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celestials. Let Brahmanas of pure behaviour and Brahma-effulgence be born in a kingdom. Kshatriyas also that are splendid |
car-warriors and that are capable of scorching all foes, should be desired (amongst those that settle in a kingdom). This was |
said unto me by Narada. There is nothing higher, O king, than this, viz., the act of causing a Brahmana possessed of good birth, |
having a knowledge of morality and righteousness, and steadfast in the observance of excellent vows, to take up his residence |
in one's mansion. Such an act is productive of every kind of blessing. The sacrificial offerings given unto Brahmanas reach the |
very deities who accept them. Brahmanas are the sires of all creatures. There is nothing higher than a Brahmana. Aditya, |
Chandramas, Wind, Water, Earth, Sky and the points of the compass, all enter the body of the Brahmana and take what the |
Brahmana eats.[257] In that house where Brahmanas do not eat, the Pitris refuse to eat. The deities also never eat in the house |
of the wretch who hates the Brahmanas. When the Brahmanas are gratified, the Pitris also are gratified. There is no doubt in |
this. They that give away the sacrificial butter unto the Brahmanas become themselves gratified (in this and the other world). |
Such men never meet with destruction. Verily, they succeed in attaining to high ends. Those particular offerings in sacrifices |
with which one gratifies the Brahmanas go to gratify both the Pitris and the deities. The Brahmana is the cause of that sacrifice |
whence all created things have sprung. The Brahmana is acquainted with that from which this universe has sprung and unto |
which, when apparently destroyed, it returns. Indeed the Brahmana knows the path that leads to Heaven and the other path that |
leads to the opposite place. The Brahmana is conversant with what has happened and what will happen. The Brahmana is the |
foremost of all two-legged beings. The Brahmana, O chief of the Bharatas, is fully conversant with the duties that have been |
laid down for his order. Those persons that follow the Brahmanas are never vanquished. Departing from this world, they never |
meet with destruction. Indeed victory is always theirs. Those high-souled persons,--indeed, those persons that have subdued |
their souls,--who accept the words that fall from the lips of the Brahmanas, are never vanquished. Victory always becomes |
theirs.[258] The energy and might of those Kshatriyas who scorch everything with their energy and might become neutralised |
when they encounter the Brahmanas. The Bhrigus conquered the Talajanghas. The son of Angiras conquered the Nipas. |
Bharadwaja conquered the Vitahavyas as also the Ailas. O chief of Bharata's race. Although all these Kshatriyas were capable |
of using diverse kinds of arms, yet the Brahmanas named, owning only black deer skins for their emblems, succeeded in |
conquering them effectually. Bestowing the Earth upon the Brahmanas and illuminating both the worlds by the splendour of |
such a deed, one should accomplish acts through which one may succeed in attaining to the end of all things.[259] Like fire |
concealed within wood, everything that is said or heard or read in this world, lies ensconced in the Brahmana. In this |
connection is cited the old history of the conversation between Vasudeva and the Earth, O chief of Bharata's race!' |
"Vasudeva said, 'O mother of all creatures, O auspicious goddess, I desire to ask thee for a solution of this doubt of mine. By |
what act does a man leading the domestic mode of life succeed in cleansing all his sins?' |
"The Earth said, 'One should serve the Brahmanas. This conduct is cleansing and excellent. All the impurities destroyed of that |
man who serves the Brahmanas with reverence. From this (conduct) arises prosperity. From this arises fame. From this springs |
forth intelligence or knowledge of the soul. A Kshatriya by this conduct, becomes a mighty car-warrior and a scorcher of foes |
and succeeds in acquiring great fame. Even this is what Narada said unto me, viz., that one should always revere a Brahmana |
that is well-born, of rigid vows and conversant with the scriptures, if one desires every kind of prosperity. That man really |
grows in prosperity who is applauded by the Brahmanas, who are higher than those that are regarded superior to all men high |
or low. That man who speaks ill of the Brahmanas soon meets with discomfiture, even as a clod of unbaked earth meets with |
destruction when cast into the sea. After the same manner, all acts that are hurtful to the Brahmanas are sure to bring about |
discomfiture and ruin. Behold the dark spots on the Moon and the salt waters of the ocean. The great Indra had at one time |
been marked all over with a thousand sex-marks. It was through the power of the Brahmanas that those marks became altered |
into as so many eyes. Behold, O Mahadeva how all those things took place. Desiring fame and prosperity and diverse regions |
of beautitude in the next world, a person of pure behaviour and soul should, O slayer of Madhu, live in obedience to the |
dictates of the Brahmanas.'[260] |
"Bhishma continued, 'Hearing these words of the goddess Earth, the slayer of Madhu, O thou of Kuru's race, exclaimed,-- |
Excellent, Excellentand honoured the goddess in due form. Having heard this discourse between the goddess Earth and |
Madhava, do thou, O son of Pritha, always, with rapt soul, worship all superior Brahmanas. Doing this, thou shalt verily obtain |
what is highly beneficial for thee!"' |
SECTION XXXV |
"Bhishma said, 'O blessed king, Brahmana, by birth alone, becomes an object of adoration with all creatures and are entitled, as |
guests, to eat the first portion of all cooked food.[261] From them flow all the great objects of life (viz., Righteousness and |
Wealth and Pleasure and Emancipation). They are the friends of all creatures in the universe. They are again the mouths of the |
deities (for food poured into their mouths is eaten by the deities). Worshipped with reverence, they wish us prosperity by |
uttering words fraught with auspiciousness. Disregarded by our foes, let them be enraged with these, and let them wish evil |
unto those detractors of theirs, uttering words fraught with severe curses. In this connection, persons conversant with ancient |
history repeat the following verses sung of old respecting how in ancient times the Creator, after having created the |
Brahmanas, ordained their duties.--A Brahmana should never do anything else than what has been ordained for him. Protected, |
they should protect others. By conducting themselves in this way, they are sure to attain to what is mightily advantageous for |
them. By doing those acts that are ordained for them, they are sure to obtain Brahma-prosperity. Ye shall become the |
exemplars of all creatures, and reins for restraining them. A Brahmana possessed of learning should never do that which is laid |
down for the Sudras. By doing such acts, a Brahmana loses merit[262]. By Vedic study he is sure to obtain prosperity and |
intelligence and energy and puissance competent to scorch all things, as also glory of the most exalted kind. By offering |
oblations of clarified butter unto the deities, the Brahmanas attain to high blessedness and become worthy of taking the |
precedence of even children in the matter of all kinds of cooked food, and endued with Brahma-prosperity.[263] Endued with |
faith that is fraught with compassion towards all creatures, and devoted to self-restraint and the study of the Vedas, ye shall |
attain to the fruition of all your wishes. Whatever things exist in the world of men, whatever things occur in the region of the |
deities, can all be achieved acquired with the aid of penances and knowledge and the observance of vows and restraints. I have |
thus recited to thee, O sinless one, the verses that were sung by Brahma himself. Endued with supreme intelligence and |
wisdom, the Creator himself ordained this, through compassion for the Brahmanas. The puissance of those among them that |
are devoted to penances is equal to the might of kings. They are verily irresistible, fierce, possessed of the speed of lightning, |
and exceedingly quick in what they do. There are amongst them those that are possessed of the might of lions and those that are |
possessed of the might of tigers. Some of them are endued with the might of boars, some with that of the deer, and some with |
that of crocodiles. Some there are amongst them whose touch resembles that of snakes of virulent poison, and some whose bite |
resembles that of sharks. Some amongst them are capable of compassing by speech alone the destruction of those that are |
opposed to them; and some are competent to destroy by a glance only of their eyes. Some, amongst them, as already said, are |
like snakes of virulent poison, and some of them are possessed of very mild dispositions. The dispositions, O Yudhisthira, of |
the Brahmanas, are of diverse kinds. The Mekalas, the Dravidas, the Lathas, the Paundras, the Konwasiras, the Saundikas, the |
Daradas, the Darvas, the Chauras, the Savaras, the Varvaras, the Kiratas, the Yavanas, and numerous other tribes of Kshatriyas, |
have become degraded into the status of Sudras through the wrath of Brahmanas. In consequence of having disregarded the |
Brahmanas, the Asuras have been obliged to take refuge in the depths of the ocean. Through the grace of the Brahmanas, the |
deities have become denizens of the happy regions of Heaven. The element of space or ether is incapable of being touched. The |
Himavat mountains are incapable of being moved from their site. The current of Ganga is incapable of being resisted by a dam. |
The Brahmanas are incapable of being subjugated. Kshatriyas are incapable of ruling the Earth without cultivating the good |
will of the Brahmanas. The Brahmanas are high-souled beings. They are the deities of the very deities. Do thou always worship |
them with gifts and obedient services: if, indeed, thou wishest to enjoy the sovereignty of the whole Earth with her belt of seas. |
The energy and might of Brahmanas, O sinless one, become abated in consequence of the acceptance of gift. Thou shouldst |
protect thy race. O king, from those Brahmanas that do not desire to accept gifts!'"[264] |
(Anusasana Parva Continued in Volume XI) |
SECTION XXXVI |
"Bhishma said, 'In this connection is cited the old history of the discourse between Sakra and Samvara. Do thou listen to it, O |
Yudhishthira. Once upon a time Sakra, assuming the guise of an ascetic with matted locks on his head and body smeared with |
ashes all over, rode on an ugly car and repaired to the presence of the Asura Samvara.' |
"Sakra said, 'Through what conduct, O Samvara, hast thou been able to get at the head of all individuals of thy race? For what |
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