Brahmana).  Only those children that are born of wives belonging to the three higher orders should be regarded as invested with the status of Brahmanas.  It has been said that there are only four orders there is no fifth that has been enumerated.  The son by the Sudra wife shall take the tenth part of his sire’s wealth (that remains after the allotment has been made to the others in the way spoken of).  That share, however, he is to take only when his sire has given it to him.  He shall not take it if his sire does not give it unto him.  Some portion of the sire’s wealth should without doubt, be given, O Bharata, to the son of the Sudra wife.  Compassion is one of the highest virtues.  It is through compassion that something is given to the son of the Sudra wife.  Whatever be the object in respect of which compassion arises, as a cardinal virtue it is always productive of merit.  Whether the sire happens to have children (by his spouses belonging to the other orders) or to have no children (by such spouses), unto the son by the Sudra wife, O Bharata, nothing more than a tenth part of the sire’s wealth should be given.  If a Brahmana happens to have more wealth than what is necessary for maintaining himself and his family for three years, he should with that wealth perform sacrifices.  A Brahmana should never acquire wealth for nothing.[295] The highest sum that the husband should give unto the wife is three thousand coins (of the prevailing currency).  The wealth that the husband gives unto the wife, the latter may spend or dispose of as she likes.  Upon the death of the childless husband, the wife shall enjoy all his wealth. (She shall not, however, sell or otherwise dispose of any portion of it).  The wife should never take (without her husband’s knowledge) any portion of her husband’s wealth.  Whatever wealth, O Yudhishthira, the Brahmana wife may acquire by gift from her father, should be taken (after her death) by her daughter, for the daughter is like the son.  The daughter, O king, has been ordained in the scriptures, to be equal to the son, O delighter of the Kurus.  Even thus hath the law of inheritance been ordained, O bull of Bharata’s race.  Remembering these ordinances about the distribution and disposal of wealth, one should never acquire wealth uselessly.’

“Yudhishthira said, ’If the son born of a Sudra woman by a Brahmana father has been declared in the scriptures to be disentitled to any wealth, by what exceptional rule then is a tenth part of the paternal property to be given to him?  A son born of a Brahmana wife by a Brahmana is unquestionably a Brahmana.  One born of a Kshatriya wife or of a Vaisya wife, by a Brahmana husband, is similarly invested with the status of a Brahmana.  Why then, O best of kings, are such sons to share the paternal wealth unequally?  All of them, thou hast said, are Brahmanas, having been born of mothers that belong to the three higher orders equally entitled to the name of regenerate.’