Anushasanika Parva — The merits of Vedic studies, vows, teaching the Vedas, gifts of knowledge, of the satisfaction of one's duties, of serving the parents

Yudhishthira said I have been greatly assured, O you of power, by you thus discoursing to me of duties. I shall, however, express the doubts I have. Explain them to me, O grandfather.

What are the fruits, described in the scriptures, of the vows that men observe. Of what nature are the fruits, you of great splendour, of observances of other kind? What, again, are the fruits of one's Vedic studies.

What are the fruits of gifts, and what those of keeping the Vedas in memory? What are the fruits of teaching the Vedas? I wish to know all this.

What, O grandfather, are the merits of the nonacceptance of gifts in this world. What fruits does one enjoy who makes gifts of knowledge?

What merits do persons enjoy who perform the duties of their order, as also do heroes who do not retreat from the battlefield. What are the fruits of the observance of purity and of the practice of Brahmacharya?

What are the merits of serving the parents. What also are the merits of serving preceptors and teachers, and what the merits of mercy and kindness?

I wish to know all this, O grandfather, in sooth and in particular, O you, who are conversant with all the scriptures Great is my curiosity.

Bhishma said He enjoys eternal regions of happiness, who, having properly commenced a Vrata (vow) completes its observance according to the scriptures.

The fruits of restraints, O king, are visible even in this world. These rewards that you have acquired are those of Niyamas and sacrifices.

The fruits of the Vedic studies are seen both in this world and the next. The person who is given to the study of the Vedas is seen to sport happily both in this world and in the region of Brahma.

Listen now to me, O king, as I tell you in detail what that fruits, are of self-control. The self-controlled are happy everywhere. The selfcontrolled always enjoy that happiness which results from the absence or subjugation of desire.

The self-controlled can go everywhere at will. The self-controlled can destroy every enemy. Forsooth, the self-controlled succeed in getting everything they seek.

The self-controlled. O son of Pandu, obtain the fruition of every desire. The self-controlled and the forgiving share the happiness that men enjoy in Heaven through penances and prowess, (in arms), through gift, and through various sacrifices.

Selfcontrol is more meritorious than gift. A giver, after making a gift to the Brahmanas, may yield to the influence of anger. A selfcontrolled man, however, never gives way to anger. Hence self-control is superior to gift.

That man who makes gifts without yielding to anger, succeeds in acquiring eternal regions of happiness. Anger destroys the merit of a gift. Hence self-control is superior to gift. There are ten thousand invisible places, O monarch, in Heaven. Existing in all the regions of Heaven, these places belong to the Rishis. Persons, leaving this world, attain to them and become changed into deities.

O king, the great Rishis repair there, helped only by their self-control, and as the end of their efforts to attain to a region of superior happiness, Hence, self-control is superior to gift.

The person who becomes a preceptor, and who duly adores the fire taking leave of all his miseries in this world, enjoy endless happiness O King in the region of Brahma.

That man who having himself read the Vedas, imparts a knowledge thereof to righteous disciples, and who praises the acts of his own preceptor, acquires great honors in Heaven.

That Kshatriya who is given to the studies of the Vedas, to the celebration of sacrifices, to the making of gifts, and who rescues the lives of others in battle, similarly acquires great honors in Heaveri.

The Vaishya who, observes the duties of his caste, makes gifts, reaps as the fruit of those gifts, a crowning reward. The Shudra who duly observes the duties of his order, acquires Heaven as the reward of such services.

Various kinds of heroes have been spoken of. Listen to me as I explain to you what the rewards are that they attain to. The rewards are fixed of a hero belonging to a heroic race.

There are heroes of sacrifice, heroes of selfcontrol, heroes of truth, and others equally entitled to the name of hero. There are heroes of battle, and heroes of gift or liberality among men.

There are many persons who may be called the heroes of the Shankhya faith, there are many others that are called heroes of Yoga. There are others who are considered as heroes in the forest-life, of domesticity, and of renunciation.

Likewise, there are others who are called heroes of the intellect, and also heroes of forgiveness. There are other men who live in tranquillity and who are considered as heroes of virtue.

There are various other kinds of heroes who practise various other kinds of vows and observances. There are heroes given to the study of the Vedas, and heroes devoted to the teaching of the same.

There are, again, men who come to be regarded as heroes for the devotion with which they wait upon and serve their preceptors, as indeed, heroes in respect of the respect they show for their fathers. There are heroes in obedience to mothers, and heroes in the life of mendicancy they lead.

There are heroes in the matter of hospitality to guests, whether living as hermits or as house-holders. All these heroes attain to very superior regions of happiness which are, of course, acquired by them as the rewards of their own deeds.

Keeping all the Vedas in memory, or ablutions performed in all the sacred waters, may or may not be equal to telling the Truth every day in one's life.

A thousand Horse-sacrifices and Truth were once weighed in the balance. It was seen that Truth weighed heavier than a thousand. Horsesacrifices.

It is by Truth that the Sun is giving heat it is by Truth that fire bums up it is by Truth that the winds blow; indeed, everything rests upon Truth;

It is Truth that pleases the deities, the departed Manes, and the Brahmanas, Truth has been said to be the highest duty. Therefore, no one should ever transgress Truth.

The Munis are all given to Truth. Their prowess depends upon Truth. They also swear by Truth. Hence Truth is pre-eminent. All truthful men, O chief of Bharata's race, succeed by their truthfulness in acquiring Heaven and sporting there in happiness.

Selfcontrol is the attainment of the reward tha: attaches to Truth. I have described it with my whole heart. The man of humble heart who is endued with self-control, forsooth, acquires great honors in Heaven.

Listen now to me, o king as I explain to you the merits of Brahmacharya. That man who practises the vow of Brahmacharya from his birth to the time of his Death, know, O king, has nothing unattainable! Many millions of Rishis are living in the region of Brahma.

All of them, while here, were given to Truth, and self-control, and had their vital seed drawn up. The vow of Brahmacharya, O king, duly observed by a Brahmana, is sure to dissipate all his sins. The Brahmana is said to be a burning fire. In those Brahmanas that are given to penances, the deity of fire becomes visible.

If a Brahmacharin gives way to anger on account of any slight, the chief of the deities himself trambles in fear. This is the visible fruit of the vow of Brahamacharya that is observed by the Rishis.

Listen to me, O Yudhishthira, what the merit is of the worship of the father and the mother. He who dutifully serves his father without ever provO king him in anything, or similarly serves his mother or (elder) brother or other senior or preceptor, it should be known, O king, acquires a residence in Heaven. The man of purified soul, on account of such service done to his seniors, has never to even see Hell.