the wife of one’s teacher.
The feet of the wife of one’s brother, if she be of the same caste (varna), must be clasped every day; but the feet of wives of other paternal and maternal relatives need only be embraced on one’s return from a journey.
Towards a sister of one’s father and of one’s mother, and towards one’s own elder sister, one must behave as towards one’s mother; but the mother is more venerable than they.”
“Fellow-citizens are called friends and equals though one be 10 years older than the other, men practising the same fine art though one be 5 years older, Srotriyas though 3 years intervene between their ages, but blood-relations only (if the) difference of age be very small.
Know that a Brahmana of 10 years and Kshatriya of 100 years stand to each other in the relation of father and son; but between those two the Brahmana is the father.
Wealth, kindred, age, the due performance of rites, and, fifthly,¹ sacred learning are titles to respect; but each later-named cause is more weighty than the preceding ones.” Os ricos (merceeiros) por último.
¹ Lendo essa palavra me dei conta de que o inglês, mesmo não sendo tão proeminente em consoantes como muitas línguas européias, tem uma palavra de 9 letras em que 8 são consoantes, sendo 6 consecutivas: twelfthly!
“Whatever man of the 3 highest castes¹ possesses most of those five,¹ both in number and degree, that man is worthy of honour among them; and so is a Sudra who has entered the 10th decade of his life.” Que cruel essa expectativa…
¹ Três nem sequer dependem da vontade do indivíduo…
“Way must be made for a man in a carriage, for one who is above 90 years old, [!] for one diseased, for the carrier of a burden, for a woman, for a Snataka, [estudante graduado] for the king, and for a bridegroom.” Leis inclusivas desde os mais remotos tempos.
“a Snataka and the king must be most honoured; and if the king and a Snataka meet, the latter receives respect from the king.”
“They call that Brahmana who initiates a pupil and teaches him the Veda together with the Kalpa and the Rahasyas, the teacher (akarya).
But he who for his livelihood teaches a portion only of the Veda, or also the Angas of the Veda, is called the sub-teacher (upadhyaya).”
“That Brahmana who performs in accordance with the rules of the Veda the rites, the Garbhadhana (conception-rite) and so forth, and gives food to the child, is called the Guru (the venerable one).”
“That man who truthfully fills both his ears with the Veda the pupil shall consider as his father and mother; he must never offend him.
The teacher (akarya) is 10 times more venerable than a sub-teacher (upadhyaya), the father a 100 times more than the teacher, but the mother a 1000 times more than the father.”
“That Brahmana who is the giver of the birth for the sake of the Veda and the teacher of the prescribed duties becomes by law the father of an aged man, even though he himself be a child.
Young Kavi, the son of Angiras, taught his relatives who were old enough to be fathers, and, as he excelled them in sacred knowledge, he called them ‘Little sons’.
They, moved with resentment, asked the gods concerning that matter, and the gods, having assembled, answered, ‘The child has addressed you properly.
‘For a man destitute of sacred knowledge is indeed a child…’”
“The seniority of Brahmanas is from sacred knowledge, that of Kshatriyas from valour, that of Vaisyas from wealth in grain (and other goods), but that of Sudras alone from age.
A man is not therefore venerable because his head is gray; him who, though young, has learned the Veda, the gods consider to be venerable.” You don’t have to be old to be wise, right, Halffy?
“As an elephant made of wood, as an antelope made of leather, such is an unlearned Brahmana; those three have nothing but the names.
As a eunuch is unproductive with women, as a cow with a cow is unprolific, and as a gift made to an ignorant man yields no reward, even so is a Brahmana useless, who does not know the Rikas.
Created beings must be instructed in what concerns their welfare without giving them pain, and sweet and gentle speech must be used by a teacher who desires to abide by the sacred law.” O inverso da pedagogia contemporânea.
“let him not utter speeches which make others afraid of him, since that will prevent him from gaining heaven.” Uma lição à igreja católica, por exemplo.
“A Brahmana should always fear homage as if it were poison; and constantly desire scorn as nectar.” Nietzsche em estado bruto.
“For he who is scorned sleep with an easy mind, awake with an easy mind, and with an easy mind walk here among men; but the scorners utterly perish.”
“A twice-born man who, not having studied the Veda, applies himself to other and worldly study soon falls, even while living, to the condition of a Sudra and his descendants after him.”
“He who has not been initiated should not pronounce any Vedic text excepting those required for the performance of funeral rites, since he is on a level with a Sudra before his birth from the Veda.”
“Let him abstain from honey, meat, perfumes, garlands, substances used for flavouring food, women, all substances turned acid, and from doing injury to living creatures.
From anointing his body, applying collyrium to his eyes, from the use of shoes and of an umbrella or parasol, from sensual desire, anger, covetousness, dancing, singing, and playing musical instruments” Já é demasiado!
MAIS PROBIÇÕES: “…gambling, idle disputes, backbiting, and lying, from looking at and touching women, and from hurting others.”
“Let him always sleep alone, let him never waste his manhood; for he who voluntarily wastes his manhood, breaks his vow.”
SANSÃO, O VIRGEM (E ATÉ BRAÇO-VIRGEM!): “A twice-born student who has involuntarily wasted his manly strength during sleep [aqui é definitivamente onde a polução noturna se torna poluição noturna!] must bathe, worship the sun, and afterwards thrice mutter the Rik-verse, which begins ‘Again let my strength return to me’.”
lAwful
“He who, without being sick, neglects during 7 days to go out begging, and to offer fuel in the sacred fire, shall perform the penance of an Avakirnin (one who has broken his vow).”
“the subsistence of a student on begged food is declared to be equal in merit to fasting.”
“In the presence of his teacher let him always eat less, wear a less valuable dress and ornaments than the former, and let him rise earlier from his bed and go to rest later.”
“Let him not pronounce the mere name of his teacher without adding an honorific title behind his back even, and let him not mimic his gait, speech, and deportment.
Wherever people justly censure or falsely defame his teacher, there he must cover his ears or depart thence to another place.” Me pergunto se cover his ears neste caso é destruir os próprios tímpanos.
“By censuring his teacher, though justly, he will become in his next birth an ass,¹ by falsely defaming him, a dog; he who lives on his teacher’s substance, will become a worm, and he who is envious of his merit, a larger insect.”
¹ Muito conveniente. Mas demonstra que os hindus valorizam mais a mula ou o burro que o cachorro.
“If his teacher’s teacher is near, let him behave towards him as towards his own teacher; but let him, unless he has received permission from his teacher, not salute venerable persons of his own family.”
“A student must not shampoo the limbs of his teacher’s son, nor assist him in bathing, nor eat the fragments of his food, nor wash his feet.”
“Let him not perform for a wife of his teacher the offices of anointing her, assisting her in the bath, shampooing her limbs, or arranging her hair.” Essa segunda recomendação é muito mais importante que a primeira!
“A pupil who is full 20 years old, and knows what is becoming and unbecoming, shall not salute a young wife of his teacher by clasping her feet.” Aquele que já é grandinho (sabe o que é morrer e transar), que não abrace a mulher de seu mentor!
“It is the nature of women to seduce men in this world; for that reason the wise are never unguarded in the company of females.
For women are able to lead astray in this world not only a fool, but even a learned man, and to make him a slave of desire and anger.” Sábias palavras!
Se ironizar os comandos das Leis de Manu representar minha perdição, eu já estou no pior dos labirintos…
“One should not sit in a lonely place with one’s mother, sister, or daughter; for the senses are powerful, and master even a learned man.
But at his pleasure a young student may prostrate himself on the ground before the young wife of a teacher, in accordance with the rule, and say, ‘I, N. N., worship thee, O lady’.”
“On returning from a journey he must clasp the feet of his teacher’s wife and daily salute her in the manner just mentioned, remembering the duty of the virtuous.” Podia tirar uma casquinha, desde que estivesse sumido por um tempo!
“A student may either shave his head, or wear his hair in braids, or braid one lock on the crown of his head; the sun must never set or rise while he lies asleep in the village.
If the sun should rise or set while he is sleeping, be it intentionally or unintentionally, he shall fast during the next day, muttering the Savitri.”
“If a woman or a man of low caste perform anything leading to happiness, let him diligently practise it, as well as any other permitted act in which his heart finds pleasure.”
“That trouble and pain which the parents undergo on the birth of their children, cannot be compensated even in 100 years.” Para o homem, não sei a que dor e sofrimento se refere!
“The father, forsooth, is stated to be the Garhapatya fire, the mother the Dakshinagni, but the teacher the Ahavaniya fire; this triad of fires is most venerable.
He who neglects not those three, even after he has become a householder, will conquer the 3 worlds and, radiant in body like a god, he will enjoy bliss in heaven.
By honouring his mother he gains this world, by honouring his father the middle sphere, but by obedience to his teacher the world of Brahman. [Contradiz trecho anterior em que a mãe era a mais honorável de todas por longa margem.]
He shall inform them of everything that with their consent he may perform in thought, word, or deed for the sake of the next world.” O ponto fraco do Vedanta: aquele que tem de ser o servo da vontade dos pais por toda a vida acaba inconscientemente desejando sua morte. Desse ponto de vista, os órfãos são muito mais felizes, aliviados de uma tirânica carga patriarcal. Aquele que segue contido e autocensurado diante de pais centenários, por exemplo, se torna mórbido, malvado. Lembrar-se de que o mais comum neste mundo é ser de natureza oposta à dos próprios parentes.
“every other act is a subordinate duty.”
“He who possesses faith may receive pure learning even from a man of lower caste, the highest law even from the lowest, and an excellent wife even from a base family.” E aqui um dos pontos que é mais mal-digerido pelo Ocidente: a lei de castas NÃO proscreve o casamento intercastas – e nem mesmo o próprio estudo dos Vedas está interdito a um Kshatriya e assim sucessivamente (na verdade ele é obrigatório para o brâmane, nisso consistindo a principal diferença). Se o espírito da religião não for apropriado por uma oligarquia (aristocracia decadente) sacerdotal, há liberdade de expressão individual para todos, e não uma elite que apenas se perpetua no poder através de expedientes absurdos e odiosos, falsamente justificados na tradição infinita dos tempos passados.
“Even from poison nectar may be taken, even from a child good advice, even from a foe a lesson in good conduct, and even from an impure substance, gold.
Excellent wives, learning, the knowledge of the law, the rules of purity, good advice, and various arts may be acquired from anybody.
“It is prescribed that in times of distress a student may learn the Veda from one who is not a Brahmana; and that he shall walk behind and serve such a teacher, as long as the instruction lasts.” Vivemos tempos assim.
“A Brahmana who serves his teacher till the dissolution of his body, reaches forthwith the eternal mansion of Brahman.”
“A perpetual student must, if his teacher dies, serve his son provided he be endowed with good qualities, or his widow, or his Sapinda, in the same manner as the teacher.” Me parece que o Código de Manu já é a perversão decadente de um código muito mais antigo e que não continha artimanhas e adulterações dignas de senhores de engenho para escravizar pessoas ingênuas por mais tempo (atravessando até gerações na mesma casa).
“Should none of these be alive, he must serve the sacred fire, standing by day and sitting during the night, and thus finish his life.” Patético. O que é um fogo sagrado ou um deus sem o homem para observá-lo e adorá-lo com consciência? Mas neste caso esse mandamento é apenas algo mecânico e esvaziado de consciência e de sentido, compulsivo (e compulsório!) e involuntário, mera auto-imolação.
III
“The vow of studying the 3 Vedas under a teacher must be kept for 36 years, or for half that time, or for a quarter, or until the student has perfectly learnt them.” Um aforismo realmente inútil. Positivamente, talvez o único que legisle seja: o tempo mínimo de estudo dos Vedas, excetuando-se os superdotados, é de 9 anos.
“In connecting himself with a wife, let him carefully avoid the ten following families, be they ever so great, or rich in kine, horses, sheep, grain, or property,
one which neglects the sacred rites, one in which no male children are born, one in which the Veda is not studied, one the members of which have thick hair on the body, those which are subject to hemorrhoids, phthisis, weakness of digestion, epilepsy, or white or black leprosy.” O que a ignorância não é capaz de prescrever! O que me faz lembrar piada chula, por sinal: – Sua esposa tem hemorróida? – Não que eu saiba, mas por que a pergunta?! – É que ela senta muito…
“Let him not marry a maiden with reddish hair, nor one who has a redundant member, nor one who is sickly, nor one either with no hair on the body or too much, nor one who is garrulous or has red eyes,
Nor one named after a constellation, [desculpe, Andrômeda, terei de deixá-la!] a tree, or a river, nor one bearing the name of a low caste, or of a mountain, nor one named after a bird, a snake, or a slave, nor one whose name inspires terror.
Let him wed a female free from bodily defects, who has an agreeable name, the graceful gait of a Hamsa or of an elephant, [graciosa como uma jamanta dopada!] a moderate quantity of hair on the body and on the head, small teeth, and soft limbs.” A genealogia dos incels e redpilled.
Quem procura não só pêlo em ovo como cavalo em dente e até os próprios ovos não será nunca feliz no casamento…
Macho, nunca saciado, nunca saciável, nunca sociável: “For the first marriage of twice-born men wives of equal caste are recommended; but for those who through desire proceed to marry again the following females, chosen according to the order of the castes, are most approved.
It is declared that a Sudra woman alone can be the wife of a Sudra, she and one of his own caste the wives of a Vaisya, those 2 and one of his own caste the wives of a Kshatriya, those 3 and one of his own caste the wives of a Brahmana.” Quer-se dizer: desçam escadas um degrau por vez.
“he who weds a Sudra woman becomes an outcast, according to Saunaka on the birth of a son, and according to Bhrigu he who has male offspring from a Sudra female, alone.
A Brahmana who takes a Sudra wife to his bed, will after death sink into hell; if he begets a child by her, he will lose the rank of a Brahmana [afundar no inferno ainda em vida].”
“For him who drinks the moisture of a Sudra’s lips, who is tainted by her breath, and who begets a son on her, no expiation is prescribed.”
“Now listen to the brief description of the following 8 marriage-rites used by the 4 castes (varna) which partly secure benefits and partly produce evil both in this life and after death.
They are the rite of Brahman (Brahma), that of the gods (Daiva), that of the Rishis (Arsha), that of Pragapati (Pragapatya), that of the Asuras (Asura), that of the Gandharvas (Gandharva), that of the Rhashasas (Rakshasa), and that of the Pisakas (Paisaka).
Which is lawful for each caste (varna) and which are the virtues or faults of each rite, all this I will declare to you, as well as their good and evil results with respect to the offspring.
One may know that the first 6 according to the order are lawful for a Brahmana, the 4 last for a Kshatriya, and the same 4, excepting the Rakshasa rite, for a Vaisya and a Sudra.”
“the Paisaka and the Asura rites [o 5º e o 8º] must never be used.
For Kshatriyas those before-mentioned 2 rites, the Gandharva and the Rakshasa, [6º e 7º] whether separate or mixed, are permitted by the sacred tradition.”
“The gift of a daughter, after decking her with costly garments and honouring her by presents of jewels, to a man learned in the Veda and of good conduct, whom the father himself invites, is called the Brahma rite. (1)
The gift of a daughter who has been decked with ornaments, to a priest who duly officiates at a sacrifice, during the course of its performance, they call the Daiva rite. (2)
When the father gives away his daughter according to the rule, after receiving from the bridegroom, for the fulfilment of the sacred law, a cow and a bull or two pairs, that is named the Arsha rite. (3)
The gift of a daughter by her father after he has addressed the couple with the text, ‘May both of you perform together your duties’, and has shown honour to the bridegroom, is called in the Smriti the Pragapatya rite. (4)
When the bridegroom receives a maiden, after having given as much wealth as he can afford, to the kinsmen and to the bride herself, according to his own will, that is called the Asura rite. (5) [???]
The voluntary union of a maiden and her lover one must know to be the Gandharva rite, (6) which springs from desire and has sexual intercourse for its purpose. [Gostaríamos de dizer que todos os casos de matrimônios em nossa própria sociedade são deste tipo, mas sabemos que não.]
The forcible abduction of a maiden from her home, while she cries out and weeps, after her kinsmen have been slain or wounded and their houses broken open, is called the Rakshasa rite. (7) [Espécie de ‘espólio de guerra’. Entende-se perfeitamente por que está previsto para os Kshatriyas.]
When a man by stealth seduces a girl who is sleeping, intoxicated, or disordered in intellect, that is the 8th, the most base and sinful rite of the Pisakas. (8)
The gift of daughters among Brahmanas is most approved, if it is preceded by a libation of water; but in the case of other castes it may be performed by the expression of mutual consent.
Listen now to me, ye Brahmanas, while I fully declare what quality has been ascribed by Manu to each of these marriage-rites.
The son of a wife wedded according to the Brahma rite, if he performs meritorious acts, liberates from sin 10 ancestors, 10 descendants and himself as the 21st. [o motivo da necessidade de procriação do asceta, qualidade que me deixou perplexo à primeira leitura do Mahabharata]
The son born of a wife, wedded according to the Daiva rite, likewise saves 7 ancestors and 7 descendants, the son of a wife married by the Arsha rite 3 in the ascending and descending lines, and the son of a wife married by the rite of Ka (Pragapati) 6 in either line.”
“But from the remaining 4 blamable marriages spring sons who are cruel and speakers of untruth, who hate the Veda and the sacred law.” Brahmen are not to blame. Braman, o homem-sutiã.
“The ceremony of joining the hands is prescribed for marriages with women of equal caste; know that the following rule applies to weddings with females of a different caste.
On marrying a man of a higher caste a Kshatriya bride must take hold of an arrow, a Vaisya bride of a goad, [vara de açoite do gado] and a Sudra female of the hem [bainha] of the bridegroom’s garment.
Let the husband approach his wife in due season, being constantly satisfied with her alone; he may also, being intent on pleasing her, [pleasing himself, in truth] approach her with a desire for conjugal union on any day excepting the Parvans.
Sixteen days and nights in each month, including 4 days which differ from the rest and are censured by the virtuous, are called the natural season of women. [?]
But among these the first 4, the 11th and the 13th are declared to be forbidden; the remaining nights are recommended.” Do quinto ao décimo pode mandar ver.
“On the even nights sons are conceived and daughters on the uneven ones; hence a man who desires to have sons should approach his wife in due season on the even nights.
A male child is produced by a greater quantity of male seed, a female child by the prevalence of the female; if both are equal, a hermaphrodite or a boy and a girl; if both are weak or deficient in quantity, a failure of conception results.
He who avoids women on the 6 forbidden nights and on 8 others, is equal in chastity to a student, in whichever order he may live.
No father who knows the law must take even the smallest gratuity for his daughter; for a man who, through avarice, takes a gratuity, is a seller of his offspring.
But those male relations who, in their folly, live on the separate property of women, e.g. appropriate the beasts of burden, carriages, and clothes of women, commit sin and will sink into hell.
Some call the cow and the bull given at an Arsha wedding ‘a gratuity’; but that is wrong, since the acceptance of a fee, be it small or great, is a sale of the daughter.
When the relatives do not appropriate for their use the gratuity given, it is not a sale; in that case the gift is only a token of respect and of kindness towards the maidens.
Women must be honoured and adorned by their fathers, brothers, husbands, and brothers-in-law, who desire their own welfare.”
“The houses on which female relations, not being duly honoured, pronounce a curse, perish completely, as if destroyed by magic.
Hence men who seek their own welfare, should always honour women on holidays and festivals with gifts of ornaments, clothes, and dainty food. [não basta ser comida, tem de ser comida boa; dainty food em inglês também parece evocar sempre doces ou ‘comidas que só mulheres e crianças costuma(va)m comer]”
“By low marriages, by omitting the performance of sacred rites, by neglecting the study of the Veda, and by irreverence towards Brahmanas, great families sink low.” Levar-se muito a sério nunca é bom!
“By practising handicrafts, by pecuniary transactions, by begetting children on Sudra females only, by trading in cows, horses, and carriages, by the pursuit of agriculture and by taking service under a king,
By sacrificing for men unworthy to offer sacrifices and by denying the future rewards for good works, families, deficient in the knowledge of the Veda, quickly perish.”
“A householder has 5 slaughter-houses, the hearth, the grinding-stone, the broom, the pestle and mortar, [pilão e argamassa] the water-vessel, [?] by using which he is bound with the fetters of sin. [trecho obscuro]
In order to successively expiate the offences committed by means of all these 5 the great sages have prescribed for householders the daily performance of the 5 great sacrifices.
Teaching and studying is the sacrifice offered to Brahman, the offerings of water and food called Tarpana the sacrifice to the manes, the burnt oblation the sacrifice offered to the gods, the Bali offering that offered to the Bhutas, [fantasmas, não-deificados, almas ‘penadas’, portanto em hierarquia inferior aos manes] and the hospitable reception of guests the offering to men.
He who neglects not these 5 great sacrifices, while he is able to perform them, is not tainted by the sins committed in the 5 places of slaughter, though he constantly lives in the order of house-holders.
But he who does not feed these 5, the gods, his guests, those whom he is bound to maintain, the manes, and himself, lives not, though he breathes.
They call these 5 sacrifices also Ahuta, Huta, Prahuta, Brahmya-huta, and Prasita.
Ahuta, not offered in the fire, is the muttering of Vedic texts, Huta the burnt oblation offered to the gods, Prahuta, offered by scattering it on the ground, the Bali offering given to the Bhutas, Brahmya-huta, offered in the digestive fire of Brahmanas, the respectful reception of Brahmana guests, and Prasita, eaten, the daily oblation to the manes, called Tarpana.”
“An oblation duly thrown into the fire, reaches the sun; from the sun comes rain, from rain food, therefrom the living creatures derive their subsistence.”
“Let him daily perform a funeral sacrifice with food, or with water, or also with milk, roots, and fruits, and thus please the manes.
Let him feed even one Brahmana in honour of the manes at the Sraddha, which belongs to the 5 great sacrifices; but let him not feed on that occasion any Brahmana on account of the Vaisvadeva offering.
A Brahmana shall offer according to the rule of his Grihya-sutra a portion of the cooked food destined for the Vaisvadeva in the sacred domestic fire to the following deities:
First to Agni, and next to Soma, then to both these gods conjointly, further to all the gods (Visve Devah), and then to Dhanvantari,
Further to Kuhu (the goddess of the new-moon day), to Anumati (the goddess of the full-moon day), to Pragapati (the lord of creatures), to heaven and earth conjointly, and finally to Agni Svishtakrit (the fire which performs the sacrifice well).
After having thus duly offered the sacrificial food, let him throw Bali offerings in all directions of the compass, proceeding from the east to the south, [sentido horário] to Indra, Yama, Varuna, and Soma, as well as to the servants of these deities.
Saying, ‘Adoration to the Maruts’, he shall scatter some food near the door, and some in water, saying, ‘Adoration to the waters’; he shall throw some on the pestle and the mortar, speaking thus, ‘Adoration to the trees’.
Near the head of the bed he shall make an offering to Sri (fortune), and near the foot of his bed to Bhadrakali; in the centre of the house let him place a Bali for Brahman and for Vastoshpati (the lord of the dwelling) conjointly.
Let him throw up into the air a Bali for all the gods, and in the day-time one for the goblins roaming about by day, and in the evening one for the goblins that walk at night.” Haha!
“In the upper story let him offer a Bali to Sarvatmabhuti; but let him throw what remains from these offerings in a southerly direction for the manes.
Let him gently place on the ground some food for dogs, outcasts, Kandalas (Svapak), those afflicted with diseases that are punishments of former sins, crows, and insects.”
“The oblations to gods and manes, made by men ignorant of the law of gifts, are lost, if the givers in their folly present shares of them to Brahmanas who are mere ashes.” Monopólio sacerdotal: só nós sabemos o que são manes e como chegar até eles. Para vocês, leigos, é tudo pó, matéria sem valor.
“Grass room for resting, water, and 4thly [?] a kind word; these things never fail in the houses of good men.
But a Brahmana who stays one night only is declared to be a guest (atithi); for because he stays (sthita) not long (anityam), he is called atithi.
One must not consider as a guest a Brahmana who dwells in the same village, nor one who seeks his livelihood by social intercourse, even though he has come to a house where there is a wife, and where sacred fires are kept.
Those foolish householders who constantly seek the food of others, become, in consequence of that, after death the cattle of those who give them food.
A guest who is sent by the setting-sun in the evening, must not be driven away by a householder; whether he have come at supper-time or at an inopportune moment, he must not stay in the house without entertainment.”
“But if another guest comes after the Vaisvadeva offering has been finished, the house-holder must give him food according to his ability, but not repeat the Bali offering.
A Brahmana shall not name his family and Vedic gotra in order to obtain a meal; for he who boasts of them for the sake of a meal is called by the wise a foul feeder (vantasin).
But a Kshatriya who comes to the house of a Brahmana is not called a guest (atithi), nor a Vaisya, nor a Sudra, nor a personal friend, nor a relative, nor the teacher. [meio óbvio!]
But if a Kshatriya comes to the house of a Brahmana in the manner of a guest, the house-holder may feed him according to his desire, after the above-mentioned Brahmanas have eaten.”
“Without hesitation he may give food, even before his guests, to the following persons: newly-married women, to infants, to the sick, and to pregnant women.
But the foolish man who eats first without having given food to these persons does, while he crams, [se empanturra] not know that after death he himself will be devoured by dogs and vultures.
After the Brahmanas, the kinsmen, and the servants have dined, the householder and his wife may afterwards eat what remains.
Having honoured the gods, the sages, men, the manes, and the guardian deities of the house, the householder shall eat afterwards what remains.” Origem de os últimos serão os primeiros?
“He who prepares food for himself alone, eats nothing but sin; for it is ordained that the food which remains after the performance of the sacrifices shall be the meal of virtuous men.
Let him honour with the honey-mixture a king, an officiating priest, a Snataka, the teacher, a son-in-law, a father-in-law, and a maternal uncle, if they come again after a full year has elapsed since their last visit.
A king and a Srotriya, who come on the performance of a sacrifice, must be honoured with the honey-mixture, but not if no sacrifice is being performed; that is a settled rule.
But the wife shall offer in the evening a portion of the dressed food as a Bali-oblation, without the recitation of sacred formulas; for that rite which is called the Vaisvadeva is prescribed both for the morning and the evening.
After performing the Pitriyagna, a Brahmana who keeps a sacred fire shall offer, month by month, on the new-moon day, the funeral sacrifice Sraddha, called Pindanvaharyaka.
The wise call the monthly funeral offering to the manes Anvaharya, and that must be carefully performed with the approved flesh.
I will fully declare what and how many Brahmanas must be fed on that occasion, who must be avoided, and on what kinds of food they shall dine.
One must feed 2 Brahmanas at the offering to the gods, and 3 at the offering to the manes, or one only on either occasion; even a very wealthy man shall not be anxious to entertain a large company.
A large company destroys these 5 advantages[:] (1) the respectful treatment of the invited, (2) the propriety of place, (3) and [the propriety of] time, (4) purity, (5) and the selection of virtuous Brahmana (guests); he therefore shall not seek a large company.” Trecho empolado.
SUBSTITUTO VIVO, REPRESENTANTE DO DIVINO E DO ALÉM? “Oblations to the gods and manes must be presented by the givers to a Srotriya [?] alone; what is given to such a most worthy Brahmana yields great reward.”
“Let him make inquiries even regarding the remote ancestors of a Brahmana who has studied an entire recension of the Veda [um tratado baseado no Veda, ou apenas um dos 3 Vedas?]; if descended from a virtuous race such a man is a worthy recipient of gifts consisting of food offered to the gods or to the manes, he is declared to procure as great rewards as a guest (atithi).
Though a million of men, unacquainted with the Rikas, were to dine at a funeral sacrifice, yet a single man, learned in the Veda, who is satisfied with his entertainment, is worth them all as far as the production of spiritual merit is concerned.
Food sacred to the manes or to the gods must be given to a man distinguished by sacred knowledge; for hands, smeared with blood, cannot be cleansed with blood.
[E dá-lhe imprecações!] As many mouthfuls as an ignorant man swallows at a sacrifice to the gods or to the manes, so many red-hot spikes, spears, and iron balls must the giver of the repast swallow after death.
Some Brahmanas are devoted to the pursuit of knowledge, and others to the performance of austerities; some to austerities and to the recitation of the Veda, and others to the performance of sacred rites.” Parece implicar que quem se devota a ritos não tem tempo para buscar ou seria ilícito que buscasse apenas o auto-aperfeiçoamento ascético.
“Oblations to the manes ought to be carefully presented to those devoted to knowledge, but offerings to the gods, in accordance with the reason of the sacred law,¹ to men of all the 4 classes.” Surpreendente. Os manes são hierarquicamente inferiores aos deuses, porém desagradá-los é mais “fácil”, pois eles são mais exigentes.
¹ Pleonasmo.
“If there is a father ignorant of the sacred texts whose son has learned one whole recension of the Veda and the Angas, and a son ignorant of the sacred texts whose father knows an entire recension of the Veda and the Angas,
Know that he whose father knows the Veda, is the more venerable one of the two; yet the other one is worthy of honour, because respect is due to the Veda which he has learned.”
“He who performs funeral sacrifices and offerings to the gods chiefly for the sake of gaining friends, reaps after death no reward for Sraddhas and sacrifices.”
“As a husbandman reaps no harvest when he has sown the seed in barren soil, even so the giver of sacrificial food gains no reward if he presented it to a man unacquainted with the Rikas.”
“For a rite sacred to the gods, he who knows the law will not make too close inquiries regarding an invited Brahmana; but when one performs a ceremony in honour of the manes, one must carefully examine the qualities and parentage of the guest.”
“Let him not entertain at a Sraddha one who wears his hair in braids (a student), one who has not studied the Veda, one afflicted with a skin-disease, a gambler, nor those who sacrifice for a multitude of sacrificers.”
“A paid servant of a village or of a king, man with deformed nails or black teeth, one who opposes his teacher, one who has forsaken the sacred fire, and a usurer;
One suffering from consumption, [tuberculose] one who subsists by tending cattle, a younger brother who marries or kindles the sacred fire before the elder, one who neglects the 5 great sacrifices, an enemy of the Brahmana race, an elder brother who marries or kindles the sacred fire after the younger, [que culpa ele tem?] and one who belongs to a company or corporation,
An actor or singer, one who has broken the vow of studentship, one whose only or first wife is a Sudra female, the son of a remarried woman, a one-eyed man, and he in whose house a paramour of his wife resides;
He who teaches for a stipulated fee and he who is taught on that condition, he who instructs Sudra pupils and he whose teacher is a Sudra, he who speaks rudely, the son of an adulteress, and the son of a widow, [!]
He who forsakes his mother, his father, or a teacher without a sufficient reason, he who has contracted an alliance with outcasts either through the Veda or through a marriage,
An incendiary, a prisoner, he who eats the food given by the son of an adulteress, a seller of Soma, [?] he who undertakes voyages by sea, [!] a bard, an oil-man, a suborner to perjury,
He who wrangles or goes to law with his father, the keeper of a gambling-house, a drunkard, he who is afflicted with a disease in punishment of former crimes, he who is accused of a mortal sin, a hypocrite, a seller of substances used for flavouring food,
A maker of bows and of arrows, he who lasciviously dallies with a brother’s widow, the betrayer of a friend, one who subsists by gambling, he who learns the Veda from his son, [!!]
An epileptic man, who suffers from scrofulous swellings of the glands, one afflicted with white leprosy, an informer, a madman, a blind man, [já havia a restrição a caolhos, que englobava essa…] and he who cavils at the Veda [elabora sofismas em cima dos ensinamentos; questiona] must all be avoided.
A trainer of elephants, oxen, horses, or camels, [animais, impuros!] he who subsists by astrology, a bird-fancier, and he who teaches the use of arms, [aí eu concordo]
He who diverts water-courses, and he who delights in obstructing them, an architect, a messenger, and he who plants trees for money,
A breeder of sporting-dogs, a falconer, one who defiles maidens, he who delights in injuring living creatures, he who gains his subsistence from Sudras, and he who offers sacrifices to the Ganas [multidões], [todas tipificações obviamente nefárias para o Vedanta…]
He who does not follow the rule of conduct, a man destitute of energy like a eunuch, one who constantly asks for favours, he who lives by agriculture, a club-footed man, [!] and he who is censured by virtuous men,
A shepherd, a keeper of buffaloes, the husband of a remarried woman, and a carrier of dead bodies, all these must be carefully avoided.”
“I will fully declare what result the giver obtains after death, if he gives food, destined for the gods or manes, to a man who is unworthy to sit in the company.
The Rakshasas, indeed, consume the food eaten by Brahmanas who have not fulfilled the vow of studentship, by a Parivettri and so forth, and by other men not admissible into the company.
He must be considered as a Parivettri who marries or begins the performance of the Agnihotra before his elder brother, but the latter as a Parivitti.
(1) The elder brother who marries after the younger, (2) the younger brother who marries before the elder, (3) the female with whom such a marriage is contracted, (4) he who gives her away, (5) and the sacrificing priest, as the 5th, all fall into hell.
He who lasciviously dallies with the widow of a deceased brother, though she be appointed to bear a child by him [o irmão vivo ou o morto?] in accordance with the sacred law, must be known to be a Didhishupati.
Two kinds of sons, a Kunda and a Golaka, are born by wives of other men; he who is born while the husband lives, will be a Kunda, and he who is begotten after the husband’s death, a Golaka.
But those 2 creatures, who are born of wives of other men, cause to the giver the loss of the rewards, both in this life and after death, for the food sacred to gods or manes which has been given to them.”
“A blind man by his presence causes to the giver of the feast the loss of the reward for 90 guests, a one-eyed man for 60, one who suffers from white leprosy for 100, and one punished by a terrible disease for 1000.”
“Food given to a seller of Soma becomes ordure, that given to a physician pus and blood, but that presented to a temple-priest is lost, and that given to a usurer finds no place in the world of the gods.”
“But a Brahmana who, being duly invited to a rite in honour of the gods or of the manes, in any way breaks the appointment, becomes guilty of a crime, and in his next birth a hog.”
“The manes are primeval deities, free from anger, careful of purity, ever chaste, averse from strife, and endowed with great virtues.
Now learn fully from whom all these manes derive their origin, and with what ceremonies they ought to be worshipped.
The various classes of the manes are declared to be the sons of all those sages, Mariki and the rest, who are children of Manu, the son of Hiranyagarbha.
The Somasads, the sons of Virag, are stated to be the manes of the Sadhyas, and the Agnishvattas, the children of Mariki, are famous in the world as the manes of the gods.
The Barhishads, born of Atri, are recorded to be the manes of the Daityas, Danavas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Snake-deities, Rakshasas, Suparnas, and a Kimnaras.
The Somapas those of the Brahmanas, the Havirbhugs those of the Kshatriyas, the Agyapas those of the Vaisyas, but the Sukalins those of the Sudras.
The Somapas are the sons of Kavi (Bhrigu), the Havishmats the children of Angiras, the Agyapas the offspring of Pulastya, but the Sukalins the issue of Vasishtha.
One should know that other classes, the Agnidagdhas, the Anagnidagdhas, the Kavyas, the Barhishads, the Agnishvattas, and the Saumyas, are the manes of the Brahmanas alone.
But know also that there exist in this world countless sons and grandsons of those chief classes of manes which have been enumerated.”
“From the sages sprang the manes, from the manes the gods and the Danavas, but from the gods the whole world, both the movable and the immovable in due order.” Um sistema realmente complicado. Os primeiros sábios do hinduísmo precedem a existência, diria Sartre!
“For twice-born men the rite in honour of the manes is more important than the rite in honour of the gods; for the offering to the gods which precedes the Sraddhas has been declared to be a means of fortifying the latter.”
“Let him make the Sraddha begin and end with a rite in honour of the gods; it shall not begin and end with a rite to the manes; for he who makes it begin and end with a rite in honour of the manes, soon perishes together with his progeny.”
“But if no sacred fire is available, he shall place the offerings into the hand of a Brahmana; for Brahmanas who know the sacred texts declare, ‘What fire is, even such is a Brahmana.’”
“The malevolent Asuras forcibly snatch away that food which is brought without being held with both hands.”
“Let him on no account drop a tear, become angry or utter an untruth, nor let him touch the food with his foot nor violently shake it.” Um espirro pode danar famílias…
“A tear sends the food to the Pretas, [fantasmas famintos]¹ anger to his enemies, a falsehood to the dogs, contact with his foot to the Rakshasas, a shaking to the sinners.”
¹ wikia: “Acredita-se que os pretas tenham sido pessoas falsas, corruptas, compulsivas, enganosas, invejosas ou gananciosas em uma vida anterior.”
“All the food must be very hot, and the guests shall eat in silence; even though asked by the giver, the Brahmanas shall not proclaim the qualities of the sacrificial food.”
“What a guest eats covering his head, what he eats with his face turned towards the south, what he eats with sandals on his feet, that the Rakshasas consume.”
“A Kandala, a village pig, a cock, a dog, a menstruating woman, and a eunuch must not look at the Brahmanas while they eat.” Não é menos absurda que as outras regras, mas sem dúvida é a primeira que aprendemos sobre os brâmanes… Qual a diferença entre um carregador de mortos e um eunuco? A rigor, nenhuma.
“If a lame man, a one-eyed man, one deficient in a limb, or one with a redundant limb, be even the servant of the performer of the Sraddha, he must be removed from that place.
“The remnant in the dishes, and the portion scattered on Kusa grass, shall be the share of deceased children who received not the sacrament of cremation and of those who unjustly forsook noble wives.” Isso devia gerar epidemias grotescas… Muita comida apodrecendo no chão…
“The foolish man who, after having eaten a dinner, gives the leavings to a Sudra, falls headlong into the Kalasutra hell.”
“If the partaker of a dinner enters on the same day the bed of a Sudra female, the manes of his ancestors will lie during that month in her ordure.” Problema deles!
“The food eaten by hermits in the forest, milk, Soma-juice, meat which is not prepared with spices, and salt unprepared by art, are called, on account of their nature, sacrificial food.”
“I will now fully declare what kind of sacrificial food, given to the manes according to the rule, will serve for a long time or for eternity.” Agradeço.
“The ancestors of men are satisfied for one month with sesamum grains, rice, barley, masha beans, water, roots, and fruits, which have been given according to the prescribed rule,” Fantasmas digerem muito devagar…
“Two months with fish, 3 months with the meat of gazelles, 4 with mutton, and 5 indeed with the flesh of birds,” Uma boa caçada e o brâmane se livra desse rito por quase um semestre!
“Six months with the flesh of kids, [não as que você está pensando!] 7 with that of spotted deer, 8 with that of the black antelope, but 9 with that of the deer called Ruru,
Ten months they are satisfied with the meat of boars and buffaloes, but 11 months indeed with that of hares and tortoises, [hmmmm! abriu o apetite aqui…]
One year with cow-milk and milk-rice; from the flesh of a long-eared white he-goat their satisfaction endures 12 years.
The vegetable called Kalasaka, the fish called Mahasalka, the flesh of a rhinoceros and that of a red goat, and all kinds of food eaten by hermits in the forest serve for an endless time.
Whatever food, mixed with honey, one gives on the 13th lunar day in the rainy season under the asterism of Maghah, that also procures endless satisfaction.”
“He who performs it on the even lunar days and under the even constellations, gains the fulfilment of all his wishes; he who honours the manes on odd lunar days and under odd constellations, obtains distinguished offspring.
As the 2nd half of the month is preferable to the 1st half, even so the afternoon is better for a funeral sacrifice than the forenoon.”
“Let him not perform a funeral sacrifice at night, because the night is declared to belong to the Rakshasas, nor in the twilight, nor when the sun has just risen.”
“They call the manes of fathers Vasus, those of grandfathers Rudras, and those of great-grandfathers Adityas; thus speaks the eternal Veda.”
“…hear now the law for the manner of living fit for Brahmanas.”
IV
“He may subsist by Rita (truth), and Amrita (ambrosia), or by Mrita (death) and by Pramrita (what causes many deaths); or even by Satyanrita (a mixture of truth and falsehood), but never by Svavritti (a dog’s mode of life).
By Rita shall be understood the gleaning of corn; by Amrita, what is given unasked; by Mrita, food obtained by begging and agriculture is declared to be Pramrita.” !
“But trade and money-lending are Satyanrita, even by that one may subsist. Service is called Svavritti; therefore one should avoid it.”
“Let him avoid all means of acquiring wealth which impede the study of the Veda; let him maintain himself anyhow, but study, because that devotion to the Veda-study secures the realisation of his aims.”
“Let him not honour, even by a greeting, heretics, men who follow forbidden occupations, men who live like cats, rogues, logicians arguing against the Veda, and those who live like herons [garças].”
“A Snataka who pines with hunger, may beg wealth of a king, of one for whom he sacrifices, and of a pupil, but not of others; that is a settled rule.
A Snataka who is able to procure food shall never waste himself with hunger, nor shall he wear old or dirty clothes, if he possesses property.
Keeping his hair, nails, and beard clipped, subduing his passions by austerities, wearing white garments and keeping himself pure, he shall be always engaged in studying the Veda”
“He shall carry a staff of bamboo, a pot full of water, a sacred string, a bundle of Kusa grass, and wear 2 bright golden ear-rings.”
“Let him never look at the sun, when he sets or rises, is eclipsed or reflected in water, or stands in the middle of the sky.
Let him not step over a rope to which a calf is tied, let him not run when it rains, and let him not look at his own image in water; that is a settled rule.”
“Let him, though mad with desire, not approach his wife when her courses appear; nor let him sleep with her in the same bed.”
“Let him not eat in the company of his wife, nor look at her, while she eats, sneezes, yawns, or sits at her ease.”
“A Brahmana who desires energy must not look at a woman who applies collyrium to her eyes, has anointed or uncovered herself or brings forth a child.” E mesmo assim o homem pode usar brinquinhos dourados…
“Let him not eat, dressed with one garment only; let him not bathe naked; let him not void urine on a road, on ashes, or in a cow-pen,
Nor on ploughed land, in water, on an altar of bricks, on a mountain, on the ruins of a temple, nor ever on an ant-hill, [hahaha]
Nor in holes inhabited by living creatures, nor while he walks or stands, nor on reaching the bank of a river, nor on the top of a mountain.”
“Let him never void faeces or urine, facing the wind, or a fire, or looking towards a Brahmana, the sun, water, or cows.”
“Let him void faeces and urine, in the daytime turning to the north, at night turning towards the south, during the two twilights in the same position as by day.”
“The intellect of who voids urine against a fire, the sun, the moon, in water, against a Brahmana, a cow, or the wind, perishes.”
“Let him not blow a fire with his mouth; let him not look at a naked woman; let him not throw any impure substance into the fire, and let him not warm his feet at it.”
“Let him not interrupt a cow who is suckling her calf, nor tell anybody of it. A wise man, if he sees a rainbow in the sky, must not point it out to anybody.”
“Let him not dwell in a country where the rulers are Sudras, nor in one which is surrounded by unrighteous men, nor in one which has become subject to heretics, nor in one swarming with men of the lowest castes.” Let not he live!
“Let him not exert himself without a purpose; let him not drink water out of his joined palms; let him not eat food placed in his lap; let him not show idle curiosity.
Let him not dance, nor sing, nor play musical instruments, nor slap his limbs, nor grind his teeth, nor let him make uncouth noises, though he be in a passion.” Verdadeiro instrumento de tortura ascética.
“Let him not clip his nails or hair, and not tear his nails with his teeth.” Quer dizer que ele sempre tem de ter barba, cabelo e unhas aparadas, mas não por si mesmo!
“Let him not crush earth or clods, nor tear off grass with his nails; let him not do anything that is useless or will have disagreeable results in the future.
A man who crushes clods, [torrão de terra] tears off grass, or bites his nails, goes soon to perdition, likewise an informer and he who neglects purification.” Fofoqueiros cavam a terra e depois roem as unhas?! Esse é o simbolismo?
“Let him not wrangle; let him not wear a garland over his hair. To ride on the back of cows or of oxen is anyhow a blamable act.” Interessantíssimo: o brâmane é a vaca, o chapéu seria o brâmane. Let him not wear a hammer as a cap!
“Let him never play with dice, nor himself take off his shoes;”
“Let him not eat after sunset any food containing sesamum grains;”
“Let him eat while his feet are yet wet from the ablution, but let him not go to bed with wet feet. He who eats while his feet are still wet, will attain long life.”
“let him not look at urine or ordure, nor cross a river swimming with his arms.”
“Let him not stay together with outcasts, nor with Kandalas, nor with Pukkasas, nor with fools, nor with overbearing men, nor with low-caste men, nor with Antyavasayins.”
“One oil-press is as bad as ten slaughter-houses, one tavern as bad as ten oil-presses, one brothel as bad as ten taverns, one king as bad as ten brothels.
A king is declared to be equal in wickedness to a butcher who keeps 100,000 slaughter-houses; to accept presents from him is a terrible crime.
He who accepts presents from an avaricious king who acts contrary to the Institutes of the sacred law, will go in succession to the following 21 hells:…”
E eu me pergunto quantos dos (poucos) tolos que seguiram com cegueira todo o Código de Manu entenderam algo do Katha!
“Those who know the rules of recitation declare that in the rainy season the Veda-study must be stopped on these two occasions, when the wind is audible at night, and when it whirls up the dust in the day-time.
Manu has stated, that when lightning, thunder, and rain are observed together, or when large fiery meteors fall on all sides, the recitation must be interrupted until the same hour on the next day, counting from the occurrence of the event.” Devemos assim concluir que quedas de meteoritos eram relativamente comuns nessa época?!
PRESCRIÇÕES PARA LER O VEDA NUM COMPUTADOR CONECTADO A TOMADAS! “But when lightning and the roar of thunder are observed after the sacred fires have been made to blaze, the stoppage shall last as long as the light of the sun or of the stars is visible; if the remaining above-named phenomenon, rain, occurs, the reading shall cease, both in the day-time and at night.”
“For those who wish to acquire exceedingly great merit, a continual interruption of the Veda-study is prescribed in villages and in towns, and the Veda-study must always cease when any kind of foul smell is perceptible.” Estou começando a achar que o Veda nunca deve ser lido! Bendito o desatento sem olfato!
“Nor during a fog, nor while the sound of arrows is audible, nor during both the twilights, nor on the new-moon day, nor on the 14th and the 8th days of each half-month, nor on the full-moon day.” E eu não estou incluindo metade das veda-ções!
“Let him not recite the Veda on horseback, nor on a tree, nor on an elephant, nor in a boat or ship, nor on a donkey, nor on camel, nor standing on barren ground, nor riding in a carriage,”
“The Rig-veda is declared to be sacred to the gods, the Yagur-veda (sic) sacred to men, and the Sama-veda sacred to the manes; hence the sound of the latter is impure”
“Let him not intentionally step on the shadow of images of the gods, of a Guru, of a king, of a Snataka, of his teacher, of a reddish-brown animal, or of one who has been initiated to the performance of a Srauta sacrifice (Dikshita).”
“Let him not show particular attention to an enemy, to the friend of an enemy, to a wicked man, to a thief, or to the wife of another man. For in this world there is nothing so detrimental to long life as criminal conversation with another man’s wife.
Let him who desires prosperity, indeed, never despise a Kshatriya, a snake, and a learned Brahmana, be they ever so feeble.”
“Let him not despise himself on account of former failures; until death let him seek fortune, nor despair of gaining it.”
“Let him not insult those who have redundant limbs or are deficient in limbs, nor those destitute of knowledge, nor very aged men, nor those who have no beauty or wealth, nor those who are of low birth.”
“Far from his dwelling let him remove urine and ordure, far let him remove the water used for washing his feet, and far the remnants of food and the water from his bath.”
“Everything that depends on others gives pain, everything that depends on oneself gives pleasure; know that this is the short definition of pleasure and pain.”
“Let him, when angry, not raise a stick against another man, nor strike anybody except a son or a pupil; those two he may beat in order to correct them.”
“Having intentionally struck him [um Brahmana] in anger, even with a blade of grass, he will be born during 21 existences in the wombs of such beings where men are born in punishment of their sins.”
“If the punishment falls not on the offender himself, it falls on his sons, if not on the sons, at least on his grandsons; but an iniquity once committed, never fails to produce fruit to him who wrought it.”
“The teacher is the lord of the world of Brahman, the father has power over the world of the Lord of created beings (Pragapati), a guest rules over the world of Indra, and the priests over the world of the gods.”
“Gold and food destroy his longevity, land and a cow his body, a horse his eye, a garment his skin, clarified butter his energy, sesamum-grains his offspring.”
“As he who attempts to cross water in a boat of stone sinks to the bottom, even so an ignorant donor and an ignorant donee sink low.
A man who, ever covetous, displays the flag of virtue, who is a hypocrite, a deceiver of the people, intent on doing injury, and a detractor from the merits of all men, one must know to be one who acts like a cat.
That Brahmana, who with downcast look, of a cruel disposition, is solely intent on attaining his own ends, dishonest and falsely gentle, is one who acts like a heron.”
“He who, without being a student, gains his livelihood by wearing the dress of a student, takes upon himself the guilt of all students and is born again in the womb of an animal.”
“He who uses without permission a carriage, a bed, a seat, a well, a garden or a house belonging to an other man, takes upon himself ¼ of the owner’s guilt.”
“A wise man should constantly discharge the paramount duties (called yama), but not always the minor ones (called niyama); for he who does not discharge the former, while he obeys the latter alone, becomes an outcast.”
“Let him never eat food given by intoxicated, angry, or sick men, nor that in which hair or insects are found, nor what has been touched intentionally with the foot,
Nor that at which the slayer of a learned Brahmana has looked, nor that which has been touched by a menstruating woman, nor that which has been pecked at by birds or touched by a dog,
Nor food at which a cow has smelt, nor particularly that which has been offered by an invitation to all comers…”
“…nor any sweet thing that has turned sour, nor what has been kept a whole night, nor the food of a Sudra, nor the leavings of another man,”
“Nor food … given by a female who has no male relatives”
“Nor the food given … [by] a basket-maker, or a dealer in weapons,”
“Nor the food given by those who knowingly bear with paramours of their wives, and by those who in all matters are ruled by women”
“The food of a king impairs his vigour, the food of a Sudra his excellence in sacred learning, the food of a goldsmith his longevity, that of a leather-cutter his fame;
The food of an artisan destroys his offspring, that of a washerman his bodily strength; the food of a multitude and of harlots excludes him from the higher worlds.
The food of a physician is as vile as pus, that of an unchaste woman equal to semen, that of a usurer as vile as ordure, and that of a dealer in weapons as bad as dirt.
The food of those other persons who have been successively enumerated as such whose food must not be eaten, the wise declare to be as impure as skin, bones, and hair.
If he has unwittingly eaten the food of one of those, he must fast for 3 days; if he has eaten it intentionally, or has swallowed semen, ordure, or urine, he must perform a Krikkhra penance.
A Brahmana who knows the law must not eat cooked food given by a Sudra who performs no Sraddhas; but, on failure of other means of subsistence, he may accept raw grain, sufficient for one night and day.”
‘Do not make that equal, which is unequal. The food of that liberal usurer is purified by faith; that of the other man is defiled by a want of faith.’
“A giver of land obtains land, a giver of gold long life, a giver of a house most excellent mansions, a giver of silver (rupya) exquisite beauty (rupa),
A giver of a garment a place in the world of the moon, a giver of a horse (asva) a place in the world of the Asvins, a giver of a draught-ox great good fortune, a giver of a cow the world of the sun;”
“…a giver of the Veda (brahman) union with Brahman;”
“let him not speak ill of Brahmanas, though he be tormented by them; when he has bestowed a gift, let him not boast of it.” Alguns trechos proíbem a recepção de quaisquer presentes por quaisquer pessoas, mesmo brahmanas…
“Giving no pain to any creature, let him slowly accumulate spiritual merit, for the sake of acquiring a companion to the next world, just as the white ant gradually raises its hill.
For in the next world neither father, nor mother, nor wife, nor sons, nor relations stay to be his companions; spiritual merit alone remains.
Single is each being born; single it dies; single it enjoys the reward of its virtue; single it suffers the punishment of its sin.
Leaving the dead body on the ground like a log of wood, or a clod of earth, the relatives depart with averted faces; but spiritual merit follows the soul.”
“Let him, who desires to raise his race, ever form connexions with the most excellent men, and shun all low ones.”
“He may accept from any man fuel, water, roots, fruit, food offered without asking, and honey, likewise a gift which consists in a promise of protection.” !
“The Lord of created beings (Pragapati) has declared that alms freely offered and brought by the giver himself may be accepted even from a sinful man, provided the gift had not been asked for or promised beforehand.” Hmm, exceções oportunas! Estou tendo um déjà vu. Posso ter lido o mesmo no Mahabharata?
“During 15 years the manes do not eat the food of that man who disdains a freely-offered gift, nor does the fire carry his offerings to the gods.
A couch, a house, Kusa grass, perfumes, water, flowers, jewels, sour milk, grain, fish, sweet milk, meat, and vegetables let him not reject, if they are voluntarily offered.
He who desires to relieve his Gurus and those whom he is bound to maintain, or wishes to honour the gods and guests, may accept gifts from anybody; but he must not satisfy his own hunger with such presents.
But if his Gurus are dead, or if he lives separate from them in another house, let him, when he seeks a subsistence, accept presents from good men alone.
His labourer in tillage, a friend of his family, his cow-herd, his slave, and his barber are, among Sudras, those whose food he may eat, likewise a poor man who offers himself to be his slave.” !!!
“All things have their nature determined by speech; speech is their root, and from speech they proceed; but he who is dishonest with respect to speech, is dishonest in everything.”
“Thus have been declared the means by which a Brahmana householder must always subsist, and the summary of the ordinances for a Snataka, which cause an increase of holiness and are praiseworthy.
V
“Garlic, leeks [alho-poró] and onions, mushrooms and all plants, springing from impure substances, are unfit to be eaten by twice-born men.
One should carefully avoid red exudations from trees and juices flowing from incisions, the Selu fruit, and the thickened milk of a cow which she gives after calving [dar a luz].
Rice boiled with sesamum, wheat mixed with butter, milk and sugar, milk-rice and flour-cakes which are not prepared for a sacrifice, meat which has not been sprinkled with water while sacred texts were recited, food offered to the gods and sacrificial viands,
The milk of a cow or other female animal within 10 days after her calving, that of camels, of one-hoofed animals, of sheep, of a cow in heat, [cio] or of one that has no calf with her,
The milk of all wild animals excepting buffalo-cows, that of women, and all substances turned sour must be avoided.
Among things turned sour, sour milk, and all food prepared of it may be eaten, likewise what is extracted from pure flowers, roots, and fruit.” Primeiro sinal de bom senso no capítulo!
“Let him avoid all carnivorous birds and those living in villages, and one-hoofed animals which are not specially permitted, and the Tittibha (Parra Jacana) [ave parecida com o avestruz],
The sparrow, the Plava, the Hamsa, the Brahmani duck, the village-cock, the Sarasa crane, the Raggudala, the woodpecker, the parrot, and the starling, [estorninho]
Those which feed striking with their beaks, web-footed birds, the Koyashti, those which scratch with their toes, those which dive and live on fish, meat from a slaughter-house and dried meat,
The Baka and the Balaka crane, the raven, the Khangaritaka, animals that eat fish, village-pigs, and all kinds of fishes. [muitas repetições – também pudera, não se pode comer nada, já citou toda a fauna e flora e métodos de preparo!]”
“He who eats the flesh of any animal is called the eater of the flesh of that particular creature, he who eats fish is an eater of every kind of flesh; let him therefore avoid fish.
But the fish called Pathina and Rohita may be eaten, if used for offerings to the gods or to the manes; one may eat likewise Ragivas, Simhatundas, and Sasalkas on all occasions.” Toda regra tem exceções!
“Let him not eat solitary or unknown beasts and birds, though they may fall under the categories of eatable creatures, nor any 5-toed animals.
The porcupine, the hedgehog, the iguana, the rhinoceros, the tortoise, and the hare they declare to be eatable; likewise those domestic animals that have teeth in one jaw only, excepting camels.”
“A twice-born man who knowingly eats mushrooms, a village-pig, garlic, a village-cock, onions, or leeks, will become an outcast.”
“Thus has the food, allowed and forbidden to twice-born men, been fully described; I will now propound the rules for eating and avoiding meat.” Promete ser uma jornada cansativa…
“What is destitute of motion is the food of those endowed with locomotion; animals without fangs of those with fangs, those without hands of those who possess hands, and the timid of the bold.”
“After death the guilt of one who slays deer for gain is not as great as that of him who eats meat for no sacred purpose.
But a man who, being duly engaged to officiate or to dine at a sacred rite, refuses to eat meat, becomes after death an animal during twenty-one existences.” Hahaha! Nem 20, nem 22, 21!
“As many hairs as the slain beast has, so often indeed will he who killed it without a lawful reason suffer a violent death in future births.” Quase li hares no lugar de hairs!
LEI (DA CONVENIÊNCIA) DO MAIS FORTE: “Svayambhu (the Self-existent) himself created animals for the sake of sacrifices; sacrifices have been instituted for the good of this whole world; hence the slaughtering of beasts for sacrifices is not slaughtering in the ordinary sense of the word.” Assim discursam os warmongers: For the greatest good of all!
“A twice-born man who, knowing the true meaning of the Veda, slays an animal for these purposes, causes both himself and the animal to enter a most blessed state.”
“He who injures innoxious beings from a wish to give himself pleasure, never finds happiness, neither living nor dead.” Por outro lado, viva o direito animal!
“He who does not injure any creature, attains without an effort what he thinks of, what he undertakes, and what he fixes his mind on.”
“Having well considered the disgusting origin of flesh and the cruelty of fettering and slaying corporeal beings, let him entirely abstain from eating flesh.”
becomes dear to men
becomes deer to men
“There is no greater sinner than that man who, though not worshipping the gods or the manes, seeks to increase the bulk of his own flesh by the flesh of other beings.”
“‘Me he (mam sah)’ will devour in the next world, whose flesh I eat in this life; the wise declare this to be the real meaning of the word ‘flesh’ (mamsah).” !!!
“There is no sin in eating meat, [???] in drinking spirituous liquor, and in carnal intercourse, for that is the natural way of created beings, but abstention brings great rewards.” Com certeza são passagens interpoladas…
“When a child dies that has teethed, or that before teething has received the sacrament of the tonsure or of the initiation, all relatives become impure, and on the birth of a child the same is prescribed.”
“Or while the impurity on account of a death is common to all Sapindas, that caused by a birth falls on the parents alone; or it shall fall on the mother alone, and the father shall become pure by bathing;”
“On the death of children whose tonsure has not been performed, the Sapindas are declared to become pure in one day and night; on the death of those who have received the tonsure but not the initiation, the law ordains the purification after 3 days.
A child that has died before the completion of its 2nd year, the relatives shall carry out of the village, decked with flowers, and bury it in pure ground, without collecting the bones afterwards.
Such a child shall not be burnt with fire, and no libations of water shall be offered to it; leaving it like a log of wood in the forest, the relatives shall remain impure during 3 days only.”
“On the death of females betrothed but not married the bridegroom and his relatives are purified after 3 days, and the paternal relatives become pure according to the same rule.”
“If the king in whose realm he resides is dead, he shall be impure as long as the light of the sun or stars shines, [o período de impureza é mais curto porque os reis eram Kshatriyas] but for an intimate friend who is not a Srotriya the impurity lasts for a whole day, likewise for a Guru who knows the Veda and the Angas.
A Brahmana shall be pure after 10 days, a Kshatriya after 12, a Vaisya after 15, and a Sudra is purified after a month.”
“When he has touched a Kandala, a menstruating woman, an outcast, a woman in childbed, a corpse, or one who has touched a corpse, he becomes pure by bathing.” Intuo pelas palavras que o Kandala ou Chandala é o nascido proscrito, já o outcast é aquele que se tornou proscrito por infringir a lei sagrada, após ter tido a ‘sorte’ de nascer em uma das 4 castas. Comparar uma mulher menstruada ou em trabalho de parto com um cadáver é inaceitável, há 3 mil ou daqui a 3 mil anos!
“Libations of water shall not be offered to those who neglect the prescribed rites and may be said to have been born in vain, to those born in consequence of an illegal mixture of the castes, to those who are ascetics of heretical sects, and to those who have committed suicide,
To women who have joined a heretical sect, who through lust live with many men, who have caused an abortion, have killed their husbands, or drink spirituous liquor.”
“Let him carry out a dead Sudra by the southern gate of the town, but the corpses of twice-born men, as is proper, by the western, northern, or eastern gates.” O sul é sempre um cu (ditado que faz mais sentido no Brasil)!
“The taint of impurity does not fall on kings, and those engaged in the performance of a vow, or of a Sattra; for the first are seated on the throne of Indra, and the last 2 are ever pure like Brahman.”
“A king is an incarnation of the 8 guardian deities of the world, the Moon, the Fire, the Sun, the Wind, Indra, the Lords of wealth and water (Kubera and Varuna), and Yama.”
“The learned are purified by a forgiving disposition, those who have committed forbidden actions by liberality, secret sinners by muttering sacred texts, and those who best know the Veda by austerities.”
“An earthen vessel which has been defiled by spirituous liquor, urine, ordure, saliva, pus or blood cannot be purified by another burning.
Land is purified by the following five modes, viz. by sweeping, by smearing it with cowdung, by sprinkling it with cows’ urine or milk, by scraping, and by cows staying on it during a day and night.
Food which has been pecked at by birds, smelt at by cows, touched with the foot, sneezed on, or defiled by hair or insects, becomes pure by scattering earth over it.” Repulsivo.
“The hand of an artisan is always pure, so is every vendible commodity exposed for sale in the market, and food obtained by begging which a student holds in his hand is always fit for use; that is a settled rule.” Curiosa e contraditória valorização do cidadão de terceira casta e seus produtos!
“The mouth of a woman is always pure, likewise a bird when he causes a fruit to fall; a calf is pure on the flowing of the milk, and a dog when he catches a deer.” Poético.
“Manu has declared that the flesh of an animal killed by dogs is pure, likewise that of a beast slain by carnivorous animals or by men of low caste Dasyu, such as Kandalas.” Muito conveniente!
“Oily exudations, semen, blood, the fatty substance of the brain, [?] urine, faeces, the mucus of the nose, ear-wax, phlegm, tears, the rheum of the eyes, and sweat are the 12 impurities of human bodies.” Oily exudations e sweat se diferem em quê (seria vômito a tradução apropriada do primeiro?)? Por que lágrimas são impuras?!
“Sudras who live according to the law, shall each month shave their heads; their mode of purification shall be the same as that of Vaisyas, and their food the fragments of an Aryan’s meal.”
“…bathing is prescribed for him who has had intercourse with a woman.” …
“By a girl, by a young woman, or even by an aged one, nothing must be done independently, even in her own house. …a woman must never be independent.”
“She must always be cheerful, clever in the management of her household affairs, careful in cleaning her utensils, and economical in expenditure.”
DO MAIS PORCO E CÍNICO JÁ ESCRITO: “Though destitute of virtue, or seeking pleasure elsewhere, or devoid of good qualities, yet a husband must be constantly worshipped as a god by a faithful wife.”
“A faithful wife, who desires to dwell (after death) with her husband, must never do anything that might displease him who took her hand, whether he be alive or dead.” E por que os “nascidos duas vezes” acham que alguma mulher iria querer uma loucura dessas (passar a eternidade no além com o mesmo marido folgado)?!
“she must never even mention the name of another man after her husband has died.”
“Many thousands of Brahmanas who were chaste from their youth, have gone to heaven without continuing their race.
A virtuous wife who after the death of her husband constantly remains chaste, reaches heaven, though she have no son, just like those chaste men.”
“nor is a second husband anywhere prescribed for virtuous women.”
“By violating her duty towards her husband, a wife is disgraced in this world, after death she enters the womb of a jackal, and is tormented by diseases the punishment of her sin.”
“A twice-born man, versed in the sacred law, shall burn a wife of equal caste who conducts herself thus and dies before him, with the sacred fires used for the Agnihotra, and with the sacrificial implements.
Having thus, at the funeral, given the sacred fires to his wife who dies before him, he may marry again, and again kindle the fires.”
VI
“When a householder sees his skin wrinkled, and his hair white, and the sons of his sons, then he may resort to the forest.”
“Let him avoid honey, flesh, and mushrooms growing on the ground or elsewhere, the vegetables called Bhustrina, and Sigruka, and the Sleshmantaka fruit.”
“Or let him walk, fully determined and going straight on, in a north-easterly direction, subsisting on water and air, until his body sinks to rest.”
“A twice-born man who seeks final liberation, without having studied the Vedas, without having begotten sons, and without having offered sacrifices, sinks downwards.”
“Let him always wander alone, without any companion, in order to attain final liberation, fully understanding that the solitary man, who neither forsakes nor is forsaken, gains his end.”
“Let him not desire to die, let him not desire to live; let him wait for his appointed time, as a servant waits for the payment of his wages.”
“Against an angry man let him not in return show anger, let him bless when he is cursed, and let him not utter speech, devoid of truth, scattered at the seven gates.”
“His vessels shall not be made of metal, they shall be free from fractures; it is ordained that they shall be cleansed with water, like the cups, called Kamasa, at a sacrifice.”
“In order to expiate the death of those creatures which he unintentionally injures by day or by night, an ascetic shall bathe and perform six suppressions of the breath.”
“Let him quit this dwelling, composed of the 5 elements, where the bones are the beams, which is held together by tendons instead of cords, where the flesh and the blood are the mortar, which is thatched with the skin, which is foul-smelling, filled with urine and ordure, infested by old age and sorrow, the seat of disease, harassed by pain, gloomy with passion, and perishable.”
“The student, the householder, the hermit, and the ascetic, these constitute 4 separate orders, which all spring from the order of householders.”
“And in accordance with the precepts of the Veda and of the Smriti, the housekeeper is declared to be superior to all of them; for he supports the other 3.”
“…now learn the duty of kings.”
VII
“A Kshatriya, who has received according to the rule the sacrament prescribed by the Veda, must duly protect this whole world.
For, when these creatures, being without a king, through fear dispersed in all directions, the Lord created a king for the protection of this whole creation,
Taking eternal particles of Indra, of the Wind, of Yama, of the Sun, of Fire, of Varuna, of the Moon, and of the Lord of wealth (Kubera).”
Em nada difere isso do semitismo.
“Because a king has been formed of particles of those lords of the gods, he therefore surpasses all created beings in lustre” Mesmo os duas vezes nascidos?
“…nor can anybody on earth even gaze on him.”
“Even an infant king must not be despised, from an idea that he is a mortal; for he is a great deity in human form.”
“Fire burns one man only, if he carelessly approaches it, the fire of a king’s anger consumes the whole family, together with its cattle and its hoard of property.” Uhhh!
“Having fully considered the time and the place of the offence, the strength and the knowledge of the offender, let him justly inflict that punishment on men who act unjustly.”
“Punishment alone governs all created beings, punishment alone protects them, punishment watches over them while they sleep; the wise declare punishment to be identical with the law.” Religião de escravos.
UMA OBRA PARA DRACONS E HOBBESES: “The whole world is kept in order by punishment, for a guiltless man is hard to find; through fear of punishment the whole world yields the enjoyments which it owes.”
“All castes would be corrupted by intermixture, all barriers would be broken through, and all men would rage against each other in consequence of mistakes with respect to punishment.”
PÉS NO CHÃO: “From those versed in the 3 Vedas let him learn the threefold sacred science, the primeval science of government, the science of dialectics, and the knowledge of the supreme Soul; from the people the theory of the various trades and professions.”
“Hunting, gambling, sleeping by day, censoriousness, women, drunkenness, dancing, singing, and music, and useless travel are the 10-fold set of vices springing from love of pleasure.
Tale-bearing, violence, treachery, envy, slandering, unjust seizure of property, reviling, and assault are the 8-fold set of vices produced by wrath.”
“Drinking, dice, women, and hunting, these 4 in succession, he must know to be the most pernicious in the set that springs from love of pleasure.”
“On a comparison between vice and death, vice is declared to be more pernicious; a vicious man sinks to the nethermost hell, he who dies, free from vice, ascends to heaven.” Algo de romano nessas palavras.
“Let him appoint seven or eight ministers whose ancestors have been royal servants, who are versed in the sciences, heroes skilled in the use of weapons and descended from noble families and who have been tried.
Even an undertaking easy in itself is sometimes hard to be accomplished by a single man; how much harder is it for a king, especially if he has no assistant, to govern a kingdom which yields great revenues.
Let him daily consider with them the ordinary business, referring to peace and war, the 4 subjects called sthana, the revenue, the manner of protecting himself and his kingdom, and the sanctification of his gains by pious gifts.”
“But with the most distinguished among them all, a learned Brahmana, let the king deliberate on the most important affairs which relate to the six measures of royal policy.
Let him, full of confidence, always entrust to that official all business; having taken his final resolution with him, let him afterwards begin to act.”
“Among them let him employ the brave, the skilful, the high-born, and the honest in offices for the collection of revenue, in mines, manufactures, and storehouses, but the timid in the interior of his palace.
Let him also appoint an ambassador who is versed in all sciences, who understands hints, expressions of the face and gestures, who is honest, skilful, and of noble family.”
“Having learnt exactly from his ambassador the designs of the foreign king, let the king take such measures that he does not bring evil on himself.
Let him settle in a country which is open and has a dry climate, where grain is abundant, which is chiefly inhabited by Aryans, not subject to epidemic diseases or similar troubles, and pleasant, where the vassals are obedient and his own people easily find their livelihood.” Ora, assim é fácil!
“A king who, while he protects his people, is defied by foes, be they equal in strength, or stronger, or weaker, must not shrink from battle, remembering the duty of Kshatriyas.”
“When he fights with his foes in battle, let him not strike with weapons concealed in wood, nor with barbed, poisoned, or the points of which are blazing with fire.
Let him not strike one who in flight has climbed on an eminence, nor a eunuch, nor one who joins the palms of his hands in supplication, nor one who flees with flying hair, nor one who sits down, nor one who says ‘I am thine’;
Nor one who sleeps, nor one who has lost his coat of mail, nor one who is naked, nor one who is disarmed, nor one who looks on without taking part in the fight, nor one who is fighting with another foe;
Nor one whose weapons are broken, nor one afflicted with sorrow, nor one who has been grievously wounded, nor one who is in fear, nor one who has turned to flight; but in all these cases let him remember the duty of honourable warriors.
But the Kshatriya who is slain in battle, while he turns back in fear, takes upon himself all the sin of his master, whatever it may be;
And whatever merit a man who is slain in flight may have gained for the next world, all that his master takes.
Chariots and horses, elephants, parasols, money, grain, cattle, women, all sorts of goods and valueless metals belong to him who takes them conquering.”
“…what has not been taken singly, must be distributed by the king among all the soldiers.
Thus has been declared the blameless, primeval law for warriors; from this law a Kshatriya must not depart, when he strikes his foes in battle.”
“What he has not yet gained, let him seek to gain by his army; what he has gained, let him protect by careful attention; what he has protected, let him augment by increasing it; and what he has augmented, let him liberally bestow.
Let him be ever ready to strike, his prowess constantly displayed, and his secrets constantly concealed, and let him constantly explore the weaknesses of his foe.”
“His enemy must not know his weaknesses, but he must know the weaknesses of his enemy; as the tortoise hides its limbs, even so let him secure the members of his government against treachery, let him protect his own weak points.
Let him plan his undertakings patiently meditating like a heron; like a lion, let him put forth his strength; like a wolf, let him snatch his prey; like a hare, let him double in retreat.”
“Let him appoint a lord over each village, as well as lords of 10 villages, lords of 20, lords of 100, and lords of 1000.
The lord of one village himself shall inform the lord of ten villages of the crimes committed in his village, and the ruler of ten to the ruler of twenty.”
“The ruler of ten villages shall enjoy one kula (as much land as suffices for one family), the ruler of twenty 5 kulas, the superintendent of a hundred villages the revenues of one village, the lord of a thousand the revenues of a town.
The affairs of these officials, which are connected with their villages and their separate business, another minister of the king shall inspect, who must be loyal and never remiss;”
“Let that man always personally visit by turns all those other officials; let him properly explore their behaviour in their districts through spies appointed to each.
For the servants of the king, who are appointed to protect the people, generally become knaves who seize the property of others; let him protect his subjects against such men.”
“After consideration the king shall always fix in his realm the duties and taxes in such a manner that both he himself and the man who does the work receive their due reward.”
“A 1/50 of the increments on cattle and gold may be taken by the king, and 1/8, 1/6, or 1/12 part of the crops.”
“Though dying with want, a king must not levy a tax on Srotriyas, and no Srotriya, residing in his kingdom, must perish from hunger.”
“Mechanics and artisans, as well as Sudras who subsist by manual labour, he may cause to work for himself one day in each month. [1/30, low tax!]”
“When he is tired with the inspection of the business of men, let him place on that seat of justice his chief minister, who must be acquainted with the law, wise, self-controlled, and descended from a noble family.”
“At the time of consultation let him cause to be removed idiots, the dumb, the blind, and the deaf, animals, very aged men, women, barbarians, the sick, and those deficient in limbs.
Such despicable persons, likewise animals, and particularly women betray secret council; for that reason he must be careful with respect to them.”
“Let the king consider as hostile his immediate neighbour and the partisan of such a foe, as friendly the immediate neighbour of his foe, and as neutral the king beyond those two.”
“War is declared to be of two kinds, (viz.) that which is undertaken in season or out of season, by oneself and for one’s own purposes, and that waged to avenge an injury done to a friend.” Ativa ou reativa.
“Marching to attack is said to be twofold, (viz. that undertaken) by one alone when an urgent matter has suddenly arisen, and that undertaken by one allied with a friend.”
“When he knows his own army to be cheerful in disposition and strong, and that of his enemy the reverse, then let him march against his foe.
But if he is very weak in chariots and beasts of burden and in troops, then let him carefully sit quiet, gradually conciliating his foes.
When the king knows the enemy to be stronger in every respect, then let him divide his army and thus achieve his purpose.”
“Let him arrange everything in such a manner that no ally, no neutral or foe may injure him; that is the sum of political wisdom.”
“On even ground let him fight with chariots and horses, in water-bound places with boats and elephants, on ground covered with trees and shrubs with bows, on hilly ground with swords, targets, and other weapons.”
“Men born in Kurukshetra, Matsyas, Pankalas, and those born in Surasena, (?) let him cause to fight in the van [front, vanguarda] of the battle, as well as others who are tall and light.”
“…he should also mark the behaviour of the soldiers when they engage the enemy.
When he has shut up his foe in a town, let him sit encamped, harass his kingdom, and continually spoil his grass, food, fuel, and water.”
“He should however try to conquer his foes by conciliation, by well-applied gifts, and by creating dissension, used either separately or conjointly, never by fighting, if it can be avoided.
For when 2 princes fight, victory and defeat in the battle are, as experience teaches, uncertain; let him therefore avoid an engagement.”
“When he has gained victory, let him duly worship the gods and honour righteous Brahmanas, let him grant exemptions, and let him cause promises of safety to be proclaimed.
But having fully ascertained the wishes of all the conquered, let him place there a relative of the vanquished ruler on the throne, and let him impose his conditions.”
“The seizure of desirable property which causes displeasure, and its distribution which causes pleasure, are both recommendable, if they are resorted to at the proper time.
All undertakings in this world depend both on the ordering of fate and on human exertion; but among these 2 the ways of fate are unfathomable; in the case of man’s work action is possible.”
“By gaining gold and land a king grows not so much in strength as by obtaining a firm friend, who, though weak, may become powerful in the future.”
A weak friend even is greatly commended, who is righteous and grateful, whose people are contented, who is attached and persevering in his undertakings.”
“Let the king, without hesitation, quit for his own sake even a country which is salubrious, fertile, and causing an increase of cattle.”
“…let him at all events preserve himself even by giving up his wife and his wealth.”
“Let him mix all his food with medicines that are antidotes against poison, and let him always be careful to wear gems which destroy poison.
Well-tried females whose toilet and ornaments have been examined, shall attentively serve him with fans, water, and perfumes.
When he has dined, he may divert himself with his wives in the harem; but when he has diverted himself, he must, in due time, again think of the affairs of state.” Hohohoooo!
“Having eaten there something for the second time, and having been recreated by the sound of music, let him go to rest and rise at the proper time free from fatigue.
A king who is in good health must observe these rules; but, if he is indisposed, he may entrust all this business to his servants.” Atestado médico: uma prerrogativa que demorou milênios para se tornar do povo.
VIII
“A king, desirous of investigating law cases, must enter his court of justice, preserving a dignified demeanour, together with Brahmanas and with experienced councillors.
There, either seated or standing, raising his right arm, without ostentation in his dress and ornaments, let him examine the business of suitors,
Daily deciding one after another all cases which fall under the 18 titles of the law according to principles drawn from local usages. and from the Institutes of the sacred law.”
Os 18 tópicos são desinteressantes da ótica moderna. Pelo menos 3 tratam das relações homem-mulher sob diferentes prismas (1 só para o adultério feminino, p.ex.).
“Where 3 Brahmanas versed in the Vedas and the learned judge appointed by the king sit down, they call that the court of 4-faced Brahman.”
“For divine justice is said to be a bull (vrisha); that who violates it (kurute ‘lam) the gods consider to be a man despicable like a Sudra (vrishala); let him, therefore, beware of violating justice.
The only friend who follows men even after death is justice; for everything else is lost at the same time when the body perishes.
One quarter of the guilt of an unjust decision falls on him who committed the crime, ¼ on the false witness, ¼ on all the judges, ¼ on the king.” Proporções imbecis.
“A Brahmana who subsists only by the name of his caste (gati), or one who merely calls himself a Brahmana (though his origin be uncertain), may, at the king’s pleasure, interpret the law to him, but never a Sudra.”
“That kingdom where Sudras are very numerous, which is infested by atheists and destitute of twice-born inhabitants, soon entirely perishes, afflicted by famine and disease.” Como pode a elite ser a maioria?
“Property, the owner of which has disappeared, the king shall cause to be kept as a deposit during three years; within the period of three years the owner may claim it, after that term the king may take it.
He who says, ‘This belongs to me,’ must be examined according to the rule; if he accurately describes the shape, and the number of the articles found and so forth, he is the owner, and ought to receive that property.
But if he does not really know the time and the place where it was lost, its colour, shape, and size, he is worthy of a fine equal in value to the object claimed.”
“If a plaintiff does not speak, he may be punished corporally or fined according to the law; if a defendant does not plead within three fortnights, he has lost his cause.”
“Those must not be made witnesses who have an interest in the suit, nor familiar friends, companions, and enemies of the parties, nor men formerly convicted of perjury, nor persons suffering under severe illness, nor those tainted by mortal sin.
The king cannot be made a witness, nor mechanics and actors, [?!] nor a Srotriya, nor a student of the Veda, nor an ascetic who has given up all connexion with the world,
(…) nor an aged man, nor an infant, nor one man alone, nor a man of the lowest castes, nor one deficient in organs of sense,
Nor one extremely grieved, nor one intoxicated, nor a madman, nor one tormented by hunger or thirst, nor one oppressed by fatigue, nor one tormented by desire, nor a wrathful man, nor a thief.
Women should give evidence for women,”
“On failure of qualified witnesses, evidence may [be] given in such cases by a woman, by an infant, by an aged man, by a pupil, by a relative, by a slave, or by a hired servant.”
“On a conflict of the witnesses the king shall accept as true the evidence of the majority; if the conflicting parties are equal in number, that of those distinguished by good qualities; on a difference between equally distinguished witnesses, that of the best among the twice-born.”
“One man who is free from covetousness may be accepted as witness; but not even many pure women, because the understanding of females is apt to waver, nor even many other men, who are tainted with sin.”
SEMPRE UMA EXCEÇÃO! “In some cases a man who, though knowing the facts to be different, gives such false evidence from a pious motive, does not lose heaven; such evidence they call the speech of the gods. § Whenever the death of a Sudra, of a Vaisya, of a Kshatriya, or of a Brahmana would be (caused) by a declaration of the truth, a falsehood may be spoken; for such (falsehood) is preferable to the truth.”
“If two parties dispute about matters for which no witnesses are available, and the judge is unable to really ascertain the truth, he may cause it to be discovered even by an oath.”
“No crime, causing loss of caste, is committed by swearing falsely to women, the objects of one’s desire, at marriages, for the sake of fodder for a cow, or of fuel, and in order to show favour to a Brahmana.”
“Evidence given from covetousness, distraction, terror, friendship, lust, wrath, ignorance, and childishness is declared to be invalid.” Jurisprudência 5 mil anos à frente da Lava-Jato.
“Manu, the son of the Self-existent (Svayambhu), has named 10 places on which punishment may be made to fall in the cases of the 3 lower castes; but a Brahmana shall depart unhurt from the country.
These are the organ, the belly, the tongue, the two hands, and fifthly the two feet, the eye, the nose, the two ears, likewise the (whole) body.”
“Unjust punishment destroys reputation among men, and fame after death, and causes even in the next world the loss of heaven; let him, therefore, beware of inflicting it.
A king who punishes those who do not deserve it, and punishes not those who deserve it, brings great infamy on himself and after death sinks into hell.
Let him punish first by gentle admonition, afterwards by harsh reproof, thirdly by a fine, after that by corporal chastisement.
But when he cannot restrain such offenders even by corporal punishment, then let him apply to them even all the 4 modes cojointly.”
“Those technical names of certain quantities of copper, silver, and gold, which are generally used on earth for the purpose of business transactions among men, I will fully declare.
The very small mote which is seen when the sun shines through a lattice, they declare to be the least of all quantities and to be called a trasarenu (a floating particle of dust).
Know that 8 trasarenus are equal in bulk to a liksha (the egg of a louse [!!!]), 3 of those to 1g of black mustard (ragasarshapa), and 3 of the latter to a white mustard-seed.” Um trasarenu realmente é porra nenhuma!
“Six grains of white mustard are 1 middle-sized barley-corn, and 3 barley-corns 1 krishnala (raktika, or gunga-berry); 5 krishnalas are 1 masha (bean), and 16 of those 1 suvarna.
Four suvarnas are 1 pala, and 10 palas 1 dharana; 2 krishnalas of silver, weighed together, must be considered 1 mashaka of silver.” etc.
JUROS MÁXIMOS DE 8%a.a.: “A money-lender may stipulate as an increase of his capital, for the interest, allowed by Vasishtha, and take monthly the eightieth part of a hundred.”
“Neither a pledge nor a deposit can be lost by lapse of time; they are both recoverable, though they have remained long with the bailee.”
“Let him not take interest beyond the year, nor such as is unapproved, nor compound interest, periodical interest, stipulated interest, and corporal interest.”
“The man who becomes a surety [fiador] in this world for the appearance of a debtor, and produces him not, shall pay the debt out of his own property.
But money due by a surety, or idly promised, or lost at play, or due for spirituous liquor, or what remains unpaid of a fine and a tax or duty, the son of the party owing it shall not be obliged to pay.”
“A contract made by a person intoxicated, or insane, or grievously disordered by disease and so forth, or wholly dependent, by an infant or very aged man, or by an unauthorised party is invalid.”
“What is given by force, what is enjoyed by force, also what has been caused to be written by force, and all other transactions done by force, Manu has declared void.”
“Three suffer for the sake of others, witnesses, a surety, and judges; but 4 enrich themselves through others, a Brahmana, a money-lender, a merchant, and a king.” Tão curioso que parece um provérbio e não a continuação do direito penal/econômico até aqui descrito.
“The debtor who complains to the king that his creditor recovers the debt independently of the court, shall be compelled by the king to pay as a fine one quarter of the sum and to his creditor the money due.” Multa de 25% por acionar a justiça em vão (e na verdade menosprezar a justiça como instância da decisão certa).
“A sensible man should make a deposit only with a person of good family, of good conduct, well acquainted with the law, veracious, having many relatives, wealthy, and honourable (arya).”
“He who restores not his deposit to the depositor at his request, may be tried by the judge in the depositor’s absence.
On failure of witnesses let the judge actually deposit gold with that defendant under some pretext or other through spies of suitable age and appearance and afterwards demand it back.” Excelente expediente!
“If the defendant restores it in the manner and shape in which it was bailed, there is nothing of that description in his hands, for which others accuse him.” O problema é que safado (de mané se gradua para malandro) pode se livrar dessa maneira (devolve o depósito de alguns, de outros não).
“An open or a sealed deposit must never be returned to a near relative of the depositor during the latter’s lifetime; for if the recipient dies without delivering them, they are lost, but if he does not die, they are not lost.
But a depositary who of his own accord returns them to a near relative of a deceased depositor, must not be harassed about them by the king or by the depositor’s relatives.”
“He who does not return a deposit and he who demands what he never bailed shall both be punished like thieves, or be compelled to pay a fine equal to the value of the object retained or claimed.”
“If a deposit of a particular description or quantity is bailed by anybody in the presence of a number of witnesses, it must be known to be of that particular description and quantity; the depositary who makes a false statement regarding it is liable to a fine.
But if anything is delivered or received privately, it must be privately returned; as the bailment was, so should be the re-delivery.”
“If, after one damsel has been shown, another be given to the bridegroom, he may marry them both for the same price; that Manu ordained.
He who gives a damsel in marriage, having first openly declared her blemishes, whether she be insane, or afflicted with leprosy, or have lost her virginity, is not liable to punishment.”
“If an officiating priest, chosen to perform a sacrifice, abandons his work, a share only of the fee in proportion to the work (done) shall be given to him by those who work with him.” Achava que um sacerdote que faz isso era morto!
“But if specific fees are ordained for the several parts of a rite, shall he who performs the part receive them, or shall they all share them?
The Adhvaryu priest shall take the chariot, and the Brahman at the kindling of the fires (Agnyadhana) a horse, the Hotri priest shall also take a horse, and the Udgatri the cart, used when the Soma is purchased.” Um capítulo imensamente curioso e multifacetado!
“Should money be given or promised for a pious purpose by one man to another who asks for it, the gift shall be void, if the money is afterwards not used in the manner stated.
But if the recipient through pride or greed tries to enforce the fulfilment of the promise, he shall be compelled by the king to pay 1 suvarna as an expiation for his theft.”
“But the king himself shall impose a fine of 96 panas on him who gives a blemished damsel to a suitor without informing him of the blemish.”
“But that man who, out of malice, says of a maiden, ‘She is not a maiden’, shall be fined 100 panas, if he cannot prove her blemish.” A cavalo dado…?
“The nuptial texts are applied solely to virgins, and nowhere among men to females who have lost their virginity, for such females are excluded from religious ceremonies.
The nuptial texts are a certain proof that a maiden has been made a lawful wife; but the learned should know that they and the marriage ceremony are complete with the 7th step of the bride around the sacred fire.”
“A hired herdsman who is paid with milk, may milk with the consent of the owner the best cow out of ten; such shall be his hire if no other wages are paid.
The herdsman alone shall make good the loss of a beast strayed, destroyed by worms, killed by dogs or by falling into a pit, if he did not duly exert himself to prevent it.
But for an animal stolen by thieves, though he raised an alarm, the herdsman shall not pay, provided he gives notice to his master at the proper place and time.”
“But if goats or sheep are surrounded by wolves and the herdsman does not hasten to their assistance, he shall be responsible for any animal which a wolf may attack and kill.
But if they, kept in proper order, graze together in the forest, and a wolf, suddenly jumping on one of them, kills it, the herdsman shall bear in that case no responsibility.”
“If a dispute has arisen between two villages concerning a boundary, the king shall settle the limits in the month of Gyaishtha, when the landmarks are most distinctly visible.
Let him mark the boundaries by trees, e.g. Nyagrodhas, Asvatthas, Kimsukas, cotton-trees, Salas, Palmyra palms, and trees with milky juice,
By clustering shrubs, bamboos of different kinds, Samis, creepers and raised mounds, reeds, thickets of Kubgaka; thus the boundary will not be forgotten.
Tanks, wells, cisterns, and fountains should be built where boundaries meet, as well as temples,
And as he will see that through men’s ignorance of the boundaries trespasses constantly occur in the world, let him cause to be made other hidden marks for boundaries,
Stones, bones, cow’s hair, chaff, ashes, potsherds, dry cowdung, bricks, cinders, pebbles, and sand,
And whatever other things of a similar kind the earth does not corrode even after a long time, those he should cause to be buried where one boundary joins the other.”
“If there be a doubt even on inspection of the marks, the settlement of a dispute regarding boundaries shall depend on witnesses.
The witnesses, giving evidence regarding a boundary, shall be examined concerning the landmarks in the presence of the crowd of the villagers and also of the 2 litigants.
As they, being questioned, unanimously decide, even so he shall record the boundary in writing, together with their names.
Let them, putting earth on their heads, wearing chaplets of red flowers and red dresses, being sworn each by the rewards for his meritorious deeds, settle the boundary in accordance with the truth.”
“On failure of witnesses from the two villages, men of the 4 neighbouring villages, who are pure, shall make as witnesses a decision concerning the boundary in the presence of the king.”
“On failure of neighbours who are original inhabitants of the country and can be witnesses with respect to the boundary, the king may hear the evidence even of the following inhabitants of the forest.
Viz. hunters, fowlers, herdsmen, fishermen, root-diggers, snake-catchers, gleaners, and other foresters.
As they, being examined, declare the marks for the meeting of the boundaries to be, even so the king shall justly cause them to be fixed between the 2 villages.”
“Thus the law for deciding boundary disputes has been fully declared, I will next propound the manner of deciding cases of defamation.
A Kshatriya, having defamed a Brahmana, shall be fined 100 panas; a Vaisya one 150 or 200; a Sudra shall suffer corporal punishment.
A Brahmana shall be fined 50 panas for defaming a Kshatriya; in the case of a Vaisya the fine shall be 25 panas; in the case of a Sudra 12.
For offences of twice-born men against those of equal caste, the fine shall be also 12; for speeches which ought not to be uttered, that double.
A once-born man (a Sudra), who insults a twice-born man with gross invective, shall have his tongue cut out; for he is of low origin.”
The one-and-a-half-born man (“classe média” hindu)
“With whatever limb a man of a low caste does hurt to a man of the 3 highest castes, even that limb shall be cut off; that is the teaching of Manu.
He who raises his hand or a stick, shall have his hand cut off; he who in anger kicks with his foot, shall have his foot cut off.” Punições muito desproporcionais às vistas anteriormente.
“A low-caste man who tries to place himself on the same seat with a man of a high caste, shall be branded on his hip and be banished, or the king shall cause his buttock to be gashed [cortada – não está claro se a nádega será decepada ou apenas ferida, mas parece ser o primeiro caso, para que aprenda a sentar-se somente onde é-lhe devido!].”
“If out of arrogance he spits (on a superior), the king shall cause both his lips to be cut off; if he urines (on him), the penis; if he breaks wind (against him), the anus.” Isso merece uma tradução: “Se um hindu cospe em um hindu de casta superior por despeito, o rei deve mandar que ambos os seus lábios sejam decepados; se ele urina no superior, o pênis; se ele peida [breaks wind!] ou coisa pior, o ânus.” À luz desse parágrafo, a nádega (acima) não é decepada, pois o verbo cut não inclui o complemento off. Além disso, decepar o ânus só tem sentido se se referir a cortar fora a carne das nádegas, já que é o fim do tubo digestivo e não se “corta” um ânus fora…
“If he lays hold of the hair of a superior, let the king unhesitatingly cut off his hands, likewise if he takes him by the feet, the beard, the neck, or the scrotum.”
“In the case of damage done to leather, or to utensils of leather, of wood, or of clay, the fine shall be 5 times their value; likewise in the case of damage to flowers, roots, and fruit.” A imbecilidade, percebida contemporaneamente, de não ressarcir apenas o valor do objeto danificado.
“A wife, a son, a slave, a pupil, and a younger brother of the full blood, who have committed faults, may be beaten with a rope or a split bamboo,
But on the back part of the body only, never on a noble part; he who strikes them otherwise will incur the same guilt as a thief.” Vira-te ao ser chicoteado, e teu chicoteador terá as mãos arrancadas!
“The killer of a learned Brahmana throws his guilt on him who eats his food, an adulterous wife on her negligent husband, a sinning pupil or sacrificer on their negligent teacher or priest, a thief on the king who pardons him.” E a mesma imbecilidade no pensar não enxerga contágio por más condições de higiene em epidemias. Assim funciona a estreita mente humana!
“For stealing men of noble family and especially women and the most precious gems, the offender deserves corporal or capital punishment.” Jóias de mulheres sempre foram um problema, desde que o homem é homem! Uma jóia para uma jóia, diriam os arcaicos objetificadores do sexo não-frágil…
“For stealing cows belonging to Brahmanas, piercing the nostrils of a barren cow, and for stealing other cattle belonging to Brahmanas, the offender shall forthwith lose half his feet.” Mais arbitrário que um árbitro do brasileirão!
Um brahmana que rouba paga sessenta e quatro vezes mais caro.
“The taking of roots and of fruit from trees, of wood for a sacrificial fire, and of grass for feeding cows, Manu has declared to be no theft.” Repare no duplo sentido: não há sanção porque são para um rito sagrado. Mas for poderia significar: roubar o material santo. Aí seria pena capital, sem dúvida (destined for).
“Twice-born men may take up arms when they are hindered in the fulfilment of their duties, when destruction threatens the twice-born castes in evil times,
In their own defence, in a strife for the fees of officiating priests, and in order to protect women and Brahmanas; he who under such circumstances kills in the cause of right, commits no sin.“
“One may slay without hesitation an assassin who approaches with murderous intent, whether he be one’s teacher, a child or an aged man, or a Brahmana deeply versed in the Vedas.” Mas que um brahmana profundamente versado nos Vedas queira assassinar alguém quase deita por terra todo o valor da religião!
“…in that case fury recoils upon fury.”
“A man formerly accused of such offences, [adultério] who secretly converses with another man’s wife, shall pay the first or lowest amercement.” Deve pagar a mesma sentença por um crime menor. Anti-pedagógico.
“He who addresses the wife of another man at a Tirtha, outside the village, in a forest, or at the confluence of rivers, suffer the punishment for adulterous acts (samgrahana).
Offering presents, romping [farrear!] with her, touching her ornaments and dress, sitting with her on a bed, all these acts are considered adulterous acts” Onde falta humor aos legisladores, faltam deuses capazes da dança.
“If one touches a woman in a place which ought not to be touched or allows oneself to be touched in such a spot, all such acts done with mutual consent are declared to be adulterous” Castrar ou não cidadãos deste Estado não faz diferença, porque são todos castrados metafísicos.
“Mendicants, bards, men who have performed the initiatory ceremony of a Vedic sacrifice, and artisans are not prohibited from speaking to married women.”
“Let no man converse with the wives of others after he has been forbidden (…)
This rule does not apply to the wives of actors and singers, nor of those who live on the intrigues of their own wives; for such men send their wives to others or, concealing themselves, allow them to hold criminal intercourse.” Ancient times cuckolds.
“He who violates an unwilling maiden shall instantly suffer corporal punishment; but a man who enjoys a willing maiden shall not suffer corporal punishment, if his caste be the same as hers.” Se é pra casar que mal tem (pensamento estúpido).
“From a maiden who makes advances to a man of high caste, he shall not take any fine; but her, who courts a man of low caste, let him force [be forced?] to live confined in her house.”
“But if any man through insolence forcibly contaminates a maiden, 2 of his fingers shall be instantly cut off, and he shall pay a fine of 600” Novamente a pergunta misteriosa: por que dois dedos?! Also: definir insolência, contaminação, etc.
ANTI-LESBIANAS: “A damsel who pollutes another damsel must be fined 200 panas, pay the double of her nuptial fee, and receive 10 lashes with a rod.”
“But a woman who pollutes a damsel shall instantly have her head shaved or 2 fingers cut off, [!] and be made to ride through the town on a donkey.” Woman: não-virgem; damsel: donzela, moça virgem?
“If a wife, proud of the greatness of her relatives or her own excellence, violates the duty which she owes to her lord, the king shall cause her to be devoured by dogs in a place frequented by many.”
“On a man once convicted, who is again accused within a year, a double fine must be inflicted; even thus must the fine be doubled for repeated intercourse with a Vratya and a Kandali.” Aparentemente Kandali aqui não significa pária (fora das castas), mas uma quinta e rara casta, neste sistema tão complexo. Porém, a questão é polêmica, já que o significado que encontrei diverge (veja glossário ao final) e em tese significaria o banimento do brâmane, pois ele não pode tocar uma intocável!
“A Sudra who has intercourse with a woman of a twice-born caste, guarded or unguarded, shall be punished in the following manner: if she was unguarded, he loses the part offending and all his property; if she was guarded, everything, even his life.
For intercourse with a guarded Brahmana (…) a Kshatriya shall be fined 1000 panas and be shaved with the urine of an ass.”
“A Brahmana who carnally knows a guarded Brahmani against her will, shall be fined 1000 panas; but he shall be made to pay five hundred, if he had connexion with a willing one.
“Let him never slay a Brahmana, though he have committed all possible crimes; [!] let him banish such an offender, leaving all his property to him and his body unhurt.”
SUBVERTENDO A NOÇÃO DE PROSTITUTA DE LUXO: “A Brahmana who approaches unguarded females of the Kshatriya or Vaisya castes, or a Sudra female, shall be fined 500; but for intercourse with a female of the lowest, 1000.” Quanto mais sujinha, mais excita?
“A Brahmana who does not invite his next neighbour and his neighbour next but one, though both be worthy of the honour, to a festival at which 20 Brahmanas are entertained, is liable to a fine of one masha.” Chame só 19 e recuse “penetras”!
IMPOSTO NUNCA FOI ROUBO, E O LEÃO SEMPRE FOI FEITO PARA DEVORAR COM EFICÁCIA: “He who avoids a custom-house or a toll, he who buys or sells at an improper time, or he who makes a false statement in enumerating his goods, shall be fined eight times the amount of duty which he tried to evade.”
“a woman who has been pregnant 2 months or more, an ascetic, a hermit in the forest, and Brahmanas who are students of the Veda, shall not be made to pay toll at a ferry.”
“a Brahmana who, because he is powerful, out of greed makes initiated men of the twice-born castes against their will do the work of slaves, shall be fined by the king 6000 panas.”
“But a Sudra, whether bought or unbought, he may compel to do servile work; for he was created by the Self-existent (Svayambhu) to be the slave of a Brahmana.
A Sudra, though emancipated by his master, is not released from servitude; since that is innate in him, who can set him free from it?”
“A Brahmana may confidently seize the goods of his Sudra; for, as that slave can have no property, his master may take his possessions.”
IX
“I will now propound the eternal laws for a husband and his wife who keep to the path of duty, whether they be united or separated.
“Her father protects her in childhood, her husband in youth, and her sons in old age; a woman is never fit for independence.
Reprehensible is the father who gives not his daughter in marriage at the proper time; reprehensible is the husband who approaches not in due season, and reprehensible is the son who does not protect his mother after her husband has died.”
“The husband, after conception by his wife, becomes an embryo and is born again of her; for that is the wifehood of a wife (gaya), that he is born (gayate) again by her.”
“No man can completely guard women by force; but they can be guarded by the employment of the following expedients:”
“Women, confined in the house under trustworthy and obedient servants, are not well guarded; [!] but those who of their own accord keep guard over themselves, are well guarded.
Drinking liquor, associating with wicked people, separation from the husband, rambling abroad, sleeping at unseasonable hours, and dwelling in other men’s houses, are the 6 causes of the ruin of women.
Women do not care for beauty, nor is their attention fixed on age; thinking, ‘It is enough that he is a man,’ they give themselves to the handsome and to the ugly.
“through their natural heartlessness, they become disloyal towards their husbands, however carefully they may be guarded in this world.”
“‘If my mother, going astray and unfaithful, conceived illicit desires, may my father keep that seed from me,’ that is the scriptural text.”
“Akshamala, a woman of the lowest birth, being united to Vasishtha and Sarangi, being united to Mandapala, became worthy of honour.”
“They all say that the male issue of a woman belongs to the lord, but with respect to the meaning of the term lord the revealed texts differ; some call the begetter of the child the lord, others declare that it is the owner of the soil.”
“This earth, indeed, is called the primeval womb of created beings; but the seed develops not in its development any properties of the womb.” Negavam que a mulher passava suas características à descendência.
“The rice called vrihi and sali, mudga-beans, sesamum, masha-beans, barley, leeks, and sugar-cane, all spring up according to their seed.
That one plant should be sown and another be produced cannot happen; whatever seed is sown, a plant of that kind even comes forth.
Never therefore must a prudent well-trained man, who knows the Veda and its Angas and desires long life, cohabit with another’s wife.” Mesmo que suas sementes sejam nobilíssimas?
“As the arrow, shot by a hunter who afterwards hits a wounded deer in the wound made by another, is shot in vain, even so the seed, sown on what belongs to another, is quickly lost to the sower.”
“If one man’s bull were to beget a hundred calves on another man’s cows, they would belong to the owner of the cows; in vain would the bull have spent his strength.”
“The wife of an elder brother is for his younger(brother the wife of a Guru; [tudo, e inacessível] but the wife of the younger is declared to be the daughter-in-law of the elder.” In times of need…
“An elder brother who approaches the wife of the younger, and a younger brother who approaches the wife of the elder, except in times of misfortune, both become outcasts, even though they were duly authorised.
On failure of issue by her husband a woman who has been authorised, may obtain, in the proper manner prescribed, the desired offspring by cohabitation with a brother-in-law or with some other Sapinda of the husband.” Sabia.
“He who is appointed to cohabit with the widow shall approach her at night anointed with clarified butter and silent, and beget one son, by no means a second.” Está isento até de conversar: só o órgão sexual importa.
“Some sages, versed in the law, considering the purpose of the appointment not to have been attained by those 2 on the birth of the first, think that a second son may be lawfully procreated on such women.” Hm.
“But when the purpose of the appointment to cohabit with the widow bas been attained in accordance with the law, those 2 shall behave towards each other like a father and a daughter-in-law.” Daqui a pouco dirão que é lícito também ao pai (sogro) “depositar” suas sementes…
“If those 2 being thus appointed deviate from the rule and act from carnal desire, they will both become outcasts, as men who defile the bed of a daughter-in-law or of a Guru.”
“For 1 year let a husband bear with a wife who hates him; but after the lapse of a year let him deprive her of her property and cease to cohabit with her.”
“She who drinks spirituous liquor, is of bad conduct, rebellious, diseased, mischievous, or wasteful, may at any time be superseded by another wife.
A barren wife may be superseded in the 8th year, she whose children all die in the 10th, she who bears only daughters in the 11th, but she who is quarrelsome without delay.” Haha!
“To a distinguished, handsome suitor of equal caste should a father give his daughter in accordance with the prescribed rule, though she have not attained the proper age.”
“Three years let a damsel wait, though she be marriageable; but after that time let her choose for herself a bridegroom of equal caste and rank.”
“A maiden who choses for herself, shall not take with her any ornaments, given by her father or her mother, or her brothers; if she carries them away, it will be theft.”
“A man, aged 30, shall marry a maiden of 12 who pleases him, or a man of 24 a girl 8 years of age; if the performance of his duties would otherwise be impeded, he must marry sooner.
The husband receives his wife from the gods, he does not wed her according to his own will; doing what is agreeable to the gods, he must always support her while she is faithful.”
“Even a Sudra ought not to take a nuptial fee, when he gives away his daughter; for he who takes a fee sell his daughter, covering the transaction by another name.”
“…learn now the law concerning the division of the inheritance.”
“Immediately on the birth of his first-born a man is called the father of a son and is freed from the debt to the manes; that son, therefore, is worthy to receive the whole estate.”
“Between sons born of wives equal in caste and without any other distinction no seniority in right of the mother exists; seniority is declared to be according to birth.”
“A son is even as oneself, such a daughter is equal to a son; how can another heir take the estate, while such an appointed daughter who is even oneself, lives?”
“But if, after a daughter has been appointed, a son be born to her father, the division of the inheritance must in that case be equal; for there is no right of primogeniture for a woman.”
“Through a son he conquers the worlds, through a son’s son he obtains immortality, but through his son’s grandson he gains the world of the sun.” Poético, mas inócuo.
“Because a son delivers (trayate) his father from the hell called Put, he was therefore called put-tra (a deliverer from Put) by the Self-existent (Svayambhu) himself.”
“Even the male child of a female duly appointed, [testamentado] not begotten according to the rule (given above), is unworthy of the paternal estate; for he was procreated by an outcast.”
“The rules given above must be understood to apply to a distribution among sons of women of the same caste; hear now the law concerning those begotten by one man on many wives of different castes.”
“Let the son of the Brahmana wife take 3 shares of the remainder of the estate, the son of the Kshatriya 2, the son of the Vaisya a share and a half (1 ½), and the son of the Sudra may take 1 share.”
“The son of a Brahmana, a Kshatriya, and a Vaisya by a Sudra wife receives no share of the inheritance; whatever his father may give to him, that shall be his property.”
“For a Sudra is ordained a wife of his own caste only and no other; those born of her shall have equal shares, even if there be a hundred sons.”
“Among the 12 sons of men whom Manu, sprung from the Self-existent (Svayambhu), enumerates, 6 are kinsmen and heirs, and 6 not heirs, but kinsmen.
The legitimate son of the body, (1) the son begotten on a wife, (2) the son adopted, (3) the son made, (4) the son secretly born, (5) and the son cast off, (6) are the 6 heirs and kinsmen. [1???]
The son of an unmarried damsel, (7) the son received with the wife, (8) the son bought, (9) the son begotten on a re-married woman, (10) the son self-given, (11) and the son of a Sudra female, (12) are the 6 who are not heirs, but kinsmen.”
“Him whom a man begets on his own wedded wife, let him know to be a legitimate son of the body (Aurasa), the first in rank.” Aqui está explicada a diferença entre (1) e (2) imediatamente acima: (1) é a semente do pai e nada mais.
“That boy equal by caste whom his mother or his father affectionately give, confirming the gift with a libation of water, in times of distress to a man as his son, must be considered as an adopted son (Datrima).” Não é qualquer um que se acha abandonado, como no nosso direito.
“But he is considered a son made (Kritrima) whom a man makes his son, he being equal by caste, acquainted with the distinctions between right and wrong, and endowed with filial virtues.” Desde que comprovadamente da casta, o pai pode adotar um filho que não foi “doado” cerimoniosamente por outros brâmanes (ou casta equivalente).
“If a child be born in a man’s house and his father be not known, he is a son born secretly in the house (Gudhotpanna), and shall belong to him of whose wife he was born.
“He whom a man receives as his son, after he has been deserted by his parents or by either of them, is called a son cast off (Apaviddha).” Deserdado reintegrado.
“A son whom a damsel secretly bears in the house of her father, one shall name the son of an unmarried damsel (Kanina), and declare such offspring of an unmarried girl to belong to him who weds her afterwards.
“If one marries, either knowingly or unknowingly, a pregnant bride, the child in her womb belongs to him who weds her, and is called a son received with the bride (Sahodha).
If a man buys a boy, whether equal or unequal in good qualities,¹ from his father and mother for the sake of having a son, that child is called a son bought (Kritaka).” Bastante intuitivo: se é um filho comprado, é um filho comprado!
¹ Não em casta!
“If a woman abandoned by her husband, or a widow, of her own accord contracts a second marriage and bears a son, he is called the son of a re-married woman (Paunarbhava).
If she be still a virgin, or one who returned to her first husband after leaving him, she is worthy to again perform with her second (or first deserted) husband the nuptial ceremony.
He who, having lost his parents or being abandoned by them without just cause, gives himself to a man, is called a son self-given (Svayamdatta).” Sem essa explicação, jamais seria capaz de adivinhar que diabos seria um filho autodado.
“The son whom a Brahmana begets through lust on a Sudra female is, though alive (parayan), a corpse (sava), and hence called a Parasava (a living corpse).” Cruel! Traduzo na seqüência:
“IX, 178. O filho que um brâmane obteve via luxúria e cupidez de uma mulher Sudra (quarta casta) é, embora vivo, um cadáver, e dessa forma considerado um zumbi (morto-vivo).”
“These 11, the son begotten on the wife and the rest as enumerated above, the wise call substitutes for a son, taken in order to prevent a failure of the funeral ceremonies.” Traduzindo: para o pai não ir para o inferno.
“Those sons, who have been mentioned in connection with the legitimate son of the body, being begotten by strangers, belong in reality to him from whose seed they sprang, but not to the other man who took them.”
“Not brothers, nor fathers, but sons take the paternal estate; but the father shall take the inheritance of a son who leaves no male issue, and his brothers.” Ou seja: não, mas pode sim.
“Always to that relative within 3 degrees who is nearest to the deceased Sapinda the estate shall belong; afterwards a Sakulya shall be the heir, then the spiritual teacher or the pupil.
But on failure of all heirs Brahmanas shall share the estate, who are versed in the 3 Vedas, pure and self-controlled; thus the law is not violated.”
“Such property, as well as a gift subsequent and what was given to her by her affectionate husband, shall go to her offspring, even if she dies in the lifetime of her husband.”
“The ornaments which may have been worn by women during their husbands’ lifetime, his heirs shall not divide; those who divide them become outcasts.
Eunuchs and outcasts, persons born blind or deaf, the insane, idiots and the dumb, as well as those deficient in any organ, receive no share.
But it is just that who knows the law should give even to all of them food and raiment without stint, according to his ability; he who gives it not will become all outcast.
If the eunuch and the rest should somehow or other desire to take wives, the offspring of such among them as have children is worthy of a share.
Whatever property the eldest son acquires by his own exertion after the father’s death, a share of that shall belong to his younger brothers, provided they have made a due progress in learning.
But if all of them, being unlearned, acquire property by their labour, the division of that shall be equal, as it is not property acquired by the father; that is a settled rule.
Property acquired by learning [ofícios religiosos] belongs solely to him to whom it was given, likewise the gift of a friend, a present received on marriage or with the honey-mixture.”
“If brothers, once divided and living again together as coparceners, make a second partition, the division shall in that case be equal; in such a case there is no right of primogeniture.”
“A mother shall obtain the inheritance of a son who dies without leaving issue, and, if the mother be dead, the paternal grandmother shall take the estate.”
“The division of the property and the rules for allotting shares to the several sons, those begotten on a wife and the rest, in due order, have been thus declared to you”
“Gambling and betting let the king exclude from his realm; those two vices cause the destruction of the kingdoms of princes.
When inanimate things are used for staking money on them, that is called among men gambling (dyuta), when animate beings are used, one must know that to be betting (samahvaya).”
“Gamblers, dancers and singers, [uma religião CHATA!] cruel men, men belonging to an heretical sect, those following forbidden occupations, and sellers of spirituous liquor, let him instantly banish from his town.”
“On women, infants, men of disordered mind, the poor and the sick, the king shall inflict punishment with a whip, a cane, or a rope and the like.
But those appointed to administer public affairs, who, baked by the fire of wealth, mar the business of suitors, the king shall deprive of their property.”
“Forgers of royal edicts, those (…) the king shall put to death.”
“Whatever matter his ministers or the judge may settle improperly, that the king himself shall resettle and fine them 1,000 panas.”
“For violating a Guru’s bed, the mark of a female part shall be impressed on the forehead with a hot iron; for drinking the spirituous liquor called Sura, the sign of a tavern; for stealing the gold of a Brahmana, a dog’s foot; for murdering a Brahmana, a headless corpse.
Excluded from all fellowship at meals, excluded from all sacrifices, excluded from instruction and from matrimonial alliances, abject and excluded from all religious duties, let them wander over earth.”
“But men of other castes, who have unintentionally committed such crimes, ought to be deprived of their whole property; if they committed them intentionally, they shall be banished.
A virtuous king must not take for himself the property of a man guilty of mortal sin; but if he takes it out of greed, he is tainted by that guilt.
Having thrown such a fine into the water, let him offer it to Varuna, or let him bestow it on a learned and virtuous Brahmana.” Conveniente…
“Varuna is the lord of punishment, for he holds the sceptre even over kings; a Brahmana who has learnt the whole Veda is the lord of the whole world.”
“Thus the manner of deciding suits falling under the 18 titles, between 2 litigant parties, has been declared at length.”
“Officials of high rank and physicians who act improperly, men living by showing their proficiency in arts, and clever harlots,
These and the like who show themselves openly, as well as others who walk in disguise such as non-Aryans who wear the marks of Aryans, he should know to be thorns in the side of his people.”
“Assembly-houses, houses where water is distributed or cakes are sold, brothels, [eles podem existir?] taverns [elas podem existir?] and victualler’s shops, cross-roads, well-known trees, festive assemblies, and play-houses and concert-rooms,
Old gardens, forests, the shops of artisans, empty dwellings, natural and artificial groves,
These and the like places the king shall cause to be guarded by companies of soldiers, [haja soldado!] both stationary and patrolling, and by spies, in order to keep away thieves.”
“A just king shall not cause a thief to be put to death, unless taken with the stolen goods in his possession; him who is taken with the stolen goods and the implements of burglary, he may, without hesitation, cause to be slain.”
“On those who rob the king’s treasury and those who persevere in opposing his commands, he shall inflict various kinds of capital punishment, likewise on those who conspire with his enemies.”
REGIME PROGRESSIVO! “But the king shall cut off the hands of those robbers who, breaking into houses, commit thefts at night, and cause them to be impaled on a pointed stake.
On the first conviction, let him cause 2 fingers of a cut-purse to be amputated; on the second, one hand and one foot; on the third, he shall suffer death.”
“Him who breaks the dam of a tank he shall slay by drowning him in water or by some other mode of capital punishment; or the offender may repair the damage, but shall be made to pay the highest amercement.”
“Those who break into a royal storehouse, an armoury, or a temple, and those who steal elephants, horses, or chariots, he shall slay without hesitation.”
PELA VOLTA DA ÉTICA MÉDICA (NEM QUE POR CONSTRANGIMENTOS MAQUIAVÉLICOS): “All physicians who treat their patients wrongly shall pay a fine; in the case of animals, the first or lowest; in the case of human beings, the middlemost amercement.”
“Let him place all prisons near a high-road, where the suffering and disfigured offenders can be seen.
Him who destroys the wall of a town, or fills up the ditch round a town, or breaks a gate, he shall instantly banish.”
“He who sells for seed-corn that which is not seed-corn, he who takes up seed already sown, and he who destroys a boundary-mark, shall be punished by mutilation.
But the king shall cause a goldsmith who behaves dishonestly, the most nocuous of all the thorns, to be cut to pieces with razors.”
“The king [1] and his minister, [2] his capital, [3] his realm, [4] his treasury, [5] his army, [6] and his ally [7] are the 7 constituent parts of a kingdom; hence a kingdom is said to have seven limbs (anga).
But let him know that among these seven constituent parts of a kingdom which have been enumerated in due order, each earlier (named) is more important and its destruction the greater calamity.”
“The various ways in which a king behaves resemble the Krita, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali ages; hence the king is identified with the ages of the world.
Sleeping he represents the Kali (or iron age), waking the Dvapara or bra[o?]zen age, ready to act the Treta (or silver age), but moving actively the Krita (or golden) age.”
“As Indra sends copious rain during the four months of the rainy season, even so let the king, taking upon himself the office of Indra, shower benefits on his kingdom.”
“Let him not, though fallen into the deepest distress, provoke Brahmanas to anger; for they, when angered, could instantly destroy him together with his army and his vehicles.” Espécie de caução colocada pelos brâmanes!
“Thus, though Brahmanas employ themselves in all sorts of mean occupations, they must be honoured in every way; for each of them is a very great deity.
When the Kshatriyas become in any way overbearing towards the Brahmanas, the Brahmanas themselves shall duly restrain them; for the Kshatriyas sprang from the Brahmanas.”
“Kshatriyas prosper not without Brahmanas, Brahmanas prosper not without Kshatriyas; Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, being closely united, prosper in this world and in the next.” Lembrando que o mutualismo é necessário, pois o rei é o primeiro-dos-Kshatriyas, o último Brahmana, pior que o brâmane mais chão, se assim se pode dizer.
“But a king who feels his end drawing nigh shall bestow all his wealth, accumulated from fines, on Brahmanas, make over his kingdom to his son, and then seek death in battle.” Mesmo em tempos de paz?!
“Thus the eternal law concerning the duties of a king has been fully declared; know that the following rules apply in due order to the duties of Vaisyas and Sudras.”
“For when the Lord of creatures (Pragapati) created cattle, he made them over to the Vaisya; to the Brahmana, and to the king he entrusted all created beings.
A Vaisya must never conceive this wish, ‘I will not keep cattle’; and if a Vaisya is willing to keep them, they must never be kept by men of other castes.
A Vaisya must know the respective value of gems, of pearls, of coral, of metals, of cloth made of thread, of perfumes, and of condiments.” Deve ser melhor que os economistas de nossos tempos! Terceira classe hindu está acima da primeira classe de um Paulo Guedes, cof, cof…
“He must be acquainted with the manner of sowing of seeds, and of the good and bad qualities of fields, and he must perfectly know all measures and weights.” E melhor que nossos imbecis senhores do agro!
RELAÇÕES INTERNACIONAIS: A ORIGEM: “Moreover, the excellence and defects of commodities, the advantages and disadvantages of different countries, the probable profit and loss on merchandise, and the means of properly rearing cattle.
He must be acquainted with the proper wages of servants, with the various languages of men, with the manner of keeping goods, and the rules of purchase and sale.”
“But to serve Brahmanas who are learned in the Vedas, householders, and famous for virtue is the highest duty of a Sudra, which leads to beatitude.” Nunca houve código de escravidão mais explícito: nossos servos devem ser mais competentes que nós mesmos, eis sua obrigação moral.
NOTE-SE, PORÉM, A SEMELHANÇA COM O REBANHO CRISTÃO: “A Sudra who is pure, the servant of his betters, gentle in his speech, and free from pride, and always seeks a refuge with Brahmanas, attains in his next life a higher caste.”
Be proud, be very proud – or you’ll be a slave forever (because your current life IS forever!). Pride and vanity are not the same.
“The excellent law for the conduct of the 4 castes, when they are not in distress, has been thus promulgated; now hear in order their several duties in times of distress.”
X
Pela ordem, não parece que o livro X está numerado corretamente, pois não se inicia falando do direito de guerra.
“Let the three twice-born castes, discharging their prescribed duties, study the Veda; but among them the Brahmana alone shall teach it, not the other two; that is an established rule.”
“Brahmana, the Kshatriya, and the Vaisya castes are the twice-born ones, but the fourth, the Sudra, has one birth only; there is no fifth caste.
In all castes those children only which are begotten in the direct order on wedded wives, equal in caste and married as virgins, are to be considered as belonging to the same caste as their fathers
Sons, begotten by twice-born man on wives of the next lower castes, they declare to be similar to their fathers, but blamed on account of the fault inherent in their mothers.
Such is the eternal law concerning children born of wives one degree lower; know that the following rule is applicable to those born of women 2 or 3 degrees lower.
From a Brahmana a children with the daughter of a Vaisya is called an Ambashtha, with the daughter of a sudra a Nishada, who is also called Parasava.
From a Kshatriya and the daughter of a Sudra springs a being, called Ugra, resembling both a Kshatriya and a Sudra, ferocious in his manners, and delighting in cruelty.
Children of a Brahmana by women of the 3 lower castes, of a Kshatriya by wives of the 2 lower castes, and of a Vaisya by a wife of the one caste below him are all 6 called base-born (apasada).”
“From a Sudra [por uma mãe brâmane, Shatriya ou Vaisya, respectivamente] are born an Ayogava, a Kshattri, and a Kandala, the lowest of men, … sons who owe their origin to a confusion of the castes.” Em tese um Kandala ou Chandala não é um Intocável? Essa dúvida me assolou por anos!
“A Brahmana begets on the daughter of an Ugra an Avrita, on the daughter of an Ambashtha an Abhira, but on a female of the Ayogava caste, a Dhigvana.”
“Those sons whom the twice-born beget on wives of equal caste, but who, not fulfilling their sacred duties, are excluded from the Savitri, one must designate by the appellation Vratyas.”
NÃO É POSSÍVEL DESCER AQUÉM DO KANDALA (EM TESE!): “The Suta, the Vaidehaka, the Kandala, that lowest of mortals, the Magadha, he of the Kshattri caste (gati), and the Ayogava, § These 6 (Pratilomas) beget similar races on women of their own caste, they also produce the like with females of their mother’s caste (gati), and with females of higher ones.”
“excluded from the Aryan community, vahya”
“Just as a Sudra begets on a Brahmana female a being excluded from the Aryan community, even so a person himself excluded procreates with females of the 4 castes sons more worthy of being excluded than he himself.”
“But from a Kandala by a Pukkasa woman is born the sinful Sopaka, who lives by the occupations of his sire, and is ever despised by good men.
A Nishada woman bears to a Kandala a son called Antyavasayin, employed in burial-grounds, and despised even by those excluded from the Aryan community.” How low, how low, how low can you go? 80 cycles
“All those tribes in this world, which are excluded from the community of those born from the mouth, the arms, the thighs, and the feet of Brahman, are called Dasyus, whether they speak the language of the Mlekkhas (barbarians) or that of the Aryans.” Eu.
“Near well-known trees and burial-grounds, on mountains and in groves, let these tribes dwell, known by certain marks, and subsisting by their peculiar occupations.
But the dwellings of Kandalas and Svapakas shall be outside the village, they must be made Apapatras, and their wealth shall be dogs and donkeys.
Their dress shall be the garments of the dead, they shall eat their food from broken dishes, black iron shall be their ornaments, and they must always wander from place to place.”
“By day they may go about for the purpose of their work, distinguished by marks at the king’s command, and they shall carry out the corpses of persons who have no relatives; that is a settled rule.”
“A base-born man either resembles in character his father, or his mother, or both; he can never conceal his real nature.”
A SEMENTE DO HOMEM E O CAMPO UTERINO (A S-udra is born): “Some sages declare the seed to be more important, and others the field; again others assert that the seed and the field are equally important; but the legal decision on this point is as follows: Seed, sown on barren ground, perishes in it; a fertile field also, in which no good seed is sown, will remain barren.”
“Having considered the case of a non-Aryan who acts like an Aryan, and that of an Aryan who acts like a non-Aryan, the creator declared, ‘Those two are neither equal nor unequal.’”
“But a Brahmana, unable to subsist by his peculiar occupations just mentioned, may live according to the law applicable to Kshatriyas; for the latter is next to him in rank.
If it be asked, ‘How shall it be, if he cannot maintain himself by either of these occupations?’ the answer is, he may adopt a Vaisya’s mode of life, employing himself in agriculture and rearing cattle.”
“Some declare that agriculture is something excellent, but that means of subsistence is blamed by the virtuous; for the wooden implement with iron point injuries the earth and the beings living in the earth.”
“If he applies sesamum to any other purpose but food, anointing, and charitable gifts, he will be born again as a worm and, together with his ancestors, be plunged into the ordure of dogs.
By selling flesh, salt, and lac a Brahmana at once becomes an outcast; by selling milk he becomes equal to a Sudra in 3 days.”
“A Vaisya who is unable to subsist by his own duties, may even maintain himself by a Sudra’s mode of life, avoiding however acts forbidden to him, and he should give it up, when he is able to do so.
But a Sudra, being unable to find service with the twice-born and threatened with the loss of his sons and wife through hunger, may maintain himself by handicrafts.”
“By teaching, by sacrificing for, and by accepting gifts from despicable men Brahmanas in distress commit not sin; for they are as pure as fire and water.
He who, when in danger of losing his life, accepts food from any person whatsoever, is no more tainted by sin than the sky by mud.
Agigarta, who suffered hunger, approached in order to slay his own son, and was not tainted by sin, since he only sought a remedy against famishing.”
“On comparing the acceptance of gifts from low men, sacrificing for them, and teaching them, the acceptance of gifts is the meanest of those acts and most reprehensible for a Brahmana on account of its results in the next life.”
“Learning, mechanical arts, work for wages, service, rearing cattle, traffic, agriculture, contentment with little, alms, and receiving interest on money, are the 10 modes of subsistence permitted to all men in times of distress.”
“The service of Brahmanas alone is declared to be an excellent occupation for a Sudra; for whatever else besides this he may perform will bear him no fruit.”
XI
“If an opulent man is liberal towards strangers, while his family lives in distress, that counterfeit virtue will first make him taste the sweets of fame, but afterwards make him swallow the poison of punishment in hell.”
“A Brahmana shall never beg from a Sudra property for a sacrifice; for a sacrificer, having begged it from such a man, after death is born again as a Kandala.”
“A Brahmana who knows the law need not bring any offence to the notice of the king; by his own power alone be can punish those men who injure him.
His own power is greater than the power of the king; the Brahmana therefore, may punish his foes by his own power alone.”
“The organs of sense and action, honour, bliss in heaven, longevity, fame, offspring, and cattle are destroyed by a sacrifice at which too small sacrificial fees are given; hence a man of small means should not offer a Srauta sacrifice.”
“Carnal intercourse with sisters by the same mother, with unmarried maidens, with females of the lowest castes, with the wives of a friend, or of a son, they declare to be equal to the violation of a Guru’s bed.”
“By his origin alone a Brahmana is a deity even for the gods, and his teaching is authoritative for men, because the Veda is the foundation for that.
If only 3 of them who are learned in the Veda proclaim the expiation for offences, that shall purify the sinners; for the words of learned men are a means of purification.”
“The Rikas, the Yagus-formulas which differ from the former, the manifold Saman-songs, must be known to form the triple Veda; he who knows them is called learned in the Veda.”
XII
“Action, which springs from the mind, from speech, and from the body, produces either good or evil results; by action are caused the various conditions of men, the highest, the middling, and the lowest.
Know that the mind is the instigator here below, even to that action which is connected with the body, and which is of 3 kinds, has 3 locations, and falls under 10 heads.
Coveting the property of others, thinking in one’s heart of what is undesirable, and adherence to false doctrines, are the 3 kinds of sinful mental action.
Abusing others, speaking untruth, detracting from the merits of all men, and talking idly, shall be the 4 kinds of evil verbal action.
Taking what has not been given, injuring creatures without the sanction of the law, and holding criminal intercourse with another man’s wife, are declared to be the 3 kinds of wicked bodily action.”
“In consequence of many sinful acts committed with his body, a man becomes in the next birth something inanimate, in consequence of sins committed by speech, a bird, or a beast, and in consequence of mental sins he is re-born in a low caste.
That man is called a true tridandin in whose mind these three, the control over his speech (vagdanda), the control over his thoughts (manodanda), and the control over his body (kayadanda), are firmly fixed.”
“Another strong body, formed of particles of the 5 elements and destined to suffer the torments in hell, is produced after death in the case of wicked men.”
“The individual soul, having endured those torments of Yama, again enters, free from taint, those very five elements, each in due proportion.”
“Know Goodness (sattva), Activity (ragas), and Darkness (tamas) to be the 3 qualities of the Self, with which the Great One always completely pervades all existences.”
“Goodness is declared to have the form of knowledge, Darkness of ignorance, Activity of love and hatred; such is the nature of these 3 which is all-pervading and clings to everything created.”
“What is coupled with delusion, what has the character of an undiscernible mass, what cannot be fathomed by reasoning, what cannot be fully known, one must consider as the quality of Darkness.”
“Delighting in undertakings, want of firmness, commission of sinful acts, and continual indulgence in sensual pleasures, are the marks of the quality of Activity.
Covetousness, sleepiness, pusillanimity, cruelty, atheism, leading an evil life, a habit of soliciting favours, and inattentiveness, are the marks of the quality of Darkness.”
“I will briefly declare in due order what transmigrations in this whole world a man obtains through each of these qualities.”
“Immovable beings, insects, both small and great, fishes, snakes, and tortoises, cattle[?] and wild animals, are the lowest conditions to which the quality of Darkness leads.
Elephants, horses, Sudras, and despicable barbarians, lions, tigers, and boars are the middling states, caused by the quality of Darkness.
Karanas, Suparnas and hypocrites, Rakshasas and Pisakas belong to the highest rank of conditions among those produced by Darkness.
Ghallas, Mallas, Natas, men who subsist by despicable occupations and those addicted to gambling and drinking form the lowest order of conditions caused by Activity.
(…)
The Gandharvas, the Guhyakas, and the servants of the gods, likewise the Apsarases, belong all to the highest rank of conditions produced by Activity.
Hermits, ascetics, Brahmanas, the crowds of the Vaimanika deities, the lunar mansions, and the Daityas form the first and lowest rank of the existences caused by Goodness.
Sacrificers, the sages, the gods, the Vedas, the heavenly lights, the years, the manes, and the Sadhyas constitute the second order of existences, caused by Goodness.
The sages declare Brahma, the creators of the universe, the law, the Great One, and the Undiscernible One to constitute the highest order of beings produced by Goodness.” Quase incompreensível para quem não lê os Upanishads! O número 9 cumpre aqui uma função nitidamente cabalístico-pitagórica, refletida, de algum modo, nos 9 círculos do inferno de Dante.
“The slayer of a Brahmana enters the womb of a dog, a pig, an ass, a camel, a cow, a goat, a sheep, a deer, a bird, a Kandala, and a Pukkasa.”
“A Brahmana who steals the gold of a Brahmana shall pass a thousand times through the bodies of spiders, snakes and lizards, of aquatic animals and of destructive Pisakas.”
“Women, also, who in like manner have committed a theft, shall incur guilt; they will become the females of those same creatures which have been enumerated above.” Falta de criatividade do legislador!
“A Brahmana who has fallen off from his duty becomes an Ulkamukha Preta, who feeds on what has been vomited; and a Kshatriya, a Kataputana (Preta), who eats impure substances and corpses.”
“Acts which secure the fulfilment of wishes in this world or in the next are called pravritta (such as cause a continuation of mundane existence); but acts performed without any desire for a reward, preceded by the acquisition of true knowledge, are declared to be nivritta (such as cause the cessation of mundane existence).”
“He who sacrifices to the Self alone, equally recognising the Self in all created beings and all created beings in the Self, becomes independent like an autocrat and self-luminous.”
“All those traditions (smriti) and those despicable systems of philosophy, which are not based on the Veda, produce no reward after death; for they are declared to be founded on Darkness.
All those doctrines, differing from the Veda, which spring up and soon perish, are worthless and false, because they are of modern date.”
“The 3 kinds of evidence, perception, inference, and the sacred Institutes which comprise the tradition of many schools, must be fully understood by him who desires perfect correctness with respect to the sacred law.”
“One who knows the Rig-veda, one who knows the Yagur-veda, and one who knows the Sama-veda, shall be known to form an assembly consisting of at least 3 members and competent to decide doubtful points of law.”
“All that which is most efficacious for securing supreme bliss has been thus declared to you; a Brahmana who does not fall off from that obtains the most excellent state.”
“Some call him Agni (Fire), others Manu, the Lord of creatures, others Indra, others the vital air, and again others eternal Brahman.
He pervades all created beings in the 5 forms, and constantly makes them, by means of birth, growth and decay, revolve like the wheels of a chariot.”
GLOSSÁRIO DE TERMOS VÉDICOS
agni: fogo; divino quando em letra maiúscula.
Anga: parte. Estudar um Anga do Veda é estudar apenas uma porção dele.
amrita: ambrosia
anna: primeiro
apara: inferior.
asma: consciência de si mesmo. Eu tenho asma! Voltando a falar sério, ASMITA seria a asma doentia (o egoísmo exacerbado).
dva: 2
Dvapara: bronze ou terceira era.
garbha: feto
Kali: “divindade negativa” emanada de Shiva.
kali: ferro; conflito. KALIYUGA vem a ser a “era dos conflitos”, a idade contemporânea, quarta era e final, ainda chamada de era da cobiça.
kalpa: “preceito, dissolução ou aniquilação do mundo, um dia na vida de Brahmā, período de 4.320.000 anos.” Não é a definição correta para a ocorrência de Kalpa acima.
Kandali: “1. Candala ou Chandala é uma classe de pessoas na Índia geralmente consideradas como sem castas e intocáveis; 2. De acordo com a antiga lei do código de Manu smrti, é a classe formada a partir da união de uma mulher brâmane e um homem sudra; 3. O termo também é usado em tempos modernos para uma determinada casta dos agricultores, pescadores, barqueiros.”
karma: grosso modo, ação. (palavra polissêmica)
kaya: corpo = KOSA
Krita ou krta: ouro. Primeira das 4 eras.
manas: como deixado claro pelo contexto, acima, quando citado, manas se refere ao que é exclusivo do homem, i.e., sua faculdade intelectiva.
Nara: Vishnu, divindade mais associada ao homem em si e às águas dentre as formas do “Olimpo hindu”.
“Oṁ — símbolo do hinduísmo e do Yoga, é a vibração primordial do Universo, o mais poderoso dos mantras. É dito que ele contém o conhecimento dos Vedas e se considera o corpo sonoro do Ilimitado, Śābda Brahman.” … “o Oṁ é o mundo inteiro. O passado, o presente, o futuro: tudo é o mantra Oṁ”
Pisaka: semelhante ao Rakshasa, mas considerado uma representação ainda mais acurada do mal.
prana: respiração, energia vital, embora exista PRANANA e VATA para dizer respiração (desambiguação).
Pranayama: “exercício respiratório feito com acompanhamento mental de mantra.”
prasana: sentido do gosto ou a língua.
Rakshasa: criatura devoradora de humanos.
Sadhya: aquilo que pode ser realizado via esforço sincero, disciplina e a prática espiritual. Na hierarquia védica, trata-se da segunda existência mais louvável (calcada nos méritos no mundo dos fenômenos, na ação propriamente dita), ultrapassável apenas pelo completo desapego à existência e fusão com Brahman.
Sapinda: num sentido geral, parentes mais próximos. No sentido mais puro da época das Leis, parentes até sétimo grau a que está aplicado o tabu do incesto. No sentido legal indiano até a década de 1950, estende-se até terceira ou quinta geração (dependendo do sexo do cônjuge), remontando para o radical da árvore genealógica (antepassados). Os filhos do casal são de primeiro grau. Os netos, de segundo, etc. Sapindas, em suma, não podem se casar entre si.
sat: ser, verdade, realidade.
Smriti: “‘memória’ [não consta das citações, mas coloquei à guisa complementar] Toda a produção literária posterior aos textos revelados do Shruti (a partir de 500 a.C. até o século V d.C.: o Vedánga (Membros do Veda: fonética, gramática, métrica, etimologia, astronomia e ritual), os Ágamas, os Puránas, o Manuvadharmashástra (Leis de Manu), as Upanishads tardias, et coetera.”
Snataka: estudante iniciado no Veda
svah (ou swa): o si-mesmo, a alma.
Treta: prata ou segunda era.
vak: falar, palavra.
yama: ato, exercício, atividade, o que decorre da ação ou KARMA. Num sentido mais estrito: controle, refreamento, isto é, a conduta ou postura do indivíduo visando conscientemente à liberação. As escolas clássicas do yoga dizem haver 5 yamas-base.
yana = yajña: sacrifício;
ritual do fogo;
prática de Yoga.
Yoga: união com o Um através da respiração e do progressivo desmascaramento dos conceitos humanos.
Alguns esclarecimentos do glossário foram obtidos via https://www.yoga.pro.br/glossario-sanscrito-525-verbetes-pedro-kupfer/.
Samskara são os outros, teria dito Sartre.
