An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s1.433
An Index to the Names in the Mahābhārata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s1.433
- Language
- English
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from that time began always to make gifts of kine and to support himself on grains of barley and on cow-dung as his food and drink, and he began to sleep from that day on the bare earth, and gave up the practice of harnessing kine to his vehicles, and used cars drawn by horses (XIII, 76). Vaiçampāyana continued: 'Asked by Yudhishṭhira, Bhishma once more went into detail on the merits attaching to the gift of kine: a Kapilā cow is the best of all kine; Yudhishṭhira asked why; Bhishma said he had heard old men tell the following story: In days of yore Brahmán commanded Daksha to create living creatures; Daksha, in the first instance, created food; he drank amṛta, a fragrant eructation came out, and gave birth to the cow Surabhi, whose daughters came to be regarded as the mothers of the world; they were all Kapilās; some froth from the calves fell upon the head of Mahādeva, who, filled with wrath, turned his third eye towards them, which produced various complexions in them; some escaped to the region of Soma and retained their colour. Daksha informed Çiva that this froth was amṛta and not impure; Candramas (the Moon), after drinking the amṛta, pours it out again; but it is not, on that account, regarded as impure. Daksha then presented Mahādeva with a bull and certain kine; Mahādeva was gratified and made that bull his vehicle, and after the form of that bull adopted the device on his standard;
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it was on that occasion also that the gods, uniting together, made Mahādeva the lord of animals. Cows yield Soma in the form of milk. Blessing upon the reader.—Vaiçampāyana continued: Yudhishṭhira and his brother began to make gifts of both bulls and cows of different colours to brahmans, Yudhishṭhira performing many sacrifices (XIII, 78). Bhishma said: In days of yore, king Saudāsa of Ikshvāku's race asked his purohita R. Vasisṭha what is most sacred and most productive of merit; Vasisṭha enlarged upon the mystery relating to kine; svāhā and vaṣaṭ are for ever established in kine; what is meant by Gomati (XIII, 78). Continuation of Vasisṭha's discourse on the pre-eminent sanctity of kine; the diverse merits attaching to gifts of different kinds of kine: Brahmaloka, etc. (κ), (XIII, 79). Vasisṭha commented on the purificatory mantras having reference to kine; "those who make gifts of 1,000 kine, departing from this world, proceed to the region of G. and Aps., where there are many palatial mansions made of gold, and Vasor dhārā (i.e. Mandākinī, Nīl.); . . . . by giving away a Kapilā cow, etc., one succeeds in entering the palace of Yama that is so difficult to enter." — Bhishma said: Saudāsa, honouring these words of R. Vasisṭha, made gifts of a very large number of kine unto the brahmans, and attained to many worlds of felicity in the next life (XIII, 80).
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Yudhishṭhira asked what is the most sacred of all sacred things in the world, and which is the highest of all sanctifying objects. Bhishma said: Kine are the most excellent of all objects, etc.; Māndhātr, etc. (λ), always used to give away kine in thousands, and have attained to such regions as are unattainable over the gods; he quoted a discourse delivered of old. Çuka (having finished his morning observances) asked R. Vyāsa what is the foremost of all sacrifices, and was instructed by him, who praised kine and described the region of kine which the blessed only attain; Aps. always entertain there; those regions that have for their lords Pūshan and the Maruts are attained to by givers of kine; they attain to wealth like that of Varuṇa himself; one should daily recite these mantras (μ) declared by Prajāpati himself. [In this section *Yudhishṭhira* has repeatedly been addressed instead of *Çuka*.] The man who, for a month, subsists upon the gruel of barley picked up every day from cow-dung, becomes free of sins as grave as the slaughter of a brahman: after their defeat at the hands of Dai., the gods practised this penance, owing to which they regained their position; the efficaciousness of the *Gomatī mantras*.—*Bhīshma* said: From that time *Çuka* began to worship kine every day (XIII, 81). *Yudhishṭhira* asked how it is that the dung of the cow is possessed of *Çrī*.
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*Bhīshma* told the old story of the conversation between the kine and *Çrī*, who once in a beautiful form entered a herd of cows, saying: "The *Daityas*, forsaken by me, have been lost for ever; the gods *Indra*, etc. (v), having obtained me, are sporting in joy and will do so for ever; *R.* and *D.* only when they are favoured by me become crowned with success"; she wished to reside in the kine; they refused her, saying she was fickle and restless. *Çrī* said: "D., Dā., G., Pç., U., Rā., and men succeed in obtaining me only after the severest austerities"; they agreed that she should live in their urine and dung (XIII, 82). *Bhīshma* continued his discourse on kine, repeating the old tale of the discourse between *Brahmán* and *Indra*, after Dai. had been defeated and all creatures grew in prosperity; then once *R.*, G., K., U., Rā., D., As., the birds, and the *Prajāpatis* all adored *Brahmán*; *Nārada*, etc. (ξ), sang, etc. (o); *Indra* asked him about the region of kine; *Brahmán* said that *Indra* had always disregarded kine, and commented to him on the superiority of kine. He explained to him why kine have descended to earth: In days of yore, when in the *Deva-yuga* the *Dānavas* became lords of the three worlds, *Aditi* underwent the severest austerities (standing upon one leg for many years) and begot *Vishṇu*; seeing *Aditi* perform penances, *Surabhi*, the daughter of *Daksha*, also underwent austerities on *Kailāsa* (resorted to by D.
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and G.), in yoga, standing upon one leg for 11,000 years; "D., R., and M.-U. became scorched and repaired thither with me (*Brahmán*); as she did not herself ask a favour, I granted her the boon of immortality, and that she should dwell in *Goloka*, while her offspring, engaged in doing good acts, would reside in the world of men (description of *Goloka*)." *Bhīshma* continued: From that time *Çakra* began to worship kine every day. Blessing upon the reader, etc. (XIII, 83).—§ 747: *Yudhishṭhira* asked why gold, in the *Çrutis*, is declared to be even superior to kine as a *dakshiṇā*, and what gold is, etc. *Bhīshma* related the circumstances connected with the origin of gold: "When my father *Çāntanu* was dead, I went to *Gaṅgādvāra* to perform his *çrāddha*; *Gaṅgā* came and rendered me great help (description); a handsome arm, adorned with *aṅgadas*, etc., rose up piercing the ground; the P. did not come in their visible forms to take the cake; I, therefore, disregarding the hand, offered the whole cake on blades of *kuça*-grass, according to rule; then the arm of my father vanished. In that night the *Pitṛs* appeared to me in a dream, pleased by my adherence to the rules, whereby I had honoured the authority of the scriptures, etc. (a); I had made gifts of earth and kine; now I should make gifts of gold. Listen now to this old story, that extends the period of life for who listens to it;
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it was first recited to *Rāma Jāmadagnya*, who in former days exterminated the *Kshattriyas* twenty-one times; by performing a horse-sacrifice he became free from sin, but he still failed to attain to perfect lightness of heart; he repaired to *R.* and, then to *Vasishṭha*, etc. (β); they told him that in days of yore *Agni* burnt all the world; from his seed sprang gold; he should make gifts of gold; *Vasishṭha* in especial commented on gold: it is the essence of *Agni* and *Soma*, etc. (γ); such is the teaching of the *Smṛtis*; in churning the entire universe a mass of energy (i.e. gold) was found; hence gold is superior; D., G., U., Rā., men, and Pç. keep it with care; *Agni* is all the deities in one, and *Agni* is the essence of gold. I formerly heard this in the *Purāṇa*; it represents the speech of *Prajāpati* himself." Then he related *Suvarṇotpatti* (b), (XIII, 84-85).—§ 748: Asked by *Yudhishṭhira* (who refers to § 747b), *Bhīshma* related *Tārakavadho-pākhyāna* (b), (XIII, 86).—§ 749: Asked by *Yudhishṭhira* (who perhaps refers to § 641 = XII, 60 ff.), *Bhīshma* explained the ordinances respecting the *çrāddha*. D., As., men, G., Pç., K., every one should always worship P. P. are worshipped before the gods. The merits and demerits of the different lunar days for performing the *çrāddha*: 1st-13th days of the bright fortnight are auspicious;
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all the young men in the family of him who performs it on the 14th day meet with death, and he himself becomes entangled in war; the day of the new moon and 10th-13th days of the dark fortnight are auspicious; the dark fortnight is better than the bright one, the afternoon better than the forenoon (XIII, 87). Asked by *Yudhishṭhira*, *Bhīshma* explained what, if presented to P., becomes inexhaustible and eternal, and the periods for which different offerings presented at *çrāddhas* gratify the P., quoting some verses [originally] sung by P. and communicated to him by *Sanatkumāra*, recommending *pāyasa* with ghee on the 13th day [of the dark fortnight, PCR.] under *Maghā* during the Sun's southward course, and, under the same constellation, meat of goat, etc., and *çrāddhas* at *Gayā* (b), (XIII, 88); the different merits acquired by persons by performing optional (*kāmyāni*) *çrāddhas* under various *nakshatras*, and which were [*first*] explained by *Yama* to *Çaçabindu*: by performing such a *çrāddha* under the *Kṛttikās*, "a man acquires the merit of a sacrifice after establishing the sacred fire; and ascends to heaven with his children" (PCR.), etc. (a). Having listened to these ordinances about the *çrāddha*, *Çaçabindu* acted accordingly, and easily subjugated and ruled the earth (XIII, 89). Asked by *Yudhishṭhira*, *Bhīshma* explained to what kinds of brahmans the offerings made at *çrāddha* should be given, quoting the *Vaikhānasa Ṛshis* (XIII, 90).
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Asked by *Yudhishṭhira* by whom the *çrāddha* was first conceived, etc., in the time when the world was only peopled by the descendants of *Bhṛgu* and *Aṅgiras* (*Bhṛgu-Aṅgirasake kāle*), etc., *Bhīshma* said: *Brahmán* > *Atri* > *Dattātreya* > *Nimi* > *Çrimat*. After 1,000 years *Çrimat* died, having undergone the severest austerities; *Nimi*, filled with grief, collected various agreeable things on the 14th day of the moon, and the next morning received the idea of a *çrāddha*; on the day of the full moon he invited a number of respected brahmans, and fed seven such brahmans, and made an offering of food to his dead son, uttering his name. He then became filled with regret that he had not laid down in the scriptures any reference to his son what he had done for their fathers, PCR.] *Nimi* was comforted him, saying that the *Pitṛs* had been pleased by what he did himself in doing honour to *Brahmán*, *Agni*, etc.