Anushasanika Parva — The mystery of duties and gifts

Yudhishthira said Tell me, O grandfather, how should a poor inan, desirous of achieving his own behoof, act after having acquired the status of humanity and come into this region of acts that is so difficult to acquire.

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 are truly worthy of honour and adoration. You should describe these mysteries to us.

Vaishampayana said Thus accosted by that famous king, viz., the son of Pandu, Bhishma explained to that king these great mysteries about duty.

Bhishma said Listen to me with rapt attention, O king, as I explain to you, O Bharata, these mysteries of duties as the holy Vyasa had explained them to me formerly.

This subject is a mystery to the very celestials, O king. Yama of pure deeds, with the help of vows well observed and Yoga meditation, had acquired the knowledge of these mysteries as the high fruits of his penances.

What pleases deity, what pleases the departed manes, the Rishis, the companions of Mahadeva, the goddess Shri Chitragupta, and the powerful Elephants which rule the cardinal points of the compass, what forms the religion of the Rishis, the religion viz., which has many mysteries and which yields high fruits, the merits of what are called great gifts, and the merits of 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 inerits indicated.

One oilman is equal to ten butchers. Equal to ten oilmen is one drinker of alcohol. Equal to ten drinkers of alcohol is one harlot. Equal to ten harlots is a single king.

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, which is sacred and which has virtue for its marks, of the threefold objects of life. Amongst these, Wealth and Pleasure are naturally attractive. Hence one should, with rapt attention, listen to the sacred expositions of Religion, for the fruits of listening to the mysteries of Religion are very great. One should certainly hear every subject bearing on Religion as ordained by the celestials themselves.

In it is contained the ritual about the Shraddha in which have been declared the mysteries of the departed Manes. The mysteries about the deities have also been explained there.

It contains 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 of great sacrifices and all kinds of gifts.

Those men who always read the scriptures about these subjects, those who bear them properly in their mind, and he who, having listened to them, follows them in practice, are all considered to be as holy and sinless as the powerful Narayana himself.

The merits of the gift of kine, those that belong to the performance of ablutions in sacred waters, those that are acquired by the celebration of sacrifices, all these are acquired by that man who treats guests with respect.

They who listen to these scriptures, they who are gifted with faith and they who have a pure heart, it is well known conquer many regions of felicity. Those pious men who are gifted with faith, become cleansed of all since and no sin can touch them. Such men always increase in virtue and succeed in attaining to the celestial region.

Once on a time a celestial messenger, coming to the court of Indra of his own accord, but remaining invisible, addressed the king of the deities in these words:

At the command of Ashvini Kumars (the celestial physicians) and who are gifted with every desirable quality, I have come to this place where I see human beings the departed Manes and the celestials assembled together.

Why, indeed, is sexual intercourse interdicted for the man who performs a Shraddha and for him also who eats at a Shraddha? Why are three rice balls offered separately at a Shraddha?

To whom should the first of those balls be offered? To whom should the second one be offered? And whose has it been said is the third or the remaining one? I wish to know all this!

After the celestial messenger had said these words connected with virtue and duty, the celestials who were seated towards the east and the departed Manes also, praising that ranger of the sky, began as follows:

The Pitris said Welcome are you and blessings upon you! Do you listen, O best of all rangers of the sky! The question you have put is a high one and fraught with deep import.

The departed Manes of that man who indulges in sexual intercourse on the day he performs a Shraddha or eats at a Shraddha, have to lie for a whole month on his vital seed.

We shall explain the classification of the riccballs offered at a Shraddha, The first ricehall should be thought of as being thrown into the waters.

The second ball should be given to one of the wives to eat. The third ball should be thrown into the burning fire.

This is the ordinance about the Shraddha. This is the ordinance of the rites of religion. The Pitris of that man who acts according to this ordinance become pleased with him and remain always cheerful. The progeny of such a man increases and he always commands endless riches.

The Celestial Messenger said You have explained the division of the ricc balls and their consignment one after another to the three, together with the reasons thereof.

Whom does that riceball which is thrown into the waters reach? How does it , by being so thrown please the deities, and how does it rescue the departed Manes?

The second ball is eaten by the wife. That has been laid down in the ordinance. How do the Pitris of that man become the eaters thereof?

The last ball goes into the burning fire. How does that ball succeed in finding its way to you, or who is he to whom it goes?

I wish to hear this, that is, what are the ends attained by the balls offered at Shraddhas when thus disposed of by being thrown into the waters, given to the wife, and thrown into the burning fire.

The Pitris said The question which you have asked is of deep import. It involves a mystery and is wonderful. We have been highly pleased with you, O rarger of the sky.

The very celestials and the Munis applaud acts done in honour of the departed Manes. Even they do not know what the certain conclusions are of the ordinances about the acts done in honour of the Pitris.

Excepting the great, immortal and excellent Markandeya, that learned Brahmana of great fame, who is ever devoted to the Pitris, none amongst them is conversant with the mysteries of the ordinances about the Pitris.

Having heard from the holy Vyasa what the end is of the three riceballs offered at the Shraddha, as explained by the Pitris themselves in reply to the question of the celestial messenger, I shall explain the same to you. Do you hear, o king, what the conclusions are about the ordinances about the Shraddha.

Listen with attention, O Bharata, to me as I explain what the end is of the three rice balls. That rice ball which goes into water is considered as pleasing the deity of the Moon.

That deity being pleased, O you of great intelligence gratifies in return the other deities and the Pitris also with them. It has bean laid down that the second riceball should be eaten by the wife.

The Pitris, who always wish for progeny, bestow children on the woman of the house. Listen now to me as I tell you what becomes of the rice ball that is thrown into the burning fire.

With that ball the Pitris are pleased, and as the result thereof, grant the fruition of all desires to the person offering it. I have thus told you everything about the end of the three riceballs offered at the Shraddha and consigned to the three (viz. water, the spouse and the fire.)

That Brahmana who becomes the priest at a Shraddha forins himself by that deed, the Pitri of the person performing ine Shraddha. Hence he should abstain that day from sexual intercourse with even his own wife.

O best of all rangers of the sky, the man who eats at a Shraddha should remain pure for that day. By acting otherwise one surely commits the sin I have indicated. It cannot be otherwise.

Hence, the Brahmana who is invited to a Shraddha for eating the offerings should eat them after purifying himself by a bath and remain pious for that day by abstaining form every kind of injury or evil. The progeny of such a person multiplies and he also who feeds him gets the same reward.

Bhishma said After the Pitris had said so, a Rishi of austere penances, named Vidyutprabha, whose form was effulgent like the Sun spoke.

Having heard those mysteries of religion as explained by che Pitris, he addressed Shakra, saying, Stupefied by folly, men kill numerous creatures born in the intermediate orders, such as worms, ants, snakes, sheep, deer and birds. They commit a great sin by these acts. What, however, is the remedy?

When this question was asked, all the gods and Rishis having penances for wealth and the highly blessed Pitris, praised that ascetic.

Shakra said Thinking in one's mind of Kurukshetra and Gaya and Ganga and Prabhasa and the lakes of Pushkara, one should dip his head in a piece of water.

By so doing he becomes purged off of all his sins like the Moon freed from Rahu. He should thus bathe for three days successively and then fast for every day.

Besides this, he should touch (After bathing) the back of a cow and bow his head to her tail. Vidutprabha, after this, once more addressing Vasava said, I shall describe a rite that is more subtle. Listen to me, O you of a hundred sacrifices.

Rubbed with the astringent powder of the hanging roots of the banian and anointed with the oil of Priyangu, one should eat the Shashtika paddy mixed with milk. By so doing he becomes purged off all his sins.

Listen now to another mystery unknown to many but which was discovered by the Rishis with the help of meditation. I heard it from Brihaspati while he recited it before Mahadeva.

O king of the celestials do you hear it with Rudra in your company, O lord of Shachi. If a person, ascending a mountain stands there on one foot, with arms upraised and joined together and abstaining from food, looks at a burning fire, he acquires the merits of severe penances and obtains the rewards of fasts.

Heated by the rays of the Sun, he becomes purged off all his sins. One who acts thus in both the summer and the winter seasons becomes freed from every sin.

Purged off of every sin one acquires a splendour of complexion for all time. Such a man burns with energy like the Sun or shines in beauty like the Moon.

After this, the king of the celestials viz., he of a hundred sacrifices, seated in the midst of the gods then sweetly addressed Brihaspati, with these excellent words:

O Holy One, do you describe those mysteries of religion which are fraught with happiness to human beings, and what the faults are which they commit, together with the mysteries of them.

Brihaspati said They who pass urine, facing the sun, they who do not show respect for the wind, they who do not pour libations on the burning fire, they who milk a cow whose calf is very young, actuated by the desire of obtaining from her as much milk as possible, commit many sins. I shall describe what those faults are, O lord of Shachi, Do you hear me.

The Sun, Wind, the carrier of sacrificial oblations, O Vasava, and kine who are the mothers of all creatures, were created by the self-create himself, for rescuing all the worlds, O Shakra. These are the deities of human beings. Listen all the conclusions of religion.

Those wicked men and wicked women who pass urine facing the Sun, live in great infamy for eighty six years.

That man, O Shakra, who cherishes no respect for the wind, gets children that come out prematurely from the womb of his wife. These men who do not pour libations on the burning fire, find that the fire, when they do light it up for such rites as they wish to perform refuses to eat their libations.

Those men who drink the milk of kire whose calves are very young, never get children for perpetuating their races.

Such men see their children die and their families shrink. These are consequences of the acts referred to as observed by twice born persons, venerable for age in their respective families.

Hence, one should always avoid that which has been interdicted and do only that which has been directed to be done, if one is desirous of securing his prosperity. This that I say to you is very true.

After the celestial preceptor had said this the highly blessed celestials, with the Maruts, and the highly blessed Rishis questioned the departed Manes saying, You Pitris with what acts of human beings, who are generally gifted with little understandings, do you become pleased? What gifts made in course of such rites as are performed for improving the position of deceased persons in the other world become inexhaustible in efficacy?

By doing what acts can men become freed from the debt they owe to their ancestors? We wish to hear this. Great is our curiosity.

The Pitris said Yoy highly blessed ones, the doubt existing in your minds has been properly explained. Listen as we describe the deeds of righteous men with which we become pleased.

Blue hued bulls should be liberated. Gifts should be made to us, on the day of the new moon of sesame seeds and water. In the season of rains, lamps should be lighted. By these decds of men they can free themselves from the debt they owe to their ancestors.

Such gifts never become vain. On the other hand they yield great and endless fruits. The gratification we derive from them is considered to be inexhaustible.

Those men who gifted with faith, beget offspring, rescue their deceased ancestors from imiserable Hell.

Hearing these words of the Pitris, Vriddha Gargya, endued with penances and high energy, became filled with wonder so that the hair on his body stood erect. Addressing them he said, Ye having penances for wealth, tell us what the merits are of setting free Bulls having blue complexions. What merits, again, are of the gifts of lamps in the season of rains and the gift of water with sesame seeds?

The Pitris said If a bull of blue complexion upon being liberated raises a (small) quantity of water with its tail the Pitris become pleased with that water for full sixty thousand years.

The mud such a bull raises with its horns from the banks (of a river or lake) succeeds, forsooth, in sending the Pitris to the region of Soma.

By giving lamps in the season of rains one shines with effulgence like Soma himself. The man who gives lamps is never subject to the quality of Darkness.

Those men who make gifts on the day of the new moon of sesame seeds and water, mixed with honey and using a vessel of copper, O you having penances for wealth, are considered as duly performing a Shraddha with all its mysteries. These men get children of sound health and cheerful minds.

The merit acquired by the giver of the Pinda takes the forin of the growth of his family. Indeed, he who performs these acts with faith, becomes freed from the debt he owes to the ancestors.

Thus have been laid down the proper time for the performance of the Shraddha, the ordinances about the rites to be observed the proper person that should be fed at the Shraddha, and the merits that belong to it. I have described everything to you in due orders.