अनुशासनिक पर्व — ब्राह्मणों को वचन देकर दान न देने वालों की गति; सियार और वानर की कथा

Yudhishthira said O grandfather, O you of great splendour, what do those men become who, through stupefaction of intellect, do not make gifts to Brahmanas after having promised to make those gifts?

O foremost of all righteous persons, do tell me what the duties are in this matter. Indeed, what becomes the end of those wicked men who do not give after having promised to give.

Bhishma said The person who, after having promised, does not give, be it little or much, has the mortification to witness his hopes frustrated like the hopes of a eunuch about children.

Whatever good acts such a person does between the day of his birth and that of his death, O Bharata, whatever libations he pours on the sacrificial fire, whatever gifts he makes, o chief of Bharata's race, and whatever penances he performs, all becomes useless.

They who conversant with the scriptures hold this as their opinion, arriving at it, О chief of the Bharatas, with the help of a well-ordered understanding.

Persons conversant with the scriptures also opine that such a man may be purified by giving away a thousand horses with dark ears. are

Regarding it is cited the old discourse between a jackal and an ape.

While both were human beings, O scorcher of enemies, they were intimate friends. After death one of them became a jackal and the other an ape.

Seeing the jackal one day eating an animal car-case in the midst of a crematorium, the ape, remembering his own and his friend's pristine birth as human beings, addressed him, saying,

Verily, what dreadíul sin did you commit in your pristine birth on account of which you are obliged in this birth to feed in a crematorium upon such repulsive food as the putrid car-case of an animal?

Thus addressed the jackal replied to the ape, saving Having promised to give to a Brahmana I did not make him the gift.

It is for that sin, O ape, that I have fallen into this wretched state of existence. It is for that reason that, when hungry, I am obliged to cat such food.

Bhishma said The jackal then, O best of men, addressed the monkey and said What sin did you commit for which you have become an ape.

The ape said In my former life I used to eat the fruits belonging to Brahmanas. Hence have I become an ape. Hence it is clear that one endued with intelligence and learning should never take what belongs to Brahmanas. As one should abstain from this, one should avoid also all quarrels with Brahmanas. Having promised, one should certainly make the promised gift lo them.

Bhishma said I heard this, O king, from my preceptor while he was discoursing upon the subject of Brahmanas. I heard this from that pious person when he recounted the old and sacred declarations of this topic.

I heard this from Krishna also, o king, while he was discoursing, O son of Pandu, upon Brahmanas.

The property of a Brahmana should never be taken. They should always be let alone. Poor, or miserly, or young in years, they should never be dishonored.

The Brahmanas always taught me this. Having promised to make them a gift, the gift should be made. A superior Brahmana should never be disappointed in his expectations. an

A Brahmana, O king, in whom expectation has been raised, has, O king, been said to be like a burning fire.

That man upon whom a Brahmana with raised expectations looks, is sure, O king, to be reduced to ashes as a heap of straw is capable of being consumed by a burning fire.

When the Brahmana, gratified by the king, addresses the king in delightful and affectionate words, he becomes, O Bharata, a source of great good to the king, for he continucs to live in the kingdom like a physician fighting against various ills of the body.

Such a Brahimana is sure to maintain peacefully the sons and grandsons and animals and relatives and ministers and other officers and the city and the provinces of the king.

Such is the energy of the Brahimana, like to that of the thousand-rayed Sun himself, on the Earth.

Therefore, O Yudhishthira, if one wishes to come by a respectable or happy order of being in his next birth, he should, having made the promise to a Brahmana, certainly satisfy it by actually making the gift to him.

By making gifts to a Brahmana one is sure to acquire the highest heaven. Verily, the making of gifts is the highest of deeds that one can perform.

The gods and the departed manes are supported by the gifts one makes to a Brahmana. Hence one endued with knowledge should ever make gifts to the Brahmanas.

O chief of the Bharatas, the Brahmana is considered as the highest object to whom gifts should be made. At no time should a Brahmana be received without due adoration.