behaviour becomes wicked, becomes, O king, a Sudra.  The Brahmana who weds a Sudra woman, who becomes vile in conduct or a dancer or a village servant or does other improper acts, becomes a Sudra.  Whether he recites the Vedas or not, O king, if he does such improper acts, he becomes equal to a Sudra and on occasions of feeding he should be assigned a place amongst Sudras.  Such Brahmanas become equal to Sudras, O king, and should be discarded on occasions of worshipping the Gods.[197] Whatever presents of food dedicated to the gods and the Pitris are made unto Brahmanas that have transgressed all restraints or become impure in behaviour or addicted to wicked pursuits and cruel acts or fallen away from their legitimate duties, confer no merit (on the giver).  For this reason, O king, self-restraint and purity and simplicity have been laid down as the duties of a Brahmana.  Besides these, O monarch, all the four modes, of life were laid down by Brahman For him.  He that is self-restrained, has drunk the Soma in sacrifices, is of good behaviour, has compassion for all creatures and patience to bear everything, has no desire of bettering his position by acquisition of wealth, is frank and simple, mild, free from cruelty, and forgiving, is truly a Brahmana and not he that is sinful in acts.  Men desirous of acquiring virtue, seek the assistance, O king, of Sudras and Vaisyas and Kshatriyas.  If, therefore, the members of these (three) orders do not adopt peaceful duties (so as to be able to assist others in the acquisition of virtue), Vishnu, O son of Pandu, never extends his grace to them.  If Vishnu be not pleased, the happiness of all men in heaven, the merit arising from the duties laid down for the four orders, the declarations of the Vedas, all kinds of sacrifices, and all other religious acts of men, and all the duties in respect of the several modes of life, become lost.

“’Listen now, O son of Pandu, to those duties that should be observed in the four modes of life.  These should be known by the Kshatriya who desires the members of the three (other) orders (in his kingdom) to strictly adhere to the respective duties of those modes.  For a Sudra who is desirous of hearing (Such scriptures as are not forbidden in his case),[198] who has accomplished his duties, who has begotten a son, between whom and the superior orders there is not Much difference in consequence of the purity of his conduct, all the modes of life have been laid down excepting the observance of universal peacefulness and self-restraint (which are not necessary for him).  For a Sudra practising all these duties as also for a Vaisya, O king, and a Kshatriya, the Bhikshu mode of life has been laid down.  Having discharged the duties of his order, and having also served the kin, a Vaisya of venerable years, with the king’s permission, may betake himself to another mode of life.  Having studied the Vedas duly and the treatises on the duties of kings, O sinless one, having begotten children and performed other acts