Chapter 93
“Yudhishthira said, ‘If Brahmanas that are in the observance of a vow(viz., fast) eat, at the invitation of a Brahmana, the Havi (offered at aSraddha), can they be charged with the transgression or a violation oftheir vow, or should they refuse the invitation of a Brahmana when suchinvitation is received by them? Tell me this, O grandsire!’
“Bhishma said, ‘Let those Brahmanas eat, impelled by desire, who areobservant of such vows as are not indicated in the Vedas. As regardsthose Brahmanas, however, that are observant of such vows are indicatedin the Vedas, they are regarded as guilty of a breach of their vow, OYudhishthira, by eating the Havi of a Sraddha at the request of him whoperforms the Sraddha.’
“Yudhishthira said, ‘Some people say that fast is a penance. Is penancereally identifiable with fast or is it not so? Tell me this, O grandsire!’
“Bhishma said, ‘People do regard a regular fast for a month or a halfmonth as a penance. The truth, however, is that one who mortifies one’sown body is not to be regarded either as an ascetic or as one conversantwith duty[415]. Renunciation, however, is regarded as the best ofpenances. A Brahmana should always be an abstainer from food, and observethe vow called Brahmacharya.[416] A Brahmana should always practiseself-denial restraining even speech, and recite the Vedas. The Brahmanashould marry and surround himself with children and relatives, fromdesire of achieving righteousness. He should never sleep. He shouldabstain from meat. He should always read the Vedas and the scriptures. Heshould always speak the truth, and practise self-denial. He should eatVighasa (viz., what remains after serving the deities and guests).Indeed, he should be hospitable towards all that come to his abode. Heshould always eat Amrita (viz., the food that remains in the house afterall the family, including guests and servants have eaten) He should dulyobserve all rites and perform sacrifices.'”
“Yudhishthira said, “How may one come to be regarded as always observantof fasts? How may one become observant of vows? How, O king, may one cometo be an eater of Vighasa? By doing what may one be said to be found ofguest?'”
“Bhishma said, ‘He who takes food only morning and evening at theprescribed hours and abstains from all food during the interval between,is said to be an abstainer from food. He who has congress with only hiswedded wife and that only at her season, is said to be observant of thevow of Brahmacharya. By always making gifts, one comes to be regarded astruthful in speech. By abstaining from all meat obtained from animalsslaughtered for nothing, one becomes an abstainer from meat.[417] Bymaking gifts one becomes cleansed of all sins, and by abstaining fromsleep during daytime one comes to be regarded as always awake. He whoalways eats what remains after serving the needs of guests and servantsis said to always eat Amrita. He who abstains from eating till Brahmanashave eaten (of that food), is regarded as conquering heaven by suchabstention. He who eats what remains after serving the deities, thePitris, and relatives and dependants, is said to eat Vighasa. Such menacquire many regions of felicity in the abode of Brahman himself. There,O king, they dwell in the company of Apsaras and Gandharvas. Indeed, theysport and enjoy all sports of delight in those regions, with the deitiesand guests and the Pitris in their company, and surrounded by their ownchildren and grandchildren. Even such becomes their high end.'”
“Yudhishthira said, ‘People are seen to make diverse kinds of gifts untothe Brahmanas. What, however, is the difference, O grandsire, between thegiver and the receiver?'”
“Bhishma said, ‘The Brahmana accepts gifts from him that is righteous,and from him that is unrighteous. If the giver happens to be righteous,the receiver incurs little fault. If on the other hand, the giver happensto be unrighteous the receiver sinks in hell. In this connection is citedan old history of the conversation between Vrishadarbhi and the sevenRishis, O Bharata. Kasyapa and Atri and Vasishtha and Bharadwaja andGautama and Viswamitra and Jamadagni, and the chaste Arundhati (the wifeof Vasishtha), all had a common maidservant whose name was Ganda. A Sudraof the name of Pasusakha married Ganda and became her husband. Kasyapaand others, in days of old, observed the austerest penances and rovedover the world, desirous of attaining to the eternal region of Brahman bythe aid of Yoga-meditation. About that time, O delighter of the Kurus,there occurred a severe drought. Afflicted by hunger, the whole world ofliving creatures became exceedingly weak. At a sacrifice which had beenperformed in former times by Sivi’s son he had given away unto theRitwiks a son of his as the sacrificial present. About this time,unendued with longevity as the prince was, he died of starvation. TheRishis named, afflicted with hunger, approached the dead prince and satsurrounding him. Indeed, those foremost of Rishis, beholding the son ofhim at whose sacrifice they had officiated, O Bharata, thus dead ofstarvation, began to cook the body in a vessel, impelled by the pangs ofhunger. All food having disappeared from the world of men, thoseascetics, desirous of saving their lives, had recourse, for purposes ofsustenance, to such a miserable shift. While they were thus employed.Vrishadarbha’s son, viz., king Saivya, in course of his roving, came uponthose Rishis. Indeed, he met them on his way, engaged in cooking the deadbody, impelled by the pangs of hunger.'”
“The son of Vrishadarbha said, ‘The acceptance of a gift (from me) willimmediately relieve you all. Do you, therefore, accept a gift for thesupport of your bodies! Ye ascetics endued with wealth of penances,listen to me as I declare what wealth I have! That Brahmana who solicitsme (for gifts) is ever dear to me. Verily, I shall give unto you athousand mules. Unto each of you I shall give a thousand kine of whitehair, foremost in speed, each accompanied by a bull, and each having awell-born calf, and, therefore, yielding milk. I shall also give unto youa thousand bulls of white complexion and of the best breed and capable ofbearing heavy burdens. I shall also give you a large number of kine, ofgood disposition, the foremost of their kind, all fat, and each of which,having brought forth her first calf, is quick with her second.[418] Tellme what else I shall give of foremost villages, of grain, of barley, andof even the rarer and costly jewels. Do not seek to eat this food that isinedible. Tell me what I should give unto you for the support of yourbodies!’
“The Rishis said, ‘O king, an acceptance of gifts from a monarch is verysweet at first but it is poison in the end. Knowing this well, why doyou, O king, tempt us then with these offers? The body of the Brahmana isthe field of the deities. By penance, it is purified. Then again, bygratifying the Brahmana, one gratifies the deities. If a Brahmana acceptsthe gifts made to him by the king, he loses, by such acceptance, themerit that he would otherwise acquire by his penances that day. Indeed,such acceptance consumes that merit even as a blazing conflagrationconsumes a forest. Let happiness be thine, O king, as the result of thegifts thou makest to those that solicit thee!’ Saying these words untothem, they left the spot, proceeding by another way. The flesh thosehigh-souled ones had intended to cook remained uncooked. Indeed,abandoning that flesh, they went away, and entered the woods in search offood. After this, the ministers of the king, urged by their master,entered those woods and plucking certain figs endeavoured to give themaway unto those Rishis. The officers of the king filled some of thosefigs with gold and mixing them with others sought to induce thoseascetics to accept them. Atri took up some of those figs, and findingthem heavy refused to take them. He said, ‘We are not destitute ofknowledge. We are not fools! We know that there is gold within thesefigs. We have our senses about us. Indeed, we are awake instead of beingasleep. If accepted in this world, those will produce bitter consequencehereafter. He who seeks happiness both here and hereafter should neveraccept these.'”
“Vasishtha said, ‘If we accept even one gold coin, it will be counted asa hundred or even a thousand (in assigning the demerit that attaches toacceptance). If, therefore, we accept many coins, we shall surely attainto an unhappy end hereafter!'”
Kasyapa said, ‘All the paddy and barley on earth, all the gold andanimals and women that occur in the world, are incapable of gratifyingthe desire of a single person. Hence, one possessed of wisdom shoulddispelling cupidity, adopt tranquillity!'”
“Bharadwaja said, ‘The horns of a Ruru, after their first appearance,begin to grow with the growth of the animal. The cupidity of man is evenlike this. It has no measure!'”
“Gautama said, ‘All the objects that exist in the world are incapable ofgratifying even a single person. Man is even like the ocean, for he cannever be filled (even as the ocean can never be filled by all the watersthat are discharged into it by the rivers).'”
“Viswamitra said, ‘When one desire cherished by a person becomesgratified, there springs up immediately another whose gratification issought and which pierces him like a shaft.'”
“Jamadagni said, ‘Abstention from accepting guts supports penances astheir foundation. Acceptance, however, destroys that wealth (viz., themerit of penances).'”
“Arundhati said, ‘Some people are of opinion that things of the world maybe stored with a view to spend them upon the acquisition of righteousness(by gifts and sacrifices). I think, however, that the acquisition ofrighteousness is better than that of worldly wealth.'”
“Ganda said, ‘When these my lords, who are endued with great energy, areso very much afraid of this which seems to be a great terror a weak manas I am fear it the more.'”
“Pasusakha said, ‘The wealth there is in righteousness is very superior.There is nothing superior to it. That wealth is known to the Brahmans. Iwait upon them as their servant, only for learning to value that wealth.'”
“The Rishis (all together) said, ‘Let happiness be his, as the result ofthe gifts he makes, who is the king of the people of this land. Let hisgift be successful who has sent these fruits to us, enclosing gold withinthem.'”
“Bhishma continued, ‘Having said these words, those Rishis of steadfastvows, abandoning the figs having gold within them, left that spot andproceeded to whatever destination they liked.'”
“The ministers said, ‘O king, coming to know of the existence of goldwithin the figs, the Rishis have gone away! Let this be known to thee!’
“Bhishma continued, ‘Thus addressed by his ministers, king Vrishadarbhibecame filled with wrath against all those Rishis. Indeed, to takevengeance upon them, the monarch entered his own chamber. Observing theausterest of penances, he poured on his sacred fire libations of ghee,accompanying each with Mantras uttered by him. From that fire there thenarose as the result of the incantation, a form capable of striking everyone with fear. Vrishadarbhi named her as Yatudhani. That form which hadbeen from the incantations of the king, looking as terrible as the LastNight, appeared with joined hands before the monarch. Addressing kingVrishadarbhi, she said, ‘What shall I accomplish?'”
“Vrishadarbhi said, ‘Go and follow the seven Rishis, as also Arundhati,and the husband of their maid-servant, and the maid-servant herself, andcomprehend what the meanings are of their names. Having ascertained theirnames, do thou slay all of them. After slaying them thou mayst gowhatever destination thou likest.'”[419]
“Bhishma continued, ‘Saying, ‘So be it! the Rakshasi who had been namedYatudhani, in her proper form, proceeded to that forest in which thegreat Rishis wandered in search of food. Indeed, O king, those greatRishis, with Atri among them, roved within the forest, subsisting uponfruits and roots. In course of their wanderings they saw a mendicant ofbroad shoulders, and plump arms and legs and well-nourished face andabdomen. Of limbs that were all adipose, he was wandering with a dog inhis company. Beholding that mendicant whose limbs were all well-developedand handsome, Arundhati exclaimed, addressing the Rishis, ‘None of youwill ever be able to show such well-developed features!'”
“Vasishtha said, ‘The sacred fire of this person is not like ours forwhile he is able to pour libations on it, morning and evening, none of usare able to do the same. It is for this reason that we see both him andhis dog so well-developed.”
“Atri said, ‘This man does not, like us, feel the pangs of hunger. Hisenergy has not sustained, like ours, any diminution. Acquired with thegreatest difficulty, his Vedas have not, like ours, disappeared. Hence,it is that we see both him and his dog so well-developed.'[420]
“Viswamitra said, ‘This man is not, like us, unable to observe theeternal duties inculcated in the scriptures. I have become idle. I feelthe pangs of hunger. I have lost the knowledge I had acquired. This manis not like us in this respect. Hence I see both him and his dog sowell-developed.'”
”Jamadagni said, ‘This man has not to think of storing his annual grainand fuel as we are compelled to, do. Hence I see both him and his dog sowell-developed!’
“Kasyapa said, ‘This man has not, like us, four brothers of the wholeblood who are begging from house to house, uttering the words,’Give–Give!’ Hence it is that I see him and his dog so well-developed.’
“Bharadwaja said, ‘This man hath no regret like ours for having condemnedand cursed his spouse. He hath not acted so wickedly and senselessly.Hence I see both him and his dog so well-developed!’
“Gautama said, ‘This man bath not like us only three pieces of coveringmade of Kusa grass, and a single Ranku-skin, each of which again, isthree years old. Hence it is that I see both him and his dog sowell-developed!’
“Bhishma continued, ‘The wandering mendicant, beholding those greatRishis, approach them, and accosted them all by touching their handaccording to the custom. Conversing then with each other about thedifficulty of obtaining sustenance in that forest and the consequentnecessity of bearing the pangs of hunger, all of them left that spot.Indeed, they wandered through that wilderness, all bent upon a commonpurpose, viz., the plucking of fruits and the extraction of roots forsustenance. One day, as they were wandering they beheld a beautiful lakeovergrown with lotuses. Its banks were covered with trees that stoodthickly near one another. The waters of the lake were pure andtransparent. Indeed, the lotuses that adorned the lake were all of thehue of the morning sun. The leaves that floated on the water were of thecolour of lapis lazuli. Diverse kinds of aquatic fowls were sporting onits bosom. There was but one path leading to it. The banks were not miryand the access to the water was easy. Urged by Vrishadarbhi, the Rakshasiof frightful mien who had sprung from his incantations and who had beennamed Yatudhani, guarded the lake. Those foremost of Rishis, withPasusakha in their company, proceeded towards the lake, which was thusguarded by Yatudhani for the object of gathering some lotus stalks.[421]Beholding Yatudhani, of frightful aspect standing on the banks of thelake, those great Rishis addressed her, saying, ‘Who art thou that thusstandest alone in these solitary woods? For whom dost thou wait here?What, indeed, is thy purpose? What dost thou do here on the banks of thislake adorned with lotuses?'”
“Yatudhani said, ‘It matters not who I am. I deserve not to be questioned(respecting my name and race and purposes). Ye that are possessed ofascetic wealth, know that I am the guard set to watch this lake.'”
‘The Rishis said, ‘All of us are hungry. We have nothing else to eat.With thy permission we would gather some lotus-stalks!'”
“Yatudhani said, ‘Agreeably with a compact, do ye take the lotus-stalksas ye please. Ye must, one by one, give me your names. Ye may then,without delay, take the stalks!'”
“Bhishma continued, ‘Ascertaining that her name was, Yatudhani and thatshe stood there for slaying them (after knowing, from the meanings theirnames, what the extent was of their power), Atri, who was famishing withhunger, addressed her, and said these words.'”
“Atri said, ‘I am called Atri because I cleanse the world from sin. For,again, thrice studying the Vedas every day, I have made days of mynights. That, again, is no night in which I have not studied the Vedas.For these reasons also I am called Atri, O beautiful lady!'”
“Yatudhani said, ‘O thou of great effulgence, the explanation thou hastgiven me of thy name is incapable of being comprehended by me. Do thou,therefore, go and plunge into this tank filled with lotuses!'”
“Vasishtha said, ‘I am endued with the wealth (that consists of the Yogaattributes of puissance, etc.) I lead, again, a domestic mode of life,and am regarded as the foremost of all persons that lead such a mode oflife. In consequence of being endued with (such) wealth, of my living asa householder, and of my being regarded as the foremost of allhouseholders, I am called Vasishtha.’
“Yatudhani said, ‘The etymological explanation of thy name is perfectlyincomprehensible to me, in as much as the inflections which the originalroots have undergone are unintelligible. Rio and plunge into this lake oflotuses!'”
“Kasyapa said, ‘I always protect my body, and in consequence of mypenances I have become endued with effulgence. For thus protecting thebody and for this effulgence that is due to my penances, I have come tobe called by the name of Kasyapa!’
“Yatudhani said, ‘O thou of great effulgence, the etymologicalexplanation thou hast given of thy name is incapable of beingcomprehended by me. Go and plunge into this lake filled with lotuses!’
“Bharadwaja said, ‘I always support my sons, my disciples, the deities,the Brahmanas, and my wife. In consequence of thus supporting all withease, I am called Bharadwaja!’
“Yatudhani said, ‘The etymological explanation thou hast given me of thyname is perfectly incomprehensible to me, in consequence of the manyinflections the root has undergone. Go and plunge into this lake filledwith lotuses!'”
“Gotama said, ‘I have conquered heaven and earth by the aid ofself-restraint. In consequence of my looking upon all creatures andobjects with an equal eye, I am like a smokeless fire. Hence I amincapable of being subjugated by thee. When, again, I was born, theeffulgence of my body dispelled the surrounding darkness. For thesereasons I am called Gotama!’
“Yatudhani said, ‘The explanation thou hast given me of thy name, O greatascetic, is incapable of being understood by me. Go and plunge into thislake of lotuses!'”
“Viswamitra said, ‘The deities of the universe are my friends. I am alsothe friend of the universe. Hence, O Yatudhani, know that I am calledViswamitra!’
“Yatudhani said, ‘The explanation thou hast given of thy name isincomprehensible to me in consequence of the inflections the root hasundergone. Go and plunge into this lake of lotuses!'”
“Jamadagni said, ‘I have sprung from the sacrificial fire of the deities.Hence am I called Jamadagni, O thou of beautiful features!'”
“Yatudhani said, ‘The etymological explanation thou hast given me, Ogreat ascetic, of thy name, is incomprehensible to me (in consequence ofthe diverse inflections the root has undergone) Do thou go and plungeinto this lake of lotuses!'”
“Arundhati said, ‘I always stay by the side of my husband, and hold theearth jointly with him. I always incline my husband’s heart towards me. Iam, for these reasons called Arundhati!’
“Yatudhani said, The explanation thou hast given me of thy name isperfectly incomprehensible to me in consequence of the inflections theroots have undergone. Go and plunge into this lake of lotuses!’
“Ganda said, ‘The Ganda means a portion of the cheek. As I have thatportion a little elevated above the others, I am, O thou that hast sprungfrom the sacrificial fire of Saivya, called by the name of Ganda!'”
“Yatudhani said, ‘The explanation which thou hast given me of thy name isperfectly incomprehensible to me in consequence of the inflections whichthe root has undergone. Go and plunge into this lake of lotuses!'”
“Pasusakha said, ‘I protect and tend all animals that I see, and I amalways a friend to all animals. Hence am I called Pasusakha, O thou thathast sprung from the (sacrificial) fire (of king Vrishadarbhi).’
“Yatudhani said, ‘The explanation thou hast given me of thy name isperfectly incomprehensible to me in consequence of the inflections whichthe roots have undergone. Go and plunge into this lake of lotuses!'”
“Sunahsakha said,[422] ‘I am incapable of explaining the etymology of myname after the manner of these ascetics. But know, O Yatudhani, that I amcalled by the name of Sunahsakha!’
“Yatudhani said, ‘Thou hast mentioned thy name only once. The explanationthou hast offered I have not able to catch. Do thou, therefore, mentionit again, O regenerate one!'”
“Sunahsakha said, ‘Since thou hast been unable to catch my name inconsequence of my having mentioned it only once, I shall strike thee withmy triple stick! Struck with it, be thou consumed into ashes withoutdelay!'”
“Bhishma continued, ‘Struck then, on the head, by the Sannyasin, with histriple stick which resembled the chastisement inflicted by a Brahmana,the Rakshasi who had sprung from the incantations of king. Vrishadarbhifell down on the earth and became reduced to ashes.[423] Having thusdestroyed the mighty Rakshasi, Sunahsakha thrust his stick into the earthand sat himself down on a grassy plot of land. The Rishis then, having,as they liked, plucked a number of lotuses and taken up a number oflotus-stalks, came up from the lake, filled with joy. Throwing on theground the heap of lotuses which they had gathered with much toil, theyplunged once more into it for offering oblations of water to the Pitris.Coming up, they proceeded to that part of the bank where they haddeposited the lotus-stalks. Reaching that spot, those foremost of menfound that the stalks were nowhere to be seen.'”
“The Rishis said, ‘What sinful and hard-hearted man has stolen away thelotus-stalks gathered by our hungry selves from desire of eating?’
“Bhishma continued, ‘Those foremost of regenerate persons, suspecting oneanother, O crusher of foes, said, ‘We shall each have to swear to ourinnocence! All those ascetics then, famishing with hunger and worn outwith exertion, agreeing to the proposal, took these oaths.’
“Atri said, ‘Let him who has stolen the lotus-stalk touch kine with hisfoot, make water facing the sun, and study the Vedas on excluded days!'”
“Vasishtha said, ‘Let him who has stolen the lotus-stalks abstain fromstudying the Vedas, or leash hounds, or be a wandering mendicantunrestrained by the ordinances laid down for that mode of life, or be aslayer of persons that seek his protection, or live upon the proceeds ofthe sale of his daughter, or solicit wealth from those that are low andvile!'”
“Kasyapa, said, ‘Let him who has stolen the lotus-stalks utter all kindsof words in all places, give false evidence in a court of law, eat theflesh of animals not slain in sacrifices, make gifts to undeservingpersons or to deserving persons at unseasonable times, and have sexualcongress with women during daytime!'”
“Bharadwaja said, ‘Let him who has stolen the lotus-stalks be cruel andunrighteous in his conduct towards women and kinsmen and kine. Let himhumiliate Brahmanas, in disputations, by displaying his superiorknowledge and skill. Let him study the Riks and the Yajuses, disregardinghis preceptor! Let him pour libations upon fires made with dry grass orstraw!”[424]
“Jamadagni said, ‘Let him who has stolen the lotus-stalks be guilty ofthrowing filth and dirt on water. Let him be inspired with animositytowards kine. Let him be guilty of having sexual congress with women attimes other than their season. Let him incur the aversion of all persons.Let him derive his maintenance from the earnings of his wife! Let himhave no friends and let him have many foes! Let him be another’s guestfor receiving in return those acts of hospitality which he has done tothat other![425]'”
“Gotama said, ‘Let him who has stolen the lotus-stalks be guilty ofthrowing away the Vedas after having studied them! Let him cast off thethree sacred fires! Let him be a seller of the Soma (plant or juice)! Lethim live with that Brahmana who resides in a village which has only onewell from which water is drawn by all classes and who has married a Sudrawoman!'”
“Viswamitra said, ‘Let him who has stolen the lotus-stalks be fated tosee his preceptors and seniors and his servants maintained by othersduring his own life-time. Let him not have a good end. Let him be thefather of many children! Let him be always impure and a wretch amongBrahmanas! Let him be proud of his possessions! Let him be a tiller ofthe soil and let him be filled with malice! Let him wander in the seasonof rains. Let him be a paid servant! Let him be the priest of the king!Let him assist at the sacrifices of such impure persons as do not deserveto be assisted at their sacrifices!'”
“Arundhati said, ‘Let her who has stolen the lotus-stalks alwayshumiliate her mother-in-law! Let her be always vexed with her husband!Let her eat whatever good things come to her house without sharing themwith others! Disregarding the kinsmen of her lord, let her live in herhusband’s house and eat, at the day’s close, the flour of fried barely!Let her come to be regarded as unenjoyable (in consequence of the stainsthat would tarnish her)! Let her be the mother of a heroic son![426]'”
“Ganda said, ‘Let her who has stolen, the lotus-stalks be always aspeaker of falsehoods! Let her always quarrel with her kinsmen! Let herbestow her daughter in marriage for a pecuniary consideration! Let hereat the food which she has cooked, alone and without sharing it withanybody! Let her pass her whole life in slavery! Indeed, let her who hasstolen the lotus-stalks be quick with child in consequence of sexualcongress under circumstances of guilt.'”
“Pasusakha said, ‘Let him who has stolen the lotus-stalks be born of aslave-mother. Let him have many children all of whom are worthless! Andlet him never bow to the deities.'”
“Sunahsakha said, ‘Let him who has removed the lotus-stalks obtain themerit of bestowing his daughter in marriage upon a Brahmana, who hasstudied all the Samans and the Yajuses and who has carefully observed thevow of Brahmacharya, Let him perform the final ablutions after havingstudied all the Atharvans!'”
“All the Rishis said, ‘The oath thou hast taken is no oath at all, forall the acts which thou hast mentioned are very desirable for theBrahmanas! It is evident, O Sunahsakha, that thou hast appropriated ourlotus-stalks!'”
“Sunahsakha said, ‘The lotus stalks deposited by you not being seen, whatyou say is perfectly true, for it is I who have actually stolen them. Inthe very sight of all of you I have caused the disappearance of thosestalks! Ye sinless ones, the act was done by me from desire of testingyou! I came hither for protecting you. That woman who lies slain therewas called Yatudhani. She was of a fierce disposition. Sprung from theincantations of king Vrishadarbhi, she had come here from the desire ofslaying all of you! You ascetics endued with wealth of penances, egged onby that king, she had come, but I have slain her. That wicked and sinfulcreature, sprung from the sacrificial fire, would otherwise have takenyour lives. It was for killing her and saving you that I came here, yelearned Brahmanas! Know that I am Vasava! Ye have completely freedyourselves from the influence of cupidity. In consequence of this, yehave won many eternal regions fraught with the fruition of every wish assoon as it rises in the heart! Do ye rise, without delay, from this placeand repair to those regions of beatitude, ye regenerate ones, that arereserved for you!’
“Bhishma continued, ‘The great Rishis, highly gratified at this, repliedunto Purandara, saying, ‘So be it!’ They then ascended to heaven incompany of Indra himself. Even thus, those high-souled persons, thoughfamishing with hunger and though tempted at such a time with the offer ofdiverse kinds of enjoyable articles, refrained from yielding totemptation. As the result of such self-denial, they attained to heaven.It seems, therefore, that one should, under all circumstances, cast offcupidity from oneself. Even this, O king, is the highest duty. Cupidityshould be cast off. The man who recites this account (of the deeds of therighteous Rishis) in assemblies of men, succeeds in acquiring wealth.Such a man has never to attain to a distressful end. The Pitris, theRishis, and the deities become all pleased with him. Hereafter, again, hebecomes endued with fame and religious merit and wealth!'”
