13.100
balipradānam
the giving of an offering
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
gārhasthyaṃ dharmam-akhilaṃ prabrūhi bharatarṣabha। ṛddhim-āpnoti kiṃ kṛtvā manuṣya iha pārthiva॥13-100-1॥
O best of the Bharatas, expound the entire duty of the householder; what should a man do here, O King, to attain prosperity? (13-100-1)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said;
atra te vartayiṣyāmi purāvṛttaṃ janādhipa। vāsudevasya saṃvādaṃ pṛthivyāścaiva bhārata ॥13-100-2॥
Here, O king, I shall tell you the ancient event—the conversation between Vāsudeva and the earth, O Bhārata. (13-100-2)
saṁstūya pṛthivīṁ devīṁ vāsudevaḥ pratāpavān। papraccha bharataśreṣṭha yad etat pṛcchase'dya mām॥13-100-3॥
Having offered praise to the earth goddess, the mighty Vāsudeva asked me today about that which you inquire, O best of the Bharatas. (13-100-3)
vāsudeva uvāca॥
Vāsudeva said.
gārhasthyaṃ dharmam āśritya mayā vā mad-vidhena vā। kim avaśyaṃ dhare kāryaṃ kiṃ vā kṛtvā sukhī bhavet॥13-100-4॥
Having adopted the duties of householder, either by myself or by one like me, what action must certainly be performed, or by doing what can one become happy? (13-100-4)
pṛthivy uvāca॥
The earth said.
ṛṣayaḥ pitaro devā manuṣyāścaiva mādhava। ijyāścaivārcanīyāśca yathā caivaṁ nibodha me ॥13-100-5॥
O Mādhava, sages, ancestors, gods, and humans are indeed objects of worship and to be honored; just so—understand this from me. (13-100-5)
sadā yajñena devāṁś ca ātithyena ca mānavān। chandataś ca yathā nityam ar'hān yuñjīta nityaśaḥ॥ tena hy ṛṣigaṇāḥ prītā bhavanti madhusūdana॥ 13-100-6॥
One should always worship the gods by sacrifice and men by hospitality, and at all times joyfully serve the worthy ones. Through this, O Madhusūdana, the groups of sages become pleased. (13-100-6)
nityam agniṃ paricared abhuktvā balikarma ca। kuryāt tathaiva devā vai prīyante madhusūdana ॥13-100-7॥
O Madhusūdana, one should always tend the fire without having eaten and perform the offering of oblations likewise; thus, indeed, the gods are pleased. (13-100-7)
kuryād aharahaḥ śrāddham annādyena udakena vā। payo-mūla-phalair vā api pitṝṇām prītim āharan ॥13-100-8॥
One should perform the śrāddha every day, offering to the ancestors food and edibles, or water, or even milk, roots, and fruits, thereby bringing them satisfaction. (13-100-8)
siddhānnād vaiśvadevaṃ vai kuryād agnau yathāvidhi. agnīṣomaṃ vaiśvadevaṃ dhānvantary amanantaram ॥13-100-9॥
From prepared food, one should perform the Vaiśvadeva offering in the fire according to rule; then Agnīṣoma, Vaiśvadeva, and Dhanvantari offerings, one after another. (13-100-9)
prajānāṃ pataye caiva pṛthag-ghomo vidhīyate। tathaiva cānupūrvyeṇa balikarma prayojayet ॥13-100-10॥
A separate homa is prescribed for the lord of beings, and in the same way, one should perform the bali offering in due order. (13-100-10)
dakṣiṇāyāṃ yamāyeha pratīcyāṃ varuṇāya ca । somāya cāpyudīcyāṃ vai vāstu-madhye dvijātaye ॥13-100-11॥
In the south one should offer to Yama here, in the west to Varuṇa, in the north indeed to Soma, and in the middle of the dwelling to the twice-born. (13-100-11)
dhanvantarēḥ prāgudīcyāṁ prācyāṁ śakrāya mādhava। manorvai iti ca prāhur baliṁ dvārē gṛhasya vai ॥ marudbhyō dēvatābhyaś ca balim antar gṛhē harēt ॥13-100-12॥
O Mādhava, they say the offering at the door of the house should be made to Dhanvantari in the northeast, to Śakra in the east, and to Manu. One should offer the offering inside the house to the Maruts and other deities. (13-100-12)
tathaiva viśvedevebhyo balim ākāśataḥ haret। niśācarebhyo bhūtebhyo baliṁ naktaṁ tathā haret॥13-100-13॥
In the same way, he should offer oblations to the Viśve-devas by casting them into the sky. Likewise, at night, he should offer oblations to night-wanderers and spirits. (13-100-13)
evaṁ kṛtvā baliṁ samyag dadyād bhikṣāṁ dvijātaye। alābhe brāhmaṇasya agnau agram utkṣipya nikṣipet॥13-100-14॥
Having thus made the offering in the proper manner, one should give alms to a twice-born; but if a Brāhmaṇa is not found, one should take the chief portion and deposit it in the fire. (13-100-14)
yadā śrāddhaṃ pitṛbhyaś ca dātum icchet mānavaḥ। tadā paścāt prakurvīta nivṛtte śrāddhakarmaṇi ॥13-100-15॥
When a man wishes to offer śrāddha to the ancestors, he should then perform the subsequent rites after the completion of the śrāddha ceremony. (13-100-15)
pitṝn santarpayitvā tu baliṁ kuryād vidhānataḥ। vaiśvadevaṁ tataḥ kuryāt paścād brāhmaṇavācanam॥13-100-16॥
After satisfying the ancestors, one should perform the offering as prescribed; then the Vaiśvadeva should be performed, and afterwards the Brāhmaṇa recitation. (13-100-16)
tato'nnenāvaśeṣeṇa bhojayed atithīn api। arcāpūrvaṃ mahārāja tataḥ prīṇāti mānuṣān॥13-100-17॥
Then, O great king, with the remaining food he should also feed the guests; by this (ritual), before the worship, he thus pleases people. (13-100-17)
anityaṃ hi sthito yasmāttasmādatithirucyate। ācāryasya pituścaiva sakhyurāptasya cātitheḥ। idamasti gṛhe mahyamitinityaṃ nivedayet॥13-100-19॥
Because the guest stays only temporarily, he is called an 'atithi'. For the teacher, the father, the friend, the trusted person, and the guest, one should always state, "This is in my house." (13-100-19)
te yad vadeyus tat kuryād iti dharmo vidhīyate। gṛhasthaḥ puruṣaḥ kṛṣṇa śiṣṭāśī ca sadā bhavet॥13-100-20॥
Duty is enjoined as: a person should do what they might say. The householder should always be pure, and should eat food left by the noble. (13-100-20)
rājartr̥vijaṃ snātakaṃ ca guruṃ śvaśurameva ca। arcayen madhuparkeṇa parisaṃvatsaroṣitān ॥13-100-21॥
One should honor with the madhuparka offering the king, the officiating priest, the initiated graduate, the teacher, and the father-in-law—provided they have stayed away for a year. (13-100-21)
śvabhyaś ca śvapacebhyaś ca vayobhyaś ca āvapet bhuvi। vaiśvadevaṃ hi nāma etat sāyam-prātar vidhīyate ॥13-100-22॥
Offerings should be cast on the ground for dogs, outcastes, and birds; this is called the Vaiśvadeva rite, and it is prescribed at evening and morning. (13-100-22)
etāṃs tu dharmān gārhasthān yaḥ kuryād anasūyakaḥ. sa iha ṛddhiṃ parāṃ prāpya pretya nāke mahīyate ॥13-100-23॥
But whoever performs these duties of a householder without envy attains supreme prosperity here, and after death is honored in heaven. (13-100-23)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
iti bhūmer vacaḥ śrutvā vāsudevaḥ pratāpavān. tathā cakāra satataṃ tvam apy evaṃ samācara ॥13-100-24॥
Having heard the words of Bhūmi, the mighty Vāsudeva acted accordingly always. You too should act in this manner. (13-100-24)
evaṃ gṛhasthadharmaṃ tvaṃ cetayāno narādhipa। ihaloke yaśaḥ prāpya pretya svargam avāpsyasi ॥13-100-25॥
O king, if you practice the duty of a householder in this way, you will attain fame in this world and, after passing away, you will reach heaven. (13-100-25)
