मार्कण्डेय उवाच अत्रैव च सरस्वत्या गीतं परपुरंजय। पृष्टया मुनिना वीर शृणु तायेणधीमता॥
Markandeya said : O conqueror of hostile cities, O hero in this connection, Sarasvati, when asked by that intelligent Rishi Tarkshya, said (the following). Hear it.
तार्क्ष्य उवाच किं नु श्रेयः पुरुषस्येह भद्रे कथं कुर्वन् न च्यवते स्वधर्मात्। आचक्ष्व मे चारुसर्वाङ्गि कुर्यां त्वया शिष्टो न च्यवेयं स्वधर्मात्॥
Tarkshya said: O blessed lady, what is the best thing for a man to do here on earth) and how he must act so that he may not deviate from (the path of) virtue. O beautiful lady, tell me all, so that being instructed by you I may not deviate from the path of my own duty (Dharma).
कथं वाग्निं जुहुयां पूजये वा कस्मिन् काले केनधर्मो न नश्येत्। एतत् सर्वं सुभगे प्रब्रवीहि यथा लोकान् विरजाः संचरेयम्॥
When and how must one offer oblations to the fire and when must he worship, so that his virtue may not be destroyed? O blessed lady, tell me all, so that I may live in this world without any passion, craving or desire.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच एवं पृष्टा प्रीतियुक्तेन तेन शुश्रूषुमीक्ष्योत्तमबुद्धियुक्तम्। तालुं विप्रंधर्मयुक्तं हितं च सरस्वती वाक्यमिदं बभाषे॥
Markandeya said : Thus questioned by that cheerful Rishi and having seen him eager to learn and at the same time possessed of great intelligence, Sarasvati spoke these virtuous and beneficial words to the Brahmana Tarkshya.
सरस्वत्युवाच यो ब्रह्म जानाति यथाप्रदेश स्वाध्यायनित्यः शुचिरप्रमत्तः। सवै पारं देवलोकस्य गन्ता सहामरैः प्राप्नुयात् प्रीतियोगम्॥
Sarasvati said : He who knows Brahma, he who perceives the Supreme with purity and equanimity goes to the celestials region and obtains the supreme bliss with the immortals.
तत्र स्म रम्या विपुला विशोकाः सुपुष्पिताः पुष्करिण्यः सुपुण्याः। अकर्दमा मीनवत्यः सुतीर्था हिरण्मयैरावृताः पुण्डरीकैः॥
Many large, beautiful and sacred lakes are there, abounding in fishes, flowers and golden lotuses. They are like holy shrines and their very sight drives away all grief.
तासां तीरेष्वासते पुण्यभाजो महीयमानाः पृथगप्सरोभिः। हिरण्यवर्णाभिरतीव हृष्टाः॥
Pious men, specially adored by the Apsaras, who are viriuous, well-adorned and goldencomplexioned, live in contentment on the banks of these lakes,
परं लोकं गोप्रदास्त्वाप्नुवन्ति दत्त्वानड्वाहं सूर्यलोकं व्रजन्ति। वासो दत्त्वा चान्द्रमसं तु लोकं दत्त्वा हिरण्यममरत्वमेति॥
He who gives away cows (to the Brahmanas here) goes to the highest region. By giving bullocks he goes to the solar region, by giving ciothes he goes to the lunar region and by giving gold he goes to the region of the immortals.
धेनुं दत्त्वा सुप्रभां सुप्रदोहां कल्याणवत्सामपलायिनीं च। स्तावद् वर्षाण्यासते देवलोके॥
He who gives away a beautiful cow with a fine calf, a cow which is easily milked and which does not run away lives in the celestials region as many years as there are hairs on the body of that cow.
अनड्वाहं सुव्रतं यो ददाति हलस्य वोढारमनन्तवीर्यम्। धुरन्धरं बलवन्तं युवानं प्राप्नोति लोकान् दशधेनुदस्य॥
He who gives a fine, strong, powerful and young bullock which is capable of drawing the plough and of carrying burdens goes to the region obtained by men who give away ten kine.
ददाति यो वै कपिलां सचैलां कांस्योपदोहां द्रविणैरुत्तरीयैः। तैस्तैर्गुणैः कामदुहाथ भूत्वा नरं प्रदातारमुपैति सा गौः॥
When a man gives away a well-caparisoned Kapila cow with money and with a bronze milk pot, he finds that cow, becoming a giver of boons, has come to his side by her own distinguished qualities,
स्तावत् फलं भवति गोप्रदाने। मासप्तमं तारयते परत्र॥
He who gives away cows obtains so many merits as are the number of hair on the body of those cows. He also saves (from hell) his sons, grandsons and ancestors up to the seventh generation (upwards and downwards).
सदक्षिणां काञ्चनचारुशृङ्गी कांस्योपदोहां द्रविणैरुत्तरीयैः। धेनुं तिलानां ददतो द्विजाय लोका वसूनां सुलभा भवन्ति।॥
He, who presents to a Brahmana sesame made up in the form of a cow having horns made of gold with money and a brazen milk pail, goes easily to the region of the Vasus.
स्वकर्मभिर्दानसंनिरुद्ध तीव्रान्धकारे नरके सम्पतन्तम्। महार्णवे नौरिव वातयुक्ता दानं गवां तारयते परत्र॥
A man by his own acts falls into the dark depth of the lower region infested by evil spirits, as a ship (goes down) tossed by the tempest on the high sea. But gift of kine saves him in the next world.
यो ब्राह्मदेयां तु ददाति कन्यां भूमिप्रदानं च करोति विप्रे। ददाति दानं विधिना च यश्च स लोकमाप्नोति पुरंदरस्य॥
He who gives his daughter in marriage in the Brahma form, who gives away land to the Brahmanas and duly makes other presents goes to the region of Purandara.
यः सप्त वर्षाणि जुहोति तार्क्ष्य हव्यं त्वग्नौ नियतः साधुशीलः। सप्तावरान् सप्त पूर्वान् पुनाति पितामहानात्मना कर्मभिः स्वैः॥
O Tarkshya, the virtuous man who continually offers oblations to the sacred fire for seven years sanctifies by his this action his seven generations upwards and downwards,
तार्क्ष्य उवाच माचक्ष्व मे पृच्छतश्चानुरूपे। त्वयानुशिष्टोऽहमिहाद्य विद्यां यदग्निहोत्रस्य व्रतं पुराणम्॥
Tarkshya said: O beautiful lady, tell me who ask you the rules of the Agnihotra as explained in the Vedas. I shall learn from you the timehonoured rules for perpetually keeping the sacred fire.
सरस्वत्युवाच ब्रह्मविज्जुहुयानाविपश्चित्। बुभुत्सवः शुचिकामा हि देवा नाश्रद्दधानाद्धि हविर्जुषन्ति॥
Goddess Sarasvati explained that "O Sage! the person impure physically and mentally both viz who has unwashed hands, denied of conscious on Vedas and inexperienced to dealing with the essence of Vedas is unentitled to offer the oblation in the fire. The Gods are always interested to know the deposition of others, they prefer sanctity and this is the reason they do not accept the oblations offered by a man without obeisance.
नाश्रोत्रियं देवहव्ये नियुञ्ज्यान्मोघं पुरा सिञ्चति तादृशो हि। अपूर्वमश्रोत्रियमाह ता न तादृग् जुहुयादग्निहोत्रम्॥
A man having no expertise in Vedic hymns should not be appointed in the work of offering the oblations to gods, because it proves merely a futile exercise. O tearkshya! such a mari nor properly known to Veda is considered as alien to the offering projects. Hence, he is liot entitled to join with Agnihotra.
कृशाश्च ये जुह्वति श्रद्दधानाः सत्यव्रता हुतशिष्टाशिनश्च। वै गवां लोकं प्राप्य ते पुण्यगन्धं पश्यन्ति देवं परमं चापि सत्यम्॥
The people sacrosanct in heart by virtues of observing the austerity, who execute offering in their day to day exercise, accept only residual to the offering ; Access to the abode of cows field with pleasing fragrance and their eyes see a supreme soul, the truth.
तार्क्ष्य उवाच क्षेत्रज्ञभूतां परलोकभावे कर्मोदये बुद्धिमतिप्रविष्टाम्। प्रज्ञां च देवीं सुभगे विमृश्य पृच्छामि त्वां का ह्यसि चारुरूपे॥
Tarkshya said: O Goddess! having attracting complexion you are in the form of soul and the supreme wisdom inserted in metaphysics and the topics related to the consequence of action. You too are a goddess of conscience Assuming you in this both forms I ask the real identity of yours.
सरस्वत्युवाच अग्निहोत्रादहमभ्यागतास्मि विप्रर्षभाणां संशयच्छेदनाय। त्वत्संयोगादहमेतब्रुवं भावे स्थिता तथ्यमर्थं यथावत्॥
Sarasvati said : O sage! I am Sarasvati in the form of learning, came duly summon by the offering made by Brahmanas with a purpose of alleviating your lurking doubts. You are devotee, hence I have explained the above said topics solemnly because I exist in the internal disposition of devotees.
तार्थ्य उवाच न हि त्वया सदृशी काचिदस्ति विभ्राजसे ह्यतिमात्रं यथा श्रीः। रूपं च ते दिव्यमनन्तकान्ति प्रज्ञां च देवीं सुभगे बिभर्षि॥
Tar enquired again O nice goddess! nobody here is worth comparison with you. You are perceived luminating like goddess Lakshmi. Your complexion with this supreme radiance is a divine one. You also hold the divine conscience concomitant to it. (I am curious to know its reason).
सरस्वत्युवाच श्रेष्ठानि यानि द्विपदां वरिष्ठ यज्ञेषु विद्वन्नुपपादयन्ति। तैरेव चाहं सम्प्रवृद्धा भवामि चाप्यायिता रूपवती च विप्र॥
Sarasvati replied: O scholar! you really are great man. O great Bhramin! my divine complexion is due to noble deeds of performed by the persons engrossed with offering or accumulating the best thing to their account which automatically satiates and gives radiance to me.
यच्चापि द्रव्यमुपयुज्यते ह वानस्पत्यमायसं पार्थिवं वा। दिव्येन रूपेण च प्रज्ञया च तेनैव सिद्धिरिति विद्धि विद्वन्॥
scholar! put it properly in your understanding that the offerings made by Brahmins are consisting of the wooden products like Shruva, fuel, the glittering items like gold etc. and physical items like Brihi etc. These all items as a gross effect provide me with divine complexion and conscience both.
तार्क्ष्य उवाच इदं श्रेयः परमं मन्यमाना व्यायच्छन्ते मुनयः सम्प्रतीताः। आचक्ष्व मे तं परमं विशोकं मोक्षं परं यं प्रविशन्तिधीराः। सांख्या योगा परमं यं विदन्ति परं पुराणं तमहं न वेद्मि॥
O Goddess! kindly describe that supreme position of emancipation where is left no place for agony for which sake the great sages imposed due checks on their sensories and the people of high degree patience inter into. This is because that supreme position as perceived to the yogis having expertise in Samkhya and Karma. I am absolutely alien to that element of emancipation.
सरस्वत्युवाच तं वै परं वेदविदः प्रपन्नाः परं परेभ्यः प्रथितं पुराणम्। स्तपोधना वीतशोका विमुक्ताः॥
Sarasvati replied : Position of Brahman all immortal is for which the yogis observed regular perseverance and consider austerity as only wealth and ultimately get-read of the net work of agony as a result of taking over that supreme position. The experts in Vedas shelter to that very supreme position.
तस्याथ मध्ये वेतसः पुण्यगन्धः सहाशाखो विपुलो विभाति। तस्य मूलात् सरितः प्ररवन्ति मधूदकप्रावणा: सुपुण्याः॥
A huge tree of cane in the form of cosmos within that supreme Brahman is existed. Its branches are unending and represent the luxuries and the words etc. are the fragrant giving the material pleasures added with this tree. The root to that cosmos formed tree is Avidya (ignorance). A number of reverse flowing continuously are in the form of temptation and luxuries. These rivers are emanated from the root of that ignorance. These rivers appear attractive having pure water with fragrance extraneously and float the satiating matters like water and as sweet as honey.
शाखां शाखां महानद्यः संयान्ति सिकताशयाः। धानापूपा मांसशाकाः सदा पायसकर्दमाः॥
However, these all are incapable to give any fruitful result like fried barley, field with a number of pores like sweet bread, impure as the flesh, void like dry vegetable and generate malice to the heart and mind not lesser than marsh inspite of appearing like sweet dish, These are distinct to each other like sand particles and these flow inside the branches of that cane tree (Calamus).
यस्मिन्नग्निमुखा देवाः सेन्द्राः सहमरुद्गणाः। ईजिरे क्रतुभिः श्रेष्ठैस्तत् पदं परमं मम॥
O sage! the supreme position belongs to me which is duly worshipped by Indra, Agni and Vayu and other gods including Maruts through arranging several offerings in order to attain that supreme position known as Brahman.