"'Yudhishthira said, "Do thou tell us, O slayer of Madhu, what the
prosperity is that attaches to the worship of the Brahmanas. Thou art
well-conversant with this topic. Verily, our grandsire knows thee."
"'Vasudeva said, "Hear, O king, with rapt attention to me, O chief of
Bharata's race, as I recite to thee what the merits of the Brahmanas are,
in accordance with truth, O foremost one of Kuru's race! Once on a time
while I was seated at Dwaravati, O delighter of the Kurus, my son
Pradyumna, enraged by certain Brahmanas, came to me and said, 'O slayer
of Madhu, what merit attaches to the worship of the Brahmanas? Whence is
their lordship derived both here and hereafter? O giver of honours, what
rewards are won by constantly worshipping the Brahmanas? Do thou kindly
explain this clearly to me, for my mind is disturbed by doubts in respect
of this.' When these words were addressed to me by Pradyumna, I answered
him as follows. Do thou hear, O king, with close attention, what those
words were, 'O child of Rukmin, listen to me as I tell thee what the
prosperity is that one may win by worshipping the Brahmanas. When one
sets oneself to the acquisition of the well-known aggregate of three
(viz., Righteousness, Wealth, and Pleasure), or to the achievement of
Emancipation, or to that of fame and prosperity, or to the treatment and
cure of disease, or to the worship of the deities and the Pitris, one
should take care to gratify the regenerate ones. They are each a king
Soma (that sheds such agreeable light in the firmament.) They are
dispensers of happiness and misery. O child of Rukmini, whether in this
or in the next world, O son, everything agreeable has its origin in the
Brahmanas. I have no doubt in this! From the worship of the Brahmanas
flow mighty achievements and fame and strength. The denizens of all the
worlds, and the Regents of the universe, are all worshippers of
Brahmanas. How then, O son, can we disregard them, filled with the idea
that we are lords of the earth? O mighty-armed one, do not suffer thy
wrath to embrace the Brahmanas as its object. In this as also in the next
world, Brahmanas are regarded as beings. They have direct knowledge of
everything in the universe. Verily, they are capable of reducing
everything into ashes, if angry. They are capable of creating other
worlds and other Regents of worlds (than those that exist). Why then
should not persons who are possessed of energy and correct knowledge
behave with obedience and respect towards them? Formerly, in my house, O
son, dwelt the Brahmana Durvasa whose complexion was green and tawny.
Clad in rags, he had a stick made of the Vilwa tree.[615] His beard was
long and he was exceedingly emaciated. He was taller in stature than the
tallest man on earth. Wandering over all the worlds, viz., that which
belongs to human beings and those that are for the deities and other
superior beings, even this was the verse which he sang constantly among
assemblies and in public squares. "Who is there that would cause the
Brahmana Durvasa to dwell in his house, doing the duties of hospitality
towards him? He becomes enraged with every one if he finds even the
slightest transgression. Hearing this regarding my disposition, who is
there that will give me refuge? Indeed, he that would give me shelter as
a guest should not do anything to anger me!" When I saw that no one
ventured to give him shelter in his house, I invited him and caused him
to take up his residence in my abode. On certain days he would eat the
food sufficient for the needs of thousands of persons. On certain other
days he would eat very little. On some days he would go out of my house
and would not return. He would sometimes laugh without any ostensible
reason and sometimes cry as causelessly. At that time there was nobody on
earth that was equal to him in years. One day, entering the quarters
assigned to him he burnt all the beds and coverlets and all the
well-adorned damsels that were there for serving him. Doing this, he went
out. Of highly praiseworthy vows, he met me shortly after this and
addressing me, said, "O Krishna, I wish to eat frumenty without delay!"
Having understood his mind previously, I had set my servants to prepare
every kind of food and drink. Indeed, many excellent viands had been kept
ready. As soon as I was asked, I caused hot frumenty to be brought and
offered to the ascetic. Having eaten some, he quickly said unto me, "Do
thou, O Krishna, take some of this frumenty and smear all thy limbs with
it!" Without any scruple I did as directed. Indeed, with the remnant of
that frumenty I smeared my body and head. The ascetic at that time saw
thy mother of sweet face standing near. Laughing the while, he smeared
her body also with that frumenty. The ascetic then caused thy mother,
whose body was smeared over with frumenty, to be yoked unto a car without
any delay. Ascending that car he set out of my house. Endued with great
intelligence, that Brahmana blazed with effulgence like fire, and struck,
in my presence, my Rukmini endued with youth, as if she were an animal
destined to drag the cars of human beings. Beholding this, I did not feel
the slightest grief born of malice or the desire to injure the Rishi.
Indeed, having yoked Rukmini to the car, he went out, desirous of
proceeding along the high road of the city. Seeing that extraordinary
sight, some Dasarhas, filled with wrath, addressed one another and began
to converse in this way, "Who else is there on earth that would draw
breath after having yoked Rukmini to a car! Verily, let the world be
filled with Brahmanas only! Let no other orders take birth here. The
poison of a virulent snake is exceedingly keen. Keener than poison is a
Brahmana. There is no physician for a person that has been bitten or
burnt by the virulent snake of a Brahmana." As the irresistible Durvasa
proceeded on the car, Rukmini tottered on the road and frequently fell
down. At this the regenerate Rishi became angry and began to urge Rukmini
on by striking her with the whip. At last, filled with a towering
passion, the Brahmana leapt down from the car, and fled towards the
south, running on foot, over a pathless ground. Beholding that foremost
of Brahmanas flying along the pathless ground, we followed him, although
we were smeared with frumenty, exclaiming behind him, "Be gratified with
us, O holy one!" Endued with great energy, the Brahmana, seeing me, said,
"O mighty-armed Krishna, thou hast subdued wrath by the strength of thy
nature. O thou of excellent vows, I have not found the slightest fault in
thee! O Govinda, I have been highly gratified with thee. Do thou solicit
the fruition of such wishes as thou pleasest! Behold duly, O son, what
the puissance is of myself when I become gratified with any one. As long
as deities and human beings will continue to entertain a liking for food,
so long will every one among them cherish the same liking for thee that
they cherish for their food! As long, again, as there will be
Righteousness in the several world, so long will the fame of thy
achievements last! Indeed, thy distinction will last so long in the three
worlds! O Janardana, agreeable thou shalt be to all persons! Whatever
articles of thine have been broken or burnt or otherwise destroyed (by
me), thou shalt see restored, O Janardana, to their former state or they
will reappear even in a better form! As long, again, O thou of unfading
glory, as thou wilt wish to live, so long wilt thou have no fear of death
assailing thee through such parts of thy body as have been smeared with
the frumenty I gave thee! O son, why didst thou not smear that frumenty
on the soles of thy feet as well? By not doing it, thou have acted in a
way that is not approved by me!" Even these were the words that he said,
well-pleased with me on that occasion. After he had ceased speaking, I
saw that my body became endued with great beauty and splendour. Unto
Rukmini also, the Rishi, well-pleased with her, said, "O beautiful lady,
thou shalt be the foremost one of thy sex in fame, and great glory and
achievements will be thine. Decrepitude or disease or loss of complexion
will never be thine! Every one will see thee engaged in waiting upon
Krishna, possessed as thou already art with a fragrant odour which is
always present in thee. Thou shalt become the foremost of all spouses,
numbering sixteen thousand, O Kesava. At last, when the time comes for
thy departure from the world, thou shalt attain to the inseparable
companionship of Krishna hereafter!" Having said these words unto thy
mother, the Rishi once more addressed me and uttering following words,
left the spot. Indeed, the Rishi Durvasa, blazing like a fire, said, "O
Kesava, let thy understanding be always disposed even thus towards the
Brahmana!" Verily after uttering these words, that Brahmana disappeared
there and then before my eyes. After his disappearance I took to the
observance of the vow of uttering certain Mantras silently without being
heard by anybody. Verily, from that day I resolved to accomplish whatever
behests I should receive from the Brahmanas. Having adopted this vow, O
son, along with thy mother, both of us, with hearts filled with joy
re-entered our palace. Entering our house I saw that everything which the
Rishi had broken or burnt had reappeared and become new. Beholding those
new articles, which had besides become more durable, I became filled with
wonder. Verily, O son of Rukmini, from that day forth I have always
worshipped the Brahmanas in my mind!' Even this, O chief of Bharata's
race, is what I said on that occasion regarding the greatness of those
Brahmanas who are the foremost of their order. Do thou also, O son of
Kunti, worship the highly blessed Brahmanas every day with gifts of
wealth and kine, O puissant one! It was in this way that I acquired the
prosperity I enjoy, the prosperity that is born of the grace of
Brahmanas. Whatever, again, Bhishma has said of me, O chief of the
Bharatas, is all true!"'"