| Manusmriti |
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| Scriptures |
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Manusmriti: The Laws of Manu |
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| 31.
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. 32.
His own power is greater than the power of the king; the Brahmana
therefore, may punish his foes by his own power alone. 33.
Let him use without hesitation the sacred texts, revealed by
Atharvan and by Angiras; speech, indeed, is the weapon of the
Brahmana, with that he may slay his enemies. 34.
A Kshatriya shall pass through misfortunes which have befallen him
by the strength of his arms, a Vaisya and a Sudra by their wealth,
the chief of the twice-born by muttered prayers and burnt-oblations.
35.
The Brahmana is declared (to be) the creator (of the world), the
punisher, the teacher, (and hence) a benefactor (of all created
beings); to him let no man say anything unpropitious, nor use any
harsh words. 36.
Neither a girl, nor a (married) young woman, nor a man of little
learning, nor a fool, nor a man in great suffering, nor one
uninitiated, shall offer an Agnihotra. 37.
For such (persons) fiering a burnt-oblation sink into hell, as well
as he to whom that (Agnihotra) be-longs; hence the person who sacrifices
(for another) must be skilled in (the performance of) Vaitana
(rites), and know the whole Veda. 38.
A Brahmana who, though wealthy, does not give, as fee for the
performance of an Agnyadheya, a horse sacred to Pragapati, becomes
(equal to one) who has not kindled the sacred fires. 39.
Let him who has faith and controls his senses perform other
meritorious acts, but let him on no account fire sacrifices at which
he gives smaller fees (than those pre-scribed). 40.
The organs (of sense and action), honour, (bliss in) heaven,
longevity, fame, fissuring, and cattle are destroyed by a sacrfice
at which (too) small sacrificial fees are given; hence a man of
small means should not offer a (Srauta) sacrfice.
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