SECTION XXII
"Yudhishthira said, 'Whom do the eternal Brahmanas strictly observing
religious rites call a proper object of gifts? Is a Brahmana that bears
the symbols of the order of life he follows to be regarded as such or one
who does not bear such indications is to be so regarded?'[202]
"Bhishma said, 'O monarch, it has been said that gifts should be made
unto a Brahmana that adheres to the duties of his own order, whether, he
bears the indications of a Brahmachari or not, for both are faultless,
viz., he that bears such indications and he that is divested of them.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'What fault does an uncleansed person incur, if he
makes gifts of sacrificial butter or food with great devotion unto
persons of the regenerate order?'
"Bhishma said, 'Even one that is most destitute of self-restraint
becomes, without doubt, cleansed by devotion. Such a man, O thou of great
splendour, becomes cleansed in respect of every act (and not with
reference to gift alone).'
"Yudhishthira said, 'It has been said that a Brahmana that is sought to
be employed in an act having reference to the deities, should never be
examined. The learned, however, say that with respect to such acts as
have reference to the Pitris, the Brahmana that is sought to be employed,
should be examined (in the matter of both his conduct and competence).'
"Bhishma said, 'As regards acts that have reference to the deities, these
fructify not in consequence of the Brahmana that is employed in doing the
rites but through the grace of the deities themselves. Without doubt,
those persons that perform sacrifice obtain the merit attached to those
acts, through the grace of the deities.[203] The Brahmanas, O chief of
the Bharatas, are always devoted of Brahman. The Rishi Markandeya, one of
the greatest Rishis endued with intelligence in all the worlds, said this
in days of yore.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'Why, O grandsire, are there five viz., he that is a
stranger, he that is endued with learning (connected with the duties of
his order), he that is connected by marriage, he that is endued with
penances, and he that adheres to the performance of sacrifices, regarded
as proper persons?'[204]
"Bhishma said, 'The first three, viz., strangers, relatives, and
ascetics, when possessed of these attributes, viz., purity of birth,
devotion to religious acts, learning, compassion, modesty, sincerity, and
truthfulness, are regarded as proper persons. The other two, viz., men of
learning and those devoted to sacrifices, when endued with five of these
attributes, viz., purity of birth, compassion, modesty, sincerity,
truthfulness, are also regarded as proper persons. Listen now to me, O
son of Pritha, as I recite to thee the opinions of these four persons of
mighty energy, viz., the goddess Earth, the Rishi Kasyapa, Agni (the
deity of fire) and the ascetic Markandeya.'
"The Earth said, 'As a clod of mud, when thrown into the great ocean
quickly dissolves away, even so every kind of sin disappears in the three
high attributes viz., officiation at sacrifices, teaching and receiving
of gifts.[205]
"Kasyapa said, 'The Vedas with their six branches, the Sankhya
philosophy, the Puranas, and high birth, these fail to rescue a
regenerate person if he falls away from good conduct.'[206]
"Agni said, 'That Brahmana who, engaged in study and regarding himself
learned, seeks with the aid of his learning to destroy the reputation of
others, falls away from righteousness, and comes to be regarded as
dissociated from truth. Verily regions of felicity herein-after are never
attained to by such a person of destructive genius.'
"Markandeya said, 'If a thousand Horse-sacrifices and Truth were weighed
in the balance, I do not know whether the former would weigh even half as
heavy as the latter.'
"Bhishma continued, 'Having spoken these words, those four persons, each
of whom is endued with immeasurable energy, viz., the goddess Earth,
Kasyapa, Agni, and Bhrigu's son armed with weapons, quickly went away.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'If Brahmanas observant of the vow of Brahmacharyya
in this world solicit the offerings one makes (unto one's deceased
ancestors in Sraddhas) I ask, can the Sraddha be regarded well-performed,
if the performer actually makes over those offerings unto such Brahmanas.
"Bhishma said, 'If, having practised the vow of Brahmacharyya for the
prescribed period (of twelve years) and acquired proficiency in the Vedas
and their branches, a Brahmana himself solicits the offering made in
Sraddhas and eats the same, he is regarded to fall away from his vow. The
Sraddha, however, is not regarded as stained in any way.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'The wise have said that duty of righteousness has
many ends and numerous doors. Tell me, O grandsire, what however are the
settled conclusions in this matter.'[207]
Bhishma said, 'Abstention from injury to others, truthfulness, the
absence of wrath (forgiveness), compassion, self-restraint, and sincerity
or candour, O monarch, are the indications of Righteousness. There are
persons who wander over the earth, praising righteousness but without
practising what they preach and engaged all the while in sin. O king, He
who gives unto such persons gold or gems or steeds, has to sink in hell
and to subsist there for ten years, eating the while the faeces of such
persons as live upon the flesh of dead kine and buffalos, of men called
Pukkasas, of others that live in the outskirts of cities and villages,
and of men that publish, under the influence of wrath and folly, the acts
and the ommissions of others.[208] Those foolish men who do give unto a
Brahmana observant of the vow of Brahmacharyya the offerings made in
Sraddhas (unto one's deceased ancestors), have to go, O monarch into
regions of great misery.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'Tell me, O grandsire, what is superior to
Brahmacharyya? What is the highest indication of virtue? What is the
highest kind of purity?'
"Bhishma said,--'I tell thee, O son, that abstention from honey and meat
is even superior to Brahmacharyya. Righteousness consists in keeping
within boundaries or in self-restraint, the best indication of
Righteousness is Renunciation (which is also the highest kind of
purity).[209]
"Yudhishthira said, 'In what time should one practise Righteousness? In
what time should wealth be sought? In what time should pleasure be
enjoyed? O grandsire, do tell me this.'
"Bhishma said,--'One should earn wealth in the first part of one's life.
Then should one earn Righteousness, and then enjoy pleasure. One should
not, however, attach oneself to any of these. One should regard the
Brahmanas, worship one's preceptor and seniors, show compassion for all
creatures, be of mild disposition and agreeable speech. To utter
false-hood in a court of justice, to behave deceitfully towards the king,
to act falsely towards preceptors and seniors, are regarded as equivalent
(in heinousness) to Brahmanicide. One should never do an act of violence
to the king's person. Nor should one ever strike a cow. Both these
offences are equivalent to the sin of foeticide. One should never abandon
one's (homa) fire. One should also never cast off one's study of the
Vedas. One should never assail a Brahmana by words or acts. All these
offences are equivalent to Brahmanicide.'
"Yudhishthira said,--'What kind of Brahmanas should be regarded as good?
By making presents unto (what kind of) Brahmanas one may acquire great
merit? What kind of Brahmanas are they whom one should feed? Tell me all
this, O grandsire!'
"Bhishma said, 'Those Brahmanas that are freed from wrath, that are
devoted to acts of righteousness, that are firm in Truth, and that
practise self-restraint are regarded as good. By making gifts unto them
one acquires great merit. One wins great merit by making presents unto
such Brahmanas as are free from pride, capable of bearing everything,
firm in the pursuit of their objects, endued with mastery over their
senses, devoted to the good of all creatures, and disposed to be friendly
towards all. One earns great merit by making gifts unto such Brahmanas as
are free from cupidity, as are pure of heart and conduct, possessed of
learning and modesty, truthful in speech and observant of their own
duties as laid down in the scriptures. The Rishis have declared that
Brahmana to be a deserving object of gifts who studies the four Vedas
with all their branches and is devoted to the six well-known duties (laid
down in the scriptures). One acquires great merit by making gifts unto
Brahmanas possessed of such qualifications. The man who makes gifts unto
a deserving Brahmana multiplies his merit a thousand-fold. A single
righteous Brahmana possessed of wisdom and Vedic lore, observant of the
duties laid down in the scriptures, distinguished by purity of behaviour,
is competent to rescue a whole race.[210] One should make gifts of kine
and horses and wealth and food and other kinds of articles unto a
Brahmana that is possessed of such qualifications. By making such gifts
unto such persons one earns great happiness in the next world. As I have
already told thee even one such Brahmana is fully competent to rescue the
entire race to which the giver belongs. What need I say, therefore, O
dear son, of the merit of making gifts unto many Brahmanas of such
qualifications? In making gifts, therefore one should always select the
object to whom the gifts are to be made. Hearing of a Brahmana possessed
of proper qualifications and regarded with respect by all good people,
one should invite him even if he resides at a distance and welcome him
when he arrives and one should worship him by all means in his power.'"
