text stringlengths 0 182 |
|---|
therefrom the Brahmanas and deities and guests, becomes entitled to first portions of food. Such a man becomes endued with |
strength and energy. Hence, one should never take any food without first offering a portion thereof to the deities after |
worshipping them with reverence. One's house always blazes forth with beauty in consequence of the household deities that |
live in it. Hence, he that desires his own advancement and prosperity should worship the household deities by offering them the |
first portion of every food. Even thus did the learned Kavi of Bhrigu's race discourse to Vali, the chief of the Asuras. That |
discourse was next recited by Manu unto the Rishi Suvarna, Suvarna, in his turn, recited it to Narada. The celestial Rishi |
Narada recited unto me the merits that attach to the several acts mentioned. Informed of those merits, do thou, O son, perform |
the several acts mentioned!'" |
SECTION XCIX |
"Yudhishthira said, 'I have, O chief of the Bharatas, heard what the merits are that are won by presenters of flowers and incense |
and lights. I have heard thee speak also of the merits that attach to a due observance of the ordinances in respect of the |
presentation of the Vali. It behoveth thee, O grandsire, to discourse unto me once more on this subject. Indeed, tell me, O sire, |
once more of the merits of presenting incense and lights. Why are Valis offered on the ground by persons leading the domestic |
mode of life?' |
"Bhishma said, 'In this connection is recited the old narrative of the discourse between Nahusha and Agastya and Bhrigu. The |
royal sage Nahusha, O monarch, possessed of wealth of penances, acquired the sovereignty of Heaven by his own good deeds. |
With restrained senses, O king, he dwelt in Heaven, engaged in doing diverse acts of both human and celestial nature. From |
that high-souled monarch flowed diverse kinds of human acts and diverse kinds of celestial acts also, O chief of men. The |
diverse rites with respect to the sacrificial fire, the collection of sacred fuel and of Kusa grass, as also of flowers, and the |
presentation of Vali consisting of food adorned with fried paddy (reduced to powder), and the offer of incense and of light,--all |
these, O monarch, occurred daily in the abode of that high-souled king while he dwelt in heaven. Indeed, though dwelling in |
heaven, he performed the sacrifice of Japa (or silent recitation) and the sacrifice of meditation. And, O chastiser of foes, |
Nahusha, although he had become the chief of the deities, yet worshipped all the deities, as he used to do in days of yore, with |
due rites and ceremonies. Some time after, Nahusha realised his position as the chief of all the deities. This filled him with |
pride. From that time all his acts (of the kind spoken of) were suspended. Filled with arrogance in consequence of the boon he |
had received from all the deities, Nahusha caused the very Rishis to bear him on their shoulders. In consequence, however, of |
his abstention from all religious acts, his energy began to sustain a diminution. The time was very long for which Nahusha |
filled with pride, continued to employ the foremost of Rishis, possessed of wealth of penances, as the bearers of his vehicles. |
He caused the Rishis to discharge by turns his humiliating work. The day came when it was Agastya's turn to bear the vehicles, |
O Bharata. At that time, Bhrigu, that foremost of all persons conversant with Brahma, repaired to the presence of Agastya |
while the latter was seated in his asylum, and addressing him, said, 'O great ascetic, why should we patiently put up with such |
indignity inflicted on us by this wicked-souled Nahusha who has become the chief of the deities?' |
"Agastya said, 'How can I succeed in cursing Nahusha, O great Rishi? It is known to thee how the boon-giving (Brahman) |
himself has given Nahusha the best of boons! Coming to heaven, the boon that Nahusha solicited was that whoever would |
come within the range of his vision would, deprived of all energy, come within his sway. The self-born Brahman granted him |
even this boon, and it is for that reason that neither thyself nor I have been able to consume him. Without doubt, is for this |
reason that none else amongst the foremost of Rishis has been able to consume or hurl him down from his high position, |
Formerly, O Lord, nectar was given by Brahman to Nahusha for quaffing. For that reason also we have become powerless |
against him. The supreme deity, it seems, gave that boon to Nahusha for plunging all creatures into grief. That wretch among |
men behaves most unrighteously towards the Brahmanas. O foremost of all speakers, do thou tell us what should be done in |
view of the situation. Without doubt, I shall do what thou wilt advise.' |
"Bhrigu said, 'It is at the command of the Grandsire that I have come to thee with the view of counteracting the puissance of |
Nahusha who is possessed of great energy but who has been stupefied by fate. That exceedingly wicked-souled wight who has |
become the chief of the deities will today yoke thee to his car. With the aid of my energy I shall today hurl him down from his |
position as Indra in consequence of his having transcended all restraints! I shall today, in thy very sight, re-establish the true |
Indra in his position--him, viz., who has performed a hundred horse-sacrifices,--having hurled the wicked-souled and sinful |
Nahusha from that seat! That unrighteous chief of the deities will today insult thee by a kick, in consequence of his |
understanding being afflicted by fate and for bringing about his own downfall. Incensed at such an insult I shall today curse |
that sinful wretch, that enemy of the Brahmanas, that has transcended all restraints, saying, 'Be thou transformed into a snake!' |
In the very sight, O great ascetic, I shall today hurl down on the earth the wicked-souled Nahusha who shall be deprived of all |
energy in consequence of the cries of 'Fie' that will be uttered from all sides.[445] Verily, I shall hurl down Nahusha today, that |
wight of unrighteous deeds, who has, besides, been stupefied by lordship and power. I shall do this, if it be acceptable to thee, |
O ascetic! Thus addressed by Bhrigu, Mitravaruna's son Agastya of unfading puissance and glory, became highly gratified and |
freed from every anxiety.'" |
SECTION C |
"Yudhishthira said, 'How was Nahusha plunged into distress? How was he hurled down on the earth? How, indeed, was he |
deprived of the sovereignty of the gods? It behoveth thee to recite everything to me.' |
"Bhishma said, 'Even thus did those two Rishis, viz., Bhrigu and Agastya, converse with each other. I have already told thee |
how Nahusha, when he first became the chief of the gods, acted in a becoming way. Verily, all acts of human and celestial |
nature flowed from that high souled royal sage! The offering of light, and all other rites of a similar kind, the due presentation |
of Valis, and all rites as are performed on especially sacred days,--all these were properly observed by the high-souled Nahusha |
who had become the sovereign of the deities.[446] Pious acts are always observed by those that are possessed of wisdom, in |
both the world of men and that of the deities. Verily, O foremost of kings, if such acts are observed, householders always |
succeed in acquiring prosperity and advancement. Even such is the effect of the gift of lamps and of incense, as also of bows |
and prostrations, to the deities. When food is cooked, the first portion thereof should be offered to a Brahmana. The particular |
offerings called Vali should also be presented to the household deities. The deities become gratified with such gifts.[447] It is |
also well-known that the measure of gratification which the deities derive from such offerings is a hundred times as great as |
that which the householder himself derives from making them. Persons endued with piety and wisdom make offerings of |
incense and lights, accompanying them with bows and prostrations. Such acts are always fraught with advancement and |
prosperity to those that do them. Those rites which the learned go through in course of their ablutions, and with the aid of |
waters, accompanied with bows unto the gods, always contribute to the gratification of the gods. When worshipped with proper |
rites, the highly blessed Pitris, Rishis possessed of wealth of asceticism, and the household deities, all become gratified. Filled |
with such ideas, Nahusha, that great king, when he obtained the sovereignty of the deities, observed all these rites and duties |
fraught with great glory. Some time after the good fortune of Nahusha waned, and as the consequence thereof, he disregarded |
all these observances and began to act in defiance of all restraints in the manner I have already adverted to. The chief of the |
deities, in consequence of his abstention from observing the ordinances about the offers of incense and light, began to decline |
in energy. His sacrificial rites and presents were obstructed by Rakshasas. It was at this time that Nahusha yoked that foremost |
of Rishis, viz., Agastya, to his car. Endued with great strength, Nahusha, smiling the while, set that great Rishi quickly to the |
task, commanding him to bear the vehicle from the banks of the Saraswati (to the place he would indicate). At this time, |
Bhrigu, endued with great energy, addressed the son of Mitravaruna, saying, 'Do thou close thy eyes till I enter into the matted |
locks on thy head.' Having said this, Bhrigu of unfading glory and mighty energy entered into the matted locks of Agastya who |
stood still like a wooden post for hurling king Nahusha from the throne of Heaven. Soon after Nahusha saw Agastya approach |
him for bearing his vehicle. Beholding the lord of the deities Agastya addressed him, saying, 'Do thou yoke me to thy vehicle |
without delay. To what region shall I bear thee? O lord of the deities, I shall bear thee to the spot which thou mayst be pleased |
to direct.' Thus addressed by him, Nahusha caused the ascetic to be yoked to his vehicle. Bhrigu, who was staying within the |
matted locks of Agastya, became highly pleased at this act of Nahusha. He took care not to cast his eyes upon Nahusha. Fully |
acquainted with the energy which the illustrious Nahusha had acquired in consequence of the boon which Brahman had granted |
him, Bhrigu conducted himself in this way. Agastya also, though treated by Nahusha in this way, did not give way to wrath. |
Then, O Bharata, king Nahusha urged Agastya on with, his goad. The righteous-souled Rishi did not still give way to anger. |
The lord of the deities, himself giving way to anger, then struck Agastya on the head with his left foot. When the Rishi was |
thus struck on the head, Bhrigu, who was staying within Agastya's matted locks, became incensed and cursed Nahusha of sinful |
soul, saying, 'Since thou hast struck with thy foot on the head of this great Rishi, do thou, therefore, fall down on the earth, |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.