Shri Hari on the foremost of acts of a king.
Shri Hari on the foremost of acts of a king.
Suvrat spoke:-
Thus having concluded the grand sacrifice in the name of Vishnu, He, having appeased the Brahmins, sat on a high throne in the middle of a large assembly and was adored by His devotees. 1.
He, having glanced at the entire gathering of devotees, men and women sitting in decorum, making them rejoice with his nectarine speech, pronounced thus. 2.
Shri Narayan Muni said:-
O devotees, hear me, if any one has to ask me about something, he is pleased to do so now. 3. Suvrat said:- There the king of Nagadakapur, SuraKhachar by name, sitting in that assembly, having saluted Him, asked thus. 4.
Sura said:-
‘I want to hear, O lord, of all the duties of a king, the prominent among which would bring him real happiness in this world and hereafter.’ 5.
Suvrat continued:-
O king, thus asked by him, a true devotee of the lord, the granter of happiness to the world said: 6.
Shri Narayan Muni said:-
“What you have asked me is similar to an incident in Danadharm Parv of Mahabharat where Dharmaraj asked Bhishm on the subject of charity and virtuosities after having listened to the story of king Sibi.’ 7.
I tell you what that great man, the son of Santanu, the virtuous Bhishm had told Dharmaraj. 8.
Bhishm said:-
The worship of the Brahmins is the foremost of all those acts O Bharat, which have been laid down for a king duly installed on a throne, if indeed he is desirous of obtaining great happiness. 9.
Even this is what the foremost of all kings should do. Know this well O chief of Bharat’s race, the king should always worship with reverence all righteous Brahmins possessed of Vedic lore. 10.
The king should, with bows and comforting speeches and gifts of all articles of enjoyment, worship all Brahmins possessed of great learning who dwell in his city or provinces. 11.
This is the foremost of all acts laid down for the king. Indeed the king should always keep his eyes fixed on this. He should protect and cherish these even as he protects his own self or his own children. 12.
The king should worship with great reverence those amongst the Brahmins that may be worthy of it (for their superior sanctity and learning). When such men are freed from all anxiety, the whole kingdom blazes forth in beauty. 13.
They are to be worshipped, saluted and verily honoured as one honours one’s sires and grandsires. Upon them depends the course of conduct followed by men, just as the existence of all creatures depends upon Vasav (Indra). 14.
The Brahmins are competent to make one (him) a deity that is not a deity. They can again divest one that is deity of its status as such. He becomes a king whom they wish to make a king. He, on the other hand goes to the wall, whom they do not love or like. 15.
I tell the truly O king that those foolish persons who calumniate the Brahmins and utter their dispraise, without doubt will meet with destruction. 16.
That man whom the Brahmins praise succeeds, grows and prospers. That man who is censured and is cast off by the Brahmins soon meets with discomfiture. 17.
One should never utter dispraise or calumny of Brahmins. Where the dispraise of Brahmins is uttered, one should sit with face hanging down or leave that spot. 18.
That man has not yet been born in this world or will not take birth here who has been or will be able to pass his life in happiness after quarrelling with the Brahmins. 19.
They should always be protected and cherished as one cherishes and protects one’s own sires and grandsires, and should be adored by bowing, by showering hospitality, by gifting ornaments and other articles of enjoyment, as also with such things as they may desire. 20.
There is nothing higher, o king, than to play host to Brahmins of good birth who are knowledgeable in matters of morality & righteousness and are steadfast in the observance of excellent vows. 21.
The sacrificial offerings given unto Brahmins reach the very deities who accept them. Brahmins are the sires of all creatures. There is nothing higher than a Brahmin. 22.
The presiding deities of sun, moon, wind, water, earth, sky and the quarters enter the body of the Brahmins and take what the Brahmins eat. 23.
In whose house Brahmins do not eat, the manes refuse to eat. The deities also never eat in the house of the wretch who hates the Brahmins. 24.
When Brahmins are propitiated, the manes as well as gods will also be satisfied. There is no doubt about this, O king. 25.
The noble kings who accept the words uttered by Brahmins are never vanquished. Victory shall always be theirs. 26.
The energy and might of Kshatriyas (warriors) who scorch everything with their energy might become neutralized when they antagonize the Brahmins. 27.
Brahmins by birth alone becomes objects of adoration for all creatures, and they are entitled as guests to eat the first portion of all cooked food. 28.
As a consequence of disregarding the Brahmins, the Asuras (demons) are condemned to take refuge in the depths of the ocean. Through the grace of the Brahmins the Suras (Gods) have become denizens of the happy regions (heaven.) 29.
Kings (Kshatriyas) are incapable of ruling the earth without earning the goodwill of noble Brahmins who are the deities of the very deities. 30.
Do always worship them with gifts and obedient services if indeed thou wish to enjoy the sovereignty of the whole earth with her belt of seas. 31.
Shri Hari on magnanimity of Brahmins through words of Shri Krishna.
Shri Narayan Muni said:-
Thus Bhishm delineated on the foremost of acts of a king of honouring a Brahmin, to Dharmaraj. That king obliged to do the same. 32.
In Dwaraka, Shri Krishna having redeemed king Nrg in the form of lizard and taught his subjects, O Sura, listen to those words of him, from me. 33.
Shri Krishna said:-
See how hard it is for any man, even if he is as powerful as fire, to digest the least little trifle belonging to a Brahmin, which he has unjustly appropriated. How much more should it be for kings who in their conceit think of themselves as the lords of creation? 34.
I do not look upon the Halahal as poison since it may be neutralized: but the property of Brahmin is rightly described as poison because there is nothing on earth that can annul its evil effects. 35.
Poison kills him who swallows it. Fire may be quenched by water. But the fire kindled by the fire-stick that is a Brahmin’s property unjustly appropriated consumes the whole family right down to its roots. 36.
The property of a Brahmin taken without his leave destroys three generations. If it is taken from him by force it destroys ten generations before him and ten after. 37.
Kings who are blinded by the intoxication of sovereign power coveting the wealth of Brahmins is nothing but opting for hell. In their abysmal folly they do not see that they are heading for a fall. 38.
For as many years as there are particles of dust wetted by the tears that fall from the eyes of large-hearted Brahmins and their families weeping in distress and deprived of their livelihood, the kings and the members of their families who are directly or indirectly responsible for such state of affairs shall be roasted in the hell named Kumbhipaka. 39-40.
He who deprives a Brahmin of his means of living, even if it were he that had earlier bestowed it on him, shall breed as a worm in ordure for sixty thousand years. 41.
May I never come into possession of anything belonging to a Brahmin. Kings who covet the Brahmin’s property sustain defeat at the hands of others, lose their kingdom and die before their time to be reborn as serpents that cause terror to others. 42.
So you, my people, should never harm a Brahmin even if he has offended you. Even if he beats you or curses you, you should still do him obeisance. 43.
Just as I make my salutations to Brahmins every morning and evening with my senses under control, so should you. He that does not will be punished by me. 44.
Taking a Brahmin’s property even out of ignorance causes the despoiler to fall into hell, as Nrug fell because of the Brahmin’s cow. 45.
Shri Narayan Muni said:-
O king, thus the residents of Dwaraka were instructed by Shri Krishna. You also should tread the path trodden by him, by which you can attain highest happiness. 46.
Therefore, Brahmins should be honoured and worshipped, in particular, by you kings and other warriors as well as by my followers. 47.
Whether a Brahmin is of high learning or of little knowledge, a rustic or refined, he should not be ridiculed, for he is akin to fire in ash. 48.
Fire blazes even if it belongs in a burial ground, and is not bereft of the power of purifying. Similarly a Brahmin, whether learned or novice, is still possessed of high divinity. 49.
Brahmins are to be satiated with various foods rich with pure ghee as they may desire, and with gifts as well, for they are dear to god. 50.
Shri Hari leaves for Charottar. In the satiation of Brahmins alone lord Kamalapati is satiated. I proclaim this as the highest duty of you all. 51.
Suvrat said:- Thus ordained by the Lord, king Sura and other devotees, having paid their obeisance unto Him, held him heartily. 52.
In this way the Lord delighting His devotees every day, O king, stayed there for a month, adored variously by the people of Gurjar. 53.
He was pleaded repeatedly by scores of people coming to Him from different places to visit their respective nativities, and in return he used to reply them positively. 54.
To comfort people belonging not only to a single town who have taken His shelter but many such, Shri Hari O king, left Darbhavati with His band of sages, followed up to some distance by His devotees as well as citizens with tears in their eyes, and came to a state named Charottara. 55.
Thus ends the Forty-ninth chapter entitled ‘discourse on Brahmins’ exaltation during grand sacrifice in Darbhavati ‘ in the second Prakarana of Satsangijivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 49
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