The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4 by or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli

O >> or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4

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SECTION CXXI

"Bhishma said, 'Thus addressed by Vyasa, Maitreya, who was a worshipper
of acts, who had been born in a race endued with great prosperity, who
was wise and possessed of great learning said unto him these words'.

"Maitreya said, 'O thou of great wisdom, without doubt it is as thou hast
said, O puissant one, with thy permission I desire to say something.'

"Vyasa said, 'Whatever thou wishest to say, O Maitreya, do thou say, O
man of great wisdom, for I wish to hear thee.

"Maitreya said. 'Thy words on the subject of Gift are faultless and pure.
Without doubt, thy soul has been cleansed by knowledge and penances. In
consequence of thy soul being cleansed, even this is the great advantage
I reap from it. With the aid of my understanding I see that thou art
endued with high penances. As regards ourselves we succeed in acquiring
prosperity through only a sight of personages like thee I think, that is
due to thy grace and flows from the nature of my own acts.[535] Penances,
knowledge of the Vedas, and birth in a pure race,--these are the causes
of the status which one acquires of a Brahmana. When one has these three
attributes, then does he come to be called a regenerate person. If the
Brahmana be gratified, the Pitris and the deities are also gratified.
There is nothing superior to a Brahmana possessed of Vedic lore. Without
the Brahmana, all would be darkness. Nothing would be known. The four
orders would not exist. The distinction between Righteousness and
Unrighteousness. Truth and Falsehood, would cease. On a well-tilled
field, an abundant harvest can be reaped. Even so, one may reap great
merit by making gifts unto a Brahmana possessed of great learning. If
there were no Brahmanas endued with Vedic lore and good conduct for
accepting gifts, the wealth possessed by wealthy people would be useless.
The ignorant Brahmana, by eating the food that is offered to him,
destroys what he eats (for it produces no merit to him who gives it). The
food that is eaten also destroys the eater (for the eater incurs sin by
eating what is offered to him). That ought to be properly termed an
eatable which is given away to a deserving man, in all other cases, he
that takes it makes the donor's gift thrown away and the receiver is
likewise ruined for his improperly accepting it. The Brahmana possessed
of learning becomes the subjugator of the food that he eats. Having eaten
it, he begets other food. The ignorant who eats the food offered to him
loses his right to the children he begets, for the latter become his
whose food has enabled the progenitor to beget them. Even this is the
subtle fault that attaches to persons eating other people's food when
they have not the puissance to win that food. The merit which the giver
acquires by making the gift, is equal to what the taker acquires by
accepting the food. Both the giver and the acceptor depend equally upon
each other. Even this is what the Rishis have said. There where Brahmanas
exist, possessed of Vedic lore and conduct, people are enabled to earn
the sacred fruits of gifts and to enjoy them both here and hereafter.
Those men who are of pure lineage, who are exceedingly devoted to
penances, and who make gifts, and study the Vedas, are regarded as worthy
of the most reverent worship. It is those good men that have chalked out
the path by treading on which one does not become stupefied. It is those
men that are the leaders of others to heaven. They are the men who bear
on their shoulders the burden of sacrifices and live for eternity."

SECTION CXXII

"Bhishma said, 'Thus addressed, the holy one replied unto Maitreya,
saying 'by good luck, thou art endued with knowledge. By good luck, thy
understanding is of this kind! They that are good highly applaud all
righteous attributes. That personal beauty and youth and prosperity do
not succeed in overwhelming thee is due to good luck. This favour done to
thee is due to the kindness of the deities. Listen to me as I discourse
to thee upon what is even superior (in efficacy) to gift. Whatever
scriptures and religious treatises there are, whatever (righteous)
inclinations are observable in the world, they have flowed in their due
order, agreeably with the lead of the Vedas, according to their due
order. Following them I applaud gift. Thou praisest penances and Vedic
lore. Penances are sacred. Penances are the means by which one may
acquire the Vedas and heaven also. With the aid of penances and of
knowledge, one attains to the highest fruits, we have heard. It is by
penances that one destroys one's sins and all else that is evil. It has
been heard by us that with whatever purpose in view one undergoes
penances, one attains the fruition thereof in consequence of those
penances. The same may be said of knowledge. Whatever is difficult to
accomplish, whatever is difficult to conquer, what is difficult to
attain, and whatever is difficult to cross, can all be achieved with the
aid of penances. Of all things, penances are possessed of very superior
might. The man who drinks alcohol, or he that takes by force what belongs
to others, or he that is guilty of foeticide, or he that violates the bed
of his preceptor, succeeds in crossing with the aid of penances. Indeed,
one becomes cleansed of all these sins through penances. One possessed of
all knowledge and, therefore, having true vision, and an ascetic of
whatever kind, are equal. One should always bow unto these two[536]. All
men who have the Vedas for their wealth should be worshipped. Similarly,
all men endued with penances deserve to be worshipped. Those who make
gifts obtain happiness hereafter and much prosperity here. Righteous men
of this world, by making gifts of food obtain both this world and that of
Brahman himself with many other regions of superior felicity. Those men
who are adored by all, themselves adore him who makes gifts. Those men
that are honoured everywhere themselves honour him who make gifts.
Wherever the giver goes, he bears himself praised, He who does acts and
he who omits to do them gets each what is proportionate to his acts and
omissions. Whether one dwells in the upper regions or in the nether, one
always attains to those places to which one becomes entitled by one's
acts. As regards thyself, thou wilt certainly obtain whatever food and
drink thou mayst covet, Tot thou art endued with intelligence, good
birth, Vedic lore, and compassion! Thou art possessed of youth, O
Maitreya! Thou art observant of vows. Be thou devoted to Righteousness.
Do thou take instructions from me regarding those duties which thou
shouldst first follow,--the duties, viz., of householders. In that house
in which the husband is gratified with his wedded wife, and the wife
gratified with her husband, all auspicious results ensue. As filth is
washed away from the body with water, as darkness is dispelled by the
splendour of fire even so is sin washed off by gifts and penances. Bless
thee, O Maitreya, let mansions be thine! I depart hence in peace. Do thou
keep in mind what I have said. Thou shalt then be able to reap many
advantages! Maitreya then walked round his illustrious guest and bowed
his head unto him, and joining his hands in reverence said, 'Let blessing
be to thee also, O holy one!"

SECTION CXXIII

"Yudhishthira said, 'O thou that art conversant with all duties, I desire
to hear, in detail, what the excellent behaviour is of good and chaste
women. Do thou, O grandsire, discourse to me on this.'

"Bhishma said, 'Once on a time, in the celestial regions, a lady named
Sumana of Kekaya's race addressing Sandili possessed of great energy and
conversant with the truth relating to everything and endued with
omniscience, said, 'By what conduct, O auspicious lady, by what course of
acts, hast thou succeeded in attaining to heaven, purged of every sin?
Thou blazest forth with thy own energy like a flame of fire. Thou seemest
to be a daughter of the Lord of stars, come to heaven in thy own
effulgence. Thou wearest vestments of pure white, and art quite cheerful
and at thy ease. Seated on that celestial chariot, thou shinest, O
auspicious dame, with energy multiplied a thousandfold. Thou hast not, I
ween, attained to this region of happiness by inconsiderable penances and
gifts and vows. Do thou tell me the truth'. Thus questioned sweetly by
Sumana, Sandili of sweet smiles, addressing her fair interrogatrix, thus
answered her out of the hearing of others, I did not wear yellow robes;
nor barks of trees. I did not shave my head; nor did I keep matted locks
on my head. It is not in consequence of these acts that I have attained
to the status of a celestial. I never, in heedlessness, addressed any
disagreeable or evil speech to my husband. I was always devoted to the
worship of the deities, the Pitris, and the Brahmanas. Always heedful I
waited upon and served my mother-in-law and father-in-law. Even this was
my resolution that I should never behave with deceit. I never used to
stay at the door of our house nor did I speak long with anybody. I never
did any evil act; I never laughed aloud; I never did any injury. I never
disclosed any secret. Even thus did I bear myself always. When my
husband, having left home upon any business, used to come back, I always
served him by giving him a seat, and worshipped him with reverence. I
never ate food of any kind which was unknown to my husband and at which
my husband was not pleased. Rising at early dawn I did and caused to be
done whatever was brought about and required to be accomplished for the
sake of relatives and kinsmen. When my husband leaves home for going to a
distant place on any business, I remain at home engaged in diverse kinds
of auspicious acts for blessing his enterprise. Verily, during the
absence of my husband I never use collyrium, or ornaments; I never wash
myself properly or use garlands and unguents, or deck my feet with
lac-dye, or person with ornaments. When my husband sleeps in peace I
never awake him even if important business required his attention. I was
happy to sit by him lying asleep. I never urged my husband to exert more
energetically for earning wealth to support his family and relatives. I
always kept secrets without disclosing them to others. I used to keep
always our premises clean. That woman who with concentrated attention,
adheres to this path of duty, becomes the recipient of considerable
honours in heaven like a second Arundhati.'

''Bhishma continued, 'The illustrious and highly blessed Sandili, of
righteous conduct, having said these words unto Sumana on the subject of
woman's duties towards her husband, disappeared there and then. That man,
O son of Pandu, who reads this narrative at every full moon and new moon,
succeeds in attaining to heaven and enjoying great felicity in the woods
of Nandana."

SECTION CXXIV

"Yudhishthira said, 'Which is of superior efficacy, Conciliation or
Gifts? Tell me, O chief of Bharata's race, which of these two is superior
in point of efficacy.'

'Bhishma said, 'Some become gratified by conciliation, while others are
gratified by gifts. Every man, according to his own nature, affects the
one or the other. Listen to me, O king, as I explain to thee the merits
of conciliation, O chief of Bharata's race, so that the most furious
creatures may be appeased by it. In this connection is cited the ancient
narrative of how a Brahmana, who had been seized in the forest by a
Rakshasa, was freed (with the aid of conciliation). A certain Brahmana,
endued with eloquence and intelligence, fell into distress, for he was
seized in a lone forest by a Rakshasa who wished to feed on him. The
Brahmana, possessed of understanding and learning, was not at all
agitated.' Without suffering himself to be stupefied at the sight of that
terrible cannibal, he resolved to apply conciliation and see its effect
on the Rakshasa. The Rakshasa, respectfully saluting the Brahmana so far
as words went, asked him this question, 'Thou shalt escape, but tell me
for what reason I am pale of hue and so lean!' Reflecting for a brief
space of time, the Brahmana accepted the question of the Rakshasa and
replied in the following well-spoken words'.

"The Brahmana said, 'Dwelling in a place that is distant from thy abode,
moving in a sphere that is not thy own, and deprived of the companionship
of thy friends and kinsmen, thou art enjoying vast affluence. It is for
this that thou art so pale and lean. Verily, O Rakshasa, thy friends,
though well-treated by thee, are still not well-disposed towards thee in
consequence of their own vicious nature. It is for this that thou art
pale and lean. Thou art endued with merit and wisdom and a well-regulated
soul. Yet it is thy lot to see others that are destitute of merit and
wisdom honoured in preference to thyself. It is for this that thou art
pale and lean. Persons possessed of wealth and affluence much greater
than thine but inferior to thee in point of accomplishments are, verily,
disregarding thee. It is for this that thou art pale and lean. Though
distressed through want of the means of support, thou art led by the
highness of thy soul to disregard such means as are open to thee for
drawing thy sustenance. It is for this that thou art pale and lean. In
consequence of thy righteousness thou hadst stinted thyself for doing
good to another, This other, O righteous Rakshasa, thinks thee deceived
and subjugated (by his superior intelligence). It is for this that thou
art pale and lean. I think, thou art grieving for those persons who with
souls overwhelmed by the lust and wrath are suffering misery in this
world. It is for this that thou art pale and lean. Though graced with the
possession of wisdom, thou art ridiculed by others who are entirely
destitute of it. Verily, persons of wicked conduct are condemning thee.
It is for this that thou art pale and lean. Verily, some enemy of thine,
with a friendly tongue, coming to thee behaved at first like a righteous
person and then has left thee, beguiling thee like a knave. It is for
this that thou art pale and lean. Thou art well-conversant with the
course of world's affairs. Thou art well-skilled in all mysteries. Thou
art endued with capacity. Those who know thee to be such do not yet
respect and praise thee. It is for this that thou art pale and lean.
Staying in the midst of bad men engaged together in some enterprise, thou
hadst discoursed to them, dispelling their doubts. For all that they did
not admit thy superior merits. It is for this that thou art pale and
lean. Verily, though destitute of wealth and intelligence and Vedic lore,
thou desirest yet, with the aid of thy energy alone, to accomplish
something great. It is for this that thou art pale and lean. It seems
that although thou art resolved to undergo severe austerities by retiring
into the forest, yet thy kinsmen art not favourably inclined towards this
project of thine. It is this for that thou art pale and lean. Some
neighbour of thine, possessed of great wealth and endued with youth and
handsome features, verily, covets thy dear spouse. It is for this that
thou art pale and lean. The words spoken by thee, even when excellent, in
the midst of wealthy men, are not regarded by them as wise or well-timed.
It is for this that thou art pale and lean. Some dear kinsman of thine,
destitute of intelligence though repeatedly instructed in the scriptures,
has become angry. Thou hast not succeeded in pacifying him. It is for
this that thou art pale and lean. Verily, some-body, having first set
thee to the accomplishment of some object desirable to thee is now
seeking to snatch the fruit thereof from thy grasp. It is for this that
thou art pale and lean. Verily, though possessed of excellent
accomplishments and worshipped by all on that account, thou art yet
regarded by thy kinsmen as worshipped for their sake and not for thy own.
It is for this that thou art pale and lean. Verily, through shame thou
art unable to give out some purpose in thy heart, moved also by the
inevitable delay that will occur in its accomplishment. It is for this
that thou art pale and lean. Verily, thou desirest, with the aid of thy
intelligence, to bring under thy influence, diverse persons with diverse
kinds of understandings and inclinations. It is for this that thou art
pale and lean.[537] Destitute of learning, without courage, and without
much wealth, thou seekest such fame as is won by knowledge and prowess
and gifts. Verily, it is for this that thou hast been pale and lean. Thou
hast not been able to acquire something upon which thou hast set thy
heart for a long time. Or, that which thou seekest to do is sought to be
undone by somebody else. It is for this that thou art pale and lean.
Verily, without being able to see any fault on thy part, thou hast been
cursed by somebody. It is for this that thou art pale and lean.[538]
Destitute of both wealth and accomplishments thou seekest in vain to
dispel the grief of thy friends and the sorrows of sorrowing men. It is
for this that thou art pale and lean. Beholding righteous persons the
domestic mode of life, unrighteous persons living according to the forest
mode, and emancipated persons attached to domesticity and fixed abodes,
thou hast become pale and lean. Verily, thy acts connected with
Righteousness, with Wealth, and with Pleasure, as also the well-timed
words spoken by thee, do not bear fruit. It is for this that thou art
pale and lean. Though endued with wisdom, yet desirous of living, thou
livest with wealth obtained by thee in gift from somebody of evil
conduct. It is for this that thou art pale and lean. Beholding
unrighteousness increasing on every side and righteousness languishing,
thou art filled with grief. It is for this that thou art pale and lean.
Urged by time thou seekest to please all thy friends even when they are
disputing and ranged on sides opposite to one another. It is for this
that thou art pale and lean. Beholding persons possessed of Vedic lore
engaged in improper acts, and persons of learning unable to keep their
senses under control, thou art filled with grief. It is for this that
thou art pale and lean.' Thus praised, the Rakshasa worshipped that
learned Brahmana in return, and making him his friend and bestowing
sufficient wealth upon him in gift, let him off (without devouring him).'"

SECTION CXXV

"Yudhishthira said, 'Tell me, O grandsire, how a poor man, desirous of
achieving his own good, should bear himself after having acquired the
status of humanity and come into this region of acts that is so difficult
to attain. Tell me also what is the best of all gifts, and what should be
given under what circumstances. Tell me, O son of Ganga, who art truly
deserving of honour and worship. It behoveth thee to discourse to us on
these mysteries.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus questioned by that famous monarch, viz.,
the son of Pandu, Bhishma explained (in these words) unto that king these
high mysteries appertaining to duty.'

"Bhishma said, 'Listen to me with concentrated attention, O king, as I
explain to thee, O Bharata, these mysteries appertaining to duties, after
the same manner in which the holy Vyasa had explained them to me in days
of yore. This subject is a mystery to the very deities, O monarch. Yama
of stainless deeds, with the aid of vows well-observed and Yoga
meditation, had acquired the knowledge of these mysteries as the high
fruits of his penances.[539] What pleases what deity, what pleases the
Pitris, the Rishis, the Pramathas (associates of Mahadeva), the goddess
Sri, Chitragupta (the recording assistant of Yama), and the mighty
Elephants at the cardinal points of the compass, what constitutes the
religion of the Rishis--the religion, which has many mysteries and which
is productive of high fruits,--the merits of what are called great gifts,
and the merits that attach to all the sacrifices, he who knows these, O
sinless one, and knowing acts according to his knowledge, becomes freed
from stains if he has stains and acquires the merits indicated. Equal to
ten butchers is one oilman. Equal to ten oilmen is one drinker of
alcohol. Equal to ten drinkers of alcohol is one courtezan. Equal to ten
courtezans is a single (territorial) chief.[540] A great king is said to
be equal to half of these all. Hence, one should not accept, gifts from
these. On the other hand, one should attend to the science, that is
sacred and that has righteousness for its indications, of the aggregate
of three (viz., Religion, Wealth, and Pleasure). Amongst these, Wealth
and Pleasure are naturally attractive. Hence, one should, with
concentrated attention, listen to the sacred expositions of Religion (in
particular), for the fruits are very great of listening to the mysteries
of Religion. One should certainly hear every topic connected with
Religion as ordained by the deities themselves. In it is contained the
ritual in respect of the Sraddha in which have been declared the
mysteries connected with the Pitris. The mysteries connected with all the
deities have also been explained there. It comprehends the duties and
practices, productive of great merit, of the Rishis also, together with
the mysteries attaching to them. It contains an exposition of the merits
o f great sacrifices and those that attach to all kinds of gifts. Those
men who always read the scriptures bearing on these topics, those who
bear them properly in their mind, and he who, having listened to them,
follows them in practice, are all regarded to be as holy and sinless as
the puissant Narayana himself. The merits that attach to the gift of
kine, those that belong to the performance of ablutions in sacred waters,
those that are won by the performance of sacrifices,--all these are
acquired by that man who treats guests with reverence. They who listen to
these scriptures, they who are endued with faith, and they who have a
pure heart, it is well-known, conquer many regions of happiness. Those
righteous men who are endued with faith, become cleansed of all stains
and no sin can touch them. Such men always increase in righteousness and
succeed in attaining to heaven. Once on a time, a celestial messenger,
coming to the court of Indra of his own accord, but remaining invisible,
addressed the chief of the deities in these words, 'At the command of
those two deities who are the foremost of all physicians, and who are
endued with every desirable attribute, I have come to this place where I
behold human beings and Pitris and the deities assembled together. Why,
indeed, is sexual congress interdicted for the man who performs a Sraddha
and for him also who eats at a Sraddha (for the particular day)? Why are
three rice-balls offered separately at a Sraddha? Unto whom should the
first of those balls be offered? Unto whom should the second one be
offered? And whose has it been said is the third or remaining one? I
desire to know all this.' After the celestial messenger had said these
words connected with righteousness and duty, the deities who were seated
towards the east, the Pitris also, applauding that ranger of the sky,
began as follows.'

"The Pitris said, 'Welcome art thou, and blessings upon thee! Do thou
listen, O best of all rangers of the sky! The question thou hast asked is
a high one and fraught with deep meaning. The Pitris of that man who
indulges in sexual congress on the day he performs a Sraddha, or eats at
a Sraddha have to lie for the period of a whole month on his vital seed.
As regards the classification of the rice-balls offered at a Sraddha, we
shall explain what should be done with them one after another. The first
rice-ball should be conceived as thrown into the waters. The second ball
should be given to one of the wives to eat. The third ball should be cast
into the blazing fire. Even this is the ordinance that has been declared
in respect of the Sraddha. Even this is the ordinance that is followed in
practice according to the rites of religion. The Pitris of that man who
act according to this ordinance become gratified with him and remain
always cheerful. The progeny of such a man increases and inexhaustible
wealth always remains at his command.'

"The celestial messenger said, 'Thou hast explained the division of the
rice-balls and their consignment one after another to the three (viz.,
water, the spouse, and the blazing fire), together with the reasons
thereof.[541] Whom does that rice-tall which is consigned to the waters
reach? How does it, by being so consigned, gratify the deities and how
does it rescue the Pitris? The second ball is eaten by the spouse. That
has been laid down in ordinance. How do the Pitris of that man (whose
spouse eats the ball) become the eaters thereof? The last ball goes into
the blazing fire. How does that ball succeed in finding its way to thee,
or who is he unto whom it goes? I desire to bear this,--that is, what are
the ends attained by the rice-balls offered at Sraddhas when thus
disposed of by being cast into the water, given to the spouse, and thrown
into the blazing fire!