Chapter 122

“Bhishma said, ‘Thus addressed, the holy one replied unto Maitreya,saying ‘by good luck, thou art endued with knowledge. By good luck, thyunderstanding is of this kind! They that are good highly applaud allrighteous attributes. That personal beauty and youth and prosperity donot succeed in overwhelming thee is due to good luck. This favour done tothee is due to the kindness of the deities. Listen to me as I discourseto thee upon what is even superior (in efficacy) to gift. Whateverscriptures and religious treatises there are, whatever (righteous)inclinations are observable in the world, they have flowed in their dueorder, agreeably with the lead of the Vedas, according to their dueorder. Following them I applaud gift. Thou praisest penances and Vediclore. Penances are sacred. Penances are the means by which one mayacquire the Vedas and heaven also. With the aid of penances and ofknowledge, one attains to the highest fruits, we have heard. It is bypenances that one destroys one’s sins and all else that is evil. It hasbeen heard by us that with whatever purpose in view one undergoespenances, one attains the fruition thereof in consequence of thosepenances. The same may be said of knowledge. Whatever is difficult toaccomplish, whatever is difficult to conquer, what is difficult toattain, and whatever is difficult to cross, can all be achieved with theaid of penances. Of all things, penances are possessed of very superiormight. The man who drinks alcohol, or he that takes by force what belongsto others, or he that is guilty of foeticide, or he that violates the bedof his preceptor, succeeds in crossing with the aid of penances. Indeed,one becomes cleansed of all these sins through penances. One possessed ofall knowledge and, therefore, having true vision, and an ascetic ofwhatever kind, are equal. One should always bow unto these two[536]. Allmen who have the Vedas for their wealth should be worshipped. Similarly,all men endued with penances deserve to be worshipped. Those who makegifts obtain happiness hereafter and much prosperity here. Righteous menof this world, by making gifts of food obtain both this world and that ofBrahman himself with many other regions of superior felicity. Those menwho are adored by all, themselves adore him who makes gifts. Those menthat are honoured everywhere themselves honour him who make gifts.Wherever the giver goes, he bears himself praised, He who does acts andhe who omits to do them gets each what is proportionate to his acts andomissions. Whether one dwells in the upper regions or in the nether, onealways attains to those places to which one becomes entitled by one’sacts. As regards thyself, thou wilt certainly obtain whatever food anddrink thou mayst covet, Tot thou art endued with intelligence, goodbirth, Vedic lore, and compassion! Thou art possessed of youth, OMaitreya! Thou art observant of vows. Be thou devoted to Righteousness.Do thou take instructions from me regarding those duties which thoushouldst first follow,–the duties, viz., of householders. In that housein which the husband is gratified with his wedded wife, and the wifegratified with her husband, all auspicious results ensue. As filth iswashed away from the body with water, as darkness is dispelled by thesplendour of fire even so is sin washed off by gifts and penances. Blessthee, O Maitreya, let mansions be thine! I depart hence in peace. Do thoukeep in mind what I have said. Thou shalt then be able to reap manyadvantages! Maitreya then walked round his illustrious guest and bowedhis head unto him, and joining his hands in reverence said, ‘Let blessingbe to thee also, O holy one!”