Verse 3.36 - Two kinds of human beings

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Tattvartha sūtra 3.36:

आर्या म्लेच्छाश्च ॥ ३.३६ ॥

āryā mlecchāśca || 3.36 ||

Human beings are of two kinds: the civilized (ārya) and the unevolved (mleccha). (36)

Hindi Anvayarth:

अन्वयार्थ: आर्य और म्लेच्छ के भेद से मनुष्य दो प्रकार के हैं।

Anvayartha: arya aura mleccha ke bheda se manushya do prakara ke haim |

Explanation in English from Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi:

Human beings are of two kinds.

Those human beings who are possessed of virtues or are resorted to by the virtuous are called the civilized–‘ārya’. They are of two kinds: those with supernatural attainment–ṛddhi, and those without it. The latter have five divisions: based on region, family, occupation, conduct, and faith. Those with supernatural attainment–ṛddhi–have seven divisions: on the basis of (extraordinary) intellect–buddhi, power to change form–vikriyā, austerity–tapa, might–bala, healing power–auṣadha, occult power to transform simple food into delicious dishes–rasa, and power to make even limited food inexhaustible–akṣīṇa. (see ‘Tiloyapaṇṇattī-2’, verses 981-1102; also, ‘Ādipurāṇa’, p. 35-37).

The unevolved–‘mleccha’–are of two kinds: those born in mid-isles–antardvīpaja mleccha–and those born in regions of labour–karmabhūmija mleccha. The ‘antardvīpaja mleccha’ are born in mid-isles which are ‘kubhogabhūmi’–regions of perverse enjoyment. In the Lavaṇasamudra (Lavaṇoda ocean) in the eight directions there are eight antardvīpa and eight others in the midst of these (in the eight directions). Similarly, there are eight antardvīpa at the end of the mountains Himavān and Śikharī, and the two mountains Vijayārdha. The mid-isles in the directions are across the ocean, five hundred yojana away from the shore. Those in the intermediate points of the compass are five hundred and fifty yojana away from the shore. Those at the end of the mountains are six hundred yojana in the interior. The antardvīpa in the directions are one hundred yojana broad. The width of those in the intermediate points is half of it. Those at the end of the mountains are twenty-five yojana broad. The human beings in the east have one thigh each. Those in the west have tails. Those in the north are mute. Those in the south are possessed of horns. Those in the other four directions have ears like those of the hare, like those of the fish, (broad) like the cloak, and long ears, respectively. Those in the eight intermediate points of the compass have faces like those of the horse, the lion, the dog, the buffalo, the pig, the tiger, the crow and the ape, respectively. Those in the middle of the two corners of Śikharī have faces like the cloud and the lightning; those between the two corners of Himavān like the fish and the cuckoo; those between the corners of the northern Vijayārdha like the elephant and the mirror, those between the corners of the southern Vijayārdha like the cow and the ram. Those with single thigh reside in caves and live on clay. The rest dwell on trees and live on flowers and fruits. All of them live for one palyopama. All these twenty-four antardvīpa are one yojana high from the water level. Similarly, it should be understood in Kāloda ocean. All these are ‘antardvīpaja mleccha’. The unevolved in other parts of the world–of labour–are the savage tribes, the ionians, the mountaineers, the foresters and so on. These are ‘karmabhūmija mleccha’.