Merit Earned by Protecting a Brahmana

1. O Suta, kindly tell (me) due to which other religious merit a man with his sins gone (away) goes to the place of Vishnu. Suta said:

2-5. That man, O best brahmana, who protects a brahmana with his (own) wealth or his (own) life, goes to Vishnu's world. Formerly, in the yuga called Dvapara, there was a king (named) DInanatha who was sonless (but who was) a devotee of Vishnu and a sacrifices Once that king politely asked Galava: "O best sage, O ocean of compassion, tell me due to which religious merit a son is born. I shall practise it by your order. The life of those men who do not have a son is useless." Galava said:

6-7. O king, I shall tell you in brief the cause of a son's birth about which you have asked me. Listen attentively. O best king, perform the sacrifice called Naramedha. Then you will have progeny endowed with all (good) characteristics. The king said:

8. O preceptor, O brahmana, tell me by bringing what kind of man I shall perform the great human sacrifice, the best among sacrifices Galava said:

9-22. If a man has a handsome body, a charming face and is proficient in all sacred texts, then he is fit for sacrifice. He who is crippled, has a black complexion, is a fool, would not be fit (for sacrifice). O brahmana, when Galava spoke like this, that king, the lord of men, sent his messengers, telling them the words of Galava; and giving much money he selected brahmanas like Galava who had mastered all Vedic texts. Then by the order of the king the messengers gladly went carefully from country to country, village to village and even to cities, O best brahmana. Not finding (such a man) anywhere they then went to a country (and the city) called Dasapura which, O brahmana, was crowded with virtuous brahmanas; where seeing the women having lovely hair and eyes like those of the young ones of deer, men were infatuated, since the women were moon-faced. In that charming city was (i.e. lived) a brahmana named Krishnadvija with his three sons and his amiable wife. He was a devotee of Vishnu, always spoke agreeably and was engaged in worshipping Vishnu. He maintained the (sacred) fire, was devoted to his parents and was a benefactor of the devotees of Vishnu. Then the messengers of the king requested the best brahmana: -'O best brahmana, say, 'give a son, give a son'. O best brahmana, the king does not have a son who would remove his affliction. For that (son) be initiated into the sacrifice called Naramedha, We shall take your son to offer him as a victim in that great sacrifice. O brahmana, carefully take a lakh of (coins of) gold (in exchange for your son). If, due to your fondness for your son, you would not give your son ungrudgingly, then we shall take him forcibly (because) we carry out the order of the king." Hearing the words of the messengers the brahmana and his wife were afflicted with grief and with their minds full of fear, they were, as it were dead. "What is the use of wealth, gold, life or house?" The brahmana spoke these words to the royal officers. The brahmana said:

23-27. O messengers, if you have certainly come to take (away) my son who removes the darkness of grief (in my life), th (please) listen to my words. Who living on the earth desires to disobey the king's order? But, leaving my son you (please) take me, an old brahmana (to the king). Hearing these words of (i.e. uttered by) him, the messengers, full of anger, forcibly left (coins of) gold in his house. When they angrily made up their mind to take away the son, the brahmana. weeping, and with the palms of his hands joined said: "O men, these words viz. 'leaving the eldest among my sons, take the other excellent one' do not come to my mouth (i.e. my tongue)."

28-30. Hearing the words of the brahmana, the messengers said to the brahmana's wife who was weeping: "O best one, give us the younger son." Hearing these words of (i.e. uttered by) them, the brahmana woman, being extremely grieved, fell on the ground as a plantain-tree falls on the ground due to» (strong) wind. Taking up a hammer, she violently struck it on t her head: "O messengers, I shall never give you my youngest son."

31-36. O brahmana, at this time the middle son of the brahmana, full of modesty and weeping, said to his parents: "Who would be the protector if the mother gives poison (to her son), or the father sells his son, or the king snatches away everything." Saying so, the son, saluting his parents with his head (bowed down), went with the speedy messengers of the king who was initiated. Then the brahmana and his wife, with their minds afflicted by the separation from their son, wept again and again and became blind. Then they (i.e. the messengers) on their way went to the hermitage of sage Visvamitra, which was full of (his) disciples and resorted to by young deer. The sage, seeing the royal officers, respectfully asked them: "O (men), who are you? Where had you gone? What is your profession?" The king's messengers said:

37-40. O brahmana, listen attentively. A son is not born to the king. For (i.e. to obtain) that the king is initiated into the sacrifice called Naramedha. We are taking this brahmanason (to be offered) as a victim in that (sacrifice). Hearing these words of them, the brahmana (i.e. Visvamitra) became compassionate. 'Let even my life depart; (but) the boy be happy. Those people who in this world cast their life like (a blade of) grass for a child, or a brahmana, or their master, obtain eternal worlds.'

41-44a. Thus thinking in his mind, the best brahmana said: "Leaving this brahmana-son to be offered as a victim in the sacrifice, (please) quickly take me. This is an excellent boy. Having obtained birth in this mundane existence, this child has not got any happiness. How (then) will he die (i.e. Why should he die)? O messengers, when he came from his house, his unlucky parents became unhappy. Indeed he has as it were gone to Yama's house." Having heard these words of him, the messengers said to the brahmana:

44b-48. "O wise brahmana, how shall we take an old man like you, without the order of king DInanatha?" Speaking thus the messengers then went to the city of the king. The sage also went to the city of the king. The sage also went to the sacrificial chamber with the host of the messengers. The messengers told the king the brahmana's gesture. He, hearing that, and with his mind full of doubt said to him: "If by performing this sacrifice without a victim I get a son, then you (may) take (back) this son of the brahmana." The sage (Visvamitrd) said:

49-62a. O king, when the sacrifice is performed, a mighty son will be born. Do not entertain a doubt about this. (Your) seeing (me) will not be fruitless. Hearing these words of him (i.e. of Visvamitra), the king with joy performed the sacrifice with the 'complete oblation' with (the help of) all the sages. Then that best sage took the brahmana's son (with him) and went to the city named Dasapura; and having gone to his house the sage said (these) words: "O brahmana, you are staying at home." (The brahmana said): "O sage, I am staying as if I am dead. The king forcibly took (away) my son. What shall I do? O brahmana, when our son had gone, our eyes became blind due to weeping." O brahmana, when the best sage said, "See your son (and) take him (back)", the brahmana and his wife became glad. For the sake of the son, the two in a moment went out; and due to perfection of the sage the eyes of the two quickly obtained light (i.e. power of seeing); and then on seeing the son the two drank for a long time the lotus-like face of the son with their bee-like eyes, and repeatedly saluted the sage, and O brahmana, the two i.e. the brahmana and his wife, who spoke agreeably, said these words: "O sage, you have indeed made to us a good present of our life." O brahmana, the sage, the ocean of kindness, having given them blessings, went to his own hermitage. Having the great seat of Vishnu at his hand, the magnanimous sage practised a great penance difficult to be obtained (i.e. practised) even by deities. O brahmana, when some time passed, the king obtained a son. He was handsome, proper for a king, and like the moon in the ocean. O brahmana, the king too, free from grief and with curiosity arisen in him enjoyed like a god wealth on the earth.

62b-64. He, who protects brahmanas by giving his life and wealth, goes to Vishnu's abode, from which a return (to the mortal world) is difficult to have. Those who here (i.e. on the earth) recite or hear devoutly from a brahmana the story, or the account, or (even) one verse, go to Vishnu's abode.

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