"Bharadwaja said, 'By what acts does one become a Brahmana? By what, a
Kshatriya? O best of regenerate ones, by what acts again does one become
a Vaisya or a Sudra? Tell me this, O foremost of speakers.'

"Bhrigu said, 'That person is called a Brahmana who has been sanctified
by such rites as those called jata and others; who is pure in behaviour;
who is engaged in studying the Vedas; who is devoted to the six
well-known acts (of ablutions every morning and evening, silent
recitation of mantras, pouring libations on the sacrificial fire,
worshipping the deities, doing the duties of hospitality to guests, and
offering food to the Viswedevas); who is properly observant of all pious
acts; who never takes food without having offered it duly to gods and
guests; who is filled with reverence for his preceptor; and who is always
devoted to vows and truth. He is called a Brahmana in whom are truth,
gifts, abstention from injury to others, compassion, shame,
benevolence,The distinction here laid down seems to be this: the eternal creation is due to the yoga or mental action of the Primeval Deity. That creation which we behold is the result of the penances of those sages who were first created. Perhaps, what is intended to be said is that the principle of life, of life proceeding from life, and primal matter with space, etc., are all due to the fiat of God; while all visible and tangible objects, resulting from the action of those principles and from primal matter and space, are attributable to the ancient sages. and penance. He who is engaged in the profession of
battle, who studies the Vedas, who makes gifts (to Brahmanas) and takes
wealth (from those he protects) is called a Kshatriya. He who earns fame
from keep of cattle, who is employed in agriculture and the means of
acquiring wealth, who is pure in behaviour and attends to the study of
the Vedas, is called a Vaisya.The word Ghrina may also mean aversion. Of course, here it would mean, if used in that sense, aversion for all unrighteous acts. He who takes pleasure in eating every
kind of food, who is engaged in doing every kind of work, who is impure
in behaviour, who does not study the Vedas, and whose conduct is unclean,
is said to be a Sudra. If these characteristics be observable in a Sudra,
and if they be not found in a Brahmana, then such a Sudra is no Sudra,
and, such a Brahmana is no Brahmana. By every means should cupidity and
wrath be restrained. This as also self-restraint, are the highest results
of Knowledge. Those two passions (viz., cupidity and wrath), should, with
one's whole heart, be resisted. They make their appearance for destroying
one's highest good. One should always protect one's prosperity from one's
wrath, one's penances from pride; one's knowledge from honour and
disgrace; and one's soul from error. That intelligent person, O
regenerate one, who does all acts without desire of fruit, whose whole
wealth exists for charity, and who performs the daily Homa, is a real
Renouncer.The first half of the first line of 6 is differently read in the Bombay edition. Both readings are noticed by Nilakantha. I have adhered to the Bengal reading, though the Bombay reading is clearer in sense. Visati is a transitive verb having Pratishtha or some such noun for its object. The literal meaning is He who acquires fame, etc. One should conduct oneself as a friend to all creatures,
abstaining from all acts of injury. Rejecting the acceptance of all
gifts, one should, by the aid of one's own intelligence, be a complete
master of one's passions. One should live in one's soul where there can
be no grief. One would then have no fear here and attain to a fearless
region hereafter. One should live always devoted to penances, and with
all passions completely restrained; observing the vow of taciturnity, and
with soul concentrated on itself; desirous of conquering the unconquered
senses, and unattached in the midst of attachments. All things that can
be perceived by the senses are called Manifest. All, however, that is
Unmanifest, that is beyond the ken of the senses, that can be ascertained
only by the subtile senses, should be sought to be known.Here the speaker describes the character of Karma-sannyasa (renunciation of acts). Samarambha generally means all kinds of acts. Here, however, only sacrifices and other scriptural rites are intended. I follow Nilakantha in rendering the second line, although the plain meaning would seem to be "who poureth everything in gift." If there
be no faith, one will never succeed in attaining to that subtile sense.
Therefore, one should hold oneself in faith. The mind should be united
with Prana, and Prana should then be held within Brahma. By dissociating
oneself from all attachments, one may obtain absorption into Brahma.
There is no need of attending to any other thing. A Brahmana can easily
attain to Brahma by the path of Renunciation. The indications of a
Brahmana are purity, good behaviour and compassion unto all creatures.'"