SECTION –CLXXXVI
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva Continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'O thou conqueror of
hostile cities, in this connection Saraswati too, when interrogated by that
intelligent Muni Tarkshya, had said (this). Do thou listen to her words!
Tarkshya had asked, saying, 'Excellent lady, what is the best thing for a man
to do here below, and how must he act so that he may not deviate from (the path
of) virtue. Tell me all this, O beautiful lady, so that instructed by thee, I
may not fall away from the path of virtue! When and how must one offer
oblations to the (sacred) fire and when must he worship so that virtue may not
be compromised? Tell me all this, O excellent lady, so that I may live without
any passions, craving, or desire, in this world.'
"Markandeya continued, 'Thus questioned by
that cheerful Muni and seeing him eager to learn and endued with high
intelligence, Saraswati addressed these pious and beneficial words to the
Brahmana, Tarkshya.'
"Saraswati said, 'He who is engaged in the
study of the Vedas, and with sanctity and equanimity perceives the supreme
Godhead in his proper sphere, ascends the celestial regions and attains supreme
beatitude with the Immortals. Many large, beautiful, pellucid and sacred lakes
are there, abounding with fish, flowers, and golden lilies. They are like
shrines and their very sight is calculated to assuage grief. Pious men,
distinctively worshipped by virtuous well-adorned golden-complexioned Apsaras,
dwell in contentment on the shores of those lakes. He who giveth cows (to
Brahmanas) attaineth the highest regions; by giving bullocks he reacheth the
solar regions, by giving clothes he getteth to the lunar world, and by giving
gold he attaineth to the state of the Immortals. He who giveth a beautiful cow
with a fine calf, and which is easily milked and which doth not run away, is
(destined) to live for as many years in the celestial regions as there are
hairs on the body of that animal. He who giveth a fine, strong, powerful, young
bullock, capable of drawing the plough and bearing burdens, reacheth the
regions attained by men who give ten cows. When a man bestoweth a
well-caparisoned kapila cow with a brazen milk-pail and with money given
afterwards, that cow becoming, by its own distinguished qualities, a giver of
everything reacheth the side of the man who gave her away. He who giveth away
cows, reapeth innumerable fruits of his action, measured by the hairs on the
body of that animal. He also saveth (from perdition) in the next world his sons
and grandsons and ancestors to the seventh generation. He who presenteth to a
Brahmana, sesamum made up in the form of a cow, having horns made of gold, with
money besides, and a brazen milk-pail, subsequently attaineth easily to the
regions of the Vasus. By his own acts man descends into the darksome lower
regions, infested by evil spirits (of his own passions) like a ship tossed by
the storm in the high seas; but the gift of kine to Brahmanas saves him in the
next world. He who giveth his daughter in marriage, in the Brahma form, who
bestoweth gifts of land on Brahmanas and who duly maketh other presents,
attaineth to the regions of Purandara. O Tarkshya, the virtuous man who is
constant in presenting oblations to the sacred fire for seven years,
sanctifieth by his own action seven generations up and down.'
"Tarkshya said, 'O beautiful lady, explain
to me who ask thee, the rules for the maintenance of the sacred fire as
inculcated in the Vedas. I shall now learn from thee the time-honoured rules
for perpetually keeping up the sacred fire.'"
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