"'Yudhisthira said, "O grandsire, O thou of great splendour, what do those
men become who, through stupefaction of intellect, do not make gifts unto
Brahmanas after having promised to make those gifts? O thou that art the
foremost of all righteous persons, do tell me what the duties are in this
respect. Indeed, what becomes the end of those wicked wights that do not
give after having promised to give."
"'Bhishma said, "The person that, after having promised, does not give, be
it little or much, has the mortification to see his hopes (in every
direction) become fruitless like the hopes of a eunuch in respect of
progeny. Whatever good acts such a person does between the day of his
birth and that of his death, O Bharata, whatever libations he pours on
the sacrificial fire, whatever gifts he makes, O chief of Bharata's race,
and whatever penances he performs all become fruitless. They that are
conversant with the scriptures declare this as their opinion, arriving at
it, O chief of the Bharatas, with the aid of a well-ordered
understanding. Persons conversant with the scriptures are also of opinion
that such a man may be cleansed by giving away a thousand horses with
ears of a dark hue. In this connection is cited the old narrative of the
discourse between a jackal and an ape. While both were human beings, O
scorcher of foes, they were intimate friends. After death one of them
became a jackal and the other an ape. Beholding the jackal one day eating
an animal carcase in the midst of a crematorium, the ape, remembering his
own and his friend's former birth as human beings, addressed him,
saying,--'Verily, what terrible sin didst thou perpetrate in thy former
birth in consequence of which thou art obliged in this birth to feed in a
crematorium upon such repulsive fare as the putrid carcase of an
animal?'--Thus addressed, the jackal replied unto the ape, saying,--Having
promised to give unto a Brahmana I did not make him the gift. It is for
that sin, O ape, that I have fallen into this wretched order of
existence. It is for that reason that, when hungry, I am obliged to eat
such food."'
"'Bhishma continued, "The jackal then, O best of men, addressed the ape
and said,--'What sin didst thou commit for which thou hast become an ape?'
"'"The ape said, 'In my former life I used to appropriate the fruits
belonging to Brahmanas. Hence have I become an ape. Hence it is clear
that one possessed of intelligence and learning should never appropriate
what belongs to Brahmanas. Verily, as one should abstain from this, one
should avoid also all disputes with Brahmanas. Having promised, one
should certainly make the promised gift unto them.'"
"'Bhishma continued, "I heard this, O king, from my preceptor while he was
engaged in discoursing upon the subject of Brahmanas. I heard this from
that righteous person when he recited the old and sacred declaration on
this topic. I heard this from Krishna also, O king, while he was engaged
in discoursing, O son of Pandu, upon Brahmanas.[14] The property of a
Brahmana should never be appropriated. They should always be let alone.
Poor, or miserly, or young in years, they should never be disregarded.
The Brahmanas have always taught me this. Having promised to make them a
gift, the gift should be made. A superior Brahmana should never be
disappointed in the matter of his expectations. A Brahmana, O king, in
whom an expectation has been raised, has, O king, been said to be like a
blazing fire.[15] That man upon whom a Brahmana with raised expectations
casts his eye, is sure, O monarch, to be consumed even as a heap of straw
is capable of being consumed by a blazing fire.[16] When the Brahmana,
gratified (with honours and gifts) by the king addresses the king in
delightful and affectionate words, he becomes, O Bharata, a source of
great benefit to the king, for he continues to live in the kingdom like a
physician combating against diverse ills of the body.[17] Such a Brahmana
is sure to maintain by his puissance and good wishes, the sons and
grandsons and animals and relatives and ministers and other officers and
the city and the provinces of the king.[18] Even such is the energy, so
great, of the Brahmana like unto that of the thousand-rayed Surya
himself, on the Earth. Therefore, O Yudhishthira, if one wishes to
attain to a respectable or happy order of being in one's next birth, one
should, having passed the promise to a Brahmana, certainly keep it by
actually making the gift to him. By making gifts to a Brahmana one is
sure to attain to the highest heaven. Verily, the making of gifts is the
highest of acts that one can achieve. By the gifts one makes to a
Brahmana, the deities and the pitris are supported. Hence one possessed
of knowledge should ever make gifts unto the Brahmanas. O chief of the
Bharatas, the Brahmana is regarded as the highest object unto whom gifts
should be made. At no time should a Brahmana be received without being
properly worshipped."'"