युधिष्ठिर उवाच तिलानां कीदृशं दानमथ दीपस्य चैव हि। अन्नानां वाससां चैव भूय एव ब्रवीहि मे॥
Yudhishthira said Do you describe to me once again. O grandfather, the merit's of the gifts of sesame and of lamps for lighting darkness, as also of food and clothes.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। ब्राह्मणस्य च संवादं यमस्य च युधिष्ठिर॥
Bhishma Said : Regarding it, O Yudhishthira, is recited the discourse that took place forinerly between a Brahmana and Yama.
मध्यदेशे महान् ग्रामो ब्राह्मणानां बभूव ह। गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये यामुनस्य गिरेरधः॥
In the region lying between the rivers Gangs and Yamuna, at the foot of the hills called Yamuna, there was a large town peopled by Brahmanas.
पर्णशालेति विख्यातो रमणीयो नराधिप। विद्वांसस्तत्र भूयिष्ठा ब्राह्मणाश्चावसंस्तथा।॥
The town was known by the name of Parnashala and was very charming, O king. A large number of learned Bralımanas lived in it.
अथ प्राह यम: कंचित् पुरुषं कृष्णवाससम्। रक्ताक्षमूर्ध्वरोमाणं काकजङ्घाक्षिनासिकम्॥ गच्छ त्वं ब्राह्मणग्रामं ततो गत्वा तमानय। अगस्त्यं गोत्रतश्चापि नामतश्चापि शर्मिणम्॥
One day, Yama, the king of the dead, commanded a messenger of his, who was clad in black, having bloodred eyes and hair standing erect, and possessed of feet, eyes, and nose all of which resembled those of a crow, saying, Go you to the town inhabited by Brahmanas and bring here the person known by the name of Sharmin and born in the race of Agastya.
शमे निविष्टं विद्वांसमध्यापकमनावृतम्। मा चान्यमानयेथास्त्वं सगोत्रं तस्य पार्श्वतः॥
He is intent on mental tranquillity and gifted with learning. He teaches the Vedas and his practices are wellknown. Do not bring me another person belonging to the same race and living in the same neighbourhood.
स हि तादृग्गुणस्तेन तुल्योऽध्ययनजन्मना। अपत्येषु तथा वृत्ते समस्तेनैव धीमता॥
This other man I want is equal to him in virtues, study and birth. As for children and conduct, this other reassembles the intelligent Sharmin.
तमानय यथोद्दिष्टं पूजा कार्या हि तस्य वै। स गत्वा प्रतिकूलं तच्चकार यमशासनम्॥
Do you bring the individual I want. He should be adored with respect. The messenger, doing there, did the very reverse of what he had been ordered to do.
तमाक्रम्यानयामास प्रतिषिद्धो यमेन यः। तस्मै यमः समुत्थाय पूजां कृत्वा च वीर्यवान्॥
Attacking that person, he brought him who had been forbidden by Yama to be brought. Endued with great energy, Yama rose up on seeing the Brahmana and adored him duly.
प्रोवाच नीयतामेष सोऽन्य आनीयतामिति। एवमुक्ते तु वचने धर्मराजेन स द्विजः॥ उवाच धर्मराजानं निर्विण्णोऽध्ययनेन वै। यो मे कालो भवेच्छेषस्तं वसेयमिहाच्युत॥
The king of the dead then ordered him messenger, saying Let this one be taken back, and let the other one be brought to me.When the great judge of the dead said these words, that Brahmana addressed him and said I have finished my study of the Vedas and am no longer attached to the world. Whatever period may yet remain of my life, I wish to pass, living here, O you of unfading glory.
यम उवाच नाहं कालस्य विहितं प्राप्नोमीह कथंचन। यो हि धर्मं चरति वै तं तु जानामि केवलम्॥
Yama said I cannot determine the exact period, ordained by Time, of one's life, and hence, unurged by Time, I cannot allow one to live here. I take note of the acts of virtue (or otherwise) that one does in the world.
गच्छ विप्र त्वमद्यैव आलयं स्व महाद्युते। ब्रूहि सर्वं यथा स्वैरं करवाणि किमच्युत॥
Do you, O learned Brahmana of great splendour, return forthwith to your house. Tell me what also is in your mind and what I can do for you, O you of unfading glory.
ब्राह्मण उवाच यत् तत्र कृत्वा सुमहत् पुण्यं स्यात् तद् ब्रवीहि मे। सर्वस्य हि प्रमाणं त्वं त्रैलोक्यस्यापि सत्तम॥
Brahmana said Do you tell me what those acts are by doing which one may acquire great merit. O best of all beings, you are the foremost of authorities in the three worlds.
यम उवाच शृणु तत्त्वेन विप्रर्षे प्रदानविधिमुत्तमम्। तिलाः परमकं दानं पुण्यं चैवेह शाश्वतम्॥
Yama said Do you hear, O twiceborm Rishi, the excellent ordinances about gifts. The gift of sesame seeds is a very superior gift. It yields everlasting merit.
तिलाश्च सम्प्रदातव्या यथाशक्ति द्विजर्षभ। नित्यदानात् सर्वकामांस्तिला निवर्तयन्त्युत॥
O foremost of twiceborn ones, one should make gifts of as much sesame as one can. By making gifts of sesame every day, one is sure to acquire the fruition of his desires.
तिलान् श्राद्धे प्रशंसन्ति दानमेतद्ध्यनुत्तमम्। तान् प्रयच्छस्व विप्रेभ्यो विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा॥
The gift of sesame at Shraddhas is highly spoken of. The gift of sesame is a very superior gift. Do you make gifts of sesame to the Brahmanas according to the rites laid down in the scriptures.
वैशाख्यां पौर्णमास्यां तु तिलान् दद्याद् द्विजातिषु। तिला भक्षयितव्याश्च सदा त्वालम्भनं च तैः॥
One should, on the day of the full moon of the month of Vaishakha, make gifts of sesame to the Brahmanas. They should also be made to cat and to touch sesame on every occasion that one can afford.
कार्यं सततमिच्छद्भिः श्रेयः सर्वात्मना गृहे। तथाऽऽपः सर्वदा देयाः पेयाश्चैव न संशयः॥
They, who are desirous of seeing their wellbeing, should with their whole minds do this in their houses. Forsooth, men should likewise make gifts of water and set up resting places for the distribution of drinking water.
पुष्करिण्यस्तडागानि कूपांश्चैवात्र खानयेत्। एतत् सुदुर्लभतरमिहलोके द्विजोत्तम॥
One should make tanks and lakes and wells to be excavated. Such acts are rare in the world, O best of twice born persons.
आपो नित्यं प्रदेयास्ते पुण्यं ह्येतदनुत्तमम्। प्रपाश्च कार्या दानार्थं नित्यं ते द्विजसत्तम। भुक्तेऽप्यन्नं प्रदेयं तु पानीयं वै विशेषतः॥
Do you always make gifts of water. This act is full great merit, О best of twice born persons, for making such gifts you should put up resting places along the roads for the distribution of water. After one has eaten, the gift to one should especially be made of water for drink.
भीष्म उवाच इत्युक्ते स तदा तेन यमदूतेन वै गृहान्। नीतश्च कारयामास सर्वं तद् यमशासनम्॥
Bhishma said After Yama had said these words to him, the messenger who had borne him from his house conveyed him back to it. The Brahmana, on his return, obeyed the instructions he had received.
नीत्वा तं यमदूतोऽपि गृहीत्वा शर्मिणं तदा। ययौ स धर्मराजाय न्यवेदयत चापि तम्॥
Having thus conveyed him back to his abode, the messenger of Yama fetched Sharmin who had really been sought by Yama. Taking Sharmin to him, he informed his inaster.
तं धर्मराजो धर्मज्ञं पूजयित्वा प्रतापवान्। कृत्वा च संविदं तेन विससर्ज यथागतम्॥
Endued with great energy, the judge of the dead adored that pious Brahmana, and having conversed with him for some time dismissed him for being taken back to his house.
तस्यापि च यमः सर्वमुपदेशं चकार ह। प्रेत्यैत्य च ततः सर्वं चकारोक्तं यमेन तत्॥
To him also Yama gave same instructions. Sharmin too, returning to the world of men, did all that Yama had said.
तथा प्रशंसते दीपान् यमः पितृहितेप्सया। तस्माद् दीपप्रदो नित्यं संतारयति वै पितॄन्।॥
Like the gift of water, Yama, from desire of doing good to the departed manes, applauds the gift of lamps to light dark places, for it is considered as benefiting the departed manes.
दातव्याः सततं दीपास्तस्माद् भरतसत्तमा देवतानां पितॄणां च चक्षुष्यं चात्मनां विभो॥
Hence, O best of the Bharatas, one should always give lamps for lighting dark places. The giving of lamps increases the power of vision, of the deities, the Pitris, and one's own self.
रत्नदानं च सुमहत् पुण्यमुक्तं जनाधिप। यस्तान् विक्रीय यजते ब्राह्मणो ह्यभयंकरम्॥
It has been said, O king, that the gift of gems is a very great gift. The Brahmana, who having accepted a gift of gems, sells the same for celebrating a sacrifice, commits no sin.
यद् वै ददाति विप्रेभ्यो ब्राह्मणः प्रतिगृह्य वै। उभयोः स्यात् तदक्षय्यं दातुरादातुरेव च॥
The Brahmana, who having accepted a gift of gems, makes a gift of them to Brahmanas, wins endless merit himself and confers endless merit upon him from whom he had originally received them.
यो ददाति स्थितः स्थित्यां तादृशाय प्रतिग्रहम्। उभयोरक्षयं धर्मं तं मनुः प्राह धर्मवित्॥
Knowing every duty, Manu himself has said that he who, observant of proper control makes a gift of gems to a Brahmana observant of proper restraints, wins inexhaustible merit himself and confers inexhaustible merit upon the recipient.
वाससां सम्प्रदानेन स्वदारनिरतो नरः। सुवस्त्रश्च सुवेषश्च भवतीत्यनुशुश्रुम॥
The man, who is content with his own married wife and who makes a gift of dresses, acquires an excellent complexion and excellent dresses for himself.
गाव: सुवर्णं च तथा तिलाश्चैवानुवर्णिताः। बहुशः पुरुषव्याघ्र वेदप्रामाण्यदर्शनात्॥
I have told you, O foremost of men, What the merits are of gifts of kine, of gold and of sesame, according to various precepts of the Vedas and the scriptures.
विवाहांश्चैव कुर्वीत पुत्रानुत्पादयेत च। पुत्रलाभो हि कौरव्य सर्वलाभाद् विशिष्यते॥
One should marry and procreate offspring upon one's married wives. Of all acquistions, O son of Kuru's race, that of sons is considered the foremost.