! In marrying, the elder ones should always precede
the younger ones. The spouses being all equal in respect of their order
of birth, and the children also being all equal in respect of the status
of their mothers, the son that is first-born shall take one share more
than each of his other brothers. The son that comes next in point of age
shall take a share that is next in value, while the son that is youngest
shall take the share that belongs to the youngest.[297] Thus among
spouses of all orders, they that belong to the same order with the
husband are regarded as the first. Even this is what was declared by the
great Rishi Kasyapa the son of Marichi."'"

SECTION XLVIII

"'Yudhishthira said, "Through inducements offered by wealth, or through
mere lust, or through ignorance of the true order of birth (of both males
and females), or through folly, intermixture happens of the several orders.
What, O grandsire, are the duties of persons that are born in the mixed
classes and what are the acts laid down for them? Do thou discourse to me
on this!"

"'Bhishma said, "In the beginning, the Lord of all creatures created the
four orders and laid down their respective acts or duties, for the sake
of sacrifice.[298] The Brahmana may take four wives, one from each of the
four orders. In two of them (viz., the wife taken from his own order and
that taken from the one next below), he takes birth himself (the children
begotten upon them being regarded as invested with the same status as his
own). Those sons, however, that are begotten by him on the two spouses
that belong to the next two orders (viz., Vaisya and Sudra), are
inferior, their status being determined not by that of their father but
by that of their mothers. The son that is begotten by a Brahmana upon a
Sudra wife is called Parasara, implying one born of a corpse, for the
Sudra woman's body is as inauspicious as a corpse. He should serve the
persons of his (father's) race. Indeed, it is not proper for him to give
up the duty of service that has been laid down for him. Adopting all
means in his power, he should uphold the burden of his family. Even if he
happens to be elder in age, he should still dutifully serve the other
children of his father who may be younger to him in years, and bestow
upon them whatever he may succeed in earning. A Kshatriya may take three
wives. In two of them (viz., the one taken from his own order and the
other that is taken from the order im