Chapter 7

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O the best of Bharata’s race and the foremost ofgreat men, I wish to know what the fruits are of good deed. Do thouenlighten me on this point.'”

“Bhishma said, ‘I shall tell thee what thou hast asked. Do thou, OYudhishthira, listen to this which constitutes the secret knowledge ofthe Rishis. Listen to me as I explain what the ends, long coveted, arewhich are attained by men after death. Whatever actions are performed byparticular corporeal beings, the fruits thereof are reaped by the doerswhile endued with similar corporeal bodies; for example, the fruits ofactions done with mind are enjoyed at the time of dreams, and those ofactions performed physically are enjoyed in the working state physically.In whatever states creatures perform good or evil deeds, they reap thefruits thereof in similar states of succeeding lives. No act done withthe aid of the five organs of sensual perception, is ever lost. The fivesensual organs and the immortal soul which is the sixth, remain itswitnesses. One should devote one’s eye to the service of the guest andshould devote one’s heart on the same; one should utter words that areagreeable; one should also follow and worship (one’s guest). This iscalled Panchadakshin Sacrifice, (the sacrifice with five gifts). He whooffers good food to the unknown and weary travellers fatigued by a longjourney, attains to great merit. Those that use the sacrificial platformas their only bed obtain commodious mansions and beds (in subsequentbirths). Those that wear only rags and barks of trees for dress, obtaingood apparel and ornaments in next birth. One possessed of penances andhaving his soul on Yoga, get vehicles and riding animals (as the fruit oftheir renunciation in this life). The monarch that lies down by the sideof the sacrificial fire, attains to vigour and valour. The man whorenounces the enjoyment of all delicacies, attains to prosperity, and hethat abstains from animal food, obtains children and cattle, He who liesdown with his head downwards, or who lives in water, or who livessecluded and alone in the practice of Brahmacharya, attains to all thedesired ends. He who offers shelter to a guest and welcomes him withwater to wash his feet as also with food, light and bed, attains to themerits of the sacrifice with the five gifts. He who lays himself down ona warrior’s bed on the battle-field in the posture of a warrior, goes tothose eternal regions where all the objects of desire are fulfilled. Aman, O king, attains to riches that makes charitable gifts. One securesobedience to one’s command by the vow of silence, all the enjoyments oflife by practice of austerities, long life by Brahmacharya, and beauty,prosperity and freedom from disease by abstaining from injury to others.Sovereignty falls to the lot of those that subsist on fruits and rootsonly. Residence in heaven is attained by those that live on only leavesof trees. A man, O king, is said to obtain happiness, by abstention fromfood. By confining one’s diet to herbs alone, one becomes possessed ofcows. By living on grass one attains to the celestial regions. Byforegoing all intercourse with one’s wife and making ablutions threetimes during the day and by inhaling the air only for purposes ofsubsistence, one obtains the merit of a sacrifice. Heaven is attained bythe practice of truth, nobility of birth by sacrifices. The Brahmana ofpure practices that subsists on water only, and performs the Agnihotraceaselessly, and recites the Gayatri, obtains a kingdom. By abstainingfood or by regulating it, one attains to residence in heaven. O king, byabstaining from all but the prescribed diet while engaged in sacrifices,and by making pilgrimage for twelve years, one attains to a place betterthan the abodes reserved for heroes. By reading all the Vedas, one isinstantly liberated from misery, and by practising virtue in thought, oneattains to the heavenly regions. That man who is able to renounce thatintense yearning of the heart for happiness and material enjoyments,–ayearning that is difficult of conquest by the foolish and that doth notabate with the abatement of bodily vigour and that clings like a fataldisease unto him,–is able to secure happiness. As the young calf is ableto recognise its dam from among a thousand cows, so does the previousacts of a man pursue him (in all his different transformations). As theflowers and fruits of a tree, unurged by visible influences, never misstheir proper season, so does Karma done in a previous existence bringabout its fruits in proper time. With age, man’s hair grows grey, histeeth become loose; his eyes and ears too become dim in action; but theonly thing that does not abate is his desire for enjoyments. Prajapati ispleased with those acts that please one’s father, and the Earth ispleased with those acts that please one’s mother, and Brahma is adoredwith those acts that please one’s preceptor. Virtue is honoured by himwho honours these three. The acts of those that despise these three donot avail them.'”

“Vaisampayana said, ‘The princes of Kuru’s race became filled with wonderupon listening to this speech of Bhishma. All of them became pleased inmind and overpowered with joy. As Mantras applied with a desire to winvictory, or the performance of the Shoma sacrifice made without propergifts, or oblations poured on the fire without proper hymns, becomeuseless and lead to evil consequences, even so sin and evil results flowfrom falsehood in speech. O prince, I have thus related to thee thisdoctrine of the fruition of good and evil acts, as narrated by the Rishisof old. What else dost thou wish to hear?”