Chapter 264

“Tuladhara said, ‘See with thy own eyes, O Jajali, who, viz., those thatare good or those that are otherwise, have adopted this path of duty thatI have spoken of. Thou shalt then understand properly how the truthstands. Behold, many birds are hovering in the sky. Amongst them arethose that were reared on thy head, as also many hawks and many others ofother species. Behold, O Brahmana, those birds have contracted theirwings and legs for entering their respective nests. Summon them, Oregenerate one! There those birds, treated with affection by thee, aredisplaying their love for thee that art their father. Without doubt, thouart their father, O Jajali! Do thou summon thy children.’

“Bhishma continued, ‘Then those birds, summoned by Jajali, made answeragreeably to the dictates of that religion which is not fraught withinjury to any creature.[1188] All acts that are done without injuring anycreature become serviceable (to the doer) both here and hereafter. Thoseacts, however, that involve injury to others, destroy faith, and faithbeing destroyed, involves the destroyer in ruin. The sacrifices of thosethat regard acquisition and non-acquisition in the same light, that areendued with faith that are self-restrained, that have tranquil minds, andthat perform sacrifices from a sense of duty (and not from desire offruit), become productive of fruit.[1189] Faith with respect to Brahma isthe daughter of Surya, O regenerate one. She is the protectress and sheis the giver of good birth. Faith is superior to the merit born of(Vedic) recitations and meditation.[1190] An act vitiated by defect ofspeech is saved by Faith. An act vitiated by defect of mind is saved byFaith. But neither speech nor mind can save an act that is vitiated bywant of Faith.[1191] Men conversant with the occurrences of the pastrecite in this connection the following verse sung by Brahman. Theofferings in sacrifices of a person that is pure (in body and acts) butwanting in Faith, and of another that is impure (in respect of theirworthiness of acceptance). The food, again, of a person conversant withthe Vedas but miserly in behaviour, and that of a usurer that is liberalin conduct,[1192] the deities after careful consideration, had held to beequal (in respect of their worthiness of acceptance). The’ Supreme Lordof all creatures (viz., Brahman) then told them that they had committedan error. The food of a liberal person is sanctified by Faith. The food,however, of the person that is void of Faith is lost in consequence ofsuch want of Faith. The food of a liberal usurer is acceptable but notthe food of a miser.[1193] Only one person in the world, viz., he that isbereft of Faith, is unfit to make offerings to the deities. The food ofonly such a man is unfit to be eaten. This is the opinion of menconversant with duties. Want of Faith is a high sin. Faith is a cleanserof sins. Like a snake casting off its slough, the man of Faith succeedsin casting off all his sin. The religion of abstention with Faith issuperior to all things considered sacred. Abstaining from all faults ofbehaviour, he who betakes himself to Faith, becomes sanctified. What needhath such a person of penances, or of conduct, or of endurance? Every manhas Faith. Faith, however, is of three kinds, viz., as affected bySattwa, by Rajas and by Tamas, and according to the kind of Faith thatone has, one is named. Persons endued with goodness and possessed ofinsight into the true import of morality have thus laid down the subjectof duties. We have, as the result of our enquiries, got all this from thesage Dharmadarsana. O thou of great wisdom, betake thyself to Faith, forthou shalt then obtain that which is superior. He who has Faith (in thedeclarations of the Srutis), and who acts according to their import (inthe belief that they are good for him), is certainly of righteous soul. OJajali, he who adheres to his own path (under the influence of Faith) iscertainly a superior person.’

“Bhishma continued, ‘After a short while, Tuladhara and Jajali, both ofwhom had been endued with great wisdom, ascended to heaven and sportedthere in great happiness,[1194] having reached their respective placesearned by their respective acts. Many truths of this kind were spoken ofby Tuladhara. That eminent person understood this religion (of abstentionfrom injury) completely. These eternal duties were accordingly proclaimedby him. The regenerate Jajali, O son of Kunti, having heard these wordsof celebrated energy, betook himself to tranquillity. In this way, manytruths of grave import were uttered by Tuladhara, illustrated by examplesfor instruction. What other truths dost thou wish to hear?'”