13.074
the fruit of vow and discipline
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
O lord, having become confident by your explaining the dharmas, I will state a doubt; please tell me that, O grandfather. (13-74-1)
O greatly radiant one, what is said to be the fruit of vows, and of what kind is it? And what is the fruit of restraints, and what is the fruit of self-study? (13-74-2)
I wish to know all: what is the fruit of self-restraint here, what is the fruit of the retention of the Vedas, and what is the fruit of teaching. (13-74-3)
O grandsire, in the case of one who does not accept gifts, what fruit (result) is there in this world? And what fruit is seen or heard for the one who gives to such a person? (13-74-4)
What is the fruit of those devoted to their own duties and of heroes? What fruit is said to result from truth and from celibacy? (13-74-5)
What (is) in service to father, likewise also in service to mother, in service to teachers and preceptors, in compassion, in pity. (13-74-6)
Grandfather, I wish to know all this completely, just as it is. Knower of dharma, for I indeed have great curiosity. (13-74-7)
Bhīṣma said.
Whoever undertakes this vow exactly as prescribed, in an unbroken and proper manner, attains eternal worlds. (13-74-8)
O king, the fruit of observances is visibly seen here. And this fruit of observances and sacrifices has been obtained by you. (13-74-9)
The results of diligent study appear both in this world and the next; here, one is always prosperous, and in Brahmaloka, one delights. (13-74-10)
But, O king, listen from me in detail to the fruit of self-restraint: the self-restrained are happy everywhere, the self-restrained are content everywhere. (13-74-11)
Where self-controlled persons, who are destroyers of all enemies and act according to their desires, pray, whatever those self-controlled attain, that is surely without doubt. (13-74-12)
O son of Pandu, those who are self-controlled indeed obtain all desired objects everywhere. Likewise, in heaven they rejoice through austerity and heroic effort. (13-74-13)
Those who become self-restrained and endowed with forbearance by various gifts and sacrifices, yet the giver may still become angry, but the self-restrained does not. Therefore, self-restraint is superior to giving. (13-74-14)
But he who gives without anger—his worlds are eternal. Anger indeed destroys the merit of gifts; therefore, self-control is superior to giving. (13-74-15)
O great king, there are unseen places by tens of thousands in the sky—those to which the gods depart from here in all the worlds of the seers. (13-74-16)
O king, by self-restraint, the supreme sages attain that great state which they desire; therefore, self-restraint is greater than charity. (13-74-17)
The teacher obtains imperishable fruit from effort. Having properly offered fire, he, O king, attains the world of Brahma. (13-74-18)
Even one who, having studied, gives the Vedas to those versed in the law, and who praises the acts of the teacher, he too is honored in heaven. (13-74-19)
A Kṣatriya who is devoted to study, sacrifice, charity, and acts as a protector in battle is also honored in heaven. (13-74-20)
The Vaiśya, devoted to his own duty, obtains great (reward) through giving. The Śūdra, devoted to his own duty, attains heaven through service. (13-74-21)
Heroes are of many kinds as said; hear from me their meanings. The prescribed result for the kinds of heroes and also for the hero himself. (13-74-22)
There are men who are heroes in sacrifice, heroes in self-control, heroes in truth, and others; in the same way, men are said to be heroes in battle and heroes in generosity. (13-74-23)
Some humans are brave in intellect, others are brave in forbearance; still others are brave in straightforwardness; and there are brave ones who abide in tranquility. (13-74-24)
But by those various rules, there are many heroes, and others too; some are heroes in the study of the Vedas, and some are heroes devoted to teaching. (13-74-25)
Some are heroes by serving the teacher, others by serving the father; some are heroes by serving the mother, and others likewise are heroes in accepting alms. (13-74-26)
Many are heroes in Sāṅkhya, and also others are heroes in Yoga; others are heroes residing in the forest or in the home, and some are heroes in honoring guests. All of them go to the highest worlds attained by the fruit of their own actions. (13-74-27)
Bearing all the Vedas, bathing in all holy places—truth spoken always by one may be equal to this or may not be equal. (13-74-28)
When a thousand horse sacrifices and truth are weighed in a balance, truth alone excels even a thousand horse sacrifices. (13-74-29)
The sun shines by truth, the fire is kindled by truth, the wind blows by truth; everything is established in truth. (13-74-30)
By truth, one pleases the gods, ancestors, and Brāhmaṇas; truth is declared to be the highest duty, therefore, one should not violate the truth. (13-74-31)
Sages devoted to truth, sages whose power is truth, and those who take truth as their vow—for this reason, truth is supreme. Men of truth rejoice in the heavenly realm, O foremost of the Bharatas. (13-74-32)
I have declared by all means that self-restraint and the attainment of the fruit of truth are important; without doubt, every humble-minded person is honored in heaven. (13-74-33)
O lord of the earth, hear from me the qualities of celibacy. Whoever practices celibacy here from birth to death, know, O lord of people, that for him nothing is unattainable. (13-74-34)
Many crores of ṛṣis indeed dwell in Brahmaloka—those ever devoted to truth, self-controlled, and with their vital energy directed upward. (13-74-35)
O king, brahmacarya should burn all sins that have been committed; especially by the brāhmaṇa, for the brāhmaṇa is indeed said to be fire. (13-74-36)
This is directly evident to you also: among the ascetic brāhmaṇas, even Śakra is afraid after being overpowered by brahmacārins. Thus, the fruit of brahmacarya among the ṛṣis is seen here. (13-74-37)
Now hear from me about the duty that lies in honoring mother and father. Whoever serves the father and does not envy in any way, likewise the mother, and speaks without pride to the teacher and to the preceptor—such is the way. (13-74-38)
Know, O king, that the fruit for such a one is an excellent place in heaven; moreover, the self-controlled one who serves his guru does not see hell. (13-74-39)
