Riligious Observances Without One's Wife Are Fruitless

1-2. Having finished (i.e. having visited) all sacred places, Krkala, full of great joy, started for his house along with the leader of the caravan. He always thought like this: 'My worldly existence is fruitful. My dead ancestors, when gratified will go to heaven; not otherwise.'

3-5a. Just then having bound his grandsires (Dharma) spoke to him: "You do not have excellent religious merit." (Dharma) of a divine form and of a huge body said (these) words to Krkala: "You do not have the fruit of (your visits to) holy places. In vain have you exerted. You alone are happy (i.e. you have not gratified your dead ancestors etc.); (therefore) you do not have excellent religious merit."

5b-7. Hearing like this, the vaisya, viz. Krkala, was afflicted with pain. (He said to Dharma:) "Who are you that are talking like this? Why are my grandsires bound? Due to the effect of what fault (of mine are they bound)? (Please) tell me the reason of it. Why do I not have the fruit of (my visits to) the holy places? How is my pilgrimage not (fruitful)? If you know, then tell me everything clearly." Dharma said:

8-19. The entire fruit of the religious merit of him, who, leaving (behind) his pure and most meritorious wife, goes (on a pilgrimage), becomes worthless, not otherwise. All the religious deeds of him, who, leaving (behind) even his wife who is devoted to a pious conduct, who is meritorious, who is engrossed in the vow of loyalty to her husband, who is virtuous, who loves merit, goes to (holy places to) perform religious rites, are done in vain. Not otherwise. In the house of him, whose meritorious and very chaste wife has qualities like being devoted to all (good) practices, being worthy, being intent upon accomplishing moral merit, being devoted to her husband, always loving knowledge gods of great prowess always stay; and his dead ancestors, living in his house, desire bliss. There (i.e. in his house) are present auspicious rivers like the Ganges and Seas; (and) not at any other place. He, in whose house lives his chaste wife, entirely devoted to truth, has (the credit of having performed) sacrifices; cows and sages (live there), and at no other place. Due to the conduct of his wife all these sacred places and various religious merits (stay) there, and at no other place. The stage of householder is produced (i.e. is possible) due to the contact of a meritorious wife. Highest moral merit is (obtained) from the stage of a householder. There is no such stage on the earth. O vaisya, the house of a householder is meritorious, is endowed with truth and religious merit, is full of all holy places and is attended by all gods. All beings live (only) after resorting to the stage of a householder. I do not see any other excellent stage (of life) like that. The man in whose house the sacred fire is maintained to the accompaniment of sacred hymns, all gods live, all old practices are followed, gifts are given (is blessed).

20-34. Similarly the house of him who is without a wife, becomes a forest. (In his house) sacrifices are not accomplished (i.e. performed) and various gifts (are not given). Any great vow of a man without a wife is not fruitful. So also no religious rites and no meritorious deeds (are fruitful). To accomplish religious merit there is no holy place like a wife. Listen to the way of the life of a householder. There is no other Dharma in the three worlds (like that of a householder). A man has a house where his wife lives, whether in villages or in a forest. She is the means of all moral merit. There is no holy place like a wife; there is no happiness like a wife. There is no religious merit for the emancipation and well-being (of the husband) like a wife. O you mean man, you go (i.e. you had gone) leaving (behind) your righteous and chaste wife. Leaving (i.e. when you leave) your house and proper course of conduct, where does the fruit of your moral merit remain? When (i.e. since), without her (i.e. in her absence), you offered a sraddha, therefore, due to that fault only your grandsires are bound. You are a thief; these (grandsires) also are thieves who, being very greedy, enjoyed the food offered by you without her (i.e. in her absence). I shall tell you about the religious merit of a good son, who, full of faith, offers a sraddha, with (i.e. in which) a pinda (is) offered by his wife. As men are satisfied with drinking nectar, in the same way the dead ancestors are satisfied with a sraddha. I am telling you the truth and truth only. A wife is the owner of the stage of a householder. O fool, you have deceived her. You have committed a theft. These your manes, who ate without her (i.e. in her absence) are great thieves. The dead ancestors eat with a pleased mind the food resembling nectar which the (son's) wife prepares with her own hands. With that only they are gratified and become pleased. Therefore, the religious practices of a man do not succeed without his wife. There is no holy place like a wife giving men a good position (i.e. leading them to salvation). The religious practices carried on without (i.e. in the absence of) the wife would become fruitless.

1. O Dharmaraja, now tell me in detail how I would have final beatitude and how my dead ancestors would be liberated. Dharma said:

2-6. O you noble one, go home. She (i.e. your wife) is experiencing grief without you. Inform your wife, Sukala practising piety, (of your arrival). Having gone home, offer sraddha with her hands. Win over the best gods by remembering the holy places. You will have the salvation obtained through pilgrimages to holy places. He who desires to accomplish religious merit without his wife (i.e. all alone), loses (the fruit of) the stage of the householder and would wander alone in a forest. He is unsuccessful in the world, (and) the deities do not respect him. The sacrifices become successful (only) when the housewife remains in the house. All alone (i.e. without his wife) he is not able to accomplish (the fruit of) piety and worldly prosperity. Vishnu said:

7-1 la. Having thus spoken to the vaisya, Dharma left as he had come. That religious-minded Krkala also proceeded to his house. The intelligent one reached his house and saw that chaste wife (of him). The intelligent one reached his own abode along with the leader of the caravan. Seeing her husband, well-versed in Dharma, who had arrived, she performed very auspicious and meritorious (rites) on the arrival of her husband. The religiousminded one told her what Dharma did. The magnanimous one, having heard her husband's words causing delight, and having praised the words of Dharma, agreed with him. Vishnu said: llb-16a. Then that vaisya Krkala remaining in the chamber of the (idol of the) deity (in his house) devotedly offered, with her, a sraddha, giving great merit. The dead ancestors, gods, Gandharvas and sages came there in aeroplanes and praised the high-souled couple. I (i.e. Vishnu), also Brahma and the great lord (i.e. Shiva) with the goddess (ParvatI) and all (other) gods with Gandharvas arrived (there). I, Brahma, and the great god (i.e. Shiva) with the goddess (i.e. Parvati), also all gods with Gandharvas, pleased with her truthfulness, said to the two who were well-versed in truth: "Well-being to you along with your wife. O you of a good vow, ask for a boon." Krakala said:

16b-17a. O best gods, due to the association of the merit of" which penance, have you come here to grant a boon to me with my wife? Indra said:

17 b-18a. This chaste, noble Sukala is pleasing and auspicious. We were pleased with her truthfulness. We (therefore) desire to grant you a boon.

18b-23a. (Then) in brief they narrated her former account. Having heard of the magnanimity of her behaviour, the husband was delighted. With her the religious-minded one (i.e. Krkala) with his eyes full of joy saluted all the deities, and again and again said: "If now all the magnanimous, ancient three gods (i.e. Brahma, Vishnu and ava) and other holy sages have favoured me and have come here, then I shall be devoted to gods like this (only) in existence after existence. Due to your grace let me have liking for piety and truth; and afterwards, O gods of great prowess, if you are pleased, I desire to go to Vishnu's heaven with my wife and grandsires." Gods said:

24-32. Then, O king, they showered flowers on the two (i.e. Krkala and Sukala.). Gandharvas, knowing the essential nature of music, sang a charming, melodious song, giving great religious merit; and the groups of the celestial nymphs danced. Then the gods with the Gandharvas, praising the chaste lady, went, after giving (Krkala) a boon, to their respective abodes, O best king. I have told you (how) a woman is (called) a sacred place. (Now) I shall tell you something else. I have narrated to you this entire, excellent, meritorious account. O king, a man who listens to it is free from all sins. A woman who devoutly listens to the excellent account of Sukala, is never deserted by good fortune, truth, sons and grandsons. She is delighted with wealth and grains and would be happy with her husband. In existence after existence she would be a loyal wife, and not otherwise. A brahmana (who listens to the account) would become well-versed in the Vedas; (and) a ksatriya would be victorious. There is no doubt that there would be wealth and grains in the house of a vaisya. O king, a man knowing piety would become one of good conduct and happy. A shudra gets happiness and prospers with sons and grandsons. There is great prosperity adorned with wealth and grains.

1. You have described the holy place in the form of wife, the best of all holy places. Now tell about the sacred place in the form of dead ancestors, which is a great emancipater of sons.

2-7. In the great sacred region (called) Kuruksetra (there lived) a brahmana named Kundala. That noble Kundala had a good son by name Sukarman. His parents were very old, knew religious practices, and were proficient in sacred precepts. Both the noble ones were afflicted with old age. He, who knew piety, and who was full of sincerity, devotedly and continuously served them night and day. He, intent on (following) all (good) practices, knowing piety and a lover of knowledge, learnt from that (i.e. his) father, many sacred treatises; and he himself massaged the bodies of the two. He also washed their feet, bathed and fed them with devotion and naturally became thoughtful about them. O best king, he (thus) served his mother and father. Suta said:

8-11. At the time he lived there was a brahmana, (a descendent) of the noble Kasyapa, O best king. He, void of passion, free from jealousy, endowed with pity, charity and restraint, having subdued lust and anger, practised penance without eating food. The intelligent one, solely devoted to knowledge and tranquility, went to Dasaranya, and the high-souled one having controlled his senses performed penance (there). Due to the power of his penance, the beings, free from righting (with one another) lived there, in that age, as it were remaining in one (and the same) womb.

12-28. Seeing that (severe) penance of him, the sages were amazed. (They said:) 'None else has practised penance as this one is doing.' So gods led by Indra, were highly amazed. (They said:) 'Oh what severe penance he is practising? How great is his tranquility and restraint over senses?' Being free from emotion and agitation, and enduring cold, wind and heat, he remained (there) like a mountain. The best brahmana, disinclined to pleasures of senses, patient at heart, did not hoard anything and did not hear the sound of anyone. Having taken up a position like that, he, with a concentrated mind, meditating upon Brahman, remained there with his lotus-like face full of joy. Resembling stone and wood, he remained motionless like a mountain. Very firm and loving piety he appeared like a post.

His body was afflicted with penance. He was full of faith, and was free from jealousy. (Practising penance) in this way, the intelligent one passed a thousand years. Many ants constructed on this body a huge ant-hill with a heap of clay, as his abode. In the interior of the ant-hill he remained motionless. In this way that brahmana (named) Pippala practised very great (i.e. severe) penance. The best brahmana (Pippala) was surrounded on all sides by black serpents. (The serpents) of a strong poison bit that brahmana of an intense penance. Poison (even) after reaching the vulnerable points of his body did not harm it. Due to the brahmana's lustre the serpents became peaceful. From his body rose many flames of blazing lustre. They appeared separately. O best man (i.e. O king), they were just like the more (i.e. very) hot (flames) of fire. As the sun, having entered the interior of clouds, shines with his rays, in the same way the brahmana remaining in the ant-hill shone with his lustre. O best king, angry serpents bit the brahmana with their teeth, but even after piercing his skin, they did (i.e. could) not cleave (his body), with the tips ot their teeth. O lord of kings, in this way the noble sage passed a thousand years in practising penance. The period, attended by cold, rain and heat was thus passed by the noble Pippala who subdued the three times, O great king. In the same way the noble one also ate (i.e. lived on) air.

29-31. He passed three thousand years in practising penance. Then soon the gods showered flowers on his head. (They said to him:) "O you noble one, you know Brahman, you know piety, there is no doubt about it. You have become full of all knowledge (i.e. omniscient) due to your deeds. You will certainly get (i.e. fulfil) whatever desire you have. You, on your own, will have all your desires accomplished (i.e. satisfied)."

32-37. Hearing (these) great words, that large-hearted Pippala, with his neck (i.e. head) devoutly bent down, and full of great joy, spoke (these) words: "O best gods, do that by which this entire world would be under my control. May I be a Vidyadhara." O best king, speaking like this, the intelligent one ceased (to speak). The gods then said to the best brahmana: "Let it be so." O noble one, having given the boon to that magnanimous (Pippala) they left. When the gods had left, that best brahmana Pippala was everyday devoted to sacred knowledge, and thought (as to how he would) control everything. O best king, since then Pippala, the best brahmana, obtained the status of a Vidyadhara, and was honoured as one moving according to his own desire.

38-41. In this way that brahmana Pippala attained the status of a Vidyadhara, and became well-versed in all branches of knowledge and the lord of gods. Once that Pippala of great lustre thought: 'I shall have everything under my control. I have been granted the best boon.' The best brahmana (Pippala) was eager to ascertain it. He would bring (i.e. brought) under control whatever he wanted to. When he thus became confident, he thought: 'In the world there is no other best brahmana like me.' Suta said:

42-46. O king, knowing the thought of that noble Pippala who was thinking like this, the crane which was on the bank of a lake said to Pippala in a melodious tone, charming and full of charity: "Why do you have this great pride? I do not think you have the power to bring everything under your control. This act of subjugating everything is recent (or is on this side). O Pippala, you, whose intellect is confounded, do not know what is ancient (or is on the other side). O brahmana, why do you in vain entertain pride when you have practised penance for three thousand years?

47-53a. That wise and very intelligent Sukarman, who was the son of Kundala had all the world under his control. Now listen. That intelligent one knew the recent (or on this side) and the ancient (or on the other side). O Pippala, listen, there is no one so very wise as he was. You are not like (that) Sukarman, the son of Kundala. He did not give gifts. He did not reflect on knowledge. He never performed acts like offering oblations or sacrifices. He never went on a pilgrimage, nor did he ever offer excellent service to fire for resorting to (i.e. obtaining) religious merit. He moved at will, he was ever a friend of (i.e. always loved) his father and mother. He was endowed with the knowledge of the Vedas, and was well-versed in the meaning of all branches of knowledge. You do not have that knowledge which even that child (i.e. even as a child) Sukarman had. In vain you are proud." Pippala said:

53b-60. Who are you in the form of a bird, that are thus censuring me? Why do you condemn my knowledge? Of what kind is the ancient knowledge? Explain that to me in detail. How do you have knowledge (i.e. How have you come to possess knowledge)? Now tell me the scope of the recent (or inferior) as well as of the ancient (or superior knowledge), in detail and accompanied by learning, O best bird; and (tell me) whether you are Brahma, or Vishnu, or Rudra. The crane spoke: Your penance does not exist; (therefore) you will not have its fruit. Hear now about the penance which you have not practised. You do not have the virtue which the child of Kundala had. Nor do you have the knowledge (which he had). Nor have you known the (highest) place (as he knew). O best brahmana, having gone from here you ask (him) about my form. He, the religious-minded one, will explain to you all knowledge. Vishnu said: Having heard all that which the crane said, he speedily went to the great hermitage in Dasaranya.

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