भीष्म उवाच एवमुक्तः स भगवान् मैत्रेयं प्रत्यभाषत। दिष्ट्यैवं त्वं विजानासि दिष्ट्या ते बुद्धिरीदृशी॥
Bhishma said Thus addressed, the Holy one replied to Maitreya, saying, By good luck you are gifted with knowledge. By good luck your understanding is of this kind.
लोको ह्यार्यगुणानेव भूयिष्ठं तु प्रशंसति। रूपमानवयोमानश्रीमानाचाप्यसंशयम्॥
Good men highly speak of righteous qualities. By your good luck you are not overwhelmed by personal beauty, youth and prosperity.
दिष्ट्या नाभिभवन्ति त्वां दैवस्तेऽयमनुग्रहः। यत् ते भृशतरं दानाद् वर्तयिष्यामि तच्छृणु॥
This favour done to you is due to kindness of the celestials. Listen to me, as I describe to you what is even superior to gift.
यानीहागमशास्त्राणि याश्च काश्चित् प्रवृत्तयः। तानि वेदं पुरस्कृत्य प्रवृत्तानि यथाक्रमम्॥
All scriptures, religious treatises, and rites that are seen in the world, have all originated from the Vedas, according to their due order.
अहं दानं प्रशंसामि भवानपि तपःश्रुते। तपः पवित्रं वेदस्य तपः स्वर्गस्य साधनम्॥
Following them I highly speak of gift. You highly speak of penances and Vedic learning. Penances are sacred. Penances are the means by which one may acquire the Vedas and the celestial region.
तपसा महदाप्नोति विद्यया चेति नः श्रुतम्। तपसैव चापनुदेद् यच्चान्यदपि दुष्कृतम्॥
With the help of penances and of knowledge one acquires the highest fruits.; It is by penances that onc dissipates his sins and all else that is evil.
यद् यद्धि किंचित् संधाय पुरुषस्तप्यते तपः। सर्वमेतदवाप्नोति विद्यया चेति नः श्रुतम्॥
We have heard that with whatever purpose in view one performs performs one acquires the fruition thereof on account of those penances. The same may be said of knowledge.
दुरन्वयं दुष्प्रधर्षं दुरापं दुरतिक्रमम्। सर्वे वै तपसाभ्येति तपो हि बलवत्तरम्॥
Whatever is difficult to do whatever is dificult to conquer whatever is difficult to attain, and whatever is difficult to cross, can all be done with the help of penances. Of all things, penaces are of very superior power.
सुरापोऽसम्मतादायी भ्रूणहा गुरुतल्पगः। तपसा तरते सर्वमेनसश्च प्रमुच्यते॥
The man who drinks alcohol, or he who takes forcibly other men's properties, or he who is guilty of focticide, or he who violates the bed of his preceptor, succeeds in crossing with the help of penances. Indeed, one becomes purged off of all these sins through penances.
सर्वविद्यस्तु चक्षुष्मानपि यादृशतादृशम्। तपस्विनं तथैवाहस्ताभ्यां कार्यं सदा नमः॥
One gifted with all knowledge and therefore, having true vision and an ascetic of whatever kind, are equal. One should always bow to these two.
सर्वे पूज्याः श्रुतधनास्तथैव च तपस्विनः। दानप्रदाः सुखं प्रेत्य प्राप्नुवन्तीह च श्रियम्॥
All men who have the Vedas for their wealth should be adored. Likewise all men gifted with penances deserve to be adored. They who make gifts get happiness in the next world and much prosperity in this world.
इमं च ब्रह्मलोकं च लोकं च बलवत्तरम्। अन्नदानैः सुकृतिनः प्रतिपद्यन्ति लौकिकाः॥
By making gifts of food righteous men of this world obtain both this world and that of Brahiman himself with many other regions of superior happiness.
पूजिताः पूजयन्त्येते मानिता मानयन्ति च। स दाता यत्र यत्रैति सर्वतः सम्प्रणूयते॥
Those men who are worshipped by all, theinselves worship him who makes gifts. Those men who are honoured everywhere, themselves honour him who makes gifts. Wherever the giver goes, he hears himself his own praise.
अकर्ता चैव कर्ता च लभते यस्य यादृशम्। यदि चोर्ध्वं यद्यधो वा स्वाल्लोकानभियास्यति॥
He who docs acts and he who omits to do them, gets each what is proportionate to his acts and omissions. Whether one lives in the upper regions or in the nether, one always acquires those places to which one becomes entitled by his deeds.
प्राप्स्यसि त्वन्नपानानि यानि वाञ्छसि कानिचित्। मेधाव्यसि कुले जातः श्रुतवाननृशंसवान्॥
As regards yourself you will certainly obtain whatever food and drink you may covet, for you are gifted with intelligence, good birth, Vedic learning and mercy.
कौमारचारी व्रतवान् मैत्रेय निरतो भव। एतद् गृहाण प्रथमं प्रशस्तं गृहमेधिनाम्॥
You are possessed of youth, O Maitreya! you are observant of vows. Be devoted to virtuc. Do you take instructions from me about thosc duties which you should first follow, the duties, viz., of householders.
यो भर्ता वासितातुष्टो भर्तुस्तुष्टा च वासिता। यस्मिन्नेवं कुले सर्वे कल्याणं तत्र वर्तते॥
That house in which the husband is pleased with his married wife, and the wife pleased with her husband, all auspicious results ensue.
अद्भिर्गात्रान्मलमिव तमोऽग्निप्रभया यथा। दानेन तपसा चैव सर्वपापमपोहति॥
As filth is washed away from the body with water, as darkness is removed by the light of fire, so is sin washed off by gifts and penances.
स्वस्ति प्राप्नुहि मैत्रेय गृहान् साधु व्रजाम्यहम्। एतन्मनसि कर्तव्यं श्रेय एवं भविष्यति॥
Bless you, O Maitreya, may you have palaces! I depart hence in peace. Do you remember what I have said. You shall then be able to reap many advantages!
तं प्रणम्याथ मैत्रेयः कृत्वा चापि प्रदक्षिणम्। स्वस्ति प्राप्नोतु भगवाननित्युवाच कृताञ्जलिः॥
Maitreya then walked round his illustrious guest and bowed his head to him, and joining his hands in respect said, Let blessing be to you also, O Holy one!