Chapter 199

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Thou hadst referred to the dispute between Time,Mrityu, Yama, Ikshvaku, and a Brahmana. It behoveth thee to narrate thestory in full.’

“Bhishma said, ‘In connection with this subject that I am discoursingupon, is cited the old history of what transpired between Surya’s sonIkshvaku and a certain Brahmana, and Time and Mrityu. Listen to me as towhat occurred, and what was the conversation that took place betweenthem, and the place where it happened. There was a certain Brahmana ofgreat fame and pious behaviour. He was a Reciter. Possessed of greatwisdom, he was conversant with the six Angas (of the Vedas). He was ofthe Kusika race and son of Pippalada.[634] He acquired (by hisausterities) spiritual insight into the Angas.[635] Residing at the footof Himavat, he was devoted to the Vedas. Silently reciting the Gayatricomposition, he practised severe austerities for attaining to Brahma. Athousand years passed over his head while he was engaged in theobservance of vows and fasts. The goddess (of Gayatri or Savitri) showedherself to him and said, ‘I am gratified with thee.’ Continuing to recitethe sacred mantra, the Brahmana remained silent and spoke not a word tothe goddess. The goddess felt compassion for him and became highlygratified. Then that progenitrix of the Vedas applaud that recitation inwhich the Brahmana had been engaged. After finishing his recitation (forthat day) the Brahmana stood up and, bending his head, prostrated himselfbefore the goddess’s feet. The righteous-souled Reciter, addressing thegoddess, said, ‘By good luck, O goddess, thou hast been gratified with meand shown thyself to me. If, indeed, thou art gratified with me, the boonI ask is that my heart may take pleasure in act of recitation.’

“Savitri said, ‘What dost thou ask, O regenerate Rishi? What wish ofthine shall I accomplish? Tell me, O foremost of Reciters, everythingwill be as thou wishest.’ Thus addressed by the goddess, the Brahmana,conversant with duties, replied, saying, ‘Let my wish about continuing myrecitations go on increasing every moment. Let also, O auspiciousgoddess, the absorption of my mind into Samadhi be more complete.’ Thegoddess sweetly said, ‘Let it be as thou wishest.’ Desiring to do good tothe Brahmana, the goddess once again addressed him, saying, ‘Thou shaltnot have to go to hell, i.e., thither where great Brahmanas go. Thoushalt go into the region of Brahma which is uncreate and free from everyfault. I go hence, but that which thou hast asked me shall happen.[636]Go on reciting with restrained soul and rapt attention. The god Dharmawill in person come to thee. Time, Mrityu. and Yama also will allapproach thy presence. There will be a dispute here between them and theeon a question of morality.’

‘Bhishma continued, ‘Having said these words, the goddess went back toher own abode. The Brahmana. continued engaged in recitation for athousand celestial years. Restraining wrath, and always controlling self,he passed his time, firmly devoting himself to truth and freed frommalice. Upon the completion of his observance by the intelligentBrahmana, Dharma, gratified with him, showed his person unto thatregenerate individual.’

‘Dharma said, ‘O regenerate one, behold me who am Dharma. I have comehere for seeing thee. Thou hast won the reward of this recitation inwhich thou hadst been engaged. Listen to ma as to what that reward is.Thou hast won all the regions of felicity which appertain to either godsor men. O good man, thou shalt ascend above all the abodes of thedeities. O ascetic, cast off thy vital breaths then, and go unto whateverregions thou pleasest. By casting off thy body thou wilt win many regionsof felicity.’

“The Brahmana said, ‘What business have I with those regions of felicityof which thou speakest? O Dharma, go whithersoever thou pleasest. I willnot, O puissant lord, cast off this body which is subject to muchhappiness and misery.’

“Dharma said, ‘Thy body, O foremost of ascetics, should certainly be castoff. Do thou ascend to heaven, O Brahmana! Or, tell us what else shouldplease thee, O sinless one!’

“The Brahmana said, ‘I do not, O puissant lord, wish to reside in heavenitself without this body of mine. Leave me, O Dharma! I have no desire togo to heaven itself without my own body.’

“Dharma said, ‘Without (thus) setting thy heart on thy body, cast it offand be happy Go into regions that are free from the attribute of Passion.Indeed, going thither, thou shalt never have to feel any misery.’

“The Brahmana said, ‘O highly-blessed one, I take great pleasure inrecitation. What need have I for those eternal regions of which thouspeakest? Indeed, O puissant lord, I do not desire to go to heaven witheven this body of mine.’

“Dharma said, ‘If thou dost not wish to cast off thy body, behold, Oregenerate one, there is Time, and there is Mrityu, and there is Yama,who are all approaching thee!’

‘Bhishma continued, ‘After Dharma had said this, Vivaswat’s son (Yama),Time, and Mrityu,–the trio (who snatch away all creatures from theearth), approached that Brahmana, O blessed king, and addressed him thus.’

“Yama said, ‘I am Yama. I say unto thee that a high reward awaits theefor these well-performed penances of thine, and for this pious conductthat thou hast observed.’

“Time said, ‘Thou hast won a high reward which is, indeed, commensuratewith this course of recitation that thou hast finished. The time is comefor thee to ascend to heaven.. I am Time and I have come to thee.’

“Mrityu said, ‘O thou that art conversant with righteousness, know me forMrityu herself in her proper form. I have come to thee in person, urgedby Time, for bearing thee hence, O Brahmana.’

“The Brahmana said, ‘Welcome to Surya’s son, to Time possessed of highsoul, to Mrityu, and to Dharma! What shall I accomplish for you all.

“Bhishma continued, ‘In that meeting, the Brahmana gave them water towash their feet, and the usual articles of the Arghya. Highly gratified,he then addressed them, saying, ‘What shall I do for you all by exertingmy own might?’ Just at that time, 01 monarch, (king) Ikshvaku, who hadset out on a sojourn to holy waters and shrines, came to that spot wherethose deities had been assembled together. ‘The royal sage Ikshvaku bowedhis head and worshipped them all. That best of kings then enquired afterthe welfare of all of them. The Brahmana gave the king a seat, as alsowater to wash his feet, and the usual Arghya. Having next made the usualenquiries of courtesy, he said, ‘Thou art welcome, O great monarch! Tellme all this thy wishes! Let thy noble self tell me what I shall have toaccomplish for thee by putting forth my might.’

“The king said, ‘I am a king. Thou art a Brahmana in the observance ofthe six well-known duties. (1 cannot ask), I will give thee some wealth.That is well-known. Tell me how much I shall give thee.’

“The Brahmana said, ‘There are two kinds of Brahmanas, O monarch!Morality of righteousness also is of two kinds; addiction to work, andabstention from work. As regards myself, I have abstained from acceptanceof gifts. Give presents unto them, O, king, that are addicted to the dutyof work and acceptance. I shall not, therefore, accept anything in gift.On the other hand, I ask thee, what is for thy good? What, indeed, shallI give thee? Tell me, O foremost of kings, and I shall accomplish it withthe aid of my penances.’

“The king said, ‘I am a Kshatriya. I do not know how to say the word’Give.’ The only thing, O best of regenerate persons, that we can say (byway of asking) is Give (us) battle.’

“The Brahmana said, ‘Thou art content with the observance of the dutiesof thy order. Similarly, I am content with the duties of mine, O king!There is, therefore, little difference between us. Do as thou pleasest!’

“The king said, ‘Thou saidst these words first, viz., ‘I shall give theeaccording to my might.’ I, therefore, solicit thee, O regenerate one.Give me the fruits of this recitation (which thou hast gone through).’

“The Brahmana said, ‘Thou wert boasting that thy utterances alwayssolicit battle. Why then dost thou not solicit battle with me?’

“The king said, ‘It has been said that Brahmanas are armed with thethunder of speech, and that Kshatriyas have might of arms. Hence, learnedBrahmana, this wordy warfare has set in between thee and me.’

“The Brahmana said, ‘As regards myself, even that is my resolution today.What shall I give thee according to my might? Tell me, O king of kings,and I shall give thee, having wealth of my own. Do not tarry.’

“The king said, ‘If, indeed, thou desirest to give me anything, then giveme the fruits thou hast earned by practising recitation for thesethousand years.’

“The Brahmana said, ‘Take the highest fruit of the recitations I havegone through. Indeed, take half, without any scruple, of that fruit. Or,O king, if thou wishest, take without any scruple the entire fruits of myrecitations.’

“The king said, ‘Blessed be thou, I have no need for the fruits of thyrecitations which I solicited. Blessings on thy head. I am about to leavethee. Tell me, however, what those fruits are (of thy recitations).’

“The Brahmana said, ‘I have no knowledge of the fruits I have won. Ihave, however, given thee those fruits that I have acquired byrecitation. These, viz., Dharma and Time, and Yama, and Mrityu, arewitnesses (of the act of gift).’

“The king said, ‘What will the fruits, that are unknown, of these thyobservances, do for me? If thou dost not tell me what the fruits are ofthy recitations, let those fruits be thine, for without doubt I do notwish for them.’

“The Brahmana said, ‘I will not accept any other utterance (from thee). Ihave given thee the fruits of my recitations. Let, O royal sage, both thywords and mine become true. As regards my recitations, I never cherishedany specific desire to accomplish. How then, O tiger among kings, shouldI have any knowledge of what the fruits are of those recitations? Thousaidst, ‘Give!’ I said ‘I give!’ I shall not falsify these words. Keepthe truth. Be calm! If thou request to keep my word, O king, great willbe thy sin due to falsehood. O chastiser of foes, it does not become theeto utter what is untrue. Similarly, I dare not falsify what I haveuttered. I have, before this, unhesitatingly said, ‘I give!’ If,therefore, thou art firm in truth, accept my gift. Coming here, O king,thou didst solicit of me the fruits of my recitations. Therefore, takewhat I have given away, if, indeed, thou art firm in truth. He who isaddicted to falsehood had neither this world nor the next. Such a personfails to rescue his (deceased) ancestors. How again shall he succeed indoing good to his (unborn) progeny? The rewards of sacrifices and gifts,as also of fasts and religious observances, are not so efficacious inrescuing (a person from evil and hell) as Truth, O bull among men, inboth this and the next world. All the penances that have been undergoneby thee and all those that thou wilt undergo in the future for hundredsand thousands of years do not possess efficacy greater than that ofTruth. Truth is one un deteriorating Brahma. Truth is the oneundeteriorating Penance. Truth is the one undeteriorating sacrifice.Truth is the one undeteriorating Veda. Truth is awake in the Vedas. Thefruits attached to Truth have been said to be the highest. From Trutharise Righteousness and Self-restraint. Everything rests on Truth. Truthis the Vedas and their branches. Truth is Knowledge. Truth is theOrdinance. Truth is the observance of vows and fasts. Truth is thePrimeval Word Om. Truth is the origin of creatures. Truth is theirprogeny. It is by Truth that the Wind moves. It is by Truth that the Sungives heat. It is by Truth that Fire burns. It is on Truth that Heavenrests. Truth is Sacrifice, Penance, Vedas, the utterance of Samans,Mantras, and Saraswati. It hath been heard by us that once on a timeTruth and all religious observances were placed on a pair of scales. Whenboth were weighed, that scale on which Truth was, seen to be heavier.There is Truth where Righteousness is. Everything increaseth throughTruth. Why, O king, dost thou wish to do an act that is stained withfalsehood? Be firm in Truth. Do not act falsely, O monarch! Why wouldstthou falsify thy words ‘Give (me),’ which thou hast uttered? If thourefusest, O monarch, to accept the fruits that I have given thee of myrecitations, thou shalt then have to wander over the world, fallen awayfrom Righteousness! That person who does not give after having promised,and he also that does not accept after having solicited, are both stainedwith falsehood. It behoveth thee, therefore, not to falsify thy ownwords.’

“The king said, ‘To fight and protect (subjects) are the duties ofKshatriyas. It is said that Kshatriyas are givers (of presents). How thenshall I take anything from thee (in gift)?’

“The Brahmana said, ‘I never insisted on thee, O king (for acceptinganything from me in the first instance). I did not seek thy house.Thyself, coming here, didst solicit me. Why then dost thou not take?’

“Dharma said, ‘Know ye both that I am Dharma himself. Let there be nodispute between you. Let the Brahmana become endued with the rewardattaching to gift, and let the monarch also obtain the merit of Truth.’

“Heaven said, ‘Know, O great king, that I am Heaven’s self in my embodiedform, come hither in person. Let this dispute between you cease. You areboth equal in respect of the merit or rewards earned.’

“The king said, ‘I have no use with Heaven. Go, O Heaven, to the placeyou have come from. If this learned Brahmana desires to repair to thee,let him take the rewards that I have won (by my acts in life).’

“The Brahmana said, ‘In my younger days I had, through ignorance,stretched my hand (for acceptance of gifts). At present, however, Irecite the Gayatri, observing the duty of abstention.[637] Why dost thou,O king, tempt me thus, me who have for a long time observed the duty ofabstention? I shall myself do what my duty is. I do not wish to have anyshare of the rewards won by thee, O monarch! I am devoted to penances andto study of the Vedas, and I have abstained from acceptance.’

“The king said, ‘If, O Brahmana, thou art really to give me the excellentreward of thy recitation, then let half that reward be mine, thyselftaking at the same time half the reward that I myself have won by myacts. Brahmanas are engaged in the duty of acceptance. Persons born inthe royal order are engaged in the duty of giving. If thou art notunaware of the duties (laid down for both the orders), let our fruits beequal (according to the suggestion I have made). Or, if thou dost notwish to be my equal in respect of our rewards, take then the whole of therewards that I may have won. Do take the merit I have won, if thouwishest to show me grace.’

“Bhishma continued, ‘At this time, two individuals of very ungainlyaspect came there. Each had his arm upon the other’s shoulder; both wereill-dressed. They said these words, ‘Thou owest me nothing. I really owethee. If we dispute in this way, here is the king who ruleth individuals.I say truly, thou owest me nothing! Thou speakest falsely. I do owe theea debt. Both of them, waxing very hot in dispute, then addressed theking, saying, ‘See, O monarch, that none of us may become stained withsin.’

“Virupa said, ‘I woe my companion, Vikrita, O monarch, the merits of thegift of a cow. I am willing to pay off that debt. This Vikrita, however,refuses to take repayment.'[638]

“Vikrita said, ‘This Virupa, O monarch, oweth me nothing. He speaks afalsehood with the appearance of truth, O king.’

“The king said, “Tell me, O Virupa, what is that which thou owest thyfriend here. It is my resolution to hear thee and then do what is proper.’

“Virupa said, ‘Hear attentively, O king, all the circumstances in detail,about how I owe my companion, viz., this Vikrita, O ruler of men. ThisVikrita had, in bygone days, for the sake of winning merit, O sinlessone, given away an auspicious cow, O royal sage, unto a Brahmana devotedto penances as the study of the Vedas. Going unto him, O king, I beggedof him the reward of that act. With a pure heart, Vikrita made a gift tome of that reward. I then, for my purification, did some good acts. Ialso purchased two kapila cows with calves, both of which used to yieldlarge quantities of milk. I then made a present, according to due ritesand with proper devotion, of those two cows unto a poor Brahmana livingby the Unchha[639] method. Having formerly accepted the gift from mycompanion, I desire, O lord, even here, to give him return twice thereward![640] The circumstances being such, O tiger among men, who amongstus two shall be innocent and who guilty (according to your judgment)?Disputing with each other about this, we have both come to thee, Omonarch! Whether thou judgest rightly or wrongly, establish both of us inpeace. If this my companion does not wish to take from me in return agift equal to what he gave me, thou shalt have to judge patiently and setus both on the right track.’

“The king said, ‘Why do you not accept payment that is sought to be madeof the debt that is owing to thee? Do not delay, but accept payment ofwhat thou knowest is thy due.’

“Vikrita said, ‘This one says that he owes me. I say unto him that what Igave I gave away. He doth not, therefore, owe me anything. Let him gowhithersoever he wishes.’

“The king said, ‘He is ready to give thee. Thou., however, art unwillingto take. This does not seem proper to me. I think that thou deservestpunishment for this. There is little doubt in this.’

“Vikrita said, ‘I made a gift to him, O royal sage! How can I take itback? If I am guilty in this, do thou pronounce the punishment, Opuissant one.’

“Virupa said, ‘If thou refusest to take when I am ready to give, thisking will certainly punish thee, for he is an upholder of justice.’

“Vikrita said, ‘Solicited by him I gave him what was my own. How shall Inow retake that? Thou mayst go away. Thou hast my leave.’

“The Brahmana said, ‘Thou hast heard, O king, the words of these two. Dothou take without scruple that which I have pledged myself to give thee.’

“The king said, ‘This matter is, indeed, as deep (in importance) as anunfathomable pit. How will the pertinacity of this Reciter end? If I donot accept what has been given by this Brahmana, how shall I avoid beingstained with a great sin?’ The royal sage then said unto the twodisputants, ‘Go ye both, having won your respective objects. I should seethat kingly duties, vested in me, may not become futile. It is settledthat kings should observe the duties laid down for them. To mymisfortune, however, the course of duties prescribed for Brahmanas haspossessed my wretched self.'[641]

“The Brahmana said, ‘Accept, O king! I owe thee. Thou didst solicit it,and I also have become pledged (to give thee). If, however, thou refuseto take, O monarch, I shall without doubt curse thee.’

“The king said, ‘Fie on kingly duties, the settled conclusion about theoperation of which is even such. I should, however, take what thougivest, for only this reason, viz., rendering the two courses of dutyexactly equal.[642] This is my hand, that was never before (stretchedforth for acceptance of gifts), is now stretched forth (for acceptance asalso) for giving away. Give me what thou owest me.’

“The Brahmana said, ‘If I have won any fruits by reciting the Gayatri,accept them all.’

“The king said, ‘These drops of water, behold, O foremost of Brahmanas,have fallen upon my hand. I also desire to give thee. Accept my gift. Letthere be equality between us (through thy accepting my gift as I haveaccepted thine).’

“Virupa said, ‘Know, O king, that we two are Desire and Wrath. It hathbeen by us that thou hast been induced to act in this way. Thou hast madea gift in return to the Brahmana. Let there be equality between thee andthis regenerate person in respect of regions–of felicity in the nextworld. This Vikrita really does not owe me anything. We appealed to theefor thy own sake. Time, Dharma, Mrityu, and we two, have examinedeverything about thee, here in thy very presence, by producing thisfriction between thee and that Brahmana. Go now, as thou choosest, tothose regions of felicity which thou hast won by means of thy deeds.’

“Bhishma continued, ‘I have now told thee how Reciters obtain the fruits(of their recitation) and what, indeed, is their end, what the spot, andwhat the regions, that a Reciter may win. A Reciter of Gayatri goes tothe supreme god Brahman, or repairs to Agni or enters the region ofSurya. If he sports there in his (new) energetic form, then stupefied bysuch attachment, he catches the attributes of those particularregions.[643] The same becomes the case with him if he goes to Soma, orVayu, or Earth, or Space. The fact is, he dwells in all these, withattachment, and displays the attributes peculiar to those regions. If,however, he goes to those regions after having freed himself fromattachments, and feels a. mistrust (respecting the felicity he enjoys)and wishes for That Which is Supreme and Immutable, he then enters evenThat. In that case he attains to the ambrosia of ambrosia, to a statefree from desire and destitute of separate consciousness. He becomesBrahma’s self freed from the influence of opposites, happy, tranquil, andwithout pain.[644] Indeed, he attains to, that condition which is freefrom pain, which is tranquillity’s self, which is; called Brahma, whencethere is no return, and which is styled the One and Immutable. He becomesfreed from the four means of apprehension,[645] the six conditions, andalso the other six and ten attributes.[646] Transcending the Creator(Brahman), he attains to absorption into the One Supreme Soul. Or, ifunder the influence of attachments, he wishes not for such absorption,but desires to have a separate existence as dependent on that SupremeCause of everything, then obtains the fruition of everything for which hecherishes a wish. Or, if he looks (with aversion) upon all regions offelicity, which have been (as previously stated) called hells, he then,driving off desire and freed from everything, enjoys supreme felicityeven in those very regions.[647] Thus, O monarch, I have discoursed tothee about the end attained by Reciters. I have told thee everything.What else thou wishest to hear?'”