युधिष्ठिर उवाच कर्मणां च समस्तानां शुभानां भरतर्षभ। फलानि महतां श्रेष्ठ प्रब्रूहि परिपृच्छतः॥
Yudhishthira said O best of Bharata's family and the foremost of great men, I wish to know what the fruits are of good deeds! Do you enlighten me.
भीष्म उवाच हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि यन्मां पृच्छसि भारत। रहस्यं यदृषीणां तु तच्छृणुष्व युधिष्ठिर। या गतिः प्राप्यते येन प्रेत्यभावे चिरेप्सिता॥
Bhishma said I shall tell you what you have asked. Do you, O Yudhishthira, listen to this which forms the secret knowledge of the Rishis.
येन येन शरीरेण यद्यत् कर्म करोति यः। तेन तेन शरीरेण तत्तत् फलमुपाश्नुते॥
Listen to me as I explain what the long coveted ends, are which befall men after death. The fruits of whatever actions are performed by creatures in whatever bodies or forms of existence, are reaped by the doers while crcatures perform good or evil acts, they reap the fruits there of in similar states of succeeding lives. No act done with the help of the five organs of sensual perception, is ever lost.
यस्यां यस्यामवस्थायां यत् करोति शुभाशुभम्। तस्यां तस्यामवस्थायां भुङ्क्ते जन्मनि जन्मनि॥ न नश्यति कृतं कर्म सदा पञ्चेन्द्रियैरिह। ते ह्यस्य साक्षिणो नित्यं षष्ठ आत्मा तथैव च॥ चक्षुर्दद्यान्मनो दद्याद् वाचं दद्याच्च सूनृताम्। अनुव्रजेदुपासीत स यज्ञः पञ्चदक्षिणः॥ यो दद्यादपरिक्लिष्टमन्नमध्वनि वर्तते। श्रान्तायादृष्टपूर्वाय तस्य पुण्यफलं महत्॥
The five sensual organs and the immortal soul which is the sixth, are its witnesses. One should devote his eye (to the service of others); one should devote his heart (to the same); one should utter sweet words: one should also follow and worship (one's guest). This is the sacrifice with five gifts. He who offers good food to the unknown, and tired traveller, fatigued by a long journey, acquires great merit.
स्थण्डिलेषु शयानानां गृहाणि शयनानि च। चीरवल्कलसंवीते वासांस्याभरणानि च॥
Those who use the sacrificial platform as their only bed, obtain palatial mansions and beds (in subsequent births). He who wears only rags and barks of trees for dress, gets good apparel and ornaments.
वाहनानि च यानानि योगात्मनि तपोधने। अग्नीनुपश्यानस्य राज्ञः पौरुषमेव च॥
One possessed of penances and having his soul on Yoga, gets vehicles and riding animals. The king who lics down by the side of the sacrificial fire, acquires vigour and valour.
रसानां प्रतिसंहारे सौभाग्यमनुगच्छति। आमिषप्रतिसंहारे पशून् पुत्रांश्च विन्दति॥
The man who casts off the enjoyment of all delicacies, acquires prosperity, and he who abstains from animal food, obtains children and cattle.
अवाशिरास्तु यो लम्बेदुदवासं च यो वसेत्। सततं चैकशायी य: स लभेतेप्सितां गतिम्॥
He who lies down with his head downwards, or who lives in water, or who lives secluded and alone in the practice of Brahmacharya, acquires all the desired ends.
पाद्यमासनमेवाथ दीपमन्नं प्रतिश्रयम्। दद्यादतिथिपूजार्थं स यज्ञः पञ्चदक्षिणः॥
He who gives shelter to a guest and welcomes him with water to wash his feet as also with food, light and bed, acquires the merits of the sacrifice with the five gifts.
वीरासनं वीरशय्यां वीरस्थानमुपागतः। अक्षयास्तस्य वै लोकाः सर्वकामगमास्तथा।॥
He who on the battlefield, lays himself down as a warrior on a warrior's bed, goes to those eternal regions where all the objects of desire are fulfilled.
धनं लभेत दानेन मौनेनाज्ञां विशाम्पते। उपभोगांश्च तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण जीवितम्॥
A man, O king, acquires riches who makes charitable gifts. One gets obedience to one's command by the vow of silence all the enjoyments of life by practice of austerities, long life by Brahmacharya, and beauty, prosperity and immunity from discase by abstaining from injury to others.
रूपमैश्वर्यमारोग्यमहिंसाफलमश्नुते। फलमूलाशिनो राज्यं स्वर्ग: पर्णाशिनां भवेत्॥
Those who live on fruits and roots only, acquire Sovereignty, those who live on only leaves of trees acquire Residence in heaven.
प्रायोपवेशिनो राजन् सर्वत्र सुखमुच्यते। गवाढ्यः शाकदीक्षायां स्वर्गगामी तृणाशनः॥
A man, O king, is said to acquire happiness, by abstention from food. By eating herbs alone, one gets cows. By living on grass, one acquires the celestial regions.
स्त्रियस्त्रिषवणं स्नात्वा वायुं पीत्वा क्रतुं लभेत्। स्वर्ग सत्येन लभते दीक्षया कुलमुत्तमम्॥
By avoiding all intercourse with his wife and making ablutions three times a day and by inhaling the air only for purposes of maintenance one acquires the merit of a sacrifice. Heaven is gained by the practice of truth, and nobility of birth by sacrifices.
सलिलाशी भवेद् यस्तु सदाग्निः संस्कृतो द्विजः। मनुं साधयतो राज्यं नाकपृष्ठमनाशके॥
The Brahmana of pure practices who lives on water only, and performs the Agnihotra continually, and recites the Gayatri, acquires a kingdom. By abstaining from food or by restricting it, one acquires residence in heaven.
उपवासं च दीक्षायामभिषेकं च पार्थिव। कृत्वा द्वादश वर्षाणि वीरस्थानाद् विशिष्यते॥
O king, by avoiding all but the prescribed diet while celebrating sacrifices, and by making pilgrimage for twelve years, one acquires a place better than the abodes reserved for heroes.
धीत्य सर्ववेदान् वै सद्यो दुःखाद् विमुच्यते। मानसं हि चरन् धर्मं स्वर्गलोकमुपाश्नुते।।२
By reading all the Vedas, is immediately freed from misery, and by practising virtue in thought, one acquires the heavenly regions.
या दुस्त्यजा दुर्मतिभिर्या न जीर्यति जीर्यतः। योऽसौ प्राणान्तिको रोगस्तां तृष्णां त्यजतः सुखम्।।
That man who shakes off the longing for happiness and material comforts-a thirst that is difficult of conquest by the foolish and which does not abate with the decline of physical vigour and which clings to him like a dreadful disease,-is able to secure happiness.
यथा धेनुसहस्त्रेषु वत्सो विन्दति मातरम्। एवं पूर्वकृतं कर्म कर्तारमनुगच्छति॥
As the young calf is able to recognise its dam from among a thousand cows, so do the pristinc deeds of a man follow him.
अचोद्यमानानि यथा पुष्पाणि च फलानि च। स्वकालं नातिवर्तन्ते तथा कर्म पुरा कृतम्॥
As the flowers and fruits of a tree, unmoved by apparent influences, never miss their proper one season, so does Karma done in a pristine existence bring about its fruits in proper time.
जीर्यन्ति जीर्यतः केशा दन्ता जीर्यन्ति जीर्यतः। चक्षुःश्रोत्रे च जीर्येते तृष्णैका न तु जीर्यते॥
With age, man's hair grows grey; his teeth become loose; his eyes and ears too become dim in action; but the only thing that does not decline is his desire for enjoyments.
येन प्रीणाति पितरं तेन प्रीतः प्रजापतिः। प्रीणाति मातरं येन पृथिवी तेन पूजिता॥ येन प्रीणात्युपाध्यायं तेन स्याद् ब्रह्म पूजितम्। सर्वे तस्यादृता धर्मा यस्यैते त्रय आदृताः। अनादृतास्तु यस्यैते सर्वास्तस्याफला: क्रियाः॥
Prajapati is pleased with those deeds which please one's father, and the Earth is pleased with those acts which please one's mother, and Brahma is pleased with those acts which please one's mother, and Brahma is adored with those acts that please one's preceptor. Virtue is honoured by him who honours these three. The acts of those who despise these three do not help them.
वैशम्पायन उवाच भीष्मस्यैतद् वचः श्रुत्वा विस्पताः कुरुपुङ्गवाः। आसन् प्रहृष्टमनसः प्रीतिमन्तोऽभवंस्तदा॥
Vaishampayana said The princes of the line of Kuru became filled with surprise upon listening to this speech of Bhishma. All of them became pleased in mind and overpowered with joy.
यन्मन्त्रे भवति वृथोपयुज्यमाने यत् सोमे भवति वृथाभिषूयमाणे। यच्चाग्नौ भवति वृथाभिहूयमाने तत् सर्वं भवति वृथाभिधीयमाने॥
As Mantras applied for gaining victory, or the performance of the Soma sacrifice made without proper gifts, or oblations poured on the fire without proper hymns, become fruitless and produce evil results, so sin and evil results originate from falsehood.
इत्येतदृषिणा प्रोक्तमुक्तवानस्मि यद् विभो। शुभाशुभफलप्राप्तौ किमतः श्रोतुमिच्छसि॥
O prince, I have thus described to you this doctrine of the fruition of good and evil deeds, as recounted by the Rishis of old. What else do you wish to hear. O prince, I have thus described to you this doctrine of the fruition of good and evil deeds, as recounted by the Rishis of old. What else do you wish to hear.