None: Chapter 129

The condition of men who know others wives

लोमश उवाच परदारेषु ये सक्ता अकृत्वा दारसंग्रहम्। निराशाः पितरस्तेषां श्राद्धकाले भवन्ति वै॥
Lomasha said The departed Manes of those men vho, without having wives of their own know the wives of other people, are disappointed when the time for the Shraddha comes.

परदाररतिर्यश्च यश्च वन्ध्यामुपासते। ब्रह्मस्वं हरते यश्च समदोषा भवन्ति ते॥
He who knows the wives of other people, he who indulges in sexual union with a barren woman and he who appropriates what belongs to a Brahmana, are equally sinful.

असम्भाष्या भवन्त्येते पितॄणां नात्र संशयः। देवताः पितरश्चैषां नाभिनन्दन्ति तद्धविः॥
Forsooth, the departed Manes of such people cut them off without wishing to have any intercourse with them. The offerings they make fail to please the celestials and the departed Manes.

तस्मात् परस्य वै दारांस्त्यजेद् वन्थ्यां च योषितम्। ब्रह्मस्वं हि नर्तव्यमात्मनो हितमिच्छता॥
Hence, one should always abstain from sexual union with women who are the lawful wives of others, as also with women who are barren. The man who seeks his own good, should not appropriate what belongs to a Brahmana.

श्रूयतां चापरं गुह्यं रहस्यं धर्मसंहितम्। श्रद्दधानेन कर्तव्यं गुरूणां वचनं सदा॥
Listen now to another mystery unknown to all, about Religion. One should having faith, always do the command of his preceptor and other elders.

द्वादश्यां पौर्णमास्यां च मासि मासि घृताक्षतम्। ब्राह्मणेभ्यः प्रयच्छेत तस्य पुण्यं निबोधत॥
On the twelfth lunar day, as also on the day of the full moon, every month, one should make gifts to Brahmanas of clarified butter and of Akshata. Listen to me as I say what the measure is of the merit that such a person wins.

सोमश्च वर्धते तेन समुद्रश्च महोदधिः। अश्वमेधचतुर्भागं फलं सृजाति वासवः॥
By such a deed one is said to increase Soma and the Ocean. Vasava, the king of the celestials confers upon him a fourth part of the merits of the Horse Sacrifice.

दानेनतेन तेजस्वी वीर्यवांश्च भवेन्नरः। प्रीतश्च भगवान् सोम इष्टान् कामान् प्रयच्छति॥
By making such gifts, a person becomes gifted with great energy and prowess. Wellpleased with him, the divine Soma grants him the fruition of his desires.

श्रूयतां चापरो धर्म: सरहस्यो महाफलः। इदं कलियुगं प्राप्य मनुष्याणां सुखावहः॥
Listen now to another duty, together with the foundation on which it depends, which yields great merits. In this age of Kali, that duty, if performed gives much happiness to men.

कल्यमुत्थाय यो मर्त्यः स्नातः शुक्लेन वाससा। तिलपात्रं प्रयच्छेत ब्राह्मणेभ्यः समाहितः॥ तिलोदकं च यो दद्यात् पितॄणां मधुना सह। दीपकं कृसरं चैव श्रूयतां तस्य यत् फलम्॥
That man who, rising at dawn and purifying himself by a bath dresses himself in white clothes and with concentrated attention makes gifts to Brahmanas of vessels full of sesame seeds, who makes offerings to the departed Manes of water with sesame seeds and honey and who gives lamps as also the food called Krishara, acquires great merits. Listen to me as I say what those merits are:

तिलपात्रे फलं प्राह भगवान् पाकशासनः। गोप्रदानं च यः कुर्याद् भूमिदानं च शाश्वतम्॥ अग्निष्टोमं च यो यज्ञं यजेत बहुदक्षिणम्। तिलपात्रं सहैतेन समं मन्यन्ति देवताः॥
The divine chastiser of Paka has attributed these merits to the gift of vessels of copper and brass filled with sesame seeds. He who makes gifts of kine, he who makes gifts of land which yield eternal merit, he who performs the Agnishthoma sacrifice with profuse presents in the form of Dakshina to the Brahmanas are all considered by the celestials as acquiring merits equal to those which one acquires by making gifts of vessels filled with sesame seeds.

तिलोदकं सदा श्राद्धे मन्यन्ते पितरोऽक्षयम्। दीपे च कृसरे चैव तुष्यन्तेऽस्य पितामहाः॥
Gifts of water with sesame seeds are considered by the departed Manes as yielding eternal gratification to them. The grandfathers all become highly pleased with gifts of lamps and Krishara.

स्वर्गे च पितृलोके च पितृदेवाभिपूजितम्। एवमेतन्मयोद्दिष्टमृषिदृष्टं पुरातनम्॥
I have thus recited the ancient ordinance, laid down by the Rishis that is highly spoken of by both the departed Manes and the celestials in their respective regions.