"'Yudhishthira said, "Thou hadst referred to the dispute between Time,
Mrityu, Yama, Ikshvaku, and a Brahmana. It behoveth thee to narrate the
story in full."
"'Bhishma said, "In connection with this subject that I am discoursing
upon, is cited the old history of what transpired between Surya's son
Ikshvaku and a certain Brahmana, and Time and Mrityu. Listen to me as to
what occurred, and what was the conversation that took place between
them, and the place where it happened. There was a certain Brahmana of
great fame and pious behaviour. He was a Reciter. Possessed of great
wisdom, he was conversant with the six Angas (of the Vedas). He was of
the Kusika race and son of Pippalada.[634] He acquired (by his
austerities) spiritual insight into the Angas.[635] Residing at the foot
of Himavat, he was devoted to the Vedas. Silently reciting the Gayatri
composition, he practised severe austerities for attaining to Brahma. A
thousand years passed over his head while he was engaged in the
observance of vows and fasts. The goddess (of Gayatri or Savitri) showed
herself to him and said, 'I am gratified with thee.' Continuing to recite
the sacred mantra, the Brahmana remained silent and spoke not a word to
the goddess. The goddess felt compassion for him and became highly
gratified. Then that progenitrix of the Vedas applauded that recitation in
which the Brahmana had been engaged. After finishing his recitation (for
that day) the Brahmana stood up and, bending his head, prostrated himself
before the goddess's feet. The righteous-souled Reciter, addressing the
goddess, said, 'By good luck, O goddess, thou hast been gratified with me
and shown thyself to me. If, indeed, thou art gratified with me, the boon
I ask is that my heart may take pleasure in act of recitation.'
"'"Savitri said, 'What dost thou ask, O regenerate Rishi? What wish of
thine shall I accomplish? Tell me, O foremost of Reciters, everything
will be as thou wishest.' Thus addressed by the goddess, the Brahmana,
conversant with duties, replied, saying, 'Let my wish about continuing my
recitations go on increasing every moment. Let also, O auspicious
goddess, the absorption of my mind into Samadhi be more complete.' The
goddess sweetly said, 'Let it be as thou wishest.' Desiring to do good to
the Brahmana, the goddess once again addressed him, saying, 'Thou shalt
not have to go to hell, i.e., thither where great Brahmanas go. Thou
shalt go into the region of Brahma which is uncreate and free from every
fault. I go hence, but that which thou hast asked me shall happen.[636]
Go on reciting with restrained soul and rapt attention. The god Dharma
will in person come to thee. Time, Mrityu, and Yama also will all
approach thy presence. There will be a dispute here between them and thee
on a question of morality.'"
"'Bhishma continued, "Having said these words, the goddess went back to
her own abode. The Brahmana continued engaged in recitation for a
thousand celestial years. Restraining wrath, and always controlling self,
he passed his time, firmly devoting himself to truth and freed from
malice. Upon the completion of his observance by the intelligent
Brahmana, Dharma, gratified with him, showed his person unto that
regenerate individual.
"'"Dharma said, 'O regenerate one, behold me who am Dharma. I have come
here for seeing thee. Thou hast won the reward of this recitation in
which thou hadst been engaged. Listen to me as to what that reward is.
Thou hast won all the regions of felicity which appertain to either gods
or men. O good man, thou shalt ascend above all the abodes of the
deities. O ascetic, cast off thy vital breaths then, and go unto whatever
regions thou pleasest. By casting off thy body thou wilt win many regions
of felicity.'
"'"The Brahmana said, 'What business have I with those regions of felicity
of which thou speakest? O Dharma, go whithersoever thou pleasest. I will
not, O puissant lord, cast off this body which is subject to much
happiness and misery.'
"'"Dharma said, 'Thy body, O foremost of ascetics, should certainly be cast
off. Do thou ascend to heaven, O Brahmana! Or, tell us what else should
please thee, O sinless one!'
"'"The Brahmana said, 'I do not, O puissant lord, wish to reside in heaven
itself without this body of mine. Leave me, O Dharma! I have no desire to
go to heaven itself without my own body.'
"'"Dharma said, 'Without (thus) setting thy heart on thy body, cast it off
and be happy Go into regions that are free from the attribute of Passion.
Indeed, going thither, thou shalt never have to feel any misery.'
"'"The Brahmana said, 'O highly-blessed one, I take great pleasure in
recitation. What need have I for those eternal regions of which thou
speakest? Indeed, O puissant lord, I do not desire to go to heaven with
even this body of mine.'
"'"Dharma said, 'If thou dost not wish to cast off thy body, behold, O
regenerate one, there is Time, and there is Mrityu, and there is Yama,
who are all approaching thee!'"
"'Bhishma continued, "After Dharma had said this, Vivaswat's son (Yama),
Time, and Mrityu,--the trio (who snatch away all creatures from the
earth), approached that Brahmana, O blessed king, and addressed him thus.
"'"Yama said, 'I am Yama. I say unto thee that a high reward awaits thee
for these well-performed penances of thine, and for this pious conduct
that thou hast observed.'
"'"Time said, 'Thou hast won a high reward which is, indeed, commensurate
with this course of recitation that thou hast finished. The time is come
for thee to ascend to heaven. I am Time and I have come to thee.'
"'"Mrityu said, 'O thou that art conversant with righteousness, know me for
Mrityu herself in her proper form. I have come to thee in person, urged
by Time, for bearing thee hence, O Brahmana.'
"'"The Brahmana said, 'Welcome to Surya's son, to Time possessed of high
soul, to Mrityu, and to Dharma! What shall I accomplish for you all?'"
"'Bhishma continued, "In that meeting, the Brahmana gave them water to
wash their feet, and the usual articles of the Arghya. Highly gratified,
he then addressed them, saying, 'What shall I do for you all by exerting
my own might?' Just at that time, O monarch, (king) Ikshvaku, who had
set out on a sojourn to holy waters and shrines, came to that spot where
those deities had been assembled together. The royal sage Ikshvaku bowed
his head and worshipped them all. That best of kings then enquired after
the welfare of all of them. The Brahmana gave the king a seat, as also
water to wash his feet, and the usual Arghya. Having next made the usual
enquiries of courtesy, he said, 'Thou art welcome, O great monarch! Tell
me all this thy wishes! Let thy noble self tell me what I shall have to
accomplish for thee by putting forth my might.'
"'"The king said, 'I am a king. Thou art a Brahmana in the observance of
the six well-known duties. (I cannot ask), I will give thee some wealth.
That is well-known. Tell me how much I shall give thee.'
"'"The Brahmana said, 'There are two kinds of Brahmanas, O monarch!
Morality of righteousness also is of two kinds: addiction to work, and
abstention from work. As regards myself, I have abstained from acceptance
of gifts. Give presents unto them, O, king, that are addicted to the duty
of work and acceptance. I shall not, therefore, accept anything in gift.
On the other hand, I ask thee, what is for thy good? What, indeed, shall
I give thee? Tell me, O foremost of kings, and I shall accomplish it with
the aid of my penances.'
"'"The king said, 'I am a Kshatriya. I do not know how to say the word
"Give." The only thing, O best of regenerate persons, that we can say (by
way of asking) is Give (us) battle.'
"'"The Brahmana said, 'Thou art content with the observance of the duties
of thy order. Similarly, I am content with the duties of mine, O king!
There is, therefore, little difference between us. Do as thou pleasest!'
"'"The king said, 'Thou saidst these words first, viz., "I shall give thee
according to my might." I, therefore, solicit thee, O regenerate one.
Give me the fruits of this recitation (which thou hast gone through).'
"'"The Brahmana said, 'Thou wert boasting that thy utterances always
solicit battle. Why then dost thou not solicit battle with me?'
"'"The king said, 'It has been said that Brahmanas are armed with the
thunder of speech, and that Kshatriyas have might of arms. Hence, learned
Brahmana, this wordy warfare has set in between thee and me.'
"'"The Brahmana said, 'As regards myself, even that is my resolution today.
What shall I give thee according to my might? Tell me, O king of kings,
and I shall give thee, having wealth of my own. Do not tarry.'
"'"The king said, 'If, indeed, thou desirest to give me anything, then give
me the fruits thou hast earned by practising recitation for these
thousand years.'
"'"The Brahmana said, 'Take the highest fruit of the recitations I have
gone through. Indeed, take half, without any scruple, of that fruit. Or,
O king, if thou wishest, take without any scruple the entire fruits of my
recitations.'
"'"The king said, 'Blessed be thou, I have no need for the fruits of thy
recitations which I solicited. Blessings on thy head. I am about to leave
thee. Tell me, however, what those fruits are (of thy recitations).'
"'"The Brahmana said, 'I have no knowledge of the fruits I have won. I
have, however, given thee those fruits that I have acquired by
recitation. These, viz., Dharma and Time, and Yama, and Mrityu, are
witnesses (of the act of gift).'
"'"The king said, 'What will the fruits, that are unknown, of these thy
observances, do for me? If thou dost not tell me what the fruits are of
thy recitations, let those fruits be thine, for without doubt I do not
wish for them.'
"'"The Brahmana said, 'I will not accept any other utterance (from thee). I
have given thee the fruits of my recitations. Let, O royal sage, both thy
words and mine become true. As regards my recitations, I never cherished
any specific desire to accomplish. How then, O tiger among kings, should
I have any knowledge of what the fruits are of those recitations? Thou
saidst, "Give!" I said "I give!" I shall not falsify these words. Keep
the truth. Be calm! If thou request to keep my word, O king, great will
be thy sin due to falsehood. O chastiser of foes, it does not become thee
to utter what is untrue. Similarly, I dare not falsify what I have
uttered. I have, before this, unhesitatingly said, "I give!" If,
therefore, thou art firm in truth, accept my gift. Coming here, O king,
thou didst solicit of me the fruits of my recitations. Therefore, take
what I have given away, if, indeed, thou art firm in truth. He who is
addicted to falsehood has neither this world nor the next. Such a person
fails to rescue his (deceased) ancestors. How again shall he succeed in
doing good to his (unborn) progeny? The rewards of sacrifices and gifts,
as also of fasts and religious observances, are not so efficacious in
rescuing (a person from evil and hell) as Truth, O bull among men, in
both this and the next world. All the penances that have been undergone
by thee and all those that thou wilt undergo in the future for hundreds
and thousands of years do not possess efficacy greater than that of
Truth. Truth is one undeteriorating Brahma. Truth is the one
undeteriorating Penance. Truth is the one undeteriorating sacrifice.
Truth is the one undeteriorating Veda. Truth is awake in the Vedas. The
fruits attached to Truth have been said to be the highest. From Truth
arise Righteousness and Self-restraint. Everything rests on Truth. Truth
is the Vedas and their branches. Truth is Knowledge. Truth is the
Ordinance. Truth is the observance of vows and fasts. Truth is the
Primeval Word Om. Truth is the origin of creatures. Truth is their
progeny. It is by Truth that the Wind moves. It is by Truth that the Sun
gives heat. It is by Truth that Fire burns. It is on Truth that Heaven
rests. Truth is Sacrifice, Penance, Vedas, the utterance of Samans,
Mantras, and Saraswati. It hath been heard by us that once on a time
Truth and all religious observances were placed on a pair of scales. When
both were weighed, that scale on which Truth was seen to be heavier.
There is Truth where Righteousness is. Everything increaseth through
Truth. Why, O king, dost thou wish to do an act that is stained with
falsehood? Be firm in Truth. Do not act falsely, O monarch! Why wouldst
thou falsify thy words "Give (me)," which thou hast uttered? If thou
refusest, O monarch, to accept the fruits that I have given thee of my
recitations, thou shalt then have to wander over the world, fallen away
from Righteousness! That person who does not give after having promised,
and he also that does not accept after having solicited, are both stained
with falsehood. It behoveth thee, therefore, not to falsify thy own
words.'
"'"The king said, 'To fight and protect (subjects) are the duties of
Kshatriyas. It is said that Kshatriyas are givers (of presents). How then
shall I take anything from thee (in gift)?'
"'"The Brahmana said, 'I never insisted on thee, O king (for accepting
anything from me in the first instance). I did not seek thy house.
Thyself, coming here, didst solicit me. Why then dost thou not take?'
"'"Dharma said, 'Know ye both that I am Dharma himself. Let there be no
dispute between you. Let the Brahmana become endued with the reward
attaching to gift, and let the monarch also obtain the merit of Truth.'
"'"Heaven said, 'Know, O great king, that I am Heaven's self in my embodied
form, come hither in person. Let this dispute between you cease. You are
both equal in respect of the merit or rewards earned.'
"'"The king said, 'I have no use with Heaven. Go, O Heaven, to the place
you have come from. If this learned Brahmana desires to repair to thee,
let him take the rewards that I have won (by my acts in life).'
"'"The Brahmana said, 'In my younger days I had, through ignorance,
stretched my hand (for acceptance of gifts). At present, however, I
recite the Gayatri, observing the duty of abstention.[637] Why dost thou,
O king, tempt me thus, me who have for a long time observed the duty of
abstention? I shall myself do what my duty is. I do not wish to have any
share of the rewards won by thee, O monarch! I am devoted to penances and
to study of the Vedas, and I have abstained from acceptance.'
"'"The king said, 'If, O Brahmana, thou art really to give me the excellent
reward of thy recitation, then let half that reward be mine, thyself
taking at the same time half the reward that I myself have won by my
acts. Brahmanas are engaged in the duty of acceptance. Persons born in
the royal order are engaged in the duty of giving. If thou art not
unaware of the duties (laid down for both the orders), let our fruits be
equal (according to the suggestion I have made). Or, if thou dost not
wish to be my equal in respect of our rewards, take then the whole of the
rewards that I may have won. Do take the merit I have won, if thou
wishest to show me grace.'"
"'Bhishma continued, "At this time, two individuals of very ungainly
aspect came there. Each had his arm upon the other's shoulder; both were
ill-dressed. They said these words, 'Thou owest me nothing. I really owe
thee. If we dispute in this way, here is the king who ruleth individuals.
I say truly, thou owest me nothing! Thou speakest falsely. I do owe thee
a debt.' Both of them, waxing very hot in dispute, then addressed the
king, saying, 'See, O monarch, that none of us may become stained with
sin.'
"'"Virupa said, 'I owe my companion, Vikrita, O monarch, the merits of the
gift of a cow. I am willing to pay off that debt. This Vikrita, however,
refuses to take repayment.'[638]
"'"Vikrita said, 'This Virupa, O monarch, oweth me nothing. He speaks a
falsehood with the appearance of truth, O king.'
"'"The king said, 'Tell me, O Virupa, what is that which thou owest thy
friend here. It is my resolution to hear thee and then do what is proper.'
"'"Virupa said, 'Hear attentively, O king, all the circumstances in detail,
about how I owe my companion, viz., this Vikrita, O ruler of men. This
Vikrita had, in bygone days, for the sake of winning merit, O sinless
one, given away an auspicious cow, O royal sage, unto a Brahmana devoted
to penances as the study of the Vedas. Going unto him, O king, I begged
of him the reward of that act. With a pure heart, Vikrita made a gift to
me of that reward. I then, for my purification, did some good acts. I
also purchased two kapila cows with calves, both of which used to yield
large quantities of milk. I then made a present, according to due rites
and with proper devotion, of those two cows unto a poor Brahmana living
by the Unchha[639] method. Having formerly accepted the gift from my
companion, I desire, O lord, even here, to give him return twice the
reward![640] The circumstances being such, O tiger among men, who amongst
us two shall be innocent and who guilty (according to your judgment)?
Disputing with each other about this, we have both come to thee, O
monarch! Whether thou judgest rightly or wrongly, establish both of us in
peace. If this my companion does not wish to take from me in return a
gift equal to what he gave me, thou shalt have to judge patiently and set
us both on the right track.'
"'"The king said, 'Why do you not accept payment that is sought to be made
of the debt that is owing to thee? Do not delay, but accept payment of
what thou knowest is thy due.'
"'"Vikrita said, 'This one says that he owes me. I say unto him that what I
gave I gave away. He doth not, therefore, owe me anything. Let him go
whithersoever he wishes.'
"'"The king said, 'He is ready to give thee. Thou, however, art unwilling
to take. This does not seem proper to me. I think that thou deservest
punishment for this. There is little doubt in this.'
"'"Vikrita said, 'I made a gift to him, O royal sage! How can I take it
back? If I am guilty in this, do thou pronounce the punishment, O
puissant one.'
"'"Virupa said, 'If thou refusest to take when I am ready to give, this
king will certainly punish thee, for he is an upholder of justice.'
"'"Vikrita said, 'Solicited by him I gave him what was my own. How shall I
now retake that? Thou mayst go away. Thou hast my leave.'
"'"The Brahmana said, 'Thou hast heard, O king, the words of these two. Do
thou take without scruple that which I have pledged myself to give thee.'
"'"The king said, 'This matter is, indeed, as deep (in importance) as an
unfathomable pit. How will the pertinacity of this Reciter end? If I do
not accept what has been given by this Brahmana, how shall I avoid being
stained with a great sin?' The royal sage then said unto the two
disputants, 'Go ye both, having won your respective objects. I should see
that kingly duties, vested in me, may not become futile. It is settled
that kings should observe the duties laid down for them. To my
misfortune, however, the course of duties prescribed for Brahmanas has
possessed my wretched self.'[641]
"'"The Brahmana said, 'Accept, O king! I owe thee. Thou didst solicit it,
and I also have become pledged (to give thee). If, however, thou refuse
to take, O monarch, I shall without doubt curse thee.'
"'"The king said, 'Fie on kingly duties, the settled conclusion about the
operation of which is even such. I should, however, take what thou
givest, for only this reason, viz., rendering the two courses of duty
exactly equal.[642] This is my hand, that was never before (stretched
forth for acceptance of gifts), is now stretched forth (for acceptance as
also) for giving away. Give me what thou owest me.'
"'"The Brahmana said, 'If I have won any fruits by reciting the Gayatri,
accept them all.'
"'"The king said, 'These drops of water, behold, O foremost of Brahmanas,
have fallen upon my hand. I also desire to give thee. Accept my gift. Let
there be equality between us (through thy accepting my gift as I have
accepted thine).'
"'"Virupa said, 'Know, O king, that we two are Desire and Wrath. It hath
been by us that thou hast been induced to act in this way. Thou hast made
a gift in return to the Brahmana. Let there be equality between thee and
this regenerate person in respect of regions of felicity in the next
world. This Vikrita really does not owe me anything. We appealed to thee
for thy own sake. Time, Dharma, Mrityu, and we two, have examined
everything about thee, here in thy very presence, by producing this
friction between thee and that Brahmana. Go now, as thou choosest, to
those regions of felicity which thou hast won by means of thy deeds.'"
"'Bhishma continued, "I have now told thee how Reciters obtain the fruits
(of their recitation) and what, indeed, is their end, what the spot, and
what the regions, that a Reciter may win. A Reciter of Gayatri goes to
the supreme god Brahman, or repairs to Agni or enters the region of
Surya. If he sports there in his (new) energetic form, then stupefied by
such attachment, he catches the attributes of those particular
regions.[643] The same becomes the case with him if he goes to Soma, or
Vayu, or Earth, or Space. The fact is, he dwells in all these, with
attachment, and displays the attributes peculiar to those regions. If,
however, he goes to those regions after having freed himself from
attachments, and feels a mistrust (respecting the felicity he enjoys)
and wishes for That Which is Supreme and Immutable, he then enters even
That. In that case he attains to the ambrosia of ambrosia, to a state
free from desire and destitute of separate consciousness. He becomes
Brahma's self freed from the influence of opposites, happy, tranquil, and
without pain.[644] Indeed, he attains to, that condition which is free
from pain, which is tranquillity's self, which is called Brahma, whence
there is no return, and which is styled the One and Immutable. He becomes
freed from the four means of apprehension,[645] the six conditions, and
also the other six and ten attributes.[646] Transcending the Creator
(Brahman), he attains to absorption into the One Supreme Soul. Or, if
under the influence of attachments, he wishes not for such absorption,
but desires to have a separate existence as dependent on that Supreme
Cause of everything, then obtains the fruition of everything for which he
cherishes a wish. Or, if he looks (with aversion) upon all regions of
felicity, which have been (as previously stated) called hells, he then,
driving off desire and freed from everything, enjoys supreme felicity
even in those very regions.[647] Thus, O monarch, I have discoursed to
thee about the end attained by Reciters. I have told thee everything.
What else thou wishest to hear?"'"