KARMA (1) from Mahabharata

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KARMA (1)

 

The Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva, Section VII

Translated by Sri Kisari Mohan Ganguli

 

Yudhishthira said:

 

O the best of Bharata's race and the foremost of great men, I wish to

know what the fruits are of good deed. Do thou enlighten me on this

point.

 

Bhishma said: I shall tell thee what thou hast asked. Do thou, O

Yudhishthira, listen to this which constitutes the secret knowledge

of the Rishis. Listen to me as I explain what the ends, long coveted,

are which are attained by men after death.

 

Whatever actions are performed by particular corporeal beings, the

fruits thereof are reaped by the doers while endued with similar

corporeal bodies; for example, the fruits of actions done with mind

are enjoyed at the time of dreams, and those of actions performed

physically are enjoyed in the working state physically. In whatever

states creatures perform good or evil deeds, they reap the fruits

thereof in similar states of succeeding lives. No act done with the

aid of the five organs of sensual perception, is ever lost. The five

sensual organs and the immortal soul, which is the sixth, remain its

witnesses.

 

That man who is able to renounce that intense yearning of the heart

for happiness and material enjoyments, - a yearning that is difficult

of conquest by the foolish and that does not abate with the abatement

of bodily vigour and that clings like a fatal disease unto him, - is

able to secure happiness. As the young calf is able to recognise its

dam from among a thousand cows, so does the previous acts of a man

pursue him (in all his different transformations). As the flower and

fruits of a tree unurged by visible influences, never miss their

proper season, so does Karma done in a previous existence bring about

its fruits in proper time. With age, man's hair grows grey, his teeth

become loose; his eyes and ears too become dim in action; but the

only thing that does not abate is his desire for enjoyments.

Prajapati is pleased with those acts that please one's father, and

the Earth is pleased with those acts that please one's mother, and

Brahma is adored with those acts that please one's preceptor. Virtue

is honoured by him who honours these three. The acts of those that

despise these three do not avail them.

 

One should devote one's eye to the service of the guest and should

devote one's heart on the same; one should utter words that are

agreeable; one should also follow and worship (one's guest). This is

called Panchadakshin Sacrifice, (the sacrifice with five gifts). He

who offers good food to the unknown and weary travellers fatigued by

a long journey, attains to great merit. Those that use the

sacrificial platform as their only bed obtain commodious mansions and

beds (in subsequent births). Those that wear only rags and barks of

trees for dress, obtain good apparel and ornaments in next birth. One

possessed of penances and having his soul on Yoga, get vehicles and

riding animals (as the fruit of their renunciation in this life). The

monarch that lies down by the side of the sacrificial fire, attains

to vigour and valour. The man, who renounces the enjoyment of all

delicacies, attains to prosperity, and he that abstains from animal

food, obtains children and cattle.

 

He who lies down with his head downward, or who lives in water, or

who lives secluded and alone in the practice of Brahmacharya (see

Page `Celibacy' or `Brahmacharya'), attains to all the desired ends.

He, who offers shelter to a guest and welcomes him with water to wash

his feet as also with food, light and bed, attains to the merits of

the sacrifice with the five gifts. He, who lays himself down on a

warrior's bed on a battlefield in the posture of a warrior, goes to

those eternal regions where all the objects of desire are fulfilled.

A man. O king, attains to riches that makes charitable gifts. One

secures obedience to one's command by the vow of silence, all the

enjoyments of life by practice of austerities, long life by

Brahmacharya, and beauty, prosperity and freedom from diseases by

abstaining from injury to others. Sovereignty falls to the lot of

those that subsist on fruits and roots only. Residence in heaven is

attained by those that live on only leaves of trees. A man, O king,

is said to obtain happiness, by abstention from food. By confining

one's diet to herbs alone, one becomes possessed of cows. By living

on grass one attains to the celestial regions. By foregoing all

intercourse with one's wife and making ablutions three times during

the day and by inhaling the air only for purposes of subsistence, one

obtains the merit of a sacrifice.

 

Heaven is attained by the practice of truth, nobility of birth by

sacrifices. The Brahmana of pure practices that subsists on water

only, and performs the Agnihotra (Sacred Fire Ceremony), and recites

the Gayatri (Mantra), obtains a kingdom. By abstaining food or by

regulating it, one attains to residence in heaven. O king, by

abstaining from all but the prescribed diet while engaged in

sacrifices, and by making pilgrimage for twelve years, one attains to

a place better than the abodes reserved for heroes. By reading all

the Vedas, one is instantly liberated from misery, and by practicing

virtue in thought, one attains to the heavenly regions.

 

Vaisampayana said: the prince of Kuru's race became filled with

wonder upon listening to this speech of Bhishma. All of them became

pleased in mind and overpowered with joy. As Mantras applied with a

desire to win victory, or the performance of the Shoma sacrifice made

without proper gifts, or oblations poured on the fire without proper

hymns, become useless and lead to evil consequences, even so sin and

evil results flow from falsehood in speech. O prince, I have thus

related to thee this doctrine of the fruition of good and evil acts,

as narrated by the Rishis of old.