Subtle Are the Ways of Dharma

1. Having heard these words of Narada the king who was amazed, saluted him, and thinking of Vishnu said (to him):

2. О sage, we are confused. How can a very difficult fruit be obtained by a little exertion — merely by means of a bath?

3-5a. О king, you have spoken the truth that with little exertion great fruit is obtained. Have faith in it. It is the statement of the Creator. The ways of religious merit are subtle; for they are difficult to understand even for the masters. (Even) the learned are bewildered about the act of Vishnu whose power is inconceivable. О king, kshatriyas like ViSvamitra attained brahmagahood due to the excellence of religious merit.

5b-15a. Therefore, the ways of religious merit are subtle. О king, even Ajamila who was known as a female slave’s husband, had abandoned his religiously wedded wife and always remained on the path of sin. When he died, he, through affection for his son, called, ‘Narayapa’. Due to that thought and utterane of the name (Narayaija) he obtained a position very difficult to be had. As fire, though touched unwillingly (i.e. unknowingly) burns (one’s limb etc.), in the same way, the name of Govinda, though uttered under a pretext (i.e. non-seriously or casually), burns (the sins). The grandsons of sage Vyasa cohabited with their brothers’ wives. Similarly the sons of Pajj^lu were themselves sons born of their mothers (Kunti and Madri) by those (deities) other than Paotfu. О king, all the five Pap^avas enjoyed Draupadi. And (still) their fame is auspicious. Therefore, the course of religious merit is subtle. Strange are the deeds (of human beings); strange are the ideas of beings. Strange are the beings; strange are the potencies of acts. Perhaps a good deed which remained hidden, grows with some auspicious act, О king; and in a certain existence it gives a great fruit. Religious merit is subtle, and cannot be guaged in any manner. О king, no positive evidence for the fruit of this (auspicious deed) is heard (i.e. available). A certain auspicious deed, covered by other sins, comes from somewhere and gives its fruit somewhere.

15b-23. There is no destruction of a good or bad deed in this world. Yet due to many auspicious deeds a terrible sin goes (away). О king, with regard to the statement which you made, that due to great exertion great religious merit is (had), listen from me about the cause thereof. If little or much exertion depends upon smallness or greatness (of an activity), then the cultivators etc. would always be men of great religious merit. The utterance of a hymn is a great exertion for a lion. The five products of a cow would not have been (mentioned) as constituents of a vow. Thus the greatness or smallness of an act that ought to be done would follow from another vow of (i.e. like) entering water or fire. There is no such rule that this is a small or this is a great (exertion). О king, the fruit alone which is mentioned in the sacred texts, would be great. As a small (thing) is destroyed by a great one, in the same way a great (thing) is destroyed by a small one. A heap of grass (i.e hay) is burnt even by a small spark of fire. A thousand formidable sins connected with killing, crores of violations (of the modesty) of the teacher’s wife, sins like theft, committed by devotees of Krishna through ignorance, come to an end.

24-31. (Even) a small good act, done by Vishflu’s good and wise devotee, would obtain an inexhaustible fruit, О hero. No doubt should be entertained in this (matter). A man having devoutly worshipped Vishi?u in the month of Vaishakha, would obtain whatever is desired by him. By means of devotion to Vishnu, children, wealth, gems, a wife, a mansion, horses, elephants, pleasures, heaven, salvation are not away (from the devotee). Thus, there is no doubt that even by means of (an act done according to) rite told in sacred texts, there would be the destruction of a great sin, and the nourishment (i.e. enhancement) of good deeds. The fruit would increase, О king, due to the excellence of devotion and deeds. Even by means of the various (fruits), the course of religious merit should be understood to be subtle. This month of Vaishakha is dear to the great-souled Vishnu. Even if one is observed (i.e. even if bath etc. is done in only one Vaishakha) by people, it gives the entire desired (object). О king, this is my view that a man who is given to bathing (right) from his birth with the holy water of Ganga at the proper time and place, who is void of devotion and yet is a giver, does not become pure. Creatures live at holy places on Ganga etc. and flocks of birds always live in temple(s). (Though) they observe fasts, they, being bereft of devotion, meet with death, and do not get the (highest) position (i.e. salvation).

32-38. We are not able to describe the religious merit of him who devoutly keeping Vishnu in his heart, who intent on bathing and thus being pure, worships Vishnu in Vaishakha. He, defective in devotion, having entered fire at the time of his death, after the fire which is sprinkled with ghee and oil, whose flames are turning round, is enkindled, does not go to heaven, nor does he obtain any other (good) fruit. Therefore, О king, have faith in the fruit of (i.e. given by) Madhava. Even a small auspicious act destroys (the fruit of) hundreds of impious acts. As due to the fear of Vishnu’s name the hosts of all sins perish, and О king, as they perish by bathing in the morning at a holy place when the Sun is in Aries, similarly they certainly perish by taking a bath at dawn (every day) in Vaishakha, as serpents perish by the lustre of Garuda. He, О king, who bathes in Ganga or Narmada when the Sun is in Aries, and devoutly recites the hymn removing sins, once, twice or thrice, at dawn, noon and evening, goes, being free from sins, to the highest place (i.e. salvation).

39-40. О Ambarisha, for getting great religious merit, take care to observe the rule of taking bath in the morning in the month of Vaishakha. What is said to be obtained by those living in the city of Anarta for crores of years, is obtained by a single morning bath in the month of Vaishakha.

41-48. О king, listen to an old account in this regard, viz. the conversation with his wife of the brahmana Devasharman. On the bank of Reva, in the very auspicious holy place Amarakantaka was born the best brahmana Devasharman as the son of Kauiika. He was sonless, had no wealth, and was having (i.e. suffering from) many afflictions. He was always troubled by the great grief of poverty. Day and night he would think about a means of (getting) a son and wealth also. Once his beloved wife, of a good vow/named Sumana, saw her husband full of anxiety and with his face hung down. Seeing her husband at that time she, the glorious one, said: “Your mind is agitated by numberless troubles. You are confused with delusions. О you very intelligent one, give up your anxiety. Tell me your grief, be calm, be happy; for there is no other grief like anxiety that dries up the body. He who would give it up, becomes happy. О lord, О brahmana, tell me the cause of your anxiety.”

49. Having heard the words of his dear wife, the very intelligent Devasharman, having the chaste wife as his companion, though afflicted, said (these) words:

50-51. О good one, I shall tell you all about the cause of my worry, which you have thought about; having heard it, listening (to me), understand it accurately. О you of a good vow, I do not know for what sin I am wealthless and sonless. This is the cause of my anxiety.

52-66. Listen, I shall speak (that) which (instruction) will remove all doubt, and will contain all wisdom. Contentment alone is the great auspicious cause of happiness etc. Lack of contentment is a great sin. So said lord Hari. This greed is the seed of sin and its root is ignorance. Falsehood is its trunk; and the great trunks are there due to its great expanse. Its leaves are lustful passion and crookedness; it is always blossomed with bad thought. Its fragrance is falsehood, and ignorance is its fruit. Its walls are the heretics and thieves. The cruel, the fraudulent, the sinners are the birds that have resorted to the large branches of the tree of ignorance. Its great fruit is ignorance, and unrighteousness is the juice in the fruit. It is nourished by the water of emotion; and vehement desire loves its nourishment. It has delight in unrighteous acts, and becomes sweet due to being moist. With fruits like that the tree of greed is fructified. A man who lives by resorting to its shadow, every day eats its self-ripe fruits; being well-nourished by the juice of the fruits — unrighteousness — a man would be well-fed; he (then) sets about fora fall. Therefore, О (my) lord, one should not, resorting to anxiety, have greed. One should not worry about wealth, sons and a wife.

0 dear one, he who is not wise, being deluded, day and night thinks in vain along the path (i.e. in the manner) of fools. ‘How shall I get good objects? How shall I get sons?’ The deluded one thinks like this day and night. While worrying he would find great pleasure (just) for a moment. Again he becomes conscious, and is troubled by great affliction. О Brahmana, giving up anxiety and delusion, follow him. О you very intelligent one, in the worldly existence (one) has relation with none else. Friends, relations, sons, father, mother, are related to themselves only. So also is wife and others.

67. О good one, tell me in detail, of what kind is the relation due to which all — wealth, sons etc. and kinsmen — happen (to be related).

68-80. О (my) husband, five kinds of sons are bom. I shall now tell about (i.e. explain) them. They are: one who snatches away what is deposited with him; the other is the one connected through debt; enemy; suitable; and neutral, О dear one. О lord,

1 shall narrate their characteristics separately. Sons, friends, dear wife,father, mother, kinsmen are born on the earth being related to themselves (only). He who has been robbed (of his wealth) on the earth by snatching away his deposit, that is the owner of the deposit; he would be born as a virtuous, handsome son in the house of him who had snatched the deposit. There is no doubt about this. He had passed (away) after having given (the son) the affliction of snatching away the deposit. The owner of the deposit was (i.e. would be) a virtuous, handsome son, endowed with all (good) characteristics, of him who had snatched away the deposit. Talking agreeably and sweetly, and being eloquent, he would show great affection. Being (born) as his son of great qualities, he would, О glorious one, give very fearful affliction, which he (i.e. the father in the present existence) had given him, after generating matchless love and after having seized his wealth, by means of snatching away his deposit. Being short-lived he meets with death. Again and again striking him and giving grief to him, he departs. When he (i.e. the father) says: ‘O son, О son’, and laments, then he laughs: ‘Who is whose son?’ This

wicked one snatched away my deposit; due to the snatching away of (my wealth), and due to great, unbearable grief, my life formerly departed. Then (I shall depart) by giving him grief, and seizing his excellent wealth’.

1-11. (Now) I shall describe to you the son connected through debt. Someone having taken debt from someone dies. The giver of wealth (lender) being a son, or a brother, or a father, or a beloved, would, always wicked internally, remain in the form of a friend. He, of a rough figure, would not at all notice virtue(s). He always speaks cruel words to his relatives. He eats sweet (articles of food), and always enjoys pleasures. He is always engaged in gambling, and longs for stealing. He steals money from the house, and, when prevented, gets angry. Every day he abuses his father and mother. He is a thief; he frightens (others); he speaks very harsh words. Thus having seized his wealth, he remains happily. In childhood he takes formidable wealth through the ceremony performed at his birth etc. Again on the occasions of marriage etc. (he takes money) many times and in various ways. In this way the wealth is reduced, and he says this much also: ‘All this — the house, the field — is mine. There is no doubt about it.’ Every day he torments his father and mother with strong sticks, pestles and by ruthlessly plucking their hair. On the death of his father and mother the very cruel one becomes affectionless and harsh. There is no doubt about it He never performs the Sraddha-rites and never gives gifts. О king, dear sons become like this.

12-16a. О best brahmana, I shall describe to you the inimical son. When childhood has come, he always behaves as a son. He, while sporting, would beat his father and mother. Having beaten them and again and again laughed he goes away. Again he comes there and is always angry with his father and mother, and abuses them everyday. Thus, due to wealth he always indulges in inimical acts. Then again having beaten his father and mother, the wicked-souled one just goes away due to the power of the former enmity.

16b-21. Now I shall describe how the proper son would become dear. As soon as he is born, he would do what is agreeable, and by means of sportive beatings (he would do what is agreeable) in his childhood. Then, after he attains youth, he would do what would please his mother and father. Through devotion (to them) he would please them, and by means of affection, words, and conversing with them in a pleasing way, he would gratify both of them. Coming to know of the death of the elders, he weeps through affection (for them). Being extremely afflicted he performs all Sraddha-rites and offers them pipdas. He gives them support of life. Being resolute, he, having the three debts, would certainly, through affection, emancipate them. О dear one, since he would be a proper (son), he would give (to him from whom he borrows). There is no doubt about this. О very wise one, he becomes a son in this manner.

22-27a. Now before you I shall describe the neutral son, О dear one. He always behaves in a neutral manner. He does not at all give. He does not receive. He does not get angry, or is not pleased. О best brahmana, the neutral one does not go away after abandoning (his parents). Servants, beasts, so also horses, elephants, buffaloes — all these are connected (with a man) through debt. One of us, or both of us have not taken anything fraudulently, nor have we made any deposit with anyone in our former existence; I am not pleasing anyone. О dear one, listen for a moment. (Right) from our childhood I have not had enmity with anyone in the former existence; and О best brahmana, I have not abandoned my husband. Realising this, becalm;giveup> (this) useless anxiety. О lord, you never snatched (anything) from anybody; nor have you given (anything) to anyone. How will (then) wealth come to you? Do not be surprised, for whatever is obtained by one who guards (i.e. tries to guard) it, does not remain (with him).

27b-32. Realising thus, be calm; give up (this) useless anxiety. To whom do the sons, dear wife, kinsmen and relatives belong? In this mundane existence nobody belongs to anyone (else). There is no connection (between two persons), О best brahmana. Men of wicked feelings, deluded by infatuation and illusion (say:) “This is my house; this is my son; this is my wife.” О dear one, the bond of the worldly existence appears to be untrue.

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