13.083
origin of gold
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
The grandsire declared this unsurpassed gift of cows—especially for kings—as a duty; let them observe this dharma. (13-83-1)
Rulership is indeed always suffering; the life-stages are also very difficult to discern. Family brings suffering that is hard to endure for those lacking self-control. For most kings, there does not exist an auspicious path. (13-83-2)
Here, those who give the earth are certainly purified. Formerly, the dharmas have been spoken to me by you, O delight of the Kurus. (13-83-3)
In just this way, the giving of cows was spoken of—by you, by Nṛga indeed. Previously, the sage Naciketas had also demonstrated this. (13-83-4)
Indeed, as declared in the Vedas and Upaniṣads and in all rites, the prescribed offering in all sacrifices is land, cows, or gold. (13-83-5)
But there, the supreme scripture indeed says gold is called 'dakṣiṇā'. I wish to hear this from you, O grandsire, just as it is. (13-83-6)
What is gold, how was it born, at what time, of what nature is it? What is the gift, what is its fruit, and from what is the highest said to arise? (13-83-7)
Why do the wise honor the giving of gold, and why is it praised as an offering in sacrificial rites? (13-83-8)
Grandfather, tell me what is the most purifying and the best—superior to earth and cows—as gold is, and what is the supreme for the purpose of donation. (13-83-9)
Bhīṣma said.
O king, listen attentively to the detailed description of the many causes and to the account of the origin of gold as I have experienced it. (13-83-10)
My father, the greatly radiant Śantanu, has passed away. To perform his funeral rites, I went to Gangadvara. (13-83-11)
Having come there, O son, I began the śrāddha rite for my father; my mother Jāhnavī (the Ganges), indeed, assisted me at that time. (13-83-12)
Then, having seated in front of me the many perfected ascetics and sages, I began the prescribed duties starting with the offering of water. (13-83-13)
Having completed the previous ritual exactly as instructed and with concentration, I began to properly offer the oblation as was appropriate. (13-83-14)
Then, O lord of the people, after piercing that arrangement of darbha grass, an arm adorned with beautiful armlets and pendant ornaments arose. (13-83-15)
O best of the Bharatas, seeing him risen, I experienced great wonder; as I received him directly as my father.
Then again, a thought occurred to me, having pondered according to the śāstra: 'This rule about using the hand is not enjoined in the Vedas,' O lord. Therefore, the piṇḍa should be given here by a man; thus this idea came to me. (13-83-17)
Here, the ancestors of a human, though invisible, sometimes directly take the food; but the rice-ball offering should be given on kuśa grass in this way. (13-83-18)
Then I, disregarding that sign from my father's hand, recalled, O king, the subtle procedure prescribed by scripture. (13-83-19)
O best of the Bharatas, I placed all that upon the kuśa grass; know this, O best of men, was done according to the path prescribed by the śāstra. (13-83-20)
Then Bahu, the son of my father, disappeared, O king. Then, at the end of the dream, the forefathers appeared to me. (13-83-21)
But, being pleased, they spoke to me joyfully, O foremost of the Bharatas: 'By this knowledge of yours, you are not deluded from righteousness.' (13-83-22)
O king, here, the scripture is the authority for you in action; self, righteousness, tradition, the Vedas, and the ancestors are established by the great sages. (13-83-23)
Brahmā himself, the grandfather and lord of creatures, and the teachers—having brought forth the authority, indeed, the established order was not shaken. (13-83-24)
This has been properly undertaken by you today, O foremost of the Bharatas. However, for the sake of land and cows, gold should be given (thus). (13-83-25)
Thus, we, righteousness, and all our grandfathers will indeed become purified, for that (is) the supreme purification. (13-83-26)
Whoever gives gold thus causes ten of his ancestors before and ten after to cross over; thus my ancestors said to me. (13-83-27)
Then, O king, best of the Bharatas, being amazed and awakened, I resolved to give gold. (13-83-28)
O King, also hear this ancient history, concerning Jāmadagnya, O Lord; it is blessed and indeed life-giving. (13-83-29)
Formerly, the son of Jamadagni, Rāma, endowed with intense anger, made the earth bereft of kṣatriyas twenty-one times. (13-83-30)
Then Rāma, the lotus-eyed hero, having conquered the whole earth, performed a sacrifice that was honored by Brāhmaṇas and Kṣatriyas. (13-83-31)
O great king, the horse-sacrifice, endowed with all desires, purifying for all beings, and that which increases brilliance and splendor. (13-83-32)
Even though he was free from sin, that powerful Rāma, the son of Jamadagni, did not, as a result of that sacrifice, incur any diminution to himself. (13-83-33)
But he, the great-souled descendant of Bhṛgu, having performed the excellent sacrifice with gifts, asked the sages endowed with scriptural knowledge and the gods. (13-83-34)
He who had developed compassion said: "O greatly fortunate ones, let that be told which is supreme and purifying for men and may take place in a terrible action." (13-83-35)
Vasiṣṭha said.
The gods bestow gold upon those who offer it; indeed, Agni is all the gods, and gold partakes of his very essence. (13-83-36)
Therefore, by giving gold, all the deities are gratified. O tiger among men, they indeed know nothing higher than this. (13-83-37)
O best of all weapon-bearers, O sage among Brahmins, understand from me again the greatness of gold, as I declare it to you. (13-83-38)
O son of Bhṛgu, I have heard this before in the Purāṇa, when Prajāpati was narrating the story of Svāyambhuva Manu. (13-83-39)
Then, O best of Bhṛgu's lineage, on the excellent mountain Himavat, of the trident-handed Lord Rudra, the great-souled one. (13-83-40)
When the marriage of the Goddess Rudrāṇī was completed, O descendant of Bṛgu, at the union of the Divine with the great-souled Goddess, then all, being disturbed, approached the Divine. (13-83-41)
Having bowed with their heads and propitiated Mahādeva, who was seated along with the boon-bestowing goddess Umā, all addressed Rudra thus, O best of the Bhṛgus. (13-83-42)
This meeting, O god, of you and the goddess, is the union of the ascetic and the ascetic lady, the radiant one of surpassing brilliance. You, O god, are of unfailing splendor; this goddess is Umā as well. (13-83-43)
O god, a powerful offspring will be born to you two, O lord. That one surely will leave nothing remaining in the three worlds. (13-83-44)
Therefore, O wide-eyed lord of the world, grant a boon to these gods and to those who have bowed, out of desire for the welfare of the three worlds. For the sake of an offspring, restrain your blazing, supreme energy. (13-83-45)
Thus, while they were speaking, the venerable lord Śiva, whose banner bears a bull, addressed those gods, O sage among brāhmaṇas, saying, "So be it." (13-83-46)
Thus, having spoken, the Bull-vehicled Shiva took that seed upwards, and from then on he became one whose seed is upward (ūrdhvaretāḥ). (13-83-47)
But Pārvatī, then angered by the destruction of offspring thus carried out, spoke harsh words to the gods there, due to her feminine nature. (13-83-48)
Because my husband, who desired offspring, has indeed been turned away, therefore all of you gods shall become childless. (13-83-49)
Because you have today destroyed my progeny, therefore, none of you who are bird-born shall have offspring. (13-83-50)
But Agni was not present at the time of the curse, O descendant of Bhṛgu. The gods, too, because of the goddess's curse, then became childless. (13-83-51)
But Rudra bore that unparalleled energy at that time. Yet, some of it spilled out from him and fell there on the earth. (13-83-52)
That fell then into the fire and increased wondrously; the splendor, having merged with splendor, came to possess a single origin. (13-83-53)
At this very time, the gods, with Indra at the forefront, were greatly tormented by the asura named Tāraka. (13-83-54)
The Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, Maruts, the Aśvins as well as all the Sādhyas were terrified by the valor of the Daitya. (13-83-55)
Indeed, the places of the deities, the ancient aerial cars, and also the hermitages of the sages, were taken away by the asuras. (13-83-56)
All the gods and sages, with dejected minds, indeed went to Brahmā, the ageless lord, seeking refuge. (13-83-57)
