Anushasanika Parva — Deeds pleasing to Vishnu

Bhishma said The king of the celestials viz., Indra after the Pitris had ceased to speak addressed the powerful Hari, saying, O Lord what are those deeds which please you? How indeed do men succeed in pleasing you?

Vishnu said That which I greatly hate, is the detraction of Brahmanas. Forsooth, if the Brahmanas are adored I consider myself adored.

All superior Brahmanas should always be saluted with respect, after feeding them with hospitality. One should respect his own feet also (in the evening). I am pleased with men who act thus, as also with those who worship and make offerings to the whirl that is noticeable on cowdung.

They who see a Brahmana that is a dwarf in stature, or a boar that has just risen from water and that bears on his head a quantity of mud taken up from the bank, have never to meet with any evil, They become freed from every sin. That man who adores every day the Ashvattha (Ficus religiosa) and the substance called Gorochana and the cow, is considered as adoring the whole universe with the celestials and Asuras and human beings. Indeed, staying within these, I accept in my own form the adoration that is offered to them.

The worship that is offered to these is the adoration offered to me. This has been so as long as the worlds have been created. Those little witted men who adore me in a different way, worship me in vain, for the worship of that kind I never accept. Indeed, the worship of other kind is not at all pleasing to me.

Indra said Why do you speak highly of the circular marks on cowdung, the feet, the boar, the Brahmana that is a dwarf in stature and mud raised up from the soil?

It is you who create all creatures and it is you who destroy them. You are the eternal nature of all transitory things.

Bhishma said Hearing these words of Indra, Vishnu smiled a little and then said, It was with my circular disc that the Daityas were killed. It was with my two feet that the world was covered.

Assuming the forin of a boar I killed Hiranyaksha. Assuming the form of a dwarf I conquered king Bali.

Those great men who adore these, gratify me. Indeed, they who worship me in these forms never meet with dcfeat.

If one, seeing a celibate a Brahmana arrived at one's house, offers to him the first portion of his food that belongs as of right to a Brahmana, and eats the residue he is considered as eating Amrita.

If one, after worshipping the moon-twilight, stands with face directed towards the Sun, he reaps the merit that belongs to the performance of ablutions in all Tirthas and becomes purged off of all sins.

You Rishis having penances for wealth, I have told you in detail what forms a great mystery. On what else shall I discourse to you? Tell me your doubts!

Baladeva said Listen now to another great mystery that yields happiness to men. Unacquainted with it, ignorant persons suffer much distress from other creatures.

That man who rising early dawn, touches a cow, clarified butter and curds, as also mustard seeds and the larger variety thereof called Priyangu, becomes purged off of all his sins.

As regards Rishis having penances for wealth they always avoid all creatures both before and behind, as also all that is impure, while performing Shraddhas.

The Deities said If a person, taking a vessel of copper filling it with water and facing the East determines upon a fast or the observance of a particular vow, the celestials become pleased with him and all his wishes become crowned with fortune. By observing fasts or vows in any other way, littlewitted man gain nothing.

In uttering the resolution about the observance of fasts and in making offerings to the celestials, the use of a vessel of copper is preferable. In presenting the offerings to the celestials in (giving and accepting) alms, in presenting the ingredients of the Argha, and in offering oblations of water mixed with sesame seeds to the departed Manes, a vessel of copper should be used. By doing these acts in any other way, one acquires little merit. These mysteries have been laid down about how the deities are pleased.

Dharma said The offerings made in all rites in honour of the celestials and in those in honour of the departed Manes, should never be given away to a Brahmana who has accepted service under the king or who rings the bell or attends to minor duties in acts of worship or at Shraddhas, or who keeps kine or who drives a trade, or who follows some art as a profession, or who is an actor, or who quarrels with friends or who is destitute of Vedic studies, or who marries a Shudra woman.

The performer of the Shraddha who gives away such offerings to such a Brahmana, losses prosperity and multiplies not his race. He fails, again to gratify his Pitris by doing such an act.

From the house of that person whence a guest returns unsatisfied, the Pitris, the deities, and the sacred fires, all return disappointed on account of such treatment of the guest.

That man who does not perform the duties of hospitality towards the guest arrived at his house comes to be considered as equally sinful with those who are slayers of women or of kine, who are ungrateful towards benefactors, who are slayers of Brahmanas, or who are violators of the beds of their preceptors.

Agni said Listen you with rapt attention. I shall describe the demerits of that man of wicked understanding who lifts up his feet for striking therewith a cow or a highly blessed Brahmana or a burning fire. The infamy of such man spreads throughout the world and reaches the boundary of Heaven itself. His Pítris become filled with fear. The deities also become highly dissatisfied with him. Gifted with great energy, Fire refuses to accept the libations poured by him.

For a hundred lives he has to rot in Hell. He is never rescued at any time.

One should, therefore, never touch a cow with his feet or a Brahmana of high energy or a burning fire, if he is gifted with faith and seeks his own behoof. These are the demerits declared by me of one who lifts up his feet towards these three.

Vishwamitra said Listen to a great mystery that is unknown to most of men and which is connected with religion. He, who offers to the departed manes, rice boiled in milk and sugar, sitting with face directed to the south at noontide, in the shade caused by an elephant's body in the month of Bhadrapada, under the constellation Magha, acquires great merits. Hear of those merits. The man who makes such an offering to the Pitris under such circumstances, is considered as performing a great Shraddha each year for thirteen years successively.

The Kine said That man becomes purged off of all his sins who worships a cow with these Mantras. viz., O Bahula, O Samanga, O you who are fearless everywhere, O you who are forgiving and full of auspiciousness, O friend, O source of all plenty, in the region of Brahman, formerly you were present with your calf in the sacrifice of Indra the holder of the thunderbolt! You were stationed in the sky and in the path of Agni! The celestials with Narada among them worshipped you on that occasion by calling you Sarvamsaha! Such a man attains to the region of Purandara. He acquires, besides, the merits that belong to kine, and the splendour of the Moon also.

Such a man becomes freed from every sin, every fear, every grief. At the end, he acquires residence in the happy region of the Thousand eyed Indra.

Bhishma said After this, the highly blessed and illustrious seven Rishis headed by Vashishtha, rose and going round the Louts-born Brahman stood around him with hands joined in respect.

Vashishtha, that foremost of all persons conversant with Brahma became their spokesman and put this question which conduces to the behoof of all creatures but especially to the Brahmanas and Kshatriyas.

By doing what acts may virtuous men who have no worldly belongings succeed in acquiring the merits of sacrifices?

Hearing this question of theirs the Grandfather Brahman began to say what follows.

Brahman said Excellent is this question, you highly blessed ones! It is at once auspicious and high and full of mystery. This question that you have put is subtile and conduces to the wellbeing of mankind.

You Rishis having penances for wealth, I shall recite everything to you in full. Do you listen with attention to what I say as to how men acquire the merits of sacrifices.

In the lighted fortnight of the month of Pausha, when the constellation Rohini is in conjunction, if one purifying himself by a bath lies, under the canopy of heaven clad in a single piece of cloth, with faith and rapt attention, and drinks the rays of the Moon, he wins the merits of great sacrifices,

You foremost of twice born persons, this is a great mystery that I declare it to you in reply to your question, you who know the truths of all subjects. attention, and drinks the rays of the Moon, he wins the merits of great sacrifices,

You foremost of twice born persons, this is a great mystery that I declare it to you in reply to your question, you who know the truths of all subjects.