भीष्म उवाच ततस्त्वृषिगणाः सर्वे पितरश्च सदेवताः। अरुन्धतीं तपोवृद्धामपृच्छन्त समाहिताः॥
Bhishma said The diverse Rishis there assembled together with the departed Manes and the deities, then, with rapt attention, asked Arundhati who was gifted with great ascetic merit.
समानशीला वीर्येण वसिष्ठस्य महात्मनः। त्वत्तो धर्मरहस्यानि श्रोतुमिच्छामहे वयम्। यत्ते गुह्यतमं भद्रे तत् प्रभाषितुमर्हसि॥
Having penances for wealth Arundhati was equal to her husband the highsouled Vasishtha in energy, for both in vows and conduct she was her husbands equal. Addressing her, they said, We wish to hear from you the mysteries of duty and religion. You should, O amiable lady, tell us what you consider as a great mystery.
अरुन्धत्युवाच तपोवृद्धिर्मया प्राप्ता भवतां स्मरणेन वै। भवतां च प्रसादेन धर्मान् वक्ष्यामि शाश्वतान्॥ सगुह्यान् सरहस्यांश्च ताशृणुध्वमशेषतः। श्रद्दधाने प्रयोक्तव्या यस्य शुद्धं तथा मनः॥ अश्रद्दधानो मानी च ब्रह्महा गुरुतल्पगः। असम्भाष्या हि चत्वारो नैषां धर्मः प्रकाशयेत्॥
Arundhati said The great progress I have been able to make in penances is owing to your consideration for me in thus remembering my poor self. With your gracious permission I shall now describe duties that are eternal, and are great mysteries. I shall describe them with the causes on which they depend. Listen to me as I describe them to you in full. A knowledge of these should be communicated to him only who has faith or who has a pure heart. These four viz., he who is bereft of faith, he who is full of pride, he who is guilty of Brahmanicide, and he who violates the bed of his preceptor, should never be talked to. Religion and duty should never be communicated to them.
अहन्यहनि यो दद्यात् कपिला द्वादशीः समाः। मासि मासि च सत्रेण यो यजेत सदा नरः॥ गवां शतसहस्रं च यो दद्याज्ज्येष्ठपुष्करे। न तद्धर्मफलं तुल्यमतिथिर्यस्य तुष्यति॥
The merits acquired by a person who gives way a Kapila cow every day for twelve years, or by a person who worships the deities every month in a sacrifice or by him who gives away hundreds of thousands o kine in the great Pushkara, do not equal those that are his with whom a guest is pleased. now
श्रूयतां चापरो धर्मो मनुष्याणां सुखावहः। श्रद्दधानेन कर्तव्यः सहरस्यो महाफलः॥
Listen to another duty whose observance yields happiness to mankind. It should be observed its secret ritual by a person having faith. Its merits are certainly high.
कल्यमुत्थाय गोमध्ये गृह्य दर्भान् सहोदकान्। निषिञ्चेत गवां शृङ्गे मस्तकेन च तज्जलम्॥ प्रताच्छेत निराहारस्तस्य धर्मफलं शृणु। श्रूयन्ते यानि तीर्थानि त्रिषु लोकेषु कानिचित्॥ सिद्धचारणजुष्टानि सेवितानि महर्षिभिः। अभिषेकः समस्तेषां गवां शृङ्गोदकस्य च॥
Listen to what they are. If a person rising at dawn and taking with him a quantity of water and a few blades of Kusha grass, goes to a cowpen and arrived there, washes a cow's horns by sprinkling thereon that water with those blades of Kusha grass and then causes the water to drip down on his own head, he is considered, on account of such a bath, as one who has performed his ablutions in all the sacred waters that the wise have heard to exist in the three worlds and that are honored and resorted to by the Shiddhas and Charanas.
साधु साध्विति चोद्दिष्टं दैवतैः पितृभिस्तथा। भूतैश्चैव सुसंहष्टैः पूजिता साप्यरुन्धती॥
After Arundhati had said these words all the deities and ancestors applauded her saying, Excellent, Excellent, Indeed all the beings there were highly pleased and all of them adored Arundhati.
पितामह उवाच अहो धर्मो महाभागे सरहस्य उदाहृतः। वरं ददामि ते धन्ये तपस्ते वर्धतां सदा॥
Brahman said O highly blessed one, excellent is the duty that you have described together with its secret ritual. Praise be to you! I grant you a boon, viz., that your penances always may increase.
यम उवाच रमणीया कथा दिव्या युष्मत्तो या मया श्रुता। श्रूयतां चित्रगुप्तस्य भाषितं मम च प्रियम्॥
Yama said I have heard from you an excellent and agrecable subject. Listen to what Chitragupta has said and what is agreeable to now me.
रहस्यं धर्मसंयुक्तं शक्यं श्रोतुं महर्षिभिः। श्रद्दधानेन मन आत्मनो हितमिच्छता॥
Those words touch on duty with its secret ritual and are worthy of being heard by the great Rishis as also by men having faith and desirous of achieving their own good.
न हि पुण्यं तथा पापं किंचिद् विनश्यति। पर्वकाले च यत् किंचिदादित्यं चाधितिष्ठति॥
Nothing is lost of either virtue or sin that is committed by creatures. On days of the full moon and the new moon, those acts are taken to the Sun where they rest.
प्रेतलोकं गते म] तत् तत् सर्वे विभावसुः। प्रतिजानाति पुण्यात्मा तच्च तत्रोपयुज्यते॥
When a mortal goes into the regions of the dead the Sun witnesses all his deeds. He who is virtuous, acquires the fruits of his virtue there.
किंचिद् धर्मं प्रवक्ष्यामि चित्रगुप्तमतं शुभम्। पानीयं चैव दीपं च दातव्यं सतलं तथा॥ उपानहौ च च्छत्रं च कपिला च यथातथम्। पुष्करे कपिला देया ब्राह्मणे वेदपारगे॥
I shall now tell you of some auspicious duties that are approved of by Chitragupta. Water for drink, and lamps for lighting darkness, should always be given as also sandals and umbrellas and Kapila kine with due rites. In Pushkara especially, one should make the gift of a Kapila cow to a Brahmana conversant with the Vedas.
अग्निहोत्रं च यत्नेन सर्वशः प्रतिपालयेत्। अयं चैवापरो धर्मचित्रगुप्तेन भाषितः॥
One should also always maintain his Agnihotra with great care. Here is another duty which was proclaimed by Chitragupta.
फलमस्य पृथक्त्वेन श्रोतुमर्हन्ति सत्तमाः। प्रलयं सर्वभूतैस्तु गन्तव्यं कालपर्ययात्॥
The best of creatures should listen to what the merits are of that duty separately. In course of time every creature is destined to undergo dissolution.
तत्र दुर्गमनुप्राप्ताः क्षुत्तृष्णापरिपीडिताः। दह्यमाना विपच्यन्ते न तत्रास्ति पलायनम्॥
The little witted meet with great distress in the regions of the dead, for they become stricken with hunger and thirst. Indeed, they have to rot there in pain. There is no escape for them from such a disaster.
अन्धकारं तमो घोरं प्रविशन्त्यल्पबुद्धयः। तत्र धर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि येन दुर्गाणि संतरेत्॥
They have to enter into a thick darkness. I shall now tell you of those duties by discharging which one may succeed in getting Over such disasters.
अल्पव्ययं महार्थं च प्रेत्य चैव सुखोदयम्। पानीयस्य गुणा दिव्याः प्रेतलोके विशेषतः॥
The performance of those duties costs every little but yields great merit. Indeed, such performance yields great happiness in the other world. The merits of the gift of water for drink, are excellent. In the next world, in especial, those merits are very great.
तत्र पुण्योदका नाम नदी तेषां विधीयते। अक्षयं सलिलं तत्र शीतलं ह्यमृतोपमम्॥
A large river full of excellent water is ordained in the other world for them who make gifts of water for drink. Indeed, the water contained in that river is endless and cool and sweet as neetar.
स तत्र गोयं पिबति पानीयं यः प्रयच्छति। प्रदीपस्य प्रदानेन श्रूयतां गुणविस्तरः॥
He who makes gifts of water in this world, drinks from that river in the next world when he goes there, listen now to the profuse merits accruing from the gift of lamps.
तमोऽधकारं नियतं दीपदो न प्रपश्यति। प्रभां चास्य प्रयच्छन्ति सोमभास्करपावकाः॥
The man who gives lamps in this world has never to even see the thick darkness (of Hell). The Sun and the Moon and the God of Fire always give him their light when he goes to the other world.
देवताश्चानुमन्यन्ते विमलाः सर्वतो दिशः। द्योतते च यथाऽऽदित्यः प्रेतलोकगतो नरः॥
The celestials ordain that on very side of such a person there should be burning light. Indeed, when the giver of lights goes to the world of the dead, he himself shines in pure effulgence like a second sun.
तस्माद् दीपः प्रदातव्यः पानीयं च विशेषतः। कपिलां ये प्रयच्छन्ति ब्राह्मणे वेदपारगे॥ पुष्करे च विशेषेण श्रूयतां तस्य यत् फलम्। गोशतं सवृषं तेन दत्तं भवति शाश्वतम्॥
Hence, one should give lights while here and water for drink in especial. Listen now to what the merits are of the person who makes the gift of a Kapila cow to a Brahmana knowing the Vedas, especially if the gift be made in Pushkara. Such a man is considered as having made a gift of a hundred kine with a bull a gift that yields eternal merit.
पापं कर्म च यत् किंचिद् ब्रह्महत्यासमं भवेत्। शोधयेत् कपिला ह्येका प्रदत्तं गोशतं यथा॥
The gift of a single Kapila cow is capable cleansing whatever sins the giver may be guilty of even if those sins be as grave as Brahmanicide, for the gift of a single Kapila cow is considered as equal in merit to that of a hundred kine.
तस्मात्तु कपिला देया कौमुद्यां ज्येष्ठपुष्करे। न तेषां विषमं किंचिन्न दु:खं न च कण्टकाः॥
Hence, one should give away a Kapila cow at that Pushkara which is considered as the senior, on the day of the full moon in the month o. Kartika. Men who succeed in making such a gift have never to meet with distress of any kind, or sorrow, or thorns giving pain.
उपानहो च यो दद्यात् पात्रभूते द्विजोत्तमे। छत्रदाने सुखां छायां लभते परलोकगः॥
That man who gives away a pair of sandals to a superior Brahmana who is worthy of the gift, acquires similar merits. By giving away an umbrella, a person gets comfortable shade in the next world.
न हि दत्तस्य दानस्य नाशोऽस्तीह कदाचन। चित्रगुप्तमतं श्रुत्वा हृष्टरोमा विभावसुः॥
A gift made to worthy person never goes for nothing. It is sure to yield agreeable results to the giver. Hearing these opinions of Chitragupta the Sun's hairs stood erect.
उवाच देवताः सर्वाः पितूंश्चैव महाद्युतिः। श्रुतं हि चित्रगुप्तस्य धर्मगुह्यं महात्मनः॥
Gifted with great splendour, he addressed all the celestials and the departed Manes, saying, Ye have heard the mysteries about duty, as explained by the great Chitragupta.
श्रद्दधानाश्च ये मर्त्या ब्राह्मणेषु महात्मसु। दानमेतत् प्रयच्छन्ति न तेषां विद्यते भयम्॥
Those human beings who gifted with faith, make these gifts to great Brahmanas, become freed from fear of every sort.
धर्मदोषास्त्विमे पञ्च येषां नास्तीह निष्कृतिः। असम्भाष्या अनाचारा वर्जनीया नराधमाः॥
These five kinds of men sullied with vicious deeds have no escape. Indeed, these wretched men of sinful conduct, should never be talked to. Indeed they should always be avoided.
ब्रह्महा चैव गोघ्नश्च परदाररतश्च यः। अश्रद्दधानश्च नरः स्त्रियं यश्चोपजीवति॥
Those five are he who is the destroyer of a Brahmana, he who is the destroyer of a cow, he who is addicted to sexual union with other people's wives, he who is bereft of faith (in the Vedas), and he who maintains himself by selling the virtue of his wife.
प्रेतलोकगता ह्येते नरके पापकर्मिणः। पच्यन्ते वै यथा मीना: पूयशोणितभोजनाः॥
These men of sinful conduct when they go to the region of the dead rot in hell like worms which live upon puss and blood.
असम्भाष्याः पितॄणां च देवानां चैव पञ्च ते। स्नातकानां च विप्राणां ये चान्ये च तपोधनाः॥
These five are avoided by the departed Manes, the celestials, the Snataka Brahmanas and other twice born persons who are given to the practice of penances.