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of the end that is reserved for heroes and no longer expressed any disgust at leading a householder's mode of life. Then, O
foremost of men, Yudhishthira, addressing all the other sons of Pandu, said unto them, 'Let the words which our grandfather
has said command your faith.' At this, all the Pandavas with the famous Draupadi amongst them, applauded the words of
Yudhishthira and said, 'Yes'.'"
SECTION LVIII
"Yudhishthira said, 'I desire, O chief of the Bharatas, to hear from thee what the rewards are which are attached, O best of the
Kurus, to the planting of trees and the digging of tanks.'
"Bhishma said, 'A piece of land that is agreeable to the sight, fertile, situate in the midst of delightful scenes adorned with
diverse kinds of metals, and inhabited by all sorts of creatures, is regarded as the foremost of sports. A particular portion of
such land should be selected for digging a tank. I shall tell thee, in due order, about the different kinds of tanks. I shall also tell
thee what the merits also are that attach to the digging of tanks (with the view of drawing water for the benefit of all creatures).
The man who causes a tank to be dug becomes entitled to the respect and worship of the three worlds. A tank full of water is as
agreeable and beneficial as the house of a friend. It is gratifying to Surya himself. It also contributes to growth to the deities. It
is the foremost of all things that lead to fame (with respect to the person who causes it to be excavated). The wise have said that
the excavation of a tank contributes to the aggregate of three, Righteousness, Wealth and Pleasure. A tank is said to be properly
excavated, if it is made on a piece of land that is inhabited by respectable persons. A tank is said to be subservient to all the
four purposes of living creatures. Tanks, again, are regarded as constituting the excellent beauty of a country. The deities and
human beings and Gandharvas and Pitris and Uragas and Rakshasas and even immobile beings--all resort to a tank full of water
as their refuge. I shall, therefore, tell thee what the merits are that have been said by great Rishis to be attached to tanks, and
what the rewards are that are attainable by persons that cause them to be excavated. The wise have said that that man reaps the
merit of an Agnihotra sacrifice in whose tank water is held in the season of the rains. The high reward in the world that is
reaped by the person who makes a gift of a thousand kine is won by that man in whose tank water is held in the season of
autumn. The person in whose tank water occurs in the cold season acquires the merit of one who performs a sacrifice with
plentiful gifts of gold. That person in whose tanks water occurs in the season of dew, wins, the wise have said, the merits of an
Agnishtoma sacrifice. That man in whose well-made tank water occurs in the season of spring acquires the merit of the Atiratra
sacrifice. That man in whose tank water occurs in the season of summer acquires, the Rishis say, the merits that attach to a
horse-sacrifice. That man rescues all his race in whose tank kine are seen to allay their thirst and from which righteous men
draw their water. That man in whose tank kine slake their thirst as also other animals and birds, and human beings, acquires the
merits of a horse-sacrifice. Whatever measure of water is drunk from one's tank and whatever measure is taken therefrom by
others for purposes of bathing, all become stored for the benefit of the excavator of the tank and he enjoys the same for
unending days in the next world. Water, especially in the other world, is difficult to obtain, O son. A gift of drink produces
eternal happiness. Make gifts of sesame here. Make gifts of water. Do thou also give lamps (for lighting dark places.) While
alive and awake, do thou sport in happiness with kinsmen. These are acts which thou shalt not be able to achieve in the other
world.[315] The gift of drink, O chief of men, is superior to every other gift. In point of merit it is distinguished above all other
gifts. Therefore, do thou make gifts of water. Even thus have the Rishis declared what the high merits of the excavation of
tanks are I shall now discourse to thee on the planting of trees. Of immobile objects six classes have been spoken of. They are
Vrikshas, Gulmas, Latas, Vallis, Twaksaras, and Trinas of diverse kinds.[316] These are the several kinds of vegetables. Listen
now to the merit that attaches to their planting. By planting trees one acquires fame in the world of men and auspicious rewards
in the world hereafter. Such a man is applauded and reverenced in the world of the Pitris. Such a man's name does not perish
even when he becomes a citizen of the world of deities. The man who plants trees rescues the ancestors and descendants of
both his paternal and maternal lines. Do thou, therefore, plant trees, O Yudhishthira! The trees that a man plants become the
planter's children. There is no doubt about this. Departing from this world, such a man ascends to Heaven. Verily many eternal
regions of bliss become his. Trees gratify the deities by their flowers; the Pitris by their fruits; and all guests and strangers by
the shadow they give. Kinnaras and Uragas and Rakshasas and deities and Gandharvas and human beings, as also Rishis, all
have recourse to trees as their refuge. Trees that bear flowers and fruits gratify all men. The planter of trees is rescued in the
next world by the trees he plants like children rescuing their own father. Therefore, the man that is desirous of achieving his
own good, should plant trees by the side of tanks and cherish them like his own children. The trees that a man plants are,
according to both reason and the scriptures, the children of the planter. That Brahmana who excavates a tank, and he that plants
trees, and he that performs sacrifices, are all worshipped in heaven even as men that are devoted to truthfulness of speech.
Hence one should cause tanks to be excavated and trees to be planted, worship the deities in diverse sacrifices, and speak the
truth.'"
SECTION LIX
"Yudhishthira said, 'Amongst all those gifts that are mentioned in the treatises other than the Vedas, which gift, O chief of
Kuru's race, is the most distinguished in thy opinion? O puissant one, great is the curiosity I feel with respect to this matter. Do
thou discourse to me also of that gift which follows the giver into the next world.'[317]
"Bhishma said, 'An assurance unto all creatures of love and affection and abstention from every kind of injury, acts of kindness
and favour done to a person in distress, gifts of articles made unto one that solicits with thirst and agreeable to the solicitor's
wishes, and whatever gifts are made without the giver's ever thinking of them as gifts made by him, constitute, O chief of
Bharata's race, the highest and best of gifts. Gift of gold, gift of kine, and gift of earth,--these are regarded as sin-cleansing.
They rescue the giver from his evil acts. O chief of men, do thou always make such gifts unto those that are righteous. Without
doubt, gifts rescue the giver from all his sins. That person who wishes to make his gifts eternal should always give unto persons
possessed of the requisite qualifications whatever articles are desired by all and whatever things are the best in his house. The
man who makes gifts of agreeable things and who does to others what is agreeable to others, always succeeds in obtaining
things that are agreeable to himself. Such a person certainly becomes agreeable unto all, both here and hereafter. That man, O
Yudhishthira, is a cruel wretch, who, through vanity, does not, to the extent of his means, attend to the wishes of one who is
poor and helpless, and who solicits assistance.[318] He is verily the foremost of men who shows favour unto even an helpless
enemy fallen into distress when such enemy presents himself and prays for help. No man is equal to him (in merit) who
satisfies the hunger of a person that is emaciated, possessed of learning, destitute of the means of support, and weakened by
misery. One should always, O son of Kunti, dispel by every means in one's power, the distress of righteous persons observant
of vows and acts, who, though destitute of sons and spouses and plunged into misery, do not yet solicit others for any kind of
assistance. Those persons who do not utter blessings upon the deities and men (in expectation of gifts), who are deserving of
reverence and always contented, and who subsist upon such alms as they get without solicitation of any kind, are regarded as
veritable snakes of virulent poison. Do thou, O Bharata, always protect thyself from them by making gifts unto them. They are
competent to make the foremost of Ritwikas. Thou art to find them out by means of thy spies and agents.[319] Thou shouldst
honour those men by gifts of good houses equipped with every necessary article, with slaves and serving men, with good robes
and vestments, O son of Kuru, and with all articles competent to contribute to one's pleasure and happiness. Righteous men of
righteous deeds should make such gifts, impelled by the motive that it is their duty to act in that way and not from desire of
reaping any rewards therefrom. Verily good men should act in this way so that the virtuous men described above might not, O
Yudhishthira, feel any disinclination to accept those gifts sanctified by devotion and faith. There are persons bathed in learning
and bathed in vows. Without depending upon anybody they obtain their means of subsistence. These Brahmanas of rigid vows
are devoted to Vedic study and penances without proclaiming their practices to any one. Whatever gifts thus mayst make unto
those persons of pure behaviour, of thorough mastery over their senses, and always contented with their own wedded spouses
in the matter of desire, are sure to win for thee a merit that will accompany thee into all the worlds into which thou mayst go.
One reaps the same merit by making gifts unto regenerate persons of restrained souls which one wins by properly pouring
libations unto the sacred fire morning and evening. Even this is the sacrifice spread out for thee,--a sacrifice that is sanctified
by devotion and faith and that is endued with Dakshina. It is distinguished above all other sacrifices. Let that sacrifice
ceaselessly flow from thee as thou givest away.[320] Performed in view of such men, O Yudhishthira, a sacrifice in which the
water that is sprinkled for dedicating gifts constitutes the oblations in honour of the Pitris, and devotion and worship rendered
unto such superior men, serves to free one of the debts one owes to the deities.[321] Those persons that do not yield to wrath
and that never desire to take even a blade of grass belonging to others, as also they that are of agreeable speech, deserve to
receive from us the most reverent worship. Such persons and others (because free from desire) never pay their regards to the
giver. Nor do they strive for obtaining gifts. They should, however, be cherished by givers as they cherish their own sons. I
bend my head unto them. From them also both Heaven and Hell may become one's.[322] Ritwiks and Purohitas and preceptors,
when conversant with the Vedas and when behaving mildly towards disciples, become such. Without doubt, Kshatriya energy