A Gift of Land Is the Best

Mahadcva said:

1-9. Seeing the Satakratu completed and accomplished with excellent presents, Indra, in whose mind a thought had arisen, asked Brihaspati: “O you glorious one, О you of a great penance, tell me about that inexhaustible and very valuable gift by means of which a man gets happinsss everywhere.” Thus addressed by Indra, that family priest (of the gods), the god of gods and the very wise Brihaspati said: “O Indra, he who gives the gift of gold, or of a cow, or of (a piece of) land, becomes free from all sins. All (this) viz. gold, silver, a garment, a gem, a jewel would be (said to be) given by him who gives (a piece of) land. By giving land that is tilled with a plough, that contains seeds and is shining with corn, a man is honoured in heaven as long as there is the light cast by the sun. That sin, whichever a man over­powered by his livelihood commits, is purified by the gift of land of the measure of a gocarma. Danda is of the measure of ten cubits. Thirty dandas make a vartana. Ten such (vartanas) make a gocarma. This is the definition of brahmagocarma. That land where a thousand cows that have calved young calves and that are with bulls, remain uncontrolled, is known as gocarma.

10-14. He should give it to a brahma^a endowed with virtues, possessing penance, and with his senses controlled. He would get its infinite fruit as long as the earth begirt by the ocean remains. As a drop of oil fallen into water spreads, in the same way, О Indra, the gift of (a piece of) land spreads in every grain. As the seeds scattered on the earth grow, similarly the desires accompanied by the gift of land, grow (i.e. become fruitful). The givers of food are always happy. One who gives a garment would be handsome. That man who gives (a jjiece of) land repeatedly gives all.

15-17. OIndra, as a milch-cow feeds her calf by sending out milk, in the same way the land that is given (to a brahmana) feeds the giver of it. A conch, an auspicious seat, an umbrella, excellent horses and fine elephants (obscure). The fruit of the religious merit of the gift of land is heaven, О Indra. The Sun, Varujia, Fire, Brahma, the Moon, HutaSana (i.e. fire), the lord with the trident in his hand greet the giver of land. His manes clap (with delight) and the grands ires describe (his gift), Tn our family the giver of land is born. He will emancipate us.’

18-20. The three are said to be superior gifts: cows, land and knowledge. These lift (a man) from hell by means of mut­tering, sowing seed and milking. О brahmana, if they are taken up by the learned they help to cross a calamity. Those that give garments, go (to heaven with their bodies) covered. Those who do not give garments go naked. The givers of food go with gra­tification. Those who do not give food go hungry.

21-25a. All the manes frightened due to the fear of (falling into) hell say: ‘That(our) son who will go to Gaya will be our emancipator.’ Many sons should be desired, so that at least one of them would go to Gaya. He would perform the horse-sacrifice, or would give a ‘nila’ bull. That bull which is red in colour, whitish at the tip of its tail, white at the hoofs and tail, is called ‘nila’. By means of the water which the ‘nila’ bull, of a whitish tail, splashes, the manes are gratified for sixty thousand years; and by means of the mud which is on the horns, the family is emancipated; and his manes obtain (i.e. go to) the very bright world of Soma (i.e. the Moon).

25b-30a. It was (reached) by king Dilipa, Nrga and Nahusa; but none of the other kings reached it. Many kings like Sagara, gave (the gift of) land. Whenever he gave (the gift of) land he got its fruit (just) then. That (gift of land) destroys the sin (of one) who kills a brahmana, who murders a woman, who kills a child, who is fallen, or the killer of thousands of cows. He who takes away the land given by him or by someone else, becomes an insect in the feces, and is roasted along with his manes. The giver of land remains in heaven for sixty thousand years; and the one who strikes him (soliciting land) and who consents to (the suppliant being struck) would go to (and live in) hell for that much period.

30b-37. None else is more meritorious or a greater sinner than the giver of land or the snatcher of it (respectively). They remain above (i.e. in heaven) and below (in hell) till the deluge. The first child of Fire is gold; the earth is (the child) of Vishriu; the cows are the Sun’s daughters. He would obtain an unending fruit of (these gifts); so also he who would give gold, or a cow or (a piece of) land. He who receives (a piece of) land, he who gives it, both are meritorious, and certainly go to heaven. Those who snatch (a piece of) land or those who have caused (others) to snatch it unjustly would destroy their family (upto) the seventh member (i.e. descendant). He, a dull one and covered by (i.e. full of) ignorance, who snatches or causes someone else to snatch (a piece of land), is bound by the nooses of Varuna and is born in the stocks of lower animals. The gifts are censured along with the tears that are shed. The family up to three descendants perishes when the land of a brahmana is taken away. One who snatches (a piece of) land is not purified (even) by (digging) a thousand wells and tanks, or by performing a hundred horsesacrifices, or by giving a crore of cows.

38-39. Whatever good deed is done, whatever gift is given, whatever penance is practised, whatever study is done, whatever is meritorious perishes by taking away (the portion of) the border (of a piece of land) of the measure of half a finger. He who oppresses (i.e. snatches) a (pasture) — a sacred land of cows, (a portion of) the road in the village, or (a portion of) cremation ground goes to hell (and remains there) till deluge.

40-44. A man kills five (members of his family) if he tells a lie with regard to his daughter, kills ten if he lies about a cow, kills a hundred if he tells a lie about a horse, and (kills) a thousand by telling a lie about a man. The liar with regard to gold kills those that are born and those that are not (i.e. are yet to be) bom. He kills (i.e. destroys) everything by lying about land. (Therefore) do not tell a lie pertaining to land. Even if the life is on the point of departing, a man should not show interest in a brahmana’s wealth. Those that are (duly) burnt with fire (after their death) go up. The one who is burnt by (the curse of) a brahmana, does not go up. Those who are burnt by fire, go up; so also those who are scorched up by the sun; so also those who are struck by the sceptre of the king or by the curse of a brahmana. The limbs nourished by a brahmana’s wealth, repea­tedly waste away as the heat wastes away due to sand.

45-49a. A man who snatches the wealth of a brahmana goes to (the) Raurava (hell). Poison is not called poison; (but) a brah­mana’s wealth is called poison. Poison kills one(only), (but snatch­ing) a brahmana’s wealth kills one’s sons and grandsons. A man may digest iron-powder, or stone-powder, or (even) poison. But which man will digest a brahmaiia’s wealth in the three worlds? That wealth which through (snatching of) a brahmana’s wealth gives happiness or which through (snatching away) the wealth belonging to (the temple of) a deity gives joy, leads to the des­truction of the family and to that of oneself. A brahmana’s wealth, the murder of a brahmana, the wealth of a poor man, the gold of the preceptor or friend would trouble a man even while (he is) living in heaven.

49b-53a. О best god, that (wealth) which is given to a brahmana who is contented, who is modest, who is accompanied by the essence of everything, who is endowed with Vedic studies, penance, knowledge and control of senses, is inexhaustible. As milk, curd, ghee or honey put in an unbaked pot splits due to the weakness of the pot, but the pot does not perish, similarly, an ignorant man who receives a cow, gold, a garment, food, land and Sheshamum-seeds, becomes reduced to ash like wood.

53b-61a. He who would construct a new lake or would get an old one dug up, emancipates his entire family and is honoured in heaven. Wells, tanks, lakes or (trees etc.) growing in gardens, if improved again, give a pearl-like fruit. О Indra, he who has water (to give to others) in (even) the summer season, would never meet with a difficulty, a danger or an evil. О best god, water remaining on the earth (even) for a day, would emancipate seven members preceding (and succeeding) him. The man (offering a lamp) would be of a strong body by means of the light of the lamp. By giving presents he obtains memory and intelligence. He who, even after having done a sinful act, would give to a deserving person, especially a brahmana. is not smeared with sins. He who does not report when (a piece of) land, cows, or a servant are forcibly snatched is called the killer *of a brdh-mana. He who, when a marriage is about to take place, or at the time of a sacrifice or gift, creates obstacle through delusion, be­comes an insect after death.

61b-71. Wealth becomes fruitful by giving (a portion of it); life becomes fruitful by saving (another) life. Harmlessness gets (as) its fruit handsomeness, prosperity and good health. A man gets (the fruit of) worship by eating fruits and roots. Heaven is obtained through truthfulness. Due to fasting oneself unto death one gets kingdom and obtains happiness everywhere. О Indra, an embodied one who roams about as a religious mendicant, who goes on well while in initiation, who bathes thrice a day, drinks (i.e. inhales) air (only) obtains the (fruit of a) sacri­fice. He should bathe every day, be diligent and be endowed with the sandhya (prayer), Vedas and muttering. The harmless one goes to splendour, the indestructible heaven. One who enters fire is certainly honoured in Brahma’s world. By giving up tastes he obtains beasts and sons. He who fasts, lives in heaven for a long time. He who always sleeps on the (bare) ground, obtains desired position. He who takes up the posture of the brave, who sleeps like a brave man and occupies the position of a brave man has all inexhaustible worlds reached according to his desire. О Indra, having observed a fast, taken initiation and having bathed for twelve years he goes above the position of the brave. He practises purifying righteousness and is honoured in heaven.” Of the men who read (this) view of Brihaspati, four things grow: life, know­ledge, glory and power.

Narada said:

О king, all the sacred rules told by Brihaspati to Indra were told by great god (Mahesa) to me, his devotee.

 

CHAPTER THIRTYTHREE

⇐ Предыдущая270271272273274275276277278279Следующая ⇒

Поделиться: