Anugita Parva — Concluded The highest end of all sacrifices

Janamejaya said If, O illustrious one, celestial region is the fruit of riches acquired by fair means, do you fully describe it to me. You are wellconversant with the subject and, it is, therefore, proper for you to explain it.

O twice-born one, you have said to me what the high fruit was that accrued to that Brahmana, who lived according to the Unchcha mode, through his gift of powdered barley. Forsooth, all you have said is true.

In what way, however, was the attainment held certain of the highest end in all sacrifices? O foremost of twice-born persons, you should fully expound all this to me.

Vaishampayana said Regarding it is cited this old narrative, O chastiser of enemies, of what took place formerly in the great sacrifice of Agastya.

Formerly, O king, Agastya of great energy, devoted to the well-being of all creatures, entered into a Diksha extending for twelve years.

In that sacrifice of the great Rishi many Hotris were engaged who resembled blazing fires in the splendour of their bodies. Among them were men who lived upon roots or fruits, or who used two pieces of stone only for husking their corn, or who were supported by only the rays (of the moon).

Among them were also men who never took any food unless it was placed before them by others desirous of feeding them, and those who never ate anything without having first served the celestials, the departed Manes, and guests, and those who never washed the food which they took. There were also Yatis and Vikshus among them, O king.

All of them were men who had obtained a sight of the deity of virtue in his embodied form. They had subjugated anger and acquired a complete mastery over all their senses. Living in the observance of self-control, they were freed from pride and the desire of injuring others.

They were always observant of a pure conduct and were never obstructed by their senses. Those great, Rishis attended that sacrifice and performed its various rites.

The illustrious Rishi (Agastya) acquired the food which was collected in that sacrifice and that came up to the required quantity, by lawful means according to the best of his power.

Numerous other ascetics at that times celebrated large sacrifices. As Agastya, however, was engaged in that sacrifice of his, the thousand-eyed Indra, O best of the Bharatas, ceased to pour rain (on the Earth. At the intervals, O king, of the sacrificial rites, this talk took place among those Rishis of purified souls about the great Agastya, viz., 'This Agastya, engaged in sacrifice, is making gifts of food with heart purged of pride and vanity.

The deity of the clouds, however, has ceased to pour rain. How, indeed will food grow? This sacrifices of the Rishi, you Brahmanas, is great and extends for twelve years.

The deity will to pour rain for these twelve years. Thinking on this, you should do some favour to this Rishi of great intelligence, viz., Agastya of severe penances. When these words were said, Agastya of great prowess, pleasing all those ascetics by bending his head, said, 'If Vasava does not pour rain for these twelve years, I shall then perform the mental sacrifice. This is the eternal ordinance. If Vasava does not pour rain for these twelve years. I shall then perform the Touch-Sacrifice, This is the eternal sacrifice. If Vasava does not। pour rain for these twelve years, I shall, then, putting forth, all my exertions, make arrangements for other sacrifices characterised by the observance of the most difficult and serve vows. This present sacrifice of mine, with seeds, has been arranged for by me with labour of many years.

I shall, with seeds, do much good. No obstacle will arise. This my sacrifice is incapable of being baffled.

It matters little whether the deity pours rain or no downpours come. Indeed, if Indra does not, of his own will, show any regard for me, I shall, in that case, change myself into Indra and keep all creatures alive. Every creature, on whatever food he has been nourished, will continue to be nourished on it as before.

I can even repeatedly create a different order of things. Let gold and whatever else of riches there is, come to this place today.

Let all the wealth which is in the three worlds come here today of its own accord! Let all the tribes of celestial Apsaras, all the Gandharvas along with the Kinnarvas, and Vishvavasu, and others there are (of that order) approach this sacrifice of mine! Let all the wealth which exists among the Northern Kurus, come of their own accord to these sacrifices. Let Heaven, and all those who have Heaven for their home, and Dharma himself, come here.

After the ascetic had uttered these words, everything took place as he desired, by virtue of his penances, for Agastya was gifted with a mind which resembled a burning fire and was possessed of extraordinary energy.

The Rishis who were there saw the power of penances with rejoicing hearts. Filled with wonder they then said these words of grave significance.

The Rishis said We have been highly pleased with words you have uttered. We do not, however, wish penances should diminution. Those sacrifices are approved by us which are performed by fair means. Indeed, we wish duly those sacrifices which rest on lawful means.

Acquiring our food by lawful incans and observant of our respective duties, we shall seek to go through sacrificial initiations and the pouring of libations on the sacred fire and the other religious rites.

We should worship the celestials, practicing Brahmacharya by lawful mean. Completing the period of Brahmacharya we have come out of our house, observing lawful methods. That that your suffer any understanding, which is freed from the desire of inflicting any kind of injury on others is approved by us.

You should always, O powerful one, commend such abstention from injury in all sacrifices. We shall then be highly pleased, O foremost of twice-born ones. After the completion of your sacrifice, when dismissed by you, we shall then, leaving this place, go away.

As they were saving these words, Purandara, the king of the deities, gifted with great energy, seeing the power of Agastya's penances, poured rain.

Indeed, O Janamejaya, till the completion of the sacrifice of the Rishi of great prowess, the deity of rain poured rain which met the wishes of men both about quantity and time.

Placing Brihaspati be one him, the king of the deities came there, O royal sage, and pleased the Rishi Agastya.

On the termination of that sacrifice, Agastya, filled with joy, adored all those great Rishis duly and then sent them all away.

Janamejaya said Who was that mungoose with a golden head, which said all those words in a human voice? Asked by me, do you tell me this.

You did not ask me before and, therefore, I did not tell you, Hear as I tell you who that mungoose was and why he could assume a human voice.

Formerly, the Rishi Jamadagni desired to perform a Shraddha. His Homa-Cow came to him and the Rishi milked her himself.

He then placed the milk in a vessel which was new, durable, and pure. The deity Dharma, assuming the form of anger, entered that vessel of milk.

Indeed, Dharma desirous of determining what that foremost of Rishis would do when seeing some injury done to him. Having thought thus, Dharma spoiled that milk.

Knowing that the spoiler of his milk was Anger, the ascetic was not at all enraged with him. Anger, then, assuming the form of a Brahmana lady, showed him self to the Rishi.

Indeed, Anger, finding that he had been vanquished by that foremost one of Bhrigu's race, addressed him, saying, 'O chief of Bhrigu's race, I have been conquered by you. There is a saying among men that the Bhrigus are very wrathful. I now find that that saying is false, since I have been subdued by you. was

You are endued with a powerful soul. You are endued with forgiveness. I stand here today, acknowledging your sway. I fear your penances, O righteous one! Do you, O powerful Rishi, show me favour.

I have seen you, O Anger, in your embodied form. Go you wherever you like, without any anxiety. You have not done me any injury today. I have no grudge against you.

Those for whom I had kept this milk are the highly blessed Pitris. Present yourself before them and ascertain their intentions.

Thus addressed, stricken with fear, Anger vanished from the sight of the Rishi. Through the curse of the Pitris he became a mungoose.

He then began to please the Pitris in order to bring about an end of his curse. By them he was told these words ;-By speaking disrespectfully of Dharma you shall attain to the end of your curse.'

Thus addressed by them, he wandered over places where sacrifices were performed and over other sacred placed, employed in censuring great sacrifices. It was he who came to the great sacrifice of king Yudhishthira.

Dispraising the son of Dharma by a reference to the prastha of powdered barley, Anger became freed from his curse, for Yudhishthira (as Dharma's son) was Dharma's self.

This is what took place in the sacrifice of that great king. The mungoose disappeared there in out very presence.