SECTION XVIII.Parāçara said:—Maitreya, having proceeded to the Daityas the illusory form beheld them engaged in austere penances on the banks of the river Nerbudā. And approaching them in the guise of a naked mendicant, with his head shaven and carrying a bunch of peacock's feathers he addressed them gently "O lords of Daitya race—why do you practice these devout penances? Do you expect rewards in this world or in the next?" The Asuras said:—"O thou of great mind, we have been engaged in these penances with a view to reap fruits in the next world. Do thou tell us if thou hast got anything to say on this". The deceptive figure said:—"If you are desirous of final emancipation hear my words, for you will obtain the revelation which is the door to final happiness. The instructions, superior to which there is nothing, I will give you, are the secret path to final emancipation. If you follow them you shall either obtain heaven or exemption from future births. O ye gifted with mighty strength, you are worthy of these instructions".Parāçara said:—There did the illusory figure mislead the Daityas from the teachings of the Vedas by various persuations and many specious arguments, teaching that the same-thing might be for the sake of virtue and of vice; might be and might not be; might or might not lead to final emancipation; might be the supreme object and not the supreme object; might be effect and not be effect; might be manifest and not be manifest; might be the duty of those who go naked and who go richly dressed. And thus were the Daityas led astray from the path of their duties by the continued teachings of their illusory teacher, keeping up the equal truth of contradictory teachings. And those were called Arhatas from the phrase he had employed of "Ye are worthy (Arhatha) of this great teaching" that is of the false teachings which he induced them to follow. Thus did the illusory figure lead away the Asuras from the teachings of the Vedas. And being impressed by those teachings the Asuras initiated others in all those doctrines. They in their turn became teachers of the same false doctrines and converted others. And thus communicating their doctrines to each other, they were all led away from the teaching of the Vedas.Then pulling on garments of red colour, with collyrium in his eyes, the illusory figure again addressed others of the same family in sweet and mild accents—"O ye demons, gifted with strength, if ye wish for heaven or final rest desist from the sinful massacre of animals and hear from me what you should do. The whole universe is composed of discriminative knowledge; understand my words well for they have been uttered by the wise. The world is without stay and is perpetually revolving in the straits of existence being engaged in the pursuit of erroneous knowledge and sullied by passion and others".Parāçara said:—In this wise exclaiming to them "Know" (Budhyadwam) and they saying (Budhyate), "it is known," those Daityas were led away from their own religion. They thus renounced their respective duties being impressed by the reasonings and arguments of that illusory figure. O Maitreya, they, impressed, persuaded others to do the same and thus the heresy spread and many abandoned the practices laid down by the Vedas and Smritis. O twice-born one, with various other erroneous teachings, the illusory figure converted many other Daityas. Being thus deluded, the Asuras, in no time, abandoned the doctrines and rites laid down by the three Vedas. Some of them, O twice-born one, spoke ill of the Vedas and others villified the celestials. Some spoke against the Vedic rites and sacrifices and others calumniated the Brāhmans. "The precepts" they preached "that lead to the sacrifice of animals, are highly culpable. To lay that throwing clarified butter in fire produces rewards is simply childishness. If any one, after having obtained godhead by multiplied ceremonies, is fed along with Indra upon the wood used as fuel in holy fire, he is lower than a brute which feeds upon leaves. If a beast, being sacrificed, attains to heaven, why does not the sacrificer slay his father in a sacrifice? If a dead person is satisfied if another is fed at a Srāddha then why does not the food offered by his son reach him who resides at a distance? All these words therefore depend upon individual respect so it is better for you to neglect them and appreciate mine. The words of authority, O mighty Asuras, do not fall from heaven; reasonable words only are to be acknowledged by me and persons like yourselves". By these and similar reasonings the Daityas were led away and none of them any longer acknowledged the authority of the Vedas.After the Daityas have thus been led astray, the gods, with careful preparations, addressed themselves for fight. And there again began a terrible encounter between the gods and demons. And the demons were now defeated and slain by the gods who had adhered to the righteous path. Formerly the Daityas were protected by the armour of their own religion and they were now slain for the desertion of that armour of religion.For that time, O Maitreya, those, who have followed the religion preached by the illusory figure, are called naked for they following a wrong track have thrown off the garment of the Vedas. There are four orders of men, namely; the religious student, the householder, the hermit and the mendicant; there is no fifth order. The sinful man, who after relinquishing the order of the householder, does not become either a hermit or a mendicant, is said to be naked. The man, who, although able, does neglect his permanent observances for one day, commits sin for one day; and if he neglects them, not being in trouble, for a fortnight he can be purified only by arduous expiation. The virtuous must see the sun after looking upon a person who has neglected his permanent observances for a year; if they have touched they must bathe with their clothes on—but that vicious one has no individual expiation for himself. There is no sinner on earth more culpable than one in whose house the celestials, progenitors and spirits are left to sigh unworshipped. No man should associate, in residence, sitting or society with him on whose person or in whose house the gods, progenitors and spirits sigh. Conversation, exchange of civilities or association with a man is equally reprehensible who for a year has not observed pious observances. And the man who eats in the house of such a man, or sits down with him or sleep on the same couch with him, becomes instantly in the same way culpable.He who eats himself without satisfying the gods, manes, spirits and guests feeds upon his own iniquity and there is no salvation for such a person. The Brāhmans are men of other castes who neglect their respective duties or take up a degraded profession are said to be naked. To live in a place where there is an intermixture of four castes is detrimental to the character of the righteous. Those who converse with him who eats without offering a portion to the gods, the sages, the manes, spirits and guests, are doomed to hell. A wise man should not therefore talk with or come in contact with these heretics who are rendered impure for renouncing the three Vedas. A Srāddha ceremony, although performed with great care and devotion, if looked upon by these heretics does not please the gods or progenitors.As described, there was in the days of yore a king named Satadhanu whose wife Saivya was a woman of great piety. She was faithful to her husband, kind, sincere, pure, and gifted with every female accomplishment, humility and discretion. The king, with his wife, worshipped with great devotion Janārddana the lord of gods. He daily worshipped Him with whole-mindedness, oblations to fire, prayers, gifts and fasting. One day when they had fasted on the full moon of Kārtika and had bathed in the Bhagirathi, they saw as they came up from the river a heretic to approach them who was the friend of the king's military preceptor. The king, out of his respect for the preceptor, entered into conversation with him but his devoted wife Saivya did not utter a single word. And thinking that she was fasting she turned from him and looked towards the sun. Having arrived at home, the husband and wife as usual performed the worship of Vishnu. After a time the king, who had defeated all his enemies, died and the queen ascended the funeral pile of her husband.On account of the sin committed by Satadhanu for speaking to a heretic while fasting he was born again as a dog. His wife was born as the daughter of the king of Kāsi having a knowledge of her former birth, versed in every science and gifted with every virtue. Her father was anxious to marry with a good husband, but she always opposed and the king was prevented from celebrating the nuptials. The daughter of the king of Kāsi, by the knowledge of her pristine birth, saw that her husband was born as a dog in the city of Visidhā. And having gone there she saw her husband in that plight. And knowing that animal to be her husband she placed upon his neck the bridal garland going through the marriage rites and prayers. And being pleased with the excellent food offered, the animal expressed his joy after the manner of his species. He thus sporting as a dog, she was greatly ashamed and bowing unto her husband, born as a dog, she said "O king, remember the civilities shown by you (towards your preceptor's friend) for which thou hast been born as a dog and art fawning upon me. Dost thou not remember, O My lord, that by conversing with a heretic after bathing in a sacred river, thou hast been born as a dog?"Parāçara said:—Being thus reminded the king called to his memory his former condition and was wrapt in meditation and felt humiliation. With a broken heart he went away from the city and falling dead in a desert he was again born as a jackal. In the following year the princess, again by knowledge, perceived that he was born as a jackal and went to the mount Kotahala to find him out. Finding him there the beautiful daughter of the king thus spoke to her lord as a jackal—"O king, dost thou not remember thy conversation with the heretic which I called to thy memory, when thou wast a dog?" Thus accosted the king perceived what the princess had said was true. Thereupon he abstained from eating and died. He was then born as a wolf but his wife repairing to a lonely forest again called back to the recollection of her husband his former state. "O noble lord, thou art not a wolf but the king Satadhanu. Thou wast born as a dog, then as a jackal and thou hast been born as a wolf".Parāçara said:—Upon thus recollecting his former state the king renounced his life and was born again as a vulture. His loving queen again found him in that state called back to his memory his former condition. "O king" she cried out, "remember thy true self—do thou renounce this ugly form to which thou hast been condemned by the sin consequent upon thy conversing with a heretic". The king was next born as a crow and the princess making him out by virtue of her knowledge of the pristine birth thus spoke to her lord "O lord, thou art now being born as a crow eating the tributary grain, to whom, in a previous birth, all other kings paid tribute".Parāçara said:—Being thus reminded of his former birth the king renounced the body and was born again as a peacock. Thereupon the beautiful princess began to pet him and feed him with such food as is agreeable to the peacocks. Thereupon the king, Janaka, undertook the celebration of a mighty horse sacrifice. In the ablutions with which it ended the princess caused his peacock to be bathed, bathing also herself. She then reminded Shatadhanu how he had been successively born as various animals. One recollecting this he renounced his life. He was then born as the son of the high-souled king Janaka.Then the princess, having a slender person, expressed her desire to her father to be wedded. Her father too announced for a Swayambara. When all had assembled at that meeting that chaste damsel found out her (former) lord and again elected him as her husband. The prince lived happily with her and on the death of her father ruled over the country of Videha. He celebrated many sacrifices and distributed many gifts and begot sons and defeated many enemies in war. Having ruled duly and cherished the earth that king renounced his life in battle as became the warrior caste. The princess again followed him in death and in agreement with sacred precepts once more mounted cheerfully his funeral pyre. Thereupon the king, with the princess, attained to the regions beyond the region of Indra, where all desires are for ever satisfied, obtaining eternal and unequalled bliss in heaven, the consummate happiness that is the reward of conjugal fidelity which is hardly attained.I have thus described to you, O Maitreya, the sin consequent upon conversing with a heretic and effects of bathing after the solemn sacrifice of a horse. A man should therefore carefully avoid the conversation or coming in contact with a heretic especially at seasons of devotion and when engaged in the performance of the religious rites before a sacrifice. The prudent should look at the sun after seeing a person in whose house domestic ceremonies have been neglected for a month. And there is the greatest need of expiation if they meet persons who live upon other's rice and who have wholly abandoned the Vedas and who dispute the doctrines of sacred writings. A man should not even talk with heretics, those who do forbidden acts, pretended saints, scoundrels, sceptics and hypocrites; communication with such sinful wretches ever at a distance, all association with schismatics pollutes a man; a man should therefore carefully avoid them.These are the persons, O Maitreya, called naked, the meaning of which term you wanted me to explain. If they witness a Srāddha ceremony that becomes fruitless—communication with whom spoils the piety of one day. These are the heretics with whom the wise should not converse—and speaking to whom destroys the virtue he might have obtained that day. Men fall into hell if they converse with them who uselessly assume the twisted hair and shaven head, who eat without offering food to gods, spirits and guest and those who do not offer cakes and libation of water to their manes.THE END OF PART III.
SECTION XVIII.Parāçara said:—Maitreya, having proceeded to the Daityas the illusory form beheld them engaged in austere penances on the banks of the river Nerbudā. And approaching them in the guise of a naked mendicant, with his head shaven and carrying a bunch of peacock's feathers he addressed them gently "O lords of Daitya race—why do you practice these devout penances? Do you expect rewards in this world or in the next?" The Asuras said:—"O thou of great mind, we have been engaged in these penances with a view to reap fruits in the next world. Do thou tell us if thou hast got anything to say on this". The deceptive figure said:—"If you are desirous of final emancipation hear my words, for you will obtain the revelation which is the door to final happiness. The instructions, superior to which there is nothing, I will give you, are the secret path to final emancipation. If you follow them you shall either obtain heaven or exemption from future births. O ye gifted with mighty strength, you are worthy of these instructions".Parāçara said:—There did the illusory figure mislead the Daityas from the teachings of the Vedas by various persuations and many specious arguments, teaching that the same-thing might be for the sake of virtue and of vice; might be and might not be; might or might not lead to final emancipation; might be the supreme object and not the supreme object; might be effect and not be effect; might be manifest and not be manifest; might be the duty of those who go naked and who go richly dressed. And thus were the Daityas led astray from the path of their duties by the continued teachings of their illusory teacher, keeping up the equal truth of contradictory teachings. And those were called Arhatas from the phrase he had employed of "Ye are worthy (Arhatha) of this great teaching" that is of the false teachings which he induced them to follow. Thus did the illusory figure lead away the Asuras from the teachings of the Vedas. And being impressed by those teachings the Asuras initiated others in all those doctrines. They in their turn became teachers of the same false doctrines and converted others. And thus communicating their doctrines to each other, they were all led away from the teaching of the Vedas.Then pulling on garments of red colour, with collyrium in his eyes, the illusory figure again addressed others of the same family in sweet and mild accents—"O ye demons, gifted with strength, if ye wish for heaven or final rest desist from the sinful massacre of animals and hear from me what you should do. The whole universe is composed of discriminative knowledge; understand my words well for they have been uttered by the wise. The world is without stay and is perpetually revolving in the straits of existence being engaged in the pursuit of erroneous knowledge and sullied by passion and others".Parāçara said:—In this wise exclaiming to them "Know" (Budhyadwam) and they saying (Budhyate), "it is known," those Daityas were led away from their own religion. They thus renounced their respective duties being impressed by the reasonings and arguments of that illusory figure. O Maitreya, they, impressed, persuaded others to do the same and thus the heresy spread and many abandoned the practices laid down by the Vedas and Smritis. O twice-born one, with various other erroneous teachings, the illusory figure converted many other Daityas. Being thus deluded, the Asuras, in no time, abandoned the doctrines and rites laid down by the three Vedas. Some of them, O twice-born one, spoke ill of the Vedas and others villified the celestials. Some spoke against the Vedic rites and sacrifices and others calumniated the Brāhmans. "The precepts" they preached "that lead to the sacrifice of animals, are highly culpable. To lay that throwing clarified butter in fire produces rewards is simply childishness. If any one, after having obtained godhead by multiplied ceremonies, is fed along with Indra upon the wood used as fuel in holy fire, he is lower than a brute which feeds upon leaves. If a beast, being sacrificed, attains to heaven, why does not the sacrificer slay his father in a sacrifice? If a dead person is satisfied if another is fed at a Srāddha then why does not the food offered by his son reach him who resides at a distance? All these words therefore depend upon individual respect so it is better for you to neglect them and appreciate mine. The words of authority, O mighty Asuras, do not fall from heaven; reasonable words only are to be acknowledged by me and persons like yourselves". By these and similar reasonings the Daityas were led away and none of them any longer acknowledged the authority of the Vedas.After the Daityas have thus been led astray, the gods, with careful preparations, addressed themselves for fight. And there again began a terrible encounter between the gods and demons. And the demons were now defeated and slain by the gods who had adhered to the righteous path. Formerly the Daityas were protected by the armour of their own religion and they were now slain for the desertion of that armour of religion.For that time, O Maitreya, those, who have followed the religion preached by the illusory figure, are called naked for they following a wrong track have thrown off the garment of the Vedas. There are four orders of men, namely; the religious student, the householder, the hermit and the mendicant; there is no fifth order. The sinful man, who after relinquishing the order of the householder, does not become either a hermit or a mendicant, is said to be naked. The man, who, although able, does neglect his permanent observances for one day, commits sin for one day; and if he neglects them, not being in trouble, for a fortnight he can be purified only by arduous expiation. The virtuous must see the sun after looking upon a person who has neglected his permanent observances for a year; if they have touched they must bathe with their clothes on—but that vicious one has no individual expiation for himself. There is no sinner on earth more culpable than one in whose house the celestials, progenitors and spirits are left to sigh unworshipped. No man should associate, in residence, sitting or society with him on whose person or in whose house the gods, progenitors and spirits sigh. Conversation, exchange of civilities or association with a man is equally reprehensible who for a year has not observed pious observances. And the man who eats in the house of such a man, or sits down with him or sleep on the same couch with him, becomes instantly in the same way culpable.He who eats himself without satisfying the gods, manes, spirits and guests feeds upon his own iniquity and there is no salvation for such a person. The Brāhmans are men of other castes who neglect their respective duties or take up a degraded profession are said to be naked. To live in a place where there is an intermixture of four castes is detrimental to the character of the righteous. Those who converse with him who eats without offering a portion to the gods, the sages, the manes, spirits and guests, are doomed to hell. A wise man should not therefore talk with or come in contact with these heretics who are rendered impure for renouncing the three Vedas. A Srāddha ceremony, although performed with great care and devotion, if looked upon by these heretics does not please the gods or progenitors.As described, there was in the days of yore a king named Satadhanu whose wife Saivya was a woman of great piety. She was faithful to her husband, kind, sincere, pure, and gifted with every female accomplishment, humility and discretion. The king, with his wife, worshipped with great devotion Janārddana the lord of gods. He daily worshipped Him with whole-mindedness, oblations to fire, prayers, gifts and fasting. One day when they had fasted on the full moon of Kārtika and had bathed in the Bhagirathi, they saw as they came up from the river a heretic to approach them who was the friend of the king's military preceptor. The king, out of his respect for the preceptor, entered into conversation with him but his devoted wife Saivya did not utter a single word. And thinking that she was fasting she turned from him and looked towards the sun. Having arrived at home, the husband and wife as usual performed the worship of Vishnu. After a time the king, who had defeated all his enemies, died and the queen ascended the funeral pile of her husband.On account of the sin committed by Satadhanu for speaking to a heretic while fasting he was born again as a dog. His wife was born as the daughter of the king of Kāsi having a knowledge of her former birth, versed in every science and gifted with every virtue. Her father was anxious to marry with a good husband, but she always opposed and the king was prevented from celebrating the nuptials. The daughter of the king of Kāsi, by the knowledge of her pristine birth, saw that her husband was born as a dog in the city of Visidhā. And having gone there she saw her husband in that plight. And knowing that animal to be her husband she placed upon his neck the bridal garland going through the marriage rites and prayers. And being pleased with the excellent food offered, the animal expressed his joy after the manner of his species. He thus sporting as a dog, she was greatly ashamed and bowing unto her husband, born as a dog, she said "O king, remember the civilities shown by you (towards your preceptor's friend) for which thou hast been born as a dog and art fawning upon me. Dost thou not remember, O My lord, that by conversing with a heretic after bathing in a sacred river, thou hast been born as a dog?"Parāçara said:—Being thus reminded the king called to his memory his former condition and was wrapt in meditation and felt humiliation. With a broken heart he went away from the city and falling dead in a desert he was again born as a jackal. In the following year the princess, again by knowledge, perceived that he was born as a jackal and went to the mount Kotahala to find him out. Finding him there the beautiful daughter of the king thus spoke to her lord as a jackal—"O king, dost thou not remember thy conversation with the heretic which I called to thy memory, when thou wast a dog?" Thus accosted the king perceived what the princess had said was true. Thereupon he abstained from eating and died. He was then born as a wolf but his wife repairing to a lonely forest again called back to the recollection of her husband his former state. "O noble lord, thou art not a wolf but the king Satadhanu. Thou wast born as a dog, then as a jackal and thou hast been born as a wolf".Parāçara said:—Upon thus recollecting his former state the king renounced his life and was born again as a vulture. His loving queen again found him in that state called back to his memory his former condition. "O king" she cried out, "remember thy true self—do thou renounce this ugly form to which thou hast been condemned by the sin consequent upon thy conversing with a heretic". The king was next born as a crow and the princess making him out by virtue of her knowledge of the pristine birth thus spoke to her lord "O lord, thou art now being born as a crow eating the tributary grain, to whom, in a previous birth, all other kings paid tribute".Parāçara said:—Being thus reminded of his former birth the king renounced the body and was born again as a peacock. Thereupon the beautiful princess began to pet him and feed him with such food as is agreeable to the peacocks. Thereupon the king, Janaka, undertook the celebration of a mighty horse sacrifice. In the ablutions with which it ended the princess caused his peacock to be bathed, bathing also herself. She then reminded Shatadhanu how he had been successively born as various animals. One recollecting this he renounced his life. He was then born as the son of the high-souled king Janaka.Then the princess, having a slender person, expressed her desire to her father to be wedded. Her father too announced for a Swayambara. When all had assembled at that meeting that chaste damsel found out her (former) lord and again elected him as her husband. The prince lived happily with her and on the death of her father ruled over the country of Videha. He celebrated many sacrifices and distributed many gifts and begot sons and defeated many enemies in war. Having ruled duly and cherished the earth that king renounced his life in battle as became the warrior caste. The princess again followed him in death and in agreement with sacred precepts once more mounted cheerfully his funeral pyre. Thereupon the king, with the princess, attained to the regions beyond the region of Indra, where all desires are for ever satisfied, obtaining eternal and unequalled bliss in heaven, the consummate happiness that is the reward of conjugal fidelity which is hardly attained.I have thus described to you, O Maitreya, the sin consequent upon conversing with a heretic and effects of bathing after the solemn sacrifice of a horse. A man should therefore carefully avoid the conversation or coming in contact with a heretic especially at seasons of devotion and when engaged in the performance of the religious rites before a sacrifice. The prudent should look at the sun after seeing a person in whose house domestic ceremonies have been neglected for a month. And there is the greatest need of expiation if they meet persons who live upon other's rice and who have wholly abandoned the Vedas and who dispute the doctrines of sacred writings. A man should not even talk with heretics, those who do forbidden acts, pretended saints, scoundrels, sceptics and hypocrites; communication with such sinful wretches ever at a distance, all association with schismatics pollutes a man; a man should therefore carefully avoid them.These are the persons, O Maitreya, called naked, the meaning of which term you wanted me to explain. If they witness a Srāddha ceremony that becomes fruitless—communication with whom spoils the piety of one day. These are the heretics with whom the wise should not converse—and speaking to whom destroys the virtue he might have obtained that day. Men fall into hell if they converse with them who uselessly assume the twisted hair and shaven head, who eat without offering food to gods, spirits and guest and those who do not offer cakes and libation of water to their manes.THE END OF PART III.
SECTION XVIII.Parāçara said:—Maitreya, having proceeded to the Daityas the illusory form beheld them engaged in austere penances on the banks of the river Nerbudā. And approaching them in the guise of a naked mendicant, with his head shaven and carrying a bunch of peacock's feathers he addressed them gently "O lords of Daitya race—why do you practice these devout penances? Do you expect rewards in this world or in the next?" The Asuras said:—"O thou of great mind, we have been engaged in these penances with a view to reap fruits in the next world. Do thou tell us if thou hast got anything to say on this". The deceptive figure said:—"If you are desirous of final emancipation hear my words, for you will obtain the revelation which is the door to final happiness. The instructions, superior to which there is nothing, I will give you, are the secret path to final emancipation. If you follow them you shall either obtain heaven or exemption from future births. O ye gifted with mighty strength, you are worthy of these instructions".Parāçara said:—There did the illusory figure mislead the Daityas from the teachings of the Vedas by various persuations and many specious arguments, teaching that the same-thing might be for the sake of virtue and of vice; might be and might not be; might or might not lead to final emancipation; might be the supreme object and not the supreme object; might be effect and not be effect; might be manifest and not be manifest; might be the duty of those who go naked and who go richly dressed. And thus were the Daityas led astray from the path of their duties by the continued teachings of their illusory teacher, keeping up the equal truth of contradictory teachings. And those were called Arhatas from the phrase he had employed of "Ye are worthy (Arhatha) of this great teaching" that is of the false teachings which he induced them to follow. Thus did the illusory figure lead away the Asuras from the teachings of the Vedas. And being impressed by those teachings the Asuras initiated others in all those doctrines. They in their turn became teachers of the same false doctrines and converted others. And thus communicating their doctrines to each other, they were all led away from the teaching of the Vedas.Then pulling on garments of red colour, with collyrium in his eyes, the illusory figure again addressed others of the same family in sweet and mild accents—"O ye demons, gifted with strength, if ye wish for heaven or final rest desist from the sinful massacre of animals and hear from me what you should do. The whole universe is composed of discriminative knowledge; understand my words well for they have been uttered by the wise. The world is without stay and is perpetually revolving in the straits of existence being engaged in the pursuit of erroneous knowledge and sullied by passion and others".Parāçara said:—In this wise exclaiming to them "Know" (Budhyadwam) and they saying (Budhyate), "it is known," those Daityas were led away from their own religion. They thus renounced their respective duties being impressed by the reasonings and arguments of that illusory figure. O Maitreya, they, impressed, persuaded others to do the same and thus the heresy spread and many abandoned the practices laid down by the Vedas and Smritis. O twice-born one, with various other erroneous teachings, the illusory figure converted many other Daityas. Being thus deluded, the Asuras, in no time, abandoned the doctrines and rites laid down by the three Vedas. Some of them, O twice-born one, spoke ill of the Vedas and others villified the celestials. Some spoke against the Vedic rites and sacrifices and others calumniated the Brāhmans. "The precepts" they preached "that lead to the sacrifice of animals, are highly culpable. To lay that throwing clarified butter in fire produces rewards is simply childishness. If any one, after having obtained godhead by multiplied ceremonies, is fed along with Indra upon the wood used as fuel in holy fire, he is lower than a brute which feeds upon leaves. If a beast, being sacrificed, attains to heaven, why does not the sacrificer slay his father in a sacrifice? If a dead person is satisfied if another is fed at a Srāddha then why does not the food offered by his son reach him who resides at a distance? All these words therefore depend upon individual respect so it is better for you to neglect them and appreciate mine. The words of authority, O mighty Asuras, do not fall from heaven; reasonable words only are to be acknowledged by me and persons like yourselves". By these and similar reasonings the Daityas were led away and none of them any longer acknowledged the authority of the Vedas.After the Daityas have thus been led astray, the gods, with careful preparations, addressed themselves for fight. And there again began a terrible encounter between the gods and demons. And the demons were now defeated and slain by the gods who had adhered to the righteous path. Formerly the Daityas were protected by the armour of their own religion and they were now slain for the desertion of that armour of religion.For that time, O Maitreya, those, who have followed the religion preached by the illusory figure, are called naked for they following a wrong track have thrown off the garment of the Vedas. There are four orders of men, namely; the religious student, the householder, the hermit and the mendicant; there is no fifth order. The sinful man, who after relinquishing the order of the householder, does not become either a hermit or a mendicant, is said to be naked. The man, who, although able, does neglect his permanent observances for one day, commits sin for one day; and if he neglects them, not being in trouble, for a fortnight he can be purified only by arduous expiation. The virtuous must see the sun after looking upon a person who has neglected his permanent observances for a year; if they have touched they must bathe with their clothes on—but that vicious one has no individual expiation for himself. There is no sinner on earth more culpable than one in whose house the celestials, progenitors and spirits are left to sigh unworshipped. No man should associate, in residence, sitting or society with him on whose person or in whose house the gods, progenitors and spirits sigh. Conversation, exchange of civilities or association with a man is equally reprehensible who for a year has not observed pious observances. And the man who eats in the house of such a man, or sits down with him or sleep on the same couch with him, becomes instantly in the same way culpable.He who eats himself without satisfying the gods, manes, spirits and guests feeds upon his own iniquity and there is no salvation for such a person. The Brāhmans are men of other castes who neglect their respective duties or take up a degraded profession are said to be naked. To live in a place where there is an intermixture of four castes is detrimental to the character of the righteous. Those who converse with him who eats without offering a portion to the gods, the sages, the manes, spirits and guests, are doomed to hell. A wise man should not therefore talk with or come in contact with these heretics who are rendered impure for renouncing the three Vedas. A Srāddha ceremony, although performed with great care and devotion, if looked upon by these heretics does not please the gods or progenitors.As described, there was in the days of yore a king named Satadhanu whose wife Saivya was a woman of great piety. She was faithful to her husband, kind, sincere, pure, and gifted with every female accomplishment, humility and discretion. The king, with his wife, worshipped with great devotion Janārddana the lord of gods. He daily worshipped Him with whole-mindedness, oblations to fire, prayers, gifts and fasting. One day when they had fasted on the full moon of Kārtika and had bathed in the Bhagirathi, they saw as they came up from the river a heretic to approach them who was the friend of the king's military preceptor. The king, out of his respect for the preceptor, entered into conversation with him but his devoted wife Saivya did not utter a single word. And thinking that she was fasting she turned from him and looked towards the sun. Having arrived at home, the husband and wife as usual performed the worship of Vishnu. After a time the king, who had defeated all his enemies, died and the queen ascended the funeral pile of her husband.On account of the sin committed by Satadhanu for speaking to a heretic while fasting he was born again as a dog. His wife was born as the daughter of the king of Kāsi having a knowledge of her former birth, versed in every science and gifted with every virtue. Her father was anxious to marry with a good husband, but she always opposed and the king was prevented from celebrating the nuptials. The daughter of the king of Kāsi, by the knowledge of her pristine birth, saw that her husband was born as a dog in the city of Visidhā. And having gone there she saw her husband in that plight. And knowing that animal to be her husband she placed upon his neck the bridal garland going through the marriage rites and prayers. And being pleased with the excellent food offered, the animal expressed his joy after the manner of his species. He thus sporting as a dog, she was greatly ashamed and bowing unto her husband, born as a dog, she said "O king, remember the civilities shown by you (towards your preceptor's friend) for which thou hast been born as a dog and art fawning upon me. Dost thou not remember, O My lord, that by conversing with a heretic after bathing in a sacred river, thou hast been born as a dog?"Parāçara said:—Being thus reminded the king called to his memory his former condition and was wrapt in meditation and felt humiliation. With a broken heart he went away from the city and falling dead in a desert he was again born as a jackal. In the following year the princess, again by knowledge, perceived that he was born as a jackal and went to the mount Kotahala to find him out. Finding him there the beautiful daughter of the king thus spoke to her lord as a jackal—"O king, dost thou not remember thy conversation with the heretic which I called to thy memory, when thou wast a dog?" Thus accosted the king perceived what the princess had said was true. Thereupon he abstained from eating and died. He was then born as a wolf but his wife repairing to a lonely forest again called back to the recollection of her husband his former state. "O noble lord, thou art not a wolf but the king Satadhanu. Thou wast born as a dog, then as a jackal and thou hast been born as a wolf".Parāçara said:—Upon thus recollecting his former state the king renounced his life and was born again as a vulture. His loving queen again found him in that state called back to his memory his former condition. "O king" she cried out, "remember thy true self—do thou renounce this ugly form to which thou hast been condemned by the sin consequent upon thy conversing with a heretic". The king was next born as a crow and the princess making him out by virtue of her knowledge of the pristine birth thus spoke to her lord "O lord, thou art now being born as a crow eating the tributary grain, to whom, in a previous birth, all other kings paid tribute".Parāçara said:—Being thus reminded of his former birth the king renounced the body and was born again as a peacock. Thereupon the beautiful princess began to pet him and feed him with such food as is agreeable to the peacocks. Thereupon the king, Janaka, undertook the celebration of a mighty horse sacrifice. In the ablutions with which it ended the princess caused his peacock to be bathed, bathing also herself. She then reminded Shatadhanu how he had been successively born as various animals. One recollecting this he renounced his life. He was then born as the son of the high-souled king Janaka.Then the princess, having a slender person, expressed her desire to her father to be wedded. Her father too announced for a Swayambara. When all had assembled at that meeting that chaste damsel found out her (former) lord and again elected him as her husband. The prince lived happily with her and on the death of her father ruled over the country of Videha. He celebrated many sacrifices and distributed many gifts and begot sons and defeated many enemies in war. Having ruled duly and cherished the earth that king renounced his life in battle as became the warrior caste. The princess again followed him in death and in agreement with sacred precepts once more mounted cheerfully his funeral pyre. Thereupon the king, with the princess, attained to the regions beyond the region of Indra, where all desires are for ever satisfied, obtaining eternal and unequalled bliss in heaven, the consummate happiness that is the reward of conjugal fidelity which is hardly attained.I have thus described to you, O Maitreya, the sin consequent upon conversing with a heretic and effects of bathing after the solemn sacrifice of a horse. A man should therefore carefully avoid the conversation or coming in contact with a heretic especially at seasons of devotion and when engaged in the performance of the religious rites before a sacrifice. The prudent should look at the sun after seeing a person in whose house domestic ceremonies have been neglected for a month. And there is the greatest need of expiation if they meet persons who live upon other's rice and who have wholly abandoned the Vedas and who dispute the doctrines of sacred writings. A man should not even talk with heretics, those who do forbidden acts, pretended saints, scoundrels, sceptics and hypocrites; communication with such sinful wretches ever at a distance, all association with schismatics pollutes a man; a man should therefore carefully avoid them.These are the persons, O Maitreya, called naked, the meaning of which term you wanted me to explain. If they witness a Srāddha ceremony that becomes fruitless—communication with whom spoils the piety of one day. These are the heretics with whom the wise should not converse—and speaking to whom destroys the virtue he might have obtained that day. Men fall into hell if they converse with them who uselessly assume the twisted hair and shaven head, who eat without offering food to gods, spirits and guest and those who do not offer cakes and libation of water to their manes.THE END OF PART III.
Parāçara said:—Maitreya, having proceeded to the Daityas the illusory form beheld them engaged in austere penances on the banks of the river Nerbudā. And approaching them in the guise of a naked mendicant, with his head shaven and carrying a bunch of peacock's feathers he addressed them gently "O lords of Daitya race—why do you practice these devout penances? Do you expect rewards in this world or in the next?" The Asuras said:—"O thou of great mind, we have been engaged in these penances with a view to reap fruits in the next world. Do thou tell us if thou hast got anything to say on this". The deceptive figure said:—"If you are desirous of final emancipation hear my words, for you will obtain the revelation which is the door to final happiness. The instructions, superior to which there is nothing, I will give you, are the secret path to final emancipation. If you follow them you shall either obtain heaven or exemption from future births. O ye gifted with mighty strength, you are worthy of these instructions".
Parāçara said:—There did the illusory figure mislead the Daityas from the teachings of the Vedas by various persuations and many specious arguments, teaching that the same-thing might be for the sake of virtue and of vice; might be and might not be; might or might not lead to final emancipation; might be the supreme object and not the supreme object; might be effect and not be effect; might be manifest and not be manifest; might be the duty of those who go naked and who go richly dressed. And thus were the Daityas led astray from the path of their duties by the continued teachings of their illusory teacher, keeping up the equal truth of contradictory teachings. And those were called Arhatas from the phrase he had employed of "Ye are worthy (Arhatha) of this great teaching" that is of the false teachings which he induced them to follow. Thus did the illusory figure lead away the Asuras from the teachings of the Vedas. And being impressed by those teachings the Asuras initiated others in all those doctrines. They in their turn became teachers of the same false doctrines and converted others. And thus communicating their doctrines to each other, they were all led away from the teaching of the Vedas.
Then pulling on garments of red colour, with collyrium in his eyes, the illusory figure again addressed others of the same family in sweet and mild accents—"O ye demons, gifted with strength, if ye wish for heaven or final rest desist from the sinful massacre of animals and hear from me what you should do. The whole universe is composed of discriminative knowledge; understand my words well for they have been uttered by the wise. The world is without stay and is perpetually revolving in the straits of existence being engaged in the pursuit of erroneous knowledge and sullied by passion and others".
Parāçara said:—In this wise exclaiming to them "Know" (Budhyadwam) and they saying (Budhyate), "it is known," those Daityas were led away from their own religion. They thus renounced their respective duties being impressed by the reasonings and arguments of that illusory figure. O Maitreya, they, impressed, persuaded others to do the same and thus the heresy spread and many abandoned the practices laid down by the Vedas and Smritis. O twice-born one, with various other erroneous teachings, the illusory figure converted many other Daityas. Being thus deluded, the Asuras, in no time, abandoned the doctrines and rites laid down by the three Vedas. Some of them, O twice-born one, spoke ill of the Vedas and others villified the celestials. Some spoke against the Vedic rites and sacrifices and others calumniated the Brāhmans. "The precepts" they preached "that lead to the sacrifice of animals, are highly culpable. To lay that throwing clarified butter in fire produces rewards is simply childishness. If any one, after having obtained godhead by multiplied ceremonies, is fed along with Indra upon the wood used as fuel in holy fire, he is lower than a brute which feeds upon leaves. If a beast, being sacrificed, attains to heaven, why does not the sacrificer slay his father in a sacrifice? If a dead person is satisfied if another is fed at a Srāddha then why does not the food offered by his son reach him who resides at a distance? All these words therefore depend upon individual respect so it is better for you to neglect them and appreciate mine. The words of authority, O mighty Asuras, do not fall from heaven; reasonable words only are to be acknowledged by me and persons like yourselves". By these and similar reasonings the Daityas were led away and none of them any longer acknowledged the authority of the Vedas.
After the Daityas have thus been led astray, the gods, with careful preparations, addressed themselves for fight. And there again began a terrible encounter between the gods and demons. And the demons were now defeated and slain by the gods who had adhered to the righteous path. Formerly the Daityas were protected by the armour of their own religion and they were now slain for the desertion of that armour of religion.
For that time, O Maitreya, those, who have followed the religion preached by the illusory figure, are called naked for they following a wrong track have thrown off the garment of the Vedas. There are four orders of men, namely; the religious student, the householder, the hermit and the mendicant; there is no fifth order. The sinful man, who after relinquishing the order of the householder, does not become either a hermit or a mendicant, is said to be naked. The man, who, although able, does neglect his permanent observances for one day, commits sin for one day; and if he neglects them, not being in trouble, for a fortnight he can be purified only by arduous expiation. The virtuous must see the sun after looking upon a person who has neglected his permanent observances for a year; if they have touched they must bathe with their clothes on—but that vicious one has no individual expiation for himself. There is no sinner on earth more culpable than one in whose house the celestials, progenitors and spirits are left to sigh unworshipped. No man should associate, in residence, sitting or society with him on whose person or in whose house the gods, progenitors and spirits sigh. Conversation, exchange of civilities or association with a man is equally reprehensible who for a year has not observed pious observances. And the man who eats in the house of such a man, or sits down with him or sleep on the same couch with him, becomes instantly in the same way culpable.
He who eats himself without satisfying the gods, manes, spirits and guests feeds upon his own iniquity and there is no salvation for such a person. The Brāhmans are men of other castes who neglect their respective duties or take up a degraded profession are said to be naked. To live in a place where there is an intermixture of four castes is detrimental to the character of the righteous. Those who converse with him who eats without offering a portion to the gods, the sages, the manes, spirits and guests, are doomed to hell. A wise man should not therefore talk with or come in contact with these heretics who are rendered impure for renouncing the three Vedas. A Srāddha ceremony, although performed with great care and devotion, if looked upon by these heretics does not please the gods or progenitors.
As described, there was in the days of yore a king named Satadhanu whose wife Saivya was a woman of great piety. She was faithful to her husband, kind, sincere, pure, and gifted with every female accomplishment, humility and discretion. The king, with his wife, worshipped with great devotion Janārddana the lord of gods. He daily worshipped Him with whole-mindedness, oblations to fire, prayers, gifts and fasting. One day when they had fasted on the full moon of Kārtika and had bathed in the Bhagirathi, they saw as they came up from the river a heretic to approach them who was the friend of the king's military preceptor. The king, out of his respect for the preceptor, entered into conversation with him but his devoted wife Saivya did not utter a single word. And thinking that she was fasting she turned from him and looked towards the sun. Having arrived at home, the husband and wife as usual performed the worship of Vishnu. After a time the king, who had defeated all his enemies, died and the queen ascended the funeral pile of her husband.
On account of the sin committed by Satadhanu for speaking to a heretic while fasting he was born again as a dog. His wife was born as the daughter of the king of Kāsi having a knowledge of her former birth, versed in every science and gifted with every virtue. Her father was anxious to marry with a good husband, but she always opposed and the king was prevented from celebrating the nuptials. The daughter of the king of Kāsi, by the knowledge of her pristine birth, saw that her husband was born as a dog in the city of Visidhā. And having gone there she saw her husband in that plight. And knowing that animal to be her husband she placed upon his neck the bridal garland going through the marriage rites and prayers. And being pleased with the excellent food offered, the animal expressed his joy after the manner of his species. He thus sporting as a dog, she was greatly ashamed and bowing unto her husband, born as a dog, she said "O king, remember the civilities shown by you (towards your preceptor's friend) for which thou hast been born as a dog and art fawning upon me. Dost thou not remember, O My lord, that by conversing with a heretic after bathing in a sacred river, thou hast been born as a dog?"
Parāçara said:—Being thus reminded the king called to his memory his former condition and was wrapt in meditation and felt humiliation. With a broken heart he went away from the city and falling dead in a desert he was again born as a jackal. In the following year the princess, again by knowledge, perceived that he was born as a jackal and went to the mount Kotahala to find him out. Finding him there the beautiful daughter of the king thus spoke to her lord as a jackal—"O king, dost thou not remember thy conversation with the heretic which I called to thy memory, when thou wast a dog?" Thus accosted the king perceived what the princess had said was true. Thereupon he abstained from eating and died. He was then born as a wolf but his wife repairing to a lonely forest again called back to the recollection of her husband his former state. "O noble lord, thou art not a wolf but the king Satadhanu. Thou wast born as a dog, then as a jackal and thou hast been born as a wolf".
Parāçara said:—Upon thus recollecting his former state the king renounced his life and was born again as a vulture. His loving queen again found him in that state called back to his memory his former condition. "O king" she cried out, "remember thy true self—do thou renounce this ugly form to which thou hast been condemned by the sin consequent upon thy conversing with a heretic". The king was next born as a crow and the princess making him out by virtue of her knowledge of the pristine birth thus spoke to her lord "O lord, thou art now being born as a crow eating the tributary grain, to whom, in a previous birth, all other kings paid tribute".
Parāçara said:—Being thus reminded of his former birth the king renounced the body and was born again as a peacock. Thereupon the beautiful princess began to pet him and feed him with such food as is agreeable to the peacocks. Thereupon the king, Janaka, undertook the celebration of a mighty horse sacrifice. In the ablutions with which it ended the princess caused his peacock to be bathed, bathing also herself. She then reminded Shatadhanu how he had been successively born as various animals. One recollecting this he renounced his life. He was then born as the son of the high-souled king Janaka.
Then the princess, having a slender person, expressed her desire to her father to be wedded. Her father too announced for a Swayambara. When all had assembled at that meeting that chaste damsel found out her (former) lord and again elected him as her husband. The prince lived happily with her and on the death of her father ruled over the country of Videha. He celebrated many sacrifices and distributed many gifts and begot sons and defeated many enemies in war. Having ruled duly and cherished the earth that king renounced his life in battle as became the warrior caste. The princess again followed him in death and in agreement with sacred precepts once more mounted cheerfully his funeral pyre. Thereupon the king, with the princess, attained to the regions beyond the region of Indra, where all desires are for ever satisfied, obtaining eternal and unequalled bliss in heaven, the consummate happiness that is the reward of conjugal fidelity which is hardly attained.
I have thus described to you, O Maitreya, the sin consequent upon conversing with a heretic and effects of bathing after the solemn sacrifice of a horse. A man should therefore carefully avoid the conversation or coming in contact with a heretic especially at seasons of devotion and when engaged in the performance of the religious rites before a sacrifice. The prudent should look at the sun after seeing a person in whose house domestic ceremonies have been neglected for a month. And there is the greatest need of expiation if they meet persons who live upon other's rice and who have wholly abandoned the Vedas and who dispute the doctrines of sacred writings. A man should not even talk with heretics, those who do forbidden acts, pretended saints, scoundrels, sceptics and hypocrites; communication with such sinful wretches ever at a distance, all association with schismatics pollutes a man; a man should therefore carefully avoid them.
These are the persons, O Maitreya, called naked, the meaning of which term you wanted me to explain. If they witness a Srāddha ceremony that becomes fruitless—communication with whom spoils the piety of one day. These are the heretics with whom the wise should not converse—and speaking to whom destroys the virtue he might have obtained that day. Men fall into hell if they converse with them who uselessly assume the twisted hair and shaven head, who eat without offering food to gods, spirits and guest and those who do not offer cakes and libation of water to their manes.
THE END OF PART III.