Skandapurana 3.2.38

Vyāsa said: / Then, at clear dawn, having performed their morning rites, / dressed in auspicious garments, with fruits in their hands, one by one, / their muscular arms adorned with jeweled armlets, ornamented with rings, / adorned with ear-ornaments, they arrived full of joy. / Reaching the king's gate, the exponents of the Veda stood there. / Seeing them, the powerful prince laughed slightly: / “Having gone to Rāma and Hanumat, the brahmins have arrived! / Listen, all ministers! Look at the best of the twice-born!”

Having spoken this word, the king stood silent.

Then, by twos and threes, all the twice-born sat down in order. // 5

They asked the king after the welfare of his elephants, chariots, and infantry.

Then the high-minded king spoke to the brahmins: // 6

“By the grace of the Arihant, all is well with me everywhere.

That is a tongue which praises the Jina; those are hands which worship the Jina; // 7

that is sight which is absorbed in the Jina; that is a mind which delights in the Jina.

Compassion is to be practiced everywhere; the living soul is always to be honored. // 8

One should indeed go to the meditation hall; salutation to the guru must be performed.

The great Navakāra mantra should be recited day and night. // 9

Paryuṣaṇa must be observed, and alms should always be given to the ascetic.”

Hearing his speech, the brahmins then gritted their teeth. // 3.2.38.10

Releasing a long sigh, they said to the king:

“It was spoken, O king, by Rāma and the wise Hanumat: // 11

‘Let the livelihood of the brahmins be given, for you are righteous on the surface of the earth.

It is known: let it be given by you, let it certainly not be withheld.’ // 12

Protect the word of Rāma; having done so, may you be happy.” // 13

The king said:

“Wherever Rāma and Hanumat are, let all indeed go there.

Rāma will give everything; why have the twice-born come here? // 14

I will not give, I will not give even a single cowrie,

neither a village nor a livelihood! Go wherever you please!” // 15

Hearing that harsh speech, the twice-born were agitated with wrath:

“Endure now the wrath of Rāma and of Hanumat!” // 16

Having said this, the packet given by Hanumat, which had come from his left armpit,

was thrown into his residence, and the best of the twice-born turned away. // 17

When the assembly of brahmins had departed, it became filled with wreaths of flames;

indeed everything there became engulfed in flames of fire. // 18

The royal belongings burned: umbrellas and fly-whisks,

all the treasuries and the armory as well; // 19

queens, princes, elephants, and many horses;

aerial chariots burned, and conveyances burned; // 3.2.38.20

various litters and thousands of chariots.

Seeing everything burning everywhere, even the king was distressed. // 21

There was no savior for him; people were bewildered with fear.

That fire could not be subdued by mantras, yantras, or herbal roots. // 22

When Rāma, destroyer of millions of wicked wiles, becomes enraged,

everyone perishes there; what is that Kumārapāla? // 23

Seeing all that ablaze, the naked mendicants then,

holding bowls in hand and taking along their fine staves, // 24

grabbing red blankets, trembling again and again,

and without sandals, all fled in the ten directions. // 25

Raising a clamor, saying: “Flee!

We have all been burned by the chief brahmins, no doubt!” // 26

Some had their bowls broken, and others had their staves broken;

and unclothed, they fled, crying “Vītarāga!” // 27

and some crying “Arhat!”, intent on fleeing.

Then a wind arose, as if swinging the fire to and fro, // 28

sent indeed by Hanumat out of a desire to please the brahmins.

Then that king ran after them, here and there, // 29

on foot, alone, weeping and babbling: “Where are the brahmins?”

Having heard from the people, the king then went there where the twice-born were.

Having gone there swiftly, O king, taking hold of the feet at that time,

of the brahmins, the king then fell unconscious upon the ground.

Devoted to humility, the king addressed the brahmins with these words,

chanting the name of Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, repeatedly saying, 'Rāma, Rāma':

'I am the servant of that servant, both of Rāma and of the twice-born.

Blinded by the darkness of ignorance, I have indeed become blind now.

And I have obtained the collyrium, the great remedy of Rāma’s name.

Indeed, whatever mortals abandon Rāma and worship another deity,

they are burned by fire, O master, just as I, whose mind is foolish, [have been burned].

Hari is the Bhāgīrathī, O brahmins; the brahmins are the Bhāgīrathī [and] Hari.

The Bhāgīrathī, Hari, [and] the brahmins are the single essence in the three worlds.

And the staircase to heaven here consists of the brahmins, the Bhāgīrathī, [and] Hari,

by which one is led to Vaikuṇṭha with the great rope of Rāma's name.'

Thus bowing down with folded hands, the king spoke this word:

'Let the fire be appeased, O brahmins; I grant you a charter.

I am your servant now, O brahmins; may my word not prove false.

Whatever sin belongs to the murder of a brahmin, to those who violate another’s wife,

whatever sin belongs to drinkers of liquor and likewise to thieves of gold,

whatever sin belongs to slayers of gurus—may that sin be mine [if I fail]!

Whatever desire one thinks of, that very thing I shall grant again.

Devotion to the brahmins must always be practiced, and likewise devotion to Rāma.

Never should anything contrary be done by me, O best of the twice-born!'

Vyāsa said:

On that occasion, the brahmins became compassionate toward the king.

The other small packet which remained was given for the appeasement of the curse.

And when the hairs were cast, that army was restored to life.

The quarters became clear; the sounds arising from the quarters ceased.

The subjects there became at ease, their minds overflowing with joy.

Sons, grandsons, and the rest remained as before.

And the people became obedient to the commands of the brahmins, just as in former times.

Apart from the dharma of Viṣṇu, they recognized no other dharma.

Having issued a new royal charter according to rule, as before,

the heretics who had propagated fabricated treatises were expelled.

Those who stood outside the Vedas perished—the high, the low, and the middling.

The thirty-six thousand who formerly had been Gobhujas—

among them arose the merchants of Aḍhavīja lineage.

All of them were appointed by the king to the service of the brahmins.

Practicing good conduct, highly skilled, worshippers of gods and brahmins,

having abandoned the heretical path, they were devoted to Viṣṇu.

Approaching the bank of the Jāhnavī, the king granted [gifts] to the masters of the three Vedas.

Indeed, when the charter was given to them with devotion,

those brahmins who had deviated from the duty of their place arrived.

The king was petitioned by those trouble-making brahmins as follows:

'O king, expel those eminent brahmins who have broken their word!'

Mutual disputes arose concerning the granted livelihood.

And the members of the assembly were summoned to administer justice.

When the signatures were examined, each was proved separately.

Hearing this, the king then indeed performed the gift of one's weight [in gold].

While the gift was being given, the masters of the four Vedas spoke:

'Our caste has been lost by us; how can we accept this gift?'

Then all those twice-born Moherakas were expelled from the place,

fifteen thousand [in number], who had mastered the Vedas and their auxiliary sciences.

Thereupon, O king, by that monarch who followed Rāma,

those brahmins were summoned, and he established a division of castes.

Those brahmins versed in the three Vedas who had gone to the Lord toward Setubandha

should receive the livelihood; the others should have no share in the livelihood.

Those who did not go there attained the status of masters of the four Vedas.

There was to be no connection with merchants, nor marriage with them,

nor any connection in the village livelihood, once the caste division was made.

The Śūdras devoted to serving twice-borns, who were not corrupted by heretics,

and who turned away from the Jaina faith, became excellent landowners.

And those who were devoted to heresy and broke the royal decree of Rāma,

all those brahmins as well as Śūdras were placed under restraint.

Those who kept true to their vows remained there and were happy.

The Cāturvidyas were made to dwell outside the village by that king,

[thinking,] "I must certainly act in such a way that Rāma is not angered."

Indeed, those who turned their backs on Rāma but followed the virtuous

are to be known as Cāturvidyas; they were then deprived of their livelihood.

Then King Kumārapāla, having accomplished his duty,

spoke words with humility before the brahmins:

"The village livelihood was not abolished by me; indeed, this was ordained by fate.

When men commit offences themselves, to whom should blame not be assigned?

Just as in a forest, fire may arise from the friction of dry wood by the decree of fate,

so was a condition made by you for the sake of a token of recognition.

Having issued the decree of Rāma for the sake of the son of the wind-god,

you brahmins turned away—to whom is that fault to be attributed?

Even if laden with great sin, remembering Hari at the moment of death,

a man quickly goes to the world of Viṣṇu; how could there be any doubt about this?

When great merit arises, men's minds are turned toward the highest good;

and at the time sin arises, it becomes quite the opposite.

He who continually protects these three worlds by means of dharma,

and who is the inner Self of living beings—doubt concerning him is not beneficial.

All the immortals beginning with Indra, and those rich in austerity beginning with Sanaka,

worship here for the sake of liberation—doubt concerning him is not beneficial.

The name of Rāma is sung as equal to the thousand names [of Viṣṇu];

having felt hesitation regarding it, how could accomplishment arise here?

Out of the merit earned throughout my lives, Hari gave me this token of recognition.

Whatever sin was incurred from heresy has been wiped away by bowing to you;

may you be pleased with me, abandoning your anger toward me now."

The brahmins said:

"O king, your virtue was lost, and yet it has been recovered once again.

Things that are destined to happen do happen, even to the great.

The nakedness of Nīlakaṇṭha, Hari's sleeping on the great serpent—

all this is wrought by fate, which is the master of joy and sorrow.

Let the Traividyas, true to their vows, enjoy the decree of Rāma;

but give us another place where we may dwell."

Hearing their words, wishing for the happiness of the twice-born,

he gave them a place called Sukhavāsa.

Gold, patterned garments, wish-yielding cows, O king,

all kinds of gold ornaments, and a heap of various articles—

having given [all this] with supreme faith, the ruler of men found joy.

Those are to be known as Traividyas who were settled by the three deities;

settled in Sukhavāsa by the fourth, the king,

those excellent twice-born became the Cāturvidyas in the Kali age.

All those Cāturvidyas, established in Dharmāraṇya,

bestowed blessings prescribed by the Vedas upon that great-souled king.

Being carried by chariots and horses, having achieved their purpose,

the twice-born, filled with great joy, reached the great Moheraka.

On the thirteenth day of the bright half of Pauṣa, the charter was obtained by the twice-born,

and an offering was made, dedicated to the family deity.

Every year the offering must be made according to ritual prescription,

and an auspicious ritual ablution must be performed by the noble man.

On that day one should certainly arrange song, dance, and instrumental music,

in such a way that on that day in that month, no loss of livelihood may occur.

If, by fate, when the time has passed, an occasion of growth occurs,

then having performed [the rite] first, the growth rite is prescribed afterwards.

The Traividyas of the Moḍha lineage, who are mostly of distinct lineages,

and the Cāturvedins perform the worship of the family deity.

It should be performed within the year, even when Janārdana is asleep.

And if someone neglects it in the month of Pauṣa and performs Vedic and Smārta rituals,

the family deities, overcome with anger, slay him there.

At the time of a wedding festival, and in rituals such as the tying of the muñja girdle,

the moment belongs to Gaṇanātha; from then on, it is auspicious.

Those brahmins who were banished by King Āma from their charter

went, fifteen thousand in number, to a pleasant dwelling place.

Rama himself formerly gave fifty-five villages;

the merchants living there provided their livelihood:

The Aḍālajā, Māṇḍalīya, Gobhūja, and pure ones—

they provided the livelihood of the brahmins, devoted to the service of Brahmā.

Thus ends the thirty-eighth chapter, named 'Description of the Brahmins' Obtaining of Charter and Livelihood,' in the Dharmāraṇyamāhātmya of the first part of the Brahmakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses.