Anushasanika Parva — A description of the gifts which fellows the giver to the next world

Yudhishthira said Amongst all those gifts mentioned in the work other than the Vedas, which gift, О chief of Kuru's race, is the most superior in your opinion?

O powerful one, great is my curiosity in this matter. Do you describe to me that gift which follows the giver to the next world?

Bhishma said An assurance to all creatures of love and affection and abstention from every sort of injury, acts of kindness and favour done to a person in distress, gifts, of articles made to one who solicits with thirst and agreeable to the solicitor's wishes, and whatever gifts are made without the giver's ever thinking of them as gifts made by him, form, O chief of Bharata's race, the highest and best of gifts.

Gift of gold, gift of kine, and gift of earth,-these are considered as sincleansing. They rescue the giver from his evil deeds.

O king, do you always make such gifts, to the righteous. Forsooth, gifts rescue the giver from all his sins.

That person who wishes to make his gifts eternal, should always give to persons gifted with necessary qualifications whatever articles are desired by all and whatever things are the best in his house.

The man who makes gifts of agreeable things and who does to others what is agreeable to others, always succeeds in getting things that are agreeable to himself. Such a person certainly becomes agreeable to all, both here and hereafter.

That man, O Yudhishthira, is a cruel wight, who, through vanity, does not, to the extent of his means, attend to the wishes of the poor and helpless who solicit assistance.

He is, indeed, the foremost of men who shows favour to even an helpless enemy fallen into distress when such enemy comes and prays for help.

No man is equal to him who satisfies the hunger of a person who is emaciated, possessed of learning, destitute of the means of support, and weakened by misery.

One should always, O son of Kunti, remove by ever ineans in his power, the distress of the pious observant of vows and acts, who though having no sons and wives and plunged into misery, do not yet solicit others for any kind of help.

Those persons who do not utter blessings upon the deities and men, who are worthy of respect and always contented, and who live upon such alms as they get without begging, are considered as veritable snakes of virulent poison. Do you, O Bharata, always protect yourself from them by making gifts to them. They are capable to make the foremost of Ritwijas. You are to find them out by means of your spies and agents.

You should honour those men by gifts of good houses furnished with every necessary article, with slaves and servants, with good dresses and vestments, O son of Kuru, and with all articles bringing on pleasure, and happiness.

Righteous men of righteous deeds should make such gifts, moved by the desire that it is their duty to act in that way and not from desire of reaping any regards therefrom. Indeed, good men should act in this way so that the virtuous described above might not, O Yudhishthira, feel any disinclination to accept those gifts sanctified by devotion and faith.

There are persons bathed in learning and bathed in vows. Without depending upon anybody they get their means of living. These Brahmanas of rigid vows are given to Vedic study and penances without proclaiming their practices to any one. men

Whatever gifts you may make to those persons of pure conduct, of thorough mastery over their senses, and always contented with their own married wives, are sure to acquire for you a merit that will accompany you in all the worlds into which you may go.

One reaps the same merit by making gifts to twiceborn persons of controlled souls which one acquires by properly pouring libations to the sacred fire morning and evening.

This is the sanctified spread out for you, a sacrifice that is sanctified by devotion and faith and that is accompanied with Dakshina! It is superior to all other sacrifices. Let that sacrifice ceaselessly flow from you as you give away.

Performed in view of such men, O Yudhishthira, a sacrifice in which the water that is sprinkled for dedicating gifts forms the oblations in honour of the Departed Manes, and devotion and worship rendered to such superior men, serves to free one of the debts he owes to the deities.

Those persons who do not give way to anger and who never desire to take even a blade of grass belonging to others, as also they who are of sweet speech, deserve to receive from us the most respectful adorations.

Such persons and others never pay their regards to the giver. Nor do they try for obtaining gifts. They should, however, be maintained by givers as they maintain their own sons. I bend my head to them. From them also proceeds fearlessness.

Ritwijas, Priests and Preceptors, when well-read in the Vedas and when behaving mildly towards disciples, become such. Forsooth, Kshatriya energy loses its force upon a Brahmana when it meets him.

Thinking that you are a king, that you are gifted with great power, and that you have riches do, not, O Yudhishthira, enjoy your affluence without giving anything to the Brahmanas.

Observing the duties of your own caste, do you adore the Brahmanas with whatever riches you have, O sinless one, for purposes of adornment or sustaining your power.

Let the Brahmanas live in whatever way they like. You should always bend your head to them with respect. Let them always rejoice in you as your children, living happily and according to their wishes.

Who else save you, O best of the Kurus, can provide the means of livelihood for such Brahmana gifted with eternal contentment, as are your wellwishers, and as are pleased with only a little?

As women have one eternal duty, in this world, viz., dependence upon, and the obedient service of their husbands, and as such duty as are forms their only end, so is the service of Brahmanas our eternal duty and end.

If on seeing cruelties and other sinful deeds in Kshatriyas, the Brahmanas, O son, unhonoured by us leave us all, I say, of what use would life be to us, in the absence of all contact with the Brahmanas, especially as we shall then have to carry on our existence without being able to study the Vedas, to celebrate sacrifices, to hope for worlds of bliss hereafter, and to perform great deeds?

I shall, about it, tell you what the eternal practice is. Formerly, O king, the Kshatriyas used to serve the Brahmanas.

The Vaishya likewise used in those days to adore the Kshatriya, and the Shudra to adore the Vaishya. This is what is heard. The Brahmana was like a burning fire. Without being able to touch him or approach his presence, the Shudra used to serve the Brahmana from a distance.

It was only the Kshatriya and the Vaishya who could serve the Brahmana hy touching his bcdy or approaching his presence. The Brahmanas are gifted with a mild disposition. They are truthful in conduct. They are followers of the true religion.

When angry, they are like snakes of drcadful poison. Such being their nature, do you, O Yudhishthira, serve and attend them with obedience and respect. The Brahmanas are superior to those who are higher than the high and the low.

The energy and penances of those Kshatriyas who blaze forth with energy and power, become powerless and neutralised when they come in in contact with the Brahmanas.

My father himself is not dearer to me than the Brahmanas. My mother is not dearer to me than they. My grandfather, O king, is not dcarer, my own life is not dearer, O king, to me than the Brahmanas.

On Earth there is nothing, O Yudhishthira, that is dearer to me than you. But, O chief of Bharata's race, the Brahmanas are dearer to me than even you.

I tell you truly, O son of Pandu! I swear by this truth, by which I hope to acquire all those blissful regions that have been Shantanu's.

I see those sacred regions with Brahma shining conspicuously before them. I shall go there, O son, and live in them eternally.

Seeing these regions. O best of the Bharatas. I am filled with joy at the thought of all these acts which I have done in aid and honour of the Brahmanas, O king.