"'Yudhishthira said, "People accept with affection the declarations of the
Srutis which say, 'This is to be given.' 'This other thing is to be
given!' As regards kings, again, they make gifts of various things unto
various men. What, however, O grandsire, is the best or foremost of all
gifts."
"'Bhishma said, "Of all kinds of gifts, the gift of earth has been said to
be the first (in point of merit). Earth is immovable and indestructible.
It is capable of yielding unto him who owns it all the best things upon
which his heart may be set. It yields robes and vestments, jewels and
gems, animals, paddy and barley. Amongst all creatures, the giver of
earth grows in prosperity for ever and ever. As long as the earth lasts,
so long does the giver thereof grow in prosperity. There is no gift that
is higher, O Yudhishthira, than the gift of earth. It hath been heard by
us that all men have given a little quantity of earth. All men have made
gifts of earth, hence all men enjoy a little of earth. Whether in this or
in the next world all creatures live under conditions dependent upon
their own acts. Earth is Prosperity's self. She is a mighty goddess. She
makes him her lord (in next life) who makes gifts of her in this life to
other people. That person, O best of kings, who gives away earth, which
is indestructible, as Dakshina, becomes born in next life as a man and
becomes also a lord of earth. The measure of one's enjoyment in this life
is commensurate with the measure of one's gifts in a previous life. Even
this is the conclusion to which the scriptures point. For a Kshatriya
should either give away the earth in gift or cast off his life in battle.
Even this constitutes the highest source of prosperity with regard to
Kshatriyas. It has been heard by us that earth, when given away, cleanses
and sanctifies the giver. The man that is of sinful behaviour, that is
guilty of even the slaughter of a Brahmana and of falsehood, is cleansed
by a gift of earth. Indeed, such a gift rescues even such a sinner from
all his sins. The righteous accept gifts of earth only and no other thing
from kings that are sinful. Like one's mother, earth, when given away,
cleanses the giver and the taker. This is an eternal and secret name of
earth, viz., Priyadatta.[328] Given away or accepted in gift, the name
that is dear to her is Priyadatta. The gift of earth is desirable. That
king who makes a gift of earth unto a learned Brahmana, obtains from that
gift a kingdom. Upon re-birth in this world, such a man without doubt
attains to a position that is equal to that of a king. Hence a king as
soon as he gets earth, should make gifts of earth unto the Brahmanas.
None but a lord of earth is competent to make gifts of earth. Nor should
one that is not a deserving person accept a gift of earth. They who
desire earth should, without doubt, conduct themselves in this way (i.e.,
make gifts of earth). That person who takes away earth belonging to a
righteous person never gets any earth. By making gifts of earth unto the
righteous, one gets good earth. Of virtuous soul, such a giver acquires
great fame both here and hereafter. That righteous king respecting whom
the Brahmanas say, 'We live on earth given to us by him,' is such that
his very enemies cannot utter the least reproach respecting his
kingdom.[329] Whatever sins a man commits from want of the means of
support, are all washed off by gift of only so much earth as is covered
by a cow-hide. Those kings that are mean in their acts or are of fierce
deeds, should be taught that gift of earth is exceedingly cleansing and
is at the same time the highest gift (in respect of merit). The ancients
thought that there was always very little difference between the man who
performs a Horse-sacrifice and him that makes a gift of earth unto one
that is righteous. The learned doubt the acquisition of merit by doing
all other acts of righteousness. The only act with respect to which they
do not entertain doubt is the gift of earth which, indeed, is the
foremost of all gifts. The man of wisdom who makes gifts of earth, gives
away all these, viz., gold, silver, cloth, gems and pearls and precious
stones. Penances, sacrifice, Vedic lore, good behaviour, absence of
cupidity, firmness in truth, worship of seniors, preceptors, and the
deities--all these dwell in him who makes a gift of earth. They who
ascend to the region of Brahman by leaving off their lives in battle,
after having fought without any regard for themselves to secure the
benefit to their masters--even they are unable to transcend the merit of
those that make gifts of earth. As the mother always nourishes her own
child with milk from her breast, even so doth the earth gratify with all
the tastes the person that makes a gift of earth. Mrityu, Vaikinkara,
Danda, Yama, Fire who is possessed of great fierceness, and all heinous
and terrible sins are incapable of touching the person that makes a gift
of earth. That man of tranquil soul who makes a gift of earth gratifies
(by that act) the Pitris dwelling in their own region and the deities
also hailing from the region that is theirs. The man who makes a gift of
earth unto one that is emaciated and cheerless and destitute of the means
of life and languishing with weakness, and who thereby supplies one with
the means of subsistence, becomes entitled to the honour and merit of
performing a sacrifice. Even as an affectionate cow runs towards her
calf, with full udders dropping milk, the highly-blessed earth after the
same manner, runs towards the person who makes a gift of earth. That man
who makes unto a Brahmana a gift of earth which has been tilled, or sown
with seeds or which contains standing crops, or a mansion well-equipped
with every necessary, succeeds in becoming (in next life) the
accomplisher of the wishes of everybody. The man who causes a Brahmana
possessed of the means of life, owning a domestic fire and of pure vows
and practices, to accept a gift of earth, never falls into any danger or
distress. As the moon waxes day by day, even so the merit of a gift of
earth becomes enhanced every time such earth produces crops. Those
conversant with ancient history sing this verse in connection with the
gift of earth. Hearing that verse Jamadagni's son (Rama) gave away the
whole earth unto Kasyapa. The verse to which I refer is this, 'Receive me
in gift. Give me away. By giving me away, thou (O giver) shall obtain me
again!' That which is given away in this life is re-acquired in the
next.[330] That Brahmana who recites this high declaration of the Vedas
at the time of a Sraddha attains to the highest reward. A gift of earth
is a high expiation for the sin of those puissant men who betake
themselves to Atharvan rites for doing injuries to others. Indeed, by
making a gift of earth one rescues ten generations of one's paternal and
maternal race. That person who is even conversant with this Vedic
declaration respecting the merits of a gift of earth, succeeds in
rescuing ten generations of both his paternal and maternal families. The
earth is the original source of all creatures (for it is from earth that
all creatures derive their sustenance). It has been said that the deity
of fire is the presiding genius of the earth. After the coronation
ceremony has been performed of a king, this Vedic declaration should be
re-cited to him, so that he may make gifts of earth and may never take
away earth from a righteous person. Without doubt, the entire wealth
owned by the king belongs to the Brahmanas. A king well-conversant with
the science of duty and morality is the first requisite of the kingdom's
prosperity. Those people whose king is unrighteous and atheistic in
conduct and belief can never be happy. Such people can never sleep or
wake in peace. In consequence of his acts of wickedness his subjects
become always filled with anxiety. Protection of what the subjects
already have and new acquisitions according to lawful means are incidents
that are not noticeable in the kingdom of such a ruler. Those people,
again, who have a wise and righteous king, sleep happily and wake up in
happiness. Through the blessed and righteous acts of such a king, his
subjects become freed from anxiety. The subjects, restrained from wicked
acts, grow in prosperity through their own conduct. Capable of retaining
what they have, they go on making new acquisitions. That king who makes
gifts of earth is regarded as well-born. He is regarded as a man. He is a
friend. He is righteous in his acts. He is a giver. He is regarded as
possessing prowess. Those men who make gifts of ample and fertile earth
unto Brahmanas conversant with the Vedas, always shine in the world, in
consequence of their energy, like so many suns. As seeds scattered on the
soil grow and return a goodly crop, even so all one's wishes become
crowned with fruition in consequence of one's making gifts of earth.
Aditya and Varuna and Vishnu and Brahman and Soma and Hutasana, and the
illustrious and trident-bearing Mahadeva, all applaud the man that makes
a gift of earth. Living creatures spring into life from the earth and it
is into the earth that they become merged when they disappear. Living
creatures which are distributed into four classes (i.e., viviparous,
oviparous, filthborn, and vegetables) have earth for their constituent
essence. The earth is both the mother and father of the universe of
creatures, O monarch. There is no element, O ruler of men, that can
compare with earth. In this connection is cited the old narrative of a
discourse between the celestial preceptor Vrihaspati and Indra the ruler
of Heaven, O Yudhishthira. Having adored Vishnu in a hundred sacrifices
each of which was distinguished by plentiful gifts as Dakshina, Maghavat
put this question to Vrihaspati, that foremost of all eloquent persons.
"'"Maghavat said, 'O illustrious one, by what gift does one succeed in
coming to Heaven and attaining to beatitude? O foremost of speakers, do
thou tell me of that gift which is productive of high and inexhaustible
merit.'"
"'Bhishma continued, "Thus addressed by the chief of the celestials the
preceptor of the deities, viz., Vrihaspati of great energy, said these
words in reply unto him of a hundred sacrifices. 'Endued as he is with the
merits that attach to the gift of earth, the region of felicity reserved
for the person who makes gift of such earth as is auspicious and rich
with every taste, never become exhausted.[331] That king, O Sakra, who
desires to have prosperity and who wishes to win happiness for himself,
should always make gifts of earth, with due rites, unto deserving
persons. If after committing numerous sins a person makes gifts of earth
unto members of the regenerate class, he casts off all those sins like a
snake casting off its slough. The person that makes a gift of earth is
said to make gifts of everything, that is, of seas and rivers and
mountains and forests. By making a gift of earth, the person is said to
give away lakes and tanks and wells and streams. In consequence of the
moisture of earth, one is said to give away articles of diverse tastes by
making a gift of earth. The man who makes a gift of earth is regarded as
giving away herbs and plants possessed of high and efficacious virtues,
trees adorned with flowers and fruit, delightful woods, and hillocks. The
merit that a person acquires by making a gift of earth is incapable of
being acquired by the performance of even such great sacrifices as the
Agnishtoma and others with plentiful gifts in the shape of Dakshina. The
giver of earth, it has been already said, rescues ten generations of both
his paternal and maternal races. Similarly, by taking away earth that was
given away, one hurls oneself into hell and casts ten generations of both
one's paternal and maternal lines into the same place of misery. That man
who having promised to make a gift of earth does not actually make it, or
who having made a gift takes it back, has to pass a long time, in great
misery in consequence of being tied with the noose of Varuna at the
command of Death. Those men have never to go to Yama who honour and
worship those foremost of Brahmanas that pour libations every day on
their domestic fire, that are always engaged in the performance of
sacrifices, that have scanty means of livelihood, and that receive with
hospitality every guest seeking shelter in their abodes. The king, O
Purandara, should free himself from the debt he owes to the Brahmanas and
protect the helpless and the weak belonging to the other orders. The king
should never resume, O chief of the deities, earth that has been given
away by another unto a Brahmana, O ruler of the celestials, that is
destitute of the means of life.[332] The tears that would fall from the
eyes of such cheerless and destitute Brahmanas in consequence of their
lands being taken back are capable of destroying the ancestors and
descendants to the third generation of the resumer. That man who succeeds
by his endeavours in re-establishing a king driven away from his kingdom,
obtains residence in heaven and is much honoured by the denizens thereof.
That king who succeeds in making gifts of earth with such crops standing
thereon as sugar-cane or barley or wheat, or with kine and horses and
other draft cattle,--earth that has been won with the might of the
giver's arms,--that has mineral wealth in its bowels and that is covered
with every kind of wealth of the surface, wins inexhaustible regions of
felicity in the next world, and such a king it is that is said to perform
the earth-sacrifice. That king who makes a gift of earth becomes washed
of every sin and is, therefore, pure and approved of the righteous. In
this world he is highly honoured and applauded by all righteous men. The
merit that attaches to a gift of earth increases every time the earth
given away bears crops for the benefit of the owner, even as a drop of
oil, falling upon water, is seen to extend on every side, and cover the
watery surface. Those heroic kings and ornaments of assemblies who cast
off their lives in battle with faces towards the foe, attain, O Sakra, to
the region of Brahman. Beautiful damsels skilled in music and dancing and
adorned with garlands of celestial flowers, approach, O chief of the
deities, the giver of earth as he comes to heaven departing from the
earth. That king who makes gifts of earth with due rites unto persons of
the regenerate order, sports in bliss in the celestial regions, adorned
all the while by the deities and Gandharvas. A century of Apsaras,
adorned with celestial garlands, approach, O chief of the deities, the
giver of earth as he ascends to the region of Brahman. Flowers of
excellent perfumes, an excellent conch and excellent seat, an umbrella
and excellent steeds with excellent vehicles, are always ready for the
person how makes gifts of earth. By making gifts of earth a king can
always command flowers of excellent perfumes and heaps of gold. Possessed
of all kinds of wealth the commands of such a king can never be disobeyed
anywhere, and cries of victory hail him wheresoever he may approach. The
rewards that attach to gifts of earth consist of residence in heaven, O
Purandara, and gold, and flowers, and plants and herbs of medicinal
virtue, and Kusa and mineral wealth and verdant grass. A person by making
a gift of earth acquires in his next life nectar yielding earth. There is
no gift that is equal to a gift of earth. There is no senior worthy of
greater respect than the mother. There is no duty higher than truth.
There is no wealth more precious than that which is given away.'"
"'Bhishma continued, "Hearing these words from the son of Angiras, Vasava
made a gift unto him of the whole earth with all her jewels and gems and
all her wealth of diverse kinds. If these verses declaring the merit
attaching to gifts of earth be recited on the occasion of a Sraddha,
neither Rakshasas nor Asuras can succeed in appropriating any share of
the offerings made in it. Without doubt, the offerings one makes unto the
Pitris at such a Sraddha become inexhaustible. Hence, on occasions of
Sraddhas, the man of learning should recite these verses on the subject
of the merits that attach to gifts of earth, in the presence and hearing
of the invited Brahmanas when engaged in eating. I have thus, O chief of
the Bharatas, discoursed unto thee of that gift which is the foremost of
all gifts. What else dost thou wish to hear?"'"