' Thus praised, the Rakshasa worshipped that
learned Brahmana in return, and making him his friend and bestowing
sufficient wealth upon him in gift, let him off (without devouring him).'"
SECTION CXXV
"Yudhishthira said, 'Tell me, O grandsire, how a poor man, desirous of
achieving his own good, should bear himself after having acquired the
status of humanity and come into this region of acts that is so difficult
to attain. Tell me also what is the best of all gifts, and what should be
given under what circumstances. Tell me, O son of Ganga, who art truly
deserving of honour and worship. It behoveth thee to discourse to us on
these mysteries.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus questioned by that famous monarch, viz.,
the son of Pandu, Bhishma explained (in these words) unto that king these
high mysteries appertaining to duty.'
"Bhishma said, 'Listen to me with concentrated attention, O king, as I
explain to thee, O Bharata, these mysteries appertaining to duties, after
the same manner in which the holy Vyasa had explained them to me in days
of yore. This subject is a mystery to the very deities, O monarch. Yama
of stainless deeds, with the aid of vows well-observed and Yoga
meditation, had acquired the knowledge of these mysteries as the high
fruits of his penances.[539] What pleases what deity, what pleases the
Pitris, the Rishis, the Pramathas (associates of Mahadeva), the goddess
Sri, Chitragupta (the recording assistant of Yama), and the mighty
Elephants at the cardinal points of the compass, what constitutes the
religion of the Rishis--the religion, which has many mysteries and which
is productive of high fruits,--the merits of what are called great gifts,
and the merits that attach to all the sacrifices, he who knows these, O
sinless one, and knowing acts according to his knowledge, becomes freed
from stains if he has stains and acquires the merits indicated.
Pages:
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864