Garuda Purana

tr. J.L. Shastri/A board of scholars, Ancient Indian Tradition and Mythology 12-14, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi 1982.
(extracts with notes in [] by JanM, 1997)

1. Acara (Karma) kanda, 2. Dharma (Preta) kanda, 3. Brahma (Moksa) kanda

"... Hence, Bhagavata is the highest of all Puranas. The Visnu Purana comes next, then comes Garuda. The three are principal Puranas in the Kali age. Garuda contains some additional matter." (3.1.45-6)

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1.2.15 Lord Visnu is devoid of physical body

1.4.37-8 perfect brahmacaris attain Brahmaloka, perfect grhasthas Prajapatiloka, perfect vanaprasthas Saptarsiloka, perfect sannyasis the imperishable region (Brahman)

1.5.2-5 mind-created sons [of Brahma], seven types of pitas - Barhisads, Agnisvattas, Kravyadas, Ajyapas, Sukalins, Upahutas and Dipas - of whom three are formless and four having forms

1.5.14-16 ...Sumati, the wife of Kratu, gave birth to Balakhilyas (Valikhilyas). Sixty thousand in number, resplendent like the blazing sun, although they were of the size of thumb - they became sages of sublimated vitality.

1.15.* Visnu-sahasra-nama-stotra

1.19.19 om kuru kunde (or kule) svaha [pranesvari vidya, against serpents]

1.19.23 om hrim hraum hrim hrim bhirundayai svaha (recited to the ear of the patient removes poison)

1.45.* characteristics of salagrama

1.46.* vastu-puja (worship of the site for building, choosing places of objects and their orientation)

1.50.69 "Then he shall perform the fire yajnas to gods, to the living beings, to the manes, to men and to the Brahma(n). [panca-maha-yajna]

1.50.70 "If he has already performed Brahma yajna [Manu 3.70] before Tarpana (water offering to deva-rsi-bhuta), he can proceed with his study of Vedas after performing Manusya yajna (the sacrifice to men).

1.50.71 Vaisva deva (oblations to fire before meals intended for all deities collectively) shall be performed - it is called Deva yajna. The offering to bhutas - living beings or spirits - is to be known as bhuta yajna.

1.50.72 Food offerings to dogs, svapacas (outcastes), fallen people, on the ground outside (the house) as also to the birds.

1.50.73 Pitr yajna is conducive to liberation. The best man shall feed a single brahmana bearing all the manes in mind. It has to be performed every day faithfully."

1.51.* charity

1.58.8-22 sun, sage, yaksa, raksasa, apsara, gandharva, serpent [of sun god's suite change] in each of 12 months: sages pray to the sun, gandharvas sing in front, apsaras dance, raksasas walk behind the sun, serpents bear the yoke, yaksas catch hold of the reins, Valikhilyas sit surrounding the sun.

1.59.-62.* astrology (Lord Hari speaks to Rudra)

1.59.40 "Add together the letters in the names of the husband and wife. Divide by three. If two is the remainder, wife is harmed, if one or zero, husband is harmed."

1.60.15-17 Hikka (sound of hiccup) when heard from east: great results, south-east: sorrow and anxiety, south: loss, south-west: sorrow and anxiety, west: sumptuous feast, north-west: money, north: quarrel.

(physiognomy:)

1.63.5-6 people destined to become: great men or kings - one hair in each pore, great scholars and Vedic interpreters - two hairs out of each pore, poor - three hairs out of each pore.

1.63.10-14 three parallel lines on forehead: happy with children, life up to 60 years, 2 lines: 40 years, 1 line: 20 years, 3 lines extending up to ears: up to 100 years, 2 lines up to ears: 70 years, 3 lines partly distinct and partly indistinct: 60 years, if the number of lines decreases: reduce 20 years from the previous, if the lines are broken in the middle, premature death is the result

1.64.6 "A real wife is like a minister for the personal affairs of her husband, a friend in executing his tasks, in affectionate dealings she is like his mother and in his bed she is like a courtesan to him. Such a wife is auspicious."

1.64.8 woman with hairy sides and breasts and high lips: husband dies soon

1.64.11 little finger and thumb of a woman placed on the ground do not rest there: she will become a widow and of ill repute

1.64.12 woman who shakes the ground as she treads, kills her husband quickly and lives like a mleccha woman

1.65.57-60 (-> Samudrika) a round face: prosperity, lady will beget son, a long face: poverty, misfortune, great sorrow, a square face: coward, sinner, rogue, a depressed face: issuelessness, a short face: miserliness

1.65.112 If the palm is placed on the ground and the little finger and the ring finger do not touch the ground, she is surely a whore.

1.65.114 long neck of woman: destruction of family

1.65.115 stout neck: she becomes very fierce. Squint in the eyes, dark blue or tawny in the eyes, roving eyes: absence of chastity

1.65.116 If when she smiles two dimples are seen in the cheeks, she is surely one adulteress.

1.65.117 ...if the buttocks hang down, she kills her husband. A mustache-like growth of hair above the upper lip is inauspicious for the husband.

1.65.118 Hairy breasts are inauspicious and uneven ears too are inauspicious.

1.65.119 If the gum is dark blue, she is a thief, if the teeth are long, she will bring about the death of her husband.

1.65.120 An elevated upper lip indicates quarrelsome nature and harshness in speech.

1.67.* [Siva tells Gauri after hearing from Visnu:] svarodaya or parama-vijaya (planets and nadis in the body -> auspicious/ inauspicious times)

1.68.9-10 "These are the different kinds of gems: Vajra (diamond), Mukta (pearl), Mani (gems), Padmaraga (ruby), Marakata (emerald), Indranila (sapphire), Vaidurya (lapis lazuli), Pusparaga (topaz), Karketana (?, Karkenata - a species of quartz), Pulaka, Rudhira (blood red stone), Sphatika (crystal), Vidruma (coral). Persons who know gems have classified them thus."

1.68.12 Gems bought or first used in a bad lagna or inauspicious day become defective and lose even their merits.

1.68.27-29 diamonds with defects - inauspicious, bring bad luck up to death

1.70.19 "If anyone wears a gem of many flaws our of ignorance, then grief, anxiety, sickness, death, loss of wealth and other evils torment him."

1.70.30 "Even one Candala can attack and kill a number of brahmanas. Similarly, a spurious alien gem can nullify the potency of many gems endowed with good qualities."

1.81.24 "He who takes a holy dip in the tirtha of Manasa (mind) that has the eddy of Jnana (pure knowledge) and the pure water of Dhyana (meditation) that removes the dirt of Raga (passion) and Dvesa (hatred) attains the supreme goal."

(Yajnavalkya-smrti:)

1.93.11-13 Garbhadhana (conception) [is performed] after the menstruation, Pumsavana before throbbing of the child in the womb [with purpose to get a son], Simanta [parting child's hair] in the sixth or eighth month, Prasava (delivery), Jatakarma (birth) [for child's welfare], Namakarana (naming) on the eleventh day, Niskramana (coming out of the house for the first time) in the fourth month, Annaprasana (first feeding with the solid food) in the sixth month, and Cudakarana (cutting of the hair for the first time, only tuft - cuda - is left) as per practice in the family. Thus the sin of seed and conception is nullified. To girls these rites are performed without mantras.

1.94.17 ...One shall never find fault with the food served. (+1.96.16)

1.95.24-26 The highest duty of a woman is to carry out the behests of her husband. Sixteen nights subsequent to the month menstrual flow are the nights of rut for women. The husband shall restrain himself during the parvan (full moon and new moon days), when the stars Magha and Mula are ascendant and on the first four nights. Thereafter, on even nights, he will be able to beget a healthy son of auspicious traits. If the woman is in a mood to receive him on any night he should satisfy her remembering that lust in women is terrible.

1.96.72 "By eating garlic and onion one becomes sinful and as atonement one should perform Candrayana. If one takes meat after worshiping deities and manes in Sraddha one does not acquire sin."

1.96.73 "If one kills animals otherwise (and eats their flesh) he will fall into hell and remain there for as many days as there are hairs on that animal. Eschewing flesh a devotee attains God Hari after due prayer."

1.97.10 "...[for purification] he should touch his right ear. Gods of Fire, etc. stay in the right ear of a brahmana.

1.98.3 A gift should never be taken by a person devoid of learning and austerity. By taking it he degrades the giver as well as himself.

1.98.8 The giver [of the cow] remains in heaven for as many years as there are hairs on the body of that cow. If the cow is tawny, it enables his seven generations to cross hell.

1.98.14 "The giver of the Vedas (in manuscript) attains the region of Brahma not accessible even to gods. Those who transcribe the Vedas with meanings, yajna sastras, dharma sastras, on payment, also attain the region of Brahma.

1.98.15 "Since God has created the universe with Vedas as the basis, collection of Vedic texts with bhasyas (commentaries) should be done with effort.

1.98.16 "He who transcribes Itihasas (epics) or Puranas or makes a gift of them,

1.98.17 attains merit equal to that of gifting Vedic text or even twice the fruit."

1.101.2 [The nine planets:] "The Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu."

1.101.3 "The malignant aspect is countermanded respectively by wearing copper, bell metal, crystal, the red sandalwood, gold, silver, iron, lead and bell metal on their bodies."

1.101.4 "O sages, know their respective colors to be red, white, red, yellow, yellow, white, black, black and black."

1.104.* specific karmic reactions for specific sinners and sins

1.105.48 Willful abortion and hatred of the husband are great sins in women without any expiation. [This chapter deals with atonements for specific sins.]

1.106.* pretasauca (rites and impurity subsequent to death of persons)

1.106.6 not to cry for dead person

(Parasara-smrti:)

1.107.3 In the Kali age charity is the main virtue. Other virtues are likely to forsake the doer. Sinful deeds are perpetrated only in the Kali age. A curse bears fruit in a year.

1.107.28 "If the husband is untraceable, dead, or has renounced the world, is impotent or degraded - in these cases of emergency a woman can remarry."

1.107.29 "A wife who dies in the company of her husband [sati] shall remain in heaven as many years as there are hairs on his person."

(Brhaspati Niti Sara 1.108-115:)

Suta said:

1.108.1. Now I shall explain the essence of polity based on economics for the benefit of kings and others. It is holy conducive to longevity, heavenly bliss, etc.

1.108.2. A person wishing for success and achievement should always associate with good men: never with the wicked; it is good neither for this nor the other world.

1.108.3. One should always avoid arguments with mean-minded base people and shun even the sight of the wicked. He should avoid enmity with friends and intimacy with persons serving the enemy.

1.108.4. Even the scholar comes to grief by trying to advise a foolish disciple, by supporting a wicked wife and by keeping the company of the wicked men.

1.108.5. One should keep aloof from a brahmana foolishly puerile, a ksatriya averse to fighting, a vaishya sluggish and inactive and a sudra hot-headed and vain due to complete, defective study.

1.108.6. Alliance with an enemy or estrangement with a friend should be indulged in at proper time. A true scholar bides his time after a careful consideration of causes and effects.

1.108.7. Time allows all living beings to mature, time brings the dissolution of all people. Even when people are asleep, time is watchful and awake, it is difficult to transgress time.

1.108.8. The semen virile flows out at proper time and develops itself in the womb. It is time that causes creation and it is time again that effects dissolution.

1.108.9. The passage of time is incomprehensible. It has two-fold functions, an apparent gross movement at one place and a subtle invisible movement at another.

1.108.10. The divine preceptor Brihaspati expounded the essence of polity to god Indra which got him omniscience and heavenly glory after killing the asuras.

1.108.11. The worship of gods, brahmanas, etc. should be performed by saintly kings and brahmanas. They should also perform the horse sacrifice to wipe off their sins both small and great.

1.108.12. A person never comes to grief if he associates with good people, conducts discourses with scholars and contracts intimate friendship with persons devoid of greed.

1.108.13. Illicit contact with or gay revelries in the company of another man's wife, desire for another man's wealth or residence in another man's house shall never be pursued.

1.108.14. A well-intentioned enemy is actually a kinsman and a kinsman acting against one's interests is an enemy. Sickness in the body is inimical and a herb in the forest is friendly and beneficial.

1.108.15. He is a kinsman who works to our benefit; he is the real father who nurtures and nourishes us; he is a friend where confidence can be placed; it is the native land where sustenance is available.

1.108.16. He is the true servant who is loyal and obedient; it is the real seed that germinates well; she is the real wife who speaks pleasantly and he is the real son who lives to the family tradition.

1.108.17. His life is perfect who has virtues and good qualities; fruitless, indeed, is the life of a man devoid of these two.

1.108.18. A true wife manages the household affairs skilfully, speaks sweet pleasant words, solely dedicates herself to her husband and is loyally devoted to him.

1.108.19-21. The man who has a wife endowed with these qualities is no less than Indra, the lord of heaven. He is no ordinary man. The good wife takes her daily bath, applies sweet scents to her body, speaks sweetly, is satisfied with limited quantity of food, is not garrulous, has always auspicious things around her, is very scrupulous in virtuous activities, exhibits her love to her husband by every action and is pleased to surrender herself to his dalliance after the four days of the menstrual flow. She enhances the good luck of everyone.

1.108.22-23. What we call old age is not so dispiriting as a wife devoid of good qualities and possessing all bad traits - ugly-eyed, slovenly, quarrelsome, argumentative, visiting other people's house frequently, depending on other people's help, evil in actions and devoid of shame.

1.108.24. A wife who appreciates good qualities, devoted to her husband, and satisfied with the minimum in everything is real beloved.

1.108.25. It is death indeed if one has a wicked wife, a rogue as a friend, a servant who answers back and serpents infesting his house.

1.108.26. Forsake the contact with wicked people, resort to the assembly of the good; do meritorious acts day and night and remember the unstability of everything.

1.108.27. A woman devoid of love, terrific in appearance, ferocious by nature, more horrible than a serpent round the neck, tigerlike in having ruddy eyes, appearing to spit fire, desirous of visiting other houses and cities should never be approached.

1.108.28. Devotion in the son, good deed in the ungrateful, coldness in the fire may occur sometime by God's grace; but love in a prostitute is never come across.

1.108.29. Who can be complacent and carefree if serpents infest the house wherever we cast our eyes, if sickness cannot be cured with all appliances of treatment and if death is ever ready to pounce on the body at every age from infancy to old age?

Suta said:

1.109.1. Money should be saved for emergency; wife should be protected by spending hoarded wealth and one's own self should be saved even at the risk of preserved assets and wife.

1.109.2. One should sacrifice oneself to save the family; a family should be sacrificed to save the village; a village should be sacrificed for the safety of the land and the land should be sacrificed to save one's soul.

1.109.3. The residence in hell is better than that in a house of evil conduct. By the former, one's sins are washed away whereas there is no redemption from the latter.

1.109.4. The intelligent man fixes one foot firmly and moves with the other. Without testing the new place well, the old place of resort should not be abandoned.

1.109.5. One should unhesitatingly abandon a country infested with men of evil conduct, a residence of harassing environment, a king of miserly temperament, and a friend of deceptive disposition.

1.109.6. What purpose can be served by the riches in the hands of a miser? Of what avail to men can that knowledge be that is tarnished by a roguish disposition? Of what avail is beauty bereft of good qualities and valour? Of what value is a friend who turns his face away at the time of misfortune?

1.109.7. Many persons unknown to him before will flock round a person occupying a high post as his friends and assistants. Time being adverse, if he loses his wealth and is dismissed from his post even his kinsmen become his enemies.

1.109.8. A friend can be found out if he is genuine or otherwise in times of danger; the test of valour is the battlefield; the test of purity of a man is his conduct in isolated places. Loss of wealth puts fidelity of the wife to a test and famine provides an opportunity to test whether a man is fond of entertaining a guest or otherwise.

1.109.9. Birds leave off the tree when the fruits are exhausted; the sarasa [bird] quits the lake when it is dried up; the courtesan turns out the man who has no money in his pockets; ministers bid good-bye to the king who has lost his throne; honeybees never touch the flower that is faded and withered; the deer flee the forest consumed by fire - so it is evident that people take delight in things that delight them. Who takes interest in others otherwise?

1.109.10. One should propitiate a greedy man by giving him money; a praiseworthy man by reverence with joined palms; a fool by allowing him to do as he pleases and the scholar by a clear statement of facts.

1.109.11. Devas, good people and brahmanas are pleased with genuine good nature; the ordinary vulgar people by an offer of something to eat or drink and the learned scholars by due honour and fitting rewards.

1.109.12. The noblest can be won over by humility and submission; the rogue with a threat; the vulgar with small gifts and concessions and men of equal status by exhibiting an equal strength and valour.

1.109.13. An intelligent man must penetrate deep into the innermost recesses of everyone's heart and speak and act befitting his nature and inclination and win him over to his side.

1.109.14. Implicit trust in rivers, clawed beasts, horned animals, armed men, women and scions of royal families is never to be encouraged.

1.109.15. Men of sense will never disclose loss of wealth, mental anguish, illicit actions in the house, deception (of which they had been the victim) and disrespect.

1.109.16. The following are the activities that bring about the destruction of chastity and good conduct in women: association with base and wicked people, a long separation from the husband, too much of consideration and love shown to them (by the would-be defiler) and residence in another man's house.

1.109.17. Which family is devoid of defects? Who is not distressed by sickness? Who is not oppressed by vices and calamities? Who enjoys continuous blessings of the goddess of fortune?

1.109.18. Who is the man in the wide world who does not become haughty on attaining wealth? Who has escaped miseries in his life? Whose mind is not ripped asunder by maidens? Who has been a favourite of kings forever? Who is that suppliant who has won honour and respect? Who is that fortunate fellow who has escaped unscathed after having once fallen into the wily nets of the wicked?

1.109.19. He who has no friends, relatives or kinsmen to advise him and he who has no intrinsic intellect in himself suffers certainly. How can a wise man pursue that activity which does not produce any tangible result even when completed successfully but which necessarily ushers in great sorrow when left incomplete?

1.109.20. One should leave off that land where no one honours him or loves him; where there is no kinsman, and where there are no amenities for higher learning.

1.109.21. Earn that wealth to which there is no danger from kings or robbers and which does not leave you even after your death.

1.109.22. The wealth that a man acquires by putting in exertions risking his own life is divided among themselves by his successors after his death. Only the sin that he commits in his eagerness to earn remains his exclusive property.

1.109.23. Amassed and deposited wealth of the miser is ransacked by others frequently like that of the mouse and is conducive to sorrow.

1.109.24. Beggars roaming the streets, naked, grief-stricken, rough and armed with broken bowls point out to the world that the fruits the non-charitable persons reap are like these.

1.109.25. O misers! The beggars who request you saying "Please give" really teach you that this is the result of not giving. Do not become like them.

1.109.26. A miser's hoarded wealth is not being employed in hundreds of sacrifices (e.g. for good purposes) nor it is being given in charity to the deserving; but in the end, it is utilised in the houses of robbers or put in the king's treasury.

1.109.27. The wealth of the miser does not go unto the deities, brahmanas, relatives or to himself but it goes unto the robbers or kings or is consumed by fire.

1.109.28. Let those riches be not thine - the riches acquired with great deal of toil, by transgressing the curbs of virtue or by falling at the feet of the enemy.

1.109.29. A blow of destruction to learning is absence of practice; wearing rags is a blow unto the goddess of wealth; eating after digestion is a blow to sickness; and craftiness is a blow to the enemy.

1.109.30. A fitting punishment to the thief is the death sentence; being reserved is the best punishment for a false friend; lying on a separate bed is a punishment for women, and non invitation in sacrifice is a punishment for brahmanas.

1.109.31. Wicked persons, artisans, slaves, defiled ones, drums and women are softened by being beaten; they do not deserve gentle handling.

1.109.32. By sending them on errands the ability of servants can be known; sincerity of kinsmen can be known by their behaviour during our adversity; the genuine friendship can be understood when some mishap occurs and the fidelity of the wife is known when one's fortune dwindles.

1.109.33. The diet of a woman is twice as much as that of a man; shrewdness four times, energy is six times and amorousness is eight times as much as that of a man.

1.109.34. It is impossible to overcome sleep by sleeping it off; to overpower a woman by loving her; to smother a flame by adding fuel and to quench thirst by drinking wine.

1.109.35. A delicious fatty meat diet, pleasing dress, glowing wine, fragrant scented pastes, and sweet smelling flowers kindle passion in women.

1.109.36. It can be said with certainty that even during the period of celibacy the god of love is busily active. On seeing a man pleasing to her heart the vagina of a woman becomes wet with profuse secretion.

1.109.37. O Saunaka, it is true, definitely true that the vaginal passage of a woman begins to secrete profusely on seeing a well dressed man whether a brother or a son.

1.109.38. Rivers and women are of similar nature in their love of freedom to choose their own course. The rivers erode the banks and the women undermine their own families.

1.109.39. The river undermines the banks and the woman causes the fall of the family. The course of rivers and women is wayward and cannot be checked.

1.109.40. A blazing fire cannot be satiated with sufficient supply of fuel; the ocean can never be filled to satiety by rivers flowing into it; the god of death is never satiated by the living beings (whom he smites) and a passionate woman is never satiated with man.

1.109.41. It is impossible to be satiated with the company of good men, friends, men of delightful conversation, and pleasures, sons, life and boons.

1.109.42. A king is never gratified with his ambitious activity of amassing wealth; a sea is never gratified with a perennial flow of water into it; a scholar is never satiated with the talks and speeches given by him; no layman's eye is satiated with the glimpses of the king that he gets.

1.109.43. They maintain themselves by what they earn by doing their duties; they are devoted to the sacred scriptures; they are fond of their own wives; they have subjugated the unreasonable wanderings of the sense organs; they are delighted in serving guests; they attain salvation at their very doors; they are the excellent among men.

1.109.44. If the wife is after your heart, if she is attractive, well bedecked and delightful, if you live in your own house; it is heaven indeed which can be obtained only by good deeds performed in previous birth.

1.109.45. Women are incorrigible; they can never be brought round by making a gift, or offering respect, or a straightforward dealing, or repeated service. They can neither be threatened with a weapon nor asked to be quiet by citing scriptural codes.

1.109.46. Five things should be pursued slowly and cautiously. Learning, riches, ascending to mountain, amorous approach to women, and assimilation of virtuous conduct.

1.109.47. Worship to gods is of permanent benefit; a present to a brahmana leaves a permanent blessing behind; a thoroughly good learning has an everlasting beneficent result and a good bosom friend is a permanent asset.

1.109.48. Those who have not acquired enough learning during studentship and those who have not secured a decent wife and sufficient wealth during youth are to be pitied forever. They are no better than beasts, but have a human form.

1.109.49. A person devoted to the scriptural codes shall not worry over the meal. He must ponder over a regular study. A man seeking knowledge must be prepared to go a long way with the speed of Garuda.

1.109.50. Those who had been unmindful of studies during studentship and those who had wasted their wealth during youth in pursuit of lust fall into a miserable plight during old age slighted by others and burning within like the lotuses in the winter season.

1.109.51. Arguments are never stable and irrefutable; Vedas are wide and varied; there is no sage who has not mentioned something different from others. Still the central theme of virtue is hidden in a cave, as it were. Hence, the path traversed by great men should be taken as the correct one.

1.109.52. The inner workings of a man's mind should be inferred from his facial reflexes, behaviour, gestures, movements, speech and the contractions and distortions of his eyes and lips.

1.109.53. A spoken word is understood by even a beast. Horses and elephants carry out the orders given. But a scholar infers what is not expressly stated. Intellect is fruitful in being able to comprehend others's gestures.

1.109.54. Deprived of wealth one should go on a pilgrimage; going astray from truth one cannot but fall into the hell Raurava; though failing in the initial attempt in the yogic practice one shall continue to be strictly truthful; a king divested of his royal splendour has no other alternative but go a hunting.

Suta said:

1.110.1. If a person forsakes things of sure results in his pursuit of things of uncertain results he loses both - the certain as well as the uncertain.

1.110.2. No thrilling pleasure is felt by a man bereft of the mechanism of speech though he may be learned as in the case of a coward holding the sword in his hand or of a blind man wedded to a beautiful wife.

1.110.3. It is the fruit of no small penance to posses both delicious foodstuffs and good appetite; sexual virility and healthy as well as handsome wives, extensive wealth and desire to give it to others.

1.110.4. The aim of the study of Vedas is the ability to perform Agnihotra; everything auspicious should have the invariable results of good conduct and purposeful life; a good wife must yield perfect sexual pleasure and good offsprings and wealth is for both charity and personal enjoyment.

1.110.5. An intelligent man should marry a girl of noble family though not very beautiful; he shall not marry a girl of low descent though she may be beautiful and have developed hips.

1.110.6. Of what avail is the wealth which brings disaster in its wake? Who will dare to remove the crest jewel of a serpent embedded on its hood?

1.110.7. Butter for sacrificial purposes can be taken even from the family of wicked persons; a wise saying uttered by even a child should be listened to; gold can be taken even from the heap of rubbish and a jewel of a girl [stri-ratna] can be brought even from a mean family.

1.110.8. Nectar may be taken from even a poison-infested spot; gold can be taken even from a heap of rubbish; good learning may be received even from a mean-minded person and a girl of low parentage can be wedded if she has good qualities.

1.110.9. Friendship with a king is an impossibility; a serpent devoid of poison is unheard of; a household cannot remain pure if too many women flock there together.

1.110.10. A devoted servant should be engaged in household duties; a son should be engaged in study; an enemy should be employed in acts of vice and a friend in virtuous acts.

1.110.11. Servants and ornaments should be put in proper places; a crest-jewel worn on the foot will never shine.

1.110.12. Crest-jewel, ocean, fire, bell, the vast expanse of the firmament and king - these have to be at the head; it is wrong to keep them at the foot.

1.110.13. A man of stuff will have access to one of the two goals like a bunch of flowers. Either he is at the head of everyone or he fades in a forest.

1.110.14. If a fine jewel worthy of being set in a fine earring is worn on the foot it will not take away the brilliance. It is only the wearer who will be criticised by others.

1.110.15. Great is the difference between any two members of each of these: horses, elephants, iron, wood, stone, cloth, women, men and water.

1.110.16. It is impossible to deprive a courageous man of his good qualities though he may be tortured and tormented. Even if it is suppressed by a rogue the flame of a fire does not shoot downwards.

1.110.17. A horse of good breed does not brook a cut from the wip; a lion cannot bear to hear the trumpeting sound of an elephant. A true hero does not coolly listen to the loud boasts of his enemy.

1.110.18. None shall deign to serve the wicked or the base even if unfortunately deprived of wealth of fallen from a high position. Even though oppressed by hunger the lion does not stoop to graze the grass. It is satisfied only when it drinks the hot blood of elephants.

1.110.19. He who tries to cultivate again the friendship of one who has once deceived him really seeks his own death like the she-mule that conceives.

1.110.20. The children of an enemy shall never be neglected or treated with indifference by sane men in spite of the fact that they may be speaking sweet words. After the lapse of some time they may be very dangerous and terrible like vessels of poison.

1.110.21. If a thorn pricks the foot, another thorn is held in the hand with which the former one is removed. Similarly, an enemy should be wiped off by another enemy whose help for the nonce can be secured by an act of gratification.

1.110.22. None need worry about a man who constantly harasses him. Such people will fall off themselves like the trees on the banks of rivers.

1.110.23. When fate is adverse, disastrous harmful things may seem to be auspicious and vice versa. This attitude shall eventually bring destruction, too.

1.110.24. If the fate is favourable, naturally, good fruitful thoughts beffiting the matter on hand occur to everyone everywhere.

1.110.25. Unnecessary bashfulness and reserve need not be felt in monetary transactions, acquisition of knowledge, taking food and dealings (with the wife in the bed chamber).

1.110.26. None shall stay in a place where these five do not live: rich men, Vedic scholar, king, river and a physician.

1.110.27. Even a day's stay shall be avoided in places where means of livelihood, fear of law, sense of shame, courteousness and liberal-mindedness are not available.

1.110.28. One shall not think of staying permanently in a place where these five are not available: an astrologer, a Vedic scholar, a king, a river and a saint.

1.110.29. O Saunaka, knowledge is not the monopoly of anyone. All do not know everything; there is no omniscient being anywhere.

1.110.30. In this world we cannot find an omniscient man nor a person utterly foolish. A man can be considered base, middling, or highly intelligent in accordance with the type of knowledge he possesses.

Suta said:

1.111.1. I should now mention the characteristic features of the king as well as the servants. A king should examine the following carefully.

1.111.2. He should protect the kingdom with devotion to truth and virtue. He should righteously rule over the earth after conquering the enemy.

1.111.3. A florist collects flower after flower but does not uproot the plant. The king should also do likewise but not like the maker of charcoal who burns the entire tree in the forest.

1.111.4. Those who milk the cow and drink milk do not do so if it is turned sour. So also the king should not defile the kingdom of the enemy which is expected to be enjoyed.

1.111.5. The man who wants cow's milk does not cut off its udder. He draws the milk no doubt. Similarly, the king who wants to tap the resources of a kingdom shall avoid injury to the same.

1.111.6. Hence, the king should rule over the earth with care and exertion. In that case the earth, the fame, longevity, renown and strength shall all be truly his.

1.111.7. The king of well controlled sense organs will be able to protect the subjects only if his rule is righteous and if he worships Lord Vishnu and is eager to render service to cows and brahmanas.

1.111.8. After acquiring prosperity which is not permanent it is essential that a king should turn his attention to virtue. All riches will perish in a moment but not the wealth of the soul.

1.111.9. Indeed, it is pleasing to gratify the lust. It is true that riches are highly pleasant. But life is as fickle as the roving glances of a winsome maiden.

1.111.10. Threatening us like the tigress, old age is waiting for an attack on us. Diseases like enemies crop up all over the body. Life flows out like water from a broken pot. Still no one in the world does ever think of a redeeming the soul.

1.111.11. O men! Do service unto others. Do what will be beneficent later on. Why do you rejoice now, without any suspicion whatsoever, along with the bevy of beautiful damsels, smitten by the arrows of Cupid, with your eyes very slow (to see what is in store for you)? Do not commit sins. Taking brahmanas and Lord Vishnu as your refuge begin worship. Your life is slowly coming to an end like water in a pot. In the guise of death a great spirit will pounce upon you.

1.111.12. He is a wise man who regards another man's wife as his mother, another man's wealth as a lump of clay and all living beings like himself.

1.111.13. It is for this that brahmanas wish their kings to be rich, that in all their rites their words should be heeded and never slighted.

1.111.14. It is for this that kings board wealth that after serving themselves they shall give unto the brahmanas what is left over.

1.111.15. The king in whose realm the sound of Om uttered by the brahmanas is resonant, flourishes. Getting whatever he wants he is never tormented by sickness.

1.111.16. Even the apparently incompetent sages can gather the riches and articles of daily use. Then why cannot a king who protects his subjects like his children?

1.111.17. He who has riches has many friends. He who has riches has many kins. People consider him who has riches fit to be called a man and a scholar.

1.111.18. Friends, sons, wives and relatives abandon a man devoid of wealth. When he regains his lost wealth hey come back to him. Hence, wealth alone is a man's kith and kin and none other.

1.111.19. The king who has discarded the sacred code is no better than a blind man. A blind man may well see through spies but not so a man devoid of sacred codes.

1.111.20. The kingdom of that king is indeed unstable whose sons, servants, ministers, priests and sense organs are not active and alert but always asleep.

1.111.21. He who has acquired the valuable support of the three sons, servants and kins has actually conquered the earth girdled by the four oceans along with the kings.

1.111.22. The king who transgresses the injunctions of scriptures and the dictates of reason perishes here in this world and forfeits the right to heaven.

1.111.23. A king surrounded by calamities should not lose heart. He should maintain equanimity both in happiness and sorrow and should never lose enlightened delight of the soul.

1.111.24. Courageous souls never become grief-stricken when mishaps occur. Does not the moon rise again though gobbled up by Rahu?

1.111.25. Fie, fie upon men who yearn for the pleasures of body. Do not grieve over the thinness of body or loss of wealth. It is well known that the sons of Pandu and their wife suffered poverty for some time but came unscathed through it and were happy forever.

1.111.26. A king should maintain teams of courtesans and patronize their arts of music and dance. He should give sufficient protection to the science of archery and economics, too.

1.111.27. The king who becomes angry with his servants without sufficient cause actually takes in the poison vomited by a black serpent.

1.111.28. A king should avoid fickleness and false utterances towards all men, especially to Vedic scholars and his personal attendants.

1.111.29. Proud of his servants and kinsmen, if a king remains complacent and begins sports and dalliance he is sure to be outwitted by the enemy.

1.111.30. It is despicable on his part to fret and fume without faults in others. He who punishes servants unjustifiably becomes a victim of the enemie's attack.

1.111.31. A king should abandon sensuous enjoyments and pleasures. Such people become easy targets of enemies who are always on the alert.

1.111.32. Enterprise, adventurousness, courage, intellect, prowess and valour - he who possesses these six is viewed with suspicious awe even by devas.

1.111.33. Where results are not remarkable even after energetic exertion it is due to an adverse fate. Still man should put up endeavour and take resort to fruitful activities.

Suta said:

1.112.1. Servants are of various types - the excellent, the middling and the base. They should be employed befittingly in the three types of jobs.

1.112.2. I shall narrate the mode of test for servants and the qualities necessary for different jobs as narrated by authorities on them.

1.112.3. Just as gold is tested in the four ways by rubbing on the touchstone, cutting, beating and melting, so also a servant is tested by his appearance, conduct, parentage and activities.

1.112.4. A man of noble family, endowed with good character and qualities, truthful and virtuous, handsome and pleasant-mannered should be appointed as the officer-in-charge of the treasury.

1.112.5. He who can appraise the value, shape and size (of gold, gems etc.), should be appointed as the chief jeweller. A man who can understand strength and weakness of the soldiers should be appointed as the commander-in-chief.

1.112.6. The chief of watch and ward should be a mind-reader who can understand each and every gesture, is strong, comely to look at, unerring and competent to strike a timely blow.

1.112.7. The chief secretary to the king should be intelligent, clever in conversation, shrewd, truthful in speech, with sense organs under his control, and acquainted with all sastras.

1.112.8. The chief ambassador should be intelligent, sensible, a reader of others' minds, ruthless and blunt in speaking facts.

1.112.9. The officer-in-charge virtue should be well versed in smrti texts, a scholar of great erudition, with good control over his sense organs and equipped with the qualities of heroism, valour and other good qualities.

1.112.10. The head cook should be a man whose father and grandfather had served in a similar capacity. He should be skilful, truthful and acquainted with sastras. He should be clean in person and capable of hard work.

1.112.11. The royal physician shall be well-versed in Ayurveda with enough practical experience. He should have all the qualities of a decent man and look comely in appearance.

1.112.12. The royal priest should be a great scholar in Vedas and their ancillaries. He should be observing japas and homas. He should readily bless everyone.

1.112.13. Whether he is a writer, or a reciter, an accountant or a chief executive, if anyone is found to be lazy, he should at once be dismissed.

1.112.14. The mouths of a wicked man and a serpent are sources of distress - since they are double-tongued, causing pain, ruthless and terrific.

1.112.15. A wicked man should be avoided even if he happens to be a scholar. Is not a serpent terrific though its head is bedecked with a precious gem?

1.112.16. Who is not afraid of the wicked who is furious without provocation? It is the wicked from whose mouth the poison of a great serpent in the form of unbearable words flows out continuously.

1.112.17. If a salaried servant of the king becomes so rich as to vie with him, is of equal competency, knows his inner secrets and vulnerable points, is very industrious and puts up a claim to half of his kingdom there is no harm if the king puts him to death.

1.112.18. Those servants are not to be retained who were at first valorous, slow and gentle of speech, truthful and self-controlled but later on proved to be otherwise.

1.112.19. Servants of this type are very rare - servants who are not lazy, who are satisfied, who can be easily roused from sleep in emergency, who have the equanimity in happiness and sorrow and who are courageous.

1.112.20. A servant suffering from all these bad points or from anyone of them should be summarily dismissed - devoid of patience, dishonest, cruel-tempered, speaking ill of others, haughty, gluttonous, roguish, greedy, inefficient and cowardly.

1.112.21. The king shall keep in his fort strong weapons of all types and then try to conquer his enemies.

1.112.22. If he is not well equipped he should make peace with his enemy for a period of six months or a year and when he is well equipped he shall attack the enemy.

1.112.23. If a king engages foolish persons in various offices the results will be ignominy, loss of wealth and hell after death.

1.112.24. Whatever the king does himself or whatever his servants do meritorious or sinful, the king has to reap the fruits thereof. He will flourish or fall as the case may be.

1.112.25. Hence, a king should employ intelligent and capable men in offices of virtue or wealth for the welfare of cows and brahmanas in the state.

Suta said:

1.113.1. One should employ only the capable servant and not the inefficient. All good qualities can be found in a scholar and all faults in a fool.

1.113.2. One should always sit in the company of the good and associate with them. Discussions and friendship should ever be with the good and not with the wicked.

1.113.3. Even in a prison one should associate only with the learned, the humble, the virtuous and the truthful. Outside, he should never associate with the wicked.

1.113.4. Completing all works left unfinished he shall become wealthy. He should make it a point to complete unfinished tasks.

1.113.5. Like the honeybee that sucks honey but does not cause the fall of the flower the king should take revenue from the realm without harming it. The cowherd leaves something for the calf and milks the rest. Similarly, the king should milk the earth but leave plenty for the calves, i.e. the subjects.

1.113.6. Just as the honeybee collects honey from a number of flowers so the king should gather wealth taking a little from each.

1.113.7. The anthill, honey, the moon in the bright half and alms wax little by little.

1.113.8. Seeing that collyrium and ink, used though very little every day, become exhausted after some time, and that the anthill flourishes day by day, one should be careful in not wasting one's time. One should engage oneself in activities of charity or self-study.

1.113.9. A vicious and lustful man shall find hundreds of obstacles even in the forest; but if he can control his five senses he can practice penance even in his house. He who is engaged in activities not censurable and he who is free from passion can make his house a hermitage.

1.113.10. Virtue is protected by truth, knowledge by further acquisition, a pot by frequent cleaning and a family by good conduct.

1.113.11. It is better to stay in the forest of Vindhya, to die without partaking of food; it is better to sleep in a spot infested by serpents or to leap into a well; it is better to plunge into a whirlpool or a dangerous water current than to say "Please give" or beg for a sum of money from one's own kindred.

1.113.12. Riches dwindle when fortune dwindles and not by enjoyment; if merit had been acquired before, riches will never perish.

1.113.13. Knowledge is an ornament to a brahmana; a king is the beautifier of the world; the moon is an ornament of the sky; a good conduct is an ornament to everyone.

1.113.14. Bhima, Arjuna and others were born as princes, they were pleasing and delightful like the moon; they were valorous, truthful, brilliant like the sun and were kindly protected by Lord Krsna. Even they were subjected to abject misery by the influence of evil planets; they had to beg for alms; if fate is adverse who is capable of what? The current of previous actions tosses everyone about.

1.113.15. Obeisance to karma which forces Brahma to work like a potter in the bowls of cosmos, by which Vishnu was cast into distress of ten incarnations; by which Rudra was compelled to beg for alms with a skull in his hand and at the behest of which the sun goes round and round in the sky.

1.113.16. The donor was king Bali, the receiver Lord Vishnu himself, the gift consisted of whole Earth and that too in the presence of learned brahmanas. What did he get in return? Only bondage. O fate! obeisance to thee - who workest as it pleasest thee.

1.113.17. The mother is goddess Laksmi herself; the father is Lord Vishnu; still if the son (Cupid) were to be of crooked mind, who is to be punished for the same?

1.113.18. Man enjoys only the fruits of his previous actions; whatever he has done in the previous births has its reactions now.

1.113.19. The happiness is enjoined by oneself, the sorrow too is enjoined by oneself; even the womb selected by him is in accordance with the action of the previous birth.

1.113.20. A man can never forsake the action done by him far into the sky, or deep into the sea or high on the mountain; whether he is held by his mother on her head or kept in her lap.

1.113.21. Even Ravana perished at the hands of time. Ravana whose fortress was the mountain Trikuta, the moat - the very ocean; soldiers - Raksasas; the action of the highest order; and the sastra propounded by Usanas [Sukra].

1.113.22. Everything happens in the age, time, day, night, hour or moment as is ordained beforehand; not otherwise.

1.113.23. Whether people go up in the sky, or deep in the nether world; whether they traverse all quarters, they will not get what is not given by karma.

1.113.24. The learning of bygone days, the money made over as gift and the actions done before - these run ahead of a person who walks at speed.

1.113.25. Actions alone are of consequence. See Janaki (Sita), whose marriage was celebrated when the stars and planets were ascendant and the lagna (i.e. auspicious hour) was decided by sage Vasistha himself, had to undergo miseries.

1.113.26. Auspicious signs, characteristic marks are of no avail when karma comes into clash; for Rama who had stout muscular calves, Laksmana who was as swift as sound and Sita who had thickly grown glossy hair - all these had to suffer a lot.

1.113.27-28. Neither the son with Pinda-dana and other rites nor the father with various rites for the welfare of the son can ward off the adverse influence of karma. In the physical bodies born as a result of karma, different kinds of illness, physical or mental, fall in quick succession like the shafts discharged by a skilful archer. Hence, a courageous man should view objects in the light of shastric injunctions and not otherwise.

1.113.29. In every birth, a man reaps the fruits of his previous merits and demerits in the respective ages of infancy, youth or old age at which the actions had been performed.

1.113.30. Just as a gale blows a boat, the karma drags a man against his wish even from foreign countries to the place where he has to reap the fruits.

1.113.31. A man necessarily gets what he is destined to get. Even a god is incapable of stopping it. Hence, I do not bewail or am not surprised at the events. The line of fate cannot be erased.

1.113.32. When chased, a serpent escapes into a well, an elephant to the trunk (to which it can be tethered); a mouse to its hole; but who can fly from karma which is quicker than all these?

1.113.33. A well-assimilated knowledge never diminishes; it increases on being imparted to others like the water in a well which increases when water is drawn out.

1.113.34. Riches acquired virtuously become stable; they flourish still more with virtue. Hence, when you aim at riches, remember this and seek virtue. You thus become great in the world.

1.113.35. None becomes miserable, if seeking virtue, he undergoes the same hardships as a poor layman does seeking food.

1.113.36. Of all purities, purity of food is excellent. If a man incurs impurity by taking unwholesome food, he cannot be cleansed with clay or water or any other substance of cleanliness.

1.113.37. These are five cleansing agents - truthfulness, pure mind, suppression of sense organs, sympathy with all living beings and water, the fifth of the series.

1.113.38. He who maintains truthfulness and purity finds an easy access to heaven. Truthfulness is superior to even horse sacrifice.

1.113.39. A man habitually wicked in deeds, with his conscience benumbed with evil thoughts, cannot be cleansed with a thousand lumps of clay or a hundred pots of water.

1.113.40. He who keeps his hands and feet clean, his mind under perfect control, and acquires learning, penance and fame, reaps the fruit of pilgrimage.

1.113.41. The characteristics of a saintly man are: he is not elated much when honoured, he does not become angry when slighted, he does not speak harsh words in anger.

1.113.42. No one feels satisfied at the outset on hearing wholesome advice at the proper time from a poor man though intelligent and sweet-voiced.

1.113.43. What men are not destined to get cannot be secured by them through mantras, strength, valour, intellect or manliness. What is there to lament over?

1.113.44. I have secured something unsolicited. When I sent it back, it went away from where it had come. What is there to lament over?

1.113.45. During nights birds flock together on a tree for rest. In the mornings they go to different quarters. What is there to lament over?

1.113.46. All have the same destination. All are proceeding there. If one among them goes more quickly what is there to lament over?

1.113.47. O Saunaka, the living beings arise from the unmanifest; at their death they dissolve themselves in the unmanifest. In between they remain manifest. What is there to lament over?

1.113.48. If the time of death has not been reached no one dies even if pierced with a hundred arrows. If the same has arrived he does not survive even a slight prick with the tip of a kusa grass.

1.113.49. A man gets only those things he is destined to get; he goes only to those places where he has to go (at the behest of karma) and whether misery or pleasure he gets only what he has to get.

1.113.50. A man gets things from karma only. Why should he shout and cry? Even if prodded, flowers and fruits do not transgress their stipulated time (they do not come out earlier or later). So is the case with karma of the previous birth.

1.113.51. Neither conduct, nor parentage, neither learning, nor knowledge, neither the qualities, nor the purity of seed fructifies in man. As in the case of trees, good deeds acquired by austerities fructify in men.

1.113.52. A man meets with death where there is a slayer or riches where there is plenty. Goaded by karma a man goes to the respective places.

1.113.53-56. Just as a calf can recognize its mother in the midst of a thousand cows, the previous karma approaches the doer. Enjoy your merits, o fool! Why should you feel aggrieved? What you do now will certainly follow you hereafter whether good or bad.

1.113.57. The vicious and the mean observe other's faults, be they so little as the mustard seeds. They see but pretend not to see their own faults as big as bilva fruits.

1.113.58. O brahmana! Nowhere can they find happiness, who are defiled by lust and hatred. After careful consideration I see that there is pleasure where there is enlightened bliss.

1.113.59. Attachment is a cause of misery; since apprehension follows in the wake of attachment. If, therefore, attachment is eschewed one should be happy.

1.113.60. The body is the base for misery and happiness. Life and body are born together.

1.113.61. Pleasure and pain can be defined briefly. Whatever goes in the possession of others is misery, whatever remains in one's possession is pleasure.

1.113.62. After pleasure comes the pain and after pain comes the pleasure. Pleasure and pain whirl like wheels in human life.

1.113.63. What has passed has gone forever; if anything is to happen it is still far off. He who minds the present alone is not afflicted by sorrow.

Suta said:

1.114.1. None is friend or enemy to any other person by nature. Friendship and enmity arise from special causes.

1.114.2. The two syllables "mitram" (friend) signify solace in sorrow, freedom from fear and preservation of love and confidence. By whom has this jewel been created?

1.114.3. If anyone says for once the two letters "Hari" he has everything made ready for his journey to salvation.

1.114.4. Men cannot have as much confidence in mothers, wives, brothers or sons as in a friend of kindred nature.

1.114.5. If you wish for a prolonged friendship, avoid the following three, gambling with him, monetary transactions with him and seeing his wife in his absence.

1.114.6. One should not sit in the same seat with one's mother, sister and daughter in an isolated place. The powerful sense organs can drag even an erudite man (into the mire of lust). What of common men?

1.114.7. God of love compels persons to turn their attention to such spots as provide risks, death and punishments and not to one's own? [i.e. People do not love their wives but run after other women risking even death].

1.114.8. It is easier to gauge the velocity of the hailstorm at the time of the final dissolution, the speed of the racing horse and the depth of the great ocean than the heart of the person who does not love.

1.114.9. O Saunaka, if there is no opportune moment, if there is no privacy and if there is no one to make overtures women shall preserve chastity.

1.114.10. She serves one man but cherishes love for another. In the absence of man a woman can very well be chaste.

1.114.11. A mother moved by passion may commit some misdeeds. Though the sons may disapprove of the conduct yet they shall not worry much about them.

1.114.12. The body of a courtesan is prized in the world; the body that is held at stake always with the neck torn by the hoofs of debauches and hence always agitated and anxious. Her sleep is dependent on others' convenience; she has to follow the wishes of others and without a show of sorrow she has to laugh and sport always.

1.114.13. Fire, water, women, fools, serpents and royal households - these are to be resorted to by others always, yet they take away one's life all of a sudden.

1.114.14. What is there to wonder at, if a brahmana well versed in grammar becomes a great scholar? What is there to wonder at, if a king well versed in polity and administration becomes a virtuous king? What is there to wonder at, if a young woman endowed with beauty and charms errs from chastity? What is there to wonder at, if a poor man begins to commit sins sometimes?

1.114.15. Do not allow others to see your vulnerable points; but note others carefully like a tortoise that keeps all its limbs safe in its shell.

1.114.16. Women may be confined to the nether worlds or may be imprisoned with high walls all round. Still if there is no moving glossy tuft of hair who can see them? [Using her long tresses she will escape from these places].

1.114.17. One's own kinsman pursuing the same activities and knowing his vulnerable points is the fiercest foe. Even an enemy standing outside cannot injure so much.

1.114.18. He is the real scholar who pleases children with sweets, the good people with humility, the women with wealth, the deities with penance and people [by work] for their welfare.

1.114.19. They are not wise who try to win over a friend by deception, to secure virtue through sins, to attain wealth by harassing others, to learn with pleasure and to secure a lady's love through harshness.

1.114.20. Even a pure action may be defiled and defective when the root is cut off. It is only the senseless man who will cut off a tree laden with fruits in order to secure the fruits.

1.114.21. O brahmana, I do not believe that a man with necessary things can become a saint even if he tries. How can a woman drinking wine be chaste as well?

1.114.22. One shall not place trust in a person not trustworthy. Even friends are not to be trusted. Some time later if he is angry the friend may publicise his secrets.

1.114.23. A general confidence in all living beings is sattvika but the main characteristic of a saintly man is to keep his feelings a secret forever.

1.114.24. Whatever action is done it follows the doer. Whatever may be your action, do not leave off your courage and intellect.

1.114.25. An intelligent man shall avoid these six: old women (for sexual purposes), fresh wine, dry meat, carrot, curd in the night and sleep during the day.

1.114.26. To a poor man a party of guests is poison (involving expenses); to an old man a woman in the prime of her youth is poison; an ill assimilated knowledge is poison; eating before digestion is poison.

1.114.27. To a man of undaunted spirit honour is pleasing; overthrow of administration is pleasing to the vile; to a poor man a charitable gift is pleasing and a woman in the prime of her youth is pleasing to a young man.

1.114.28. The six main reasons for sickness in men are: excessive drinking of water; eating hard indigestible foodstuffs; wastage of semen virile; holding up of faeces and urine (not evacuating them immediately); sleep during the day and keeping awake at night.

1.114.29. Early morning rays of the sun, excessive indulgence in sexual intercourse, the smoke column rising from the cremation ground, warming of the palms and the constant sight of the face of a woman in her menses - all these reduce the longevity of a man.

1.114.30. The following six take away one's life immediately: dry meat, old women (if cohabited with), the early morning sun, very sour curd, sleeping and having sexual intercourse in the morning.

1.114.31. These six things instill more vitality into the human organism: fresh melted butter, grapes, cohabitation with a woman in the prime of her youth; a milk diet, hot water and the shade of a spreading tree.

1.114.32. The water in a well, the shade of a banyan tree and the well-rounded breasts of a young woman - these three are warm in winter and cool in summer.

1.114.33. The three instantaneously invigorating things are: a young woman, oil bath and a wholesome food. The three instantaneously debilitating things are: a hazardous journey, sexual intercourse and fever.

1.114.34. Dry meat watered down with milk shall not be taken in the company of wife, friends or the king. If taken, an immediate separation from them is inevitable.

1.114.35. Goddess of wealth forsakes a man habitually wearing dirty clothes, allowing dirt to accumulate on the teeth, eating too much, habitually speaking harsh words and sleeping at sunrise and sunset, even if he happens to be Vishnu.

1.114.36. Cutting of grass frequently, writing on the ground with the toes, chafing of the feet, neglect of the cleaning of teeth, wearing dirty clothes, keeping the hair rough, sleeping at dawn and dusk, lying down naked, eating and laughing excessively, drumming on one's own limbs or on the seat - these may destroy the affluence of even Lord Vishnu.

1.114.37. These six bring back one's wealth long lost: keeping the head cleaned and washed, keeping the feet spotlessly pure, keeping the company of excellent women, taking food in limited quantities, lying on the bed without stripping and sexual intercourse excluding the festival nights.

1.114.38. Ill luck and misfortune can be warded off by wearing a flower on the head and especially the white one.

1.114.39. Ill luck frequently resides in the back shadow of a lamp, the shadow of a cot, the shadow of a seat and the water used by washermen.

1.114.40. The rays of the early morning sun, the column of smoke rising from a funeral pyre, intercourse with an old woman, very sour curd and the dust from a broom should not be resorted to by those who wish for longevity.

1.114.41. The dust of elephants, horses, chariots, grains and cows is auspicious. That from ass, camel, goat and sheep is inauspicious.

1.114.42. The dust of cows, the dust of grains and the dust from the limbs of one's own son - these are very holy, they destroy even the great sins.

1.114.43. The dust of a goat, the dust of an ass and the dust from a broom - these are unholy and conducive great sin.

1.114.44. The wind blowing from the winnowing basket, the water dripping from the nails, the water from the cloth and pot used for bathing, the dust from the broom and the water dripping from hair - all these destroy merits previously acquired.

1.114.45. One shall never walk between two brahmanas, a brahmana and fire, a husband and wife, two masters, two horses and two bulls.

1.114.46. What wise man will have confidence in women, kings, fires, serpents, studies, the enemy, worldly enjoyment, etc.?

1.114.47. Do not trust the incredulous; do not place too much of confidence even in the trustworthy; there is a lurking danger in reposing trust; it may uproot one.

1.114.48. He who remains complacent after making peace with the enemy has actually gone to sleep atop the tree, he will wake up after his fall.

1.114.49. One should never be too soft nor too cruel in action. The soft would be crushed with the soft and the ruthless with the ruthless.

1.114.50. One should never be too straightforward nor too soft. Straight trees are cut in a forest and the crooked trees remain as they were.

1.114.51. Meritorious persons bow down like the fruit-laden trees. Dry trees and fools would rather break than bend at all.

1.114.52. Miseries come unsolicited; they go away as they come. Just as the cat pounces upon its prey, man seeking things shall pounce on happiness.

1.114.53. Riches go before and after the noble but not so in the case of ignoble. You can do as you please.

1.114.54. A counsel in six ears (discussed among three persons) is leaked out immediately; that in four ears is kept for some time but the one in two ears cannot be understood even by Brahma.

1.114.55. Of what avail is the cow which neither yields the milk nor becomes pregnant? Of what purpose is a son who is neither virtuous nor scholarly?

1.114.56. The whole family is lit up by a single good son endowed with learning, intelligence and valour like the sky with the moon.

1.114.57. The whole forest is rendered fragrant by a single tree in full bloom like the family by a virtuous son.

1.114.58. One good son alone is preferable to a hundred ones devoid of good qualities. The moon alone dispels darkness and not the stars in their thousands.

1.114.59. The son should be fondled for five years and thrashed for the next ten years; when he reaches the sixteenth year he should be treated like a friend.

1.114.60. You cannot find an enemy like a son - on being born the son takes away one's wife [when a son is born mother's attention is more to the son than to her husband]; while growing up he takes away wealth and if by chance he dies he takes away the life of the father, too.

1.114.61. In the world some men are like tigers with the mouth of a deer and some like deer with the mouth of a tiger. In order to know them fully distrust at every step is the only way.

1.114.62. There is only one fault in men of forbearance and patience. There is no second fault. People take him to be powerless.

1.114.63. All enjoyments are transitory. If this alone is permitted (it would have been better) that the inclinations of the skilful be unaffected towards their friends.

1.114.64. O Saunaka! When the father passes away, the eldest brother takes his place. He should maintain everyone being a father unto them.

1.114.65. He shall be impartial to his younger brothers and give them the same pleasures as they received from their father.

1.114.66. The collection of a number of even insignificant things may be terrific in their effect. A number of blades of grass twisted into a rope may be strong enough to bind even an elephant.

1.114.67. The man who robs someone though he uses the money to make a charitable gift goes to hell. The fruit of the meritorious deed goes to the original owner of the wealth.

1.114.68. Families are faced with fall by the destruction of temple property, looting of brahmanas and showing them disrespect.

1.114.69. Sages have prescribed expiatory rites for the slayer of a brahmana, a drinker of wine, a thief and a breaker of vows; but there is no atonement for an ungrateful wretch.

1.114.70. Gods and manes do not accept oblations of the mean-minded fellow who keeps a woman of low caste as his concubine, who is a slave to his wife and who allows his wife to enjoy the company of a paramour in his own house.

1.114.71. An ungrateful fellow, a person of ignoble qualities, a person who nurses a grouse for a long time and a man of crooked nature - these four are the real candalas and the fifth is one born as such.

1.114.72. Even an insignificant enemy of evil intentions should not be neglected carelessly. Even a tiny spark of fire, if not put out immediately, consumes the entire world.

1.114.73. He who is quiet and tranquil in the boisterous age of blooming youth deserves the credit for being tranquil. Who does not become naturally quiet and tranquil when all his vital forces are spent out?

1.114.74. O foremost among brahmanas, riches, like the public thoroughfare are common to everyone. Do not be elated and haughty thinking "This is mine."

1.114.75. The body that is dependent on the vital secretions is dependent on the mind, too. If the mind is disarranged the vital secretions are destroyed. Hence, mind shall be preserved always. If the mind is in perfect order the vital secretions function properly.

Suta said:

1.115.1. One should keep oneself far away from a false wife, a deceitful friend, a tyrannous king, a disobedient son, a defiled daughter and a turbulent territory.

1.115.2. Alas, life in the Kali age is troublesome indeed. For, virtue has taken to renunciation, penance has started its long sojourn, truth is in exile in a foreign land, earth has become barren, people are fraudulent; brahmanas have become greedy; men are uxorious; women are fickle and wayward and base men are raised to the high position. Blessed indeed are they who are dead.

1.115.3. Blessed are they who do not witness the destruction of their family, ruin of their lands, the sexual dalliance of their wives with other men and the infamous indulgence of their sons in vice.

1.115.4. None can be delighted with their vicious sons; how can one feel a thrilling rapture in the company of a disloyal wife? There is no question of confiding in a deceptive friend and no peaceful life is possible in a trouble-infested land.

1.115.5. Food doled out by others, money robbed from others, defiling of another man's bed, sexual dalliance with another man's wife and a residence in another man's house will strip even Indra of his glory.

1.115.6. Sin spreads from a man to man slowly by conversation, mutual touch, frequent association, taking food together, sitting together, lying together and travelling together.

1.115.7. Women perish due to their beauty, penance due to fury, the way due to an undue length and pious brahmana by taking sudra's food.

1.115.8. By sitting together, sharing the same bed, taking food together and jumbling up the rows sin is transmitted from man to man like water from pot to pot.

1.115.9. There are many defects in fondling and many benefits in thrashing. Hence, a disciple and the son are to be thrashed, not fondled.

1.115.10. A long way is old age to men; water is old age to mountains; abstention from sexual intercourse is old age to women and sunlight is old age to clothes.

1.115.11. Base men desire strife, the middling desire reconciliation and the noble desire high honour. Verily, honour is prized by the great as the greatest asset.

1.115.12. Honour is at the root of wealth; if honour is secured of what avail is wealth; if one has lost honour and dignity, of what avail is wealth or longevity?

1.115.13. The base and the mean desire for riches; the middling desire for riches and honour and the excellent desire for honour. Verily, honour is an asset of the great.

1.115.14. In the forest, the lions do not bend their ears (in supplication); even when they are hungry they do not look to a share. Men of noble birth never stoop to meanness, even when they are deprived of their wealth.

1.115.15. The lion is neither anointed nor consecrated. The lordship of animals comes to it naturally as it has inherent valour.

1.115.16. No great task can be achieved by any of these: an erring merchant, a highly proud servant, an easy going mendicant, an impoverished debaucher, a helan of a girl bitter in speech.

1.115.17. Five incongruent things that we meet in the world are: the poverty of the benevolent, the opulence of the miser, disobedience in a son, compulsion to serve a wicked man and death of persons engaged in helping others.

1.115.18. There are five things which burn without fire: separation from wife; insult from kins; balance of debt yet to be discharged; service to a low and base master and desertion of friends in poverty.

1.115.19. Among the thousands worries that agitate the mind four are very severe - nay, they are the sharp edges of a sword: insult at the hands of a low born person, the starving wife, cold reception by the beloved and harassment from brothers.

1.115.20. The five uproot all miseries: an obedient son, a remunerative knowledge, freedom from sickness, the companionship of the good and a loving wife surrendering herself.

1.115.21. The deer, the elephant, the moth, the honeybee and the fish - these five are destroyed due to addiction to their five sense organs. [deer (ear) - listens to sweet music and thus caught by the hunter; elephant (touch) - caught through she-elephant; moth (eye) - attracted by the colour of the flame and burnt; honeybee (nose) - attracted by the fragrance of lotus and caught within; fish (taste) - nibbles at the bait and thus caught. Even one of these organs is destructive. How is it possible that man who uses all the five will escape destruction?]

1.115.22. Five brahmanas, though as learned as Brihaspati, are never honoured: the impatient, the harsh, the haughty, the ill-clad and the uninvited.

1.115.23. These five are clearly defined and decided even when a child is born: its span of life, its activities in later life, its character, learning and the time of death.

1.115.24. Help rendered to those who suffer when climbing a mountain, from imminent drowning in water, attack of cows and bulls, seizure by the wicked and a spiritual fall are very commendable.

1.115.25. These five are never stable or long-standing: the shadow of clouds, pleasant attitude of a wicked man, intimacy with another man's wife, youth and riches.

1.115.26. Life is unstable in the world, youth and riches are unstable, sons and wives are unstable, but virtue, fame and renown are permanent.

1.115.27. Even a life for a hundred years is too short. Half that period is taken up by nights. The remaining half is rendered fruitless by sickness, sorrow, old age and exertions.

1.115.28. It is said that man's span of life is a hundred years. It is too short. Half of that period is spent as nights. Half of the remaining half is spent in infancy and childhood or grieving over the separation or death of kinsmen or in service rendered to the king. The remaining period is as fickle as the waves in water. Of what avail is the sense of prestige and dignity?

1.115.29. Days and nights in the garb of old age traverse the earth. Death swallows the living beings like the serpent taking in air.

1.115.30. If our activities while walking or standing, waking or sleeping are not for the service of fellow beings, they are not different from bestial actions.

1.115.31. What is the difference between a beast and a beast in human form with an intellect devoid of discrimination between what is wholesome and what is not; who enters into endless arguments with people in regard to the Vedic expositions and who remains fully satisfied if he can fill his belly.

1.115.32. He who has not earned spotless reputation for valour, austerity, charity, learning or acquisition of wealth is but an excrement of his mother.

1.115.33. A good life even for a moment is considered a perfect life by those who know the same - if it is full of perfect knowledge, valour and fame and men are not disrespected. Even a crow lives a long life partaking the oblations.

1.115.34. Of what avail is that life devoid of wealth and honour? Of what use is that friend who hesitates whether he is to be friendly or not? O ye, adopt the rite of a lion, do not be grief-stricken. Even a crow lives a long life partaking the oblations.

1.115.35. If a man does not sympathize with and render help to himself, his preceptor, his servants, the poor public and his friends, of what purpose is his life? Even a crow lives for a long time partaking the oblations.

1.115.36. Days come and go to a man devoid of virtue, wealth and love. Although he may breathe, his life is like that of the bellows of the blacksmith.

1.115.37. Success is for him who has an independent means of subsistence and not for him who depends on others. Those who depend on others are no better than dead even though physically alive.

1.115.38. Contemptible wretches fulfil their own wants; a mouse's handful is just enough to fill it; a contemptible wretch though dissatisfied will be contented with something small.

1.115.39. These six are like bubbles: the shadow of clouds, fire made with dry grass, service to the base, water on the surface of the road, the love of a prostitute and the pleasant manners of the wicked.

1.115.40. The world cannot be pleased by a person who creates a caravan with words. Life is rooted in honour; if honour is slighted how can one derive pleasure?

1.115.41. A king is the support for the weak; crying constitutes the strength of a child; the strength of a fool lies in silence and that of a thief is falsehood.

1.115.42. As a man proceeds ahead with his study of sastras his intellect becomes sharper and perfect knowledge appeals to him.

1.115.43. As a person goes ahead devoting his mind and attention to the welfare of others, everyone becomes attached to him and he becomes popular.

1.115.44. A person perishes due to the three - greed, grave error and implicit confidence. Hence, these shall be avoided.

1.115.45. Danger is to be dreaded as long as it does not befall. The moment it occurs fear shall be eschewed.

1.115.46. Balance of debt undischarged, remnant of fire not put out and sickness partially cured increase steadily. Hence, these remnants shall be avoided.

1.115.47. Repay good action by goodness and violence by violence. I do not find any fault if a wicked man is met with wickedness.

1.115.48. A friend who speaks sweet words in our presence and spoils our work behind our back should be avoided. Avoid an enemy using foul means.

1.115.49. Even a good man perishes by his association with the wicked. Even a clear water is rendered muddy by its mixing up with dust.

1.115.50. He whose wealth is dedicated to the brahmana enjoys well. Hence, a brahmana shall be honoured by all means.

1.115.51. Food taken in after brahmanas have been fed is the real food; he is intelligent who commits no sin; that is friendship which manifests itself behind our back; that is the real sacred rite which is performed without ostentation.

1.115.52. That is no assembly where the aged are not present; they are not the aged who do not expound virtue; that is not virtue which is not backed by truth; that is no truth which is mixed with deception.

1.115.53. The best among men is the brahmana; the best among luminaries is the sun; the best among the organs is the head and the best among the sacred rites is the truth.

1.115.54. That is auspicious where mind is delighted; that is a real life which does not involve service and slavery; that is the real earning which is shared and enjoyed with one's own kith and kin and that is the real thunder which is made in the battle in the presence of the enemy.

1.115.55. She is the real woman who has no vanity; he is really happy who has shunned vain desires; he is the real friend in whom confidence can be placed and he is the real man who has controlled his organs of sense.

1.115.56. One should cast off honour and love where love is extinct; only that is praiseworthy the core of which is held in esteem.

1.115.57. No attempt should be made to trace the origin of rivers, agnihotra worshippers and the family of Bharata. Such an attempt is bound to fail.

1.115.58. Rivers end with the sea of salt water; sexual intercourse ends with the treachery of the woman; back-bitting ends with the news being made public and wealth comes to an end with misery.

1.115.59. The prosperity of a kingdom comes to an end with the curse of a brahmana; the spiritual power of a brahmana comes to an end with his sin; all decency in conduct of life comes to an end if residence is taken near cowsheds; the family is ruined if women rule.

1.115.60. All hoarded things end in wastage, rising in power comes to an end in downfall; all contacts and intimacies come to an end in separation and disintegration; the life comes to an end with death.

1.115.61. If one wishes the return of the guest he shall not be followed very far at the time of farewell. He can be followed upto a pond or well or a tree with plenty of shade and colourful leaves.

1.115.62. One shall not reside in a land where there is no leader or where there are many leaders or where the leadership is vested in a woman or in a child.

1.115.63. The father protects her in childhood, the husband in youth and the son in old age. A woman is not to be allowed to stay independently.

1.115.64. A barren woman shall be abandoned in the eighth year after marriage; a woman whose children die in infancy shall be abandoned in the ninth year; a woman who gives birth only to daughters shall be abandoned in the eleventh year and a woman who speaks unpleasant words shall be abandoned immediately.

1.115.65. Three persons beyond the pale of money stick to their lords. One who is not in want, one who is afraid of men and one who is afraid of servants.

1.115.66. An intelligent man must keep aloof from these: the exhausted horse, the elephant in its rut, cows in their first parturition and frogs outside water.

1.115.67. Those who are mad after money do not have friends or kinsmen; those who are lustful and lecherous know no fear or shame; those who are worried with anxious thoughts have no pleasure or sleep and those who are oppressed by hunger do not want even salt or warmth in the food.

1.115.68. How can these have peaceful sleep? The poor, the slave, the man fond of another man's wife and the wretch who wants to rob another man of his wealth.

1.115.69. Blissfully sleeps the man who has no debts to repay and who is free from sickness. He who is not yet married takes his food leisurely.

1.115.70. The height of a lotus is in proportion to the quantity of water in the pond; a servant becomes proud if his master is strong and influential.

1.115.71. The sun and Varuna (water) befriend the lotus when it stands firm in its place; they make it fade and putrefy if it is uprooted.

1.115.72. Those who had been friends of a man in high office become enemies when he steps down from the office. The sun delightfully causes the bloom of the lotus in water but when it is plucked and put on the ground the sun dries it up.

1.115.73. Things in their proper places and persons in their respective offices are honoured. Away from their original places neither hair nor the nails, neither the teeth nor men shine or receive consideration.

1.115.74. Manners and behaviour indicate parentage; manner of speech and accent indicate the native place; flutter up indicates affection and the physical build indicates the diet accustomed to.

1.115.75. A downpour in the ocean is unnecessary; feeding an over-fed and satiated man is superfluous; a charity made over to an affluent man is unnecessary and the meritorious actions of a base man are futile.

1.115.76. Even a person who is far off is as good as near if he has a place in the heart; if cast out of the heart a man close at hand is no better than one far off.

1.115.77. Contortions in the face, low sunk husky voice, perspiration all over the body and a frightened appearance - these are the signs usually seen at the time of death and in regard to a man out to beg.

1.115.78. A life of a worm in the person of the beggar or that of one blown by the wind over his head is better than the life of beggar himself.

1.115.79. The lord of the world, Vishnu himself, when he begged, suffered diminution of stature. Who is there superior to him who can be a suppliant and yet not suffer disrespect?

1.115.80. The parents by whom children are not educated are no better than enemies. The uneducated can never shine in an assembly of the learned like cranes amidst swans.

1.115.81. Learning gives beauty to the ugly; it is a well protected asset; it makes man a saint; it makes him popular; it is revered of the revered; it dispels the sorrow of kinsmen; it is a deity; even kings honour it; a man devoid of learning is no better than a beast.

1.115.82-83. Inside the house there are many things which can be taken away by others but not learning. Lord Vishnu expounded the essence of polity to Saunaka, as well as all sacred rites. Lord Siva heard this. Vyasa heard from Siva and we heard it from Vyasa.

1.123.11 "Fasting on Ekadasi days (eleventh day) in both halves of the month shall be observed. It removes sins and wards off hell - nay it enables one to attain Visnuloka and gives everything desired.

1.123.12-13 "For authentic fasts, the eleventh and twelfth phases of moon [tithi] should cover the full day from sunrise to sunset and the thirteenth phase should be at sunrise. The Parana [taking food] should be on the twelfth day. This vrata can be performed even when there is impurity due to birth and death. If the eleventh phase covers the whole day from sunrise to sunset Lord Hari is present [suddha Ekadasi]. If part of the day is covered by the tenth phase and part by the eleventh phase, demons permeate that [viddha Ekadasi]. Fasts shall not be undertaken then."

1.124.* Sivaratri

1.127.* Bhima Ekadasi (removes all great sins, no more birth)

1.128.6 "Wearing flower garlands, ornaments and gaudy clothes, smearing of scented unguents, washing the teeth and applying collyrium spoil the fast."

1.128.7 "...Constant drinking of water, chewing betel leaves, sleeping during the day, gambling and sexual intercourse spoil a vrata."

1.128.8-9 "In all vratas ten virtuous practices should be followed: forbearance, truthfulness, sympathy, charity, purity, control over the sense organs, worship of gods, sacrificial offering into the fire, contentment and non-stealing."

1.128.13 "During Malamasa or the intercalary month many auspicious rites are not performed [for example installation of Deities, sacrifices, vratas, tonsure ceremony, second initiation, marriages, crowning of kings, etc.]

1.128.14-17 ...Two phases of the moon on the same day are very auspicious such as: 2.+3., 3.+4., 4.+5., 6.+7., 8.+9. 11.+12. 14.+purnima, amavasya+1. The conjunction of tithis other than these is very frightful, destroying all previous merits.

1.141.5-8 The future line of kings in the Iksvaku race will be: ...Sakya, Suddhodana [father of Gautama Buddha], Bahula [Rahula],...

1.142.19-29 story of sinful brahmana-leper and whore-monger Kausika and his chaste wife who stopped the sun from rising. Demigods on Brahma's advice propitiated the chaste wife of Atri, Anasuya, who made her the sun rise and resuscitated Kausika, too.

1.221.23 "Even the very sight of good men purifies one. It is better than the holy places of pilgrimage. The benefit from a holy place is derived later but that from the contact of good men is immediately effective.

1.222.30 "Gruel, curd, milk, buttermilk and Krsara (mixture of jaggery, rice and gingelly seeds) can be taken even from a sudra. These together with pulse and honey can be taken from a low caste person.

1.222.49 "...During sports wearing of blue cloth is not forbidden. Nor it is forbidden as a bedsheet. An indigo dyed cloth should not be touched otherwise. Persons regularly using blue cloth will fall into hell.

1.222.63-66 "The constituents of Pancagavya are as follows: Milk taken from a gold colored cow, the cow dung of a white cow, urine of a copper colored cow, clarified butter of the milk of a blue cow and the curd of the milk of a black cow. Water added should be consecrated by Kusa grass. Eight Masas of cow's urine, four Masas of dung, twelve Masas of milk, ten Masas of curd and five Masas of ghee form the correct proportion. This Pancagavya removes all impurities.

1.223.27 "When Tamas alone is predominant, the people utter falsehoods always, are lethargic, somnolent, seeking violent means and overwhelmed by grief, delusion, terror and wretchedness, know that to be Kali age.

1.223.28 "Then people are lustful and harsh in speech. Country is overrun by thieves and robbers. Vedas are spoiled by Pasandas (misinterpreters).

1.223.28 "Kings will be begging of the subjects. People will be overpowered by their penises and bellies. [They will be carnal minded and gluttonous.] The religious students will be divested of their rites and impure. Mendicants will turn householders.

1.223.30 "Ascetics will begin to stay in villages. Depositors will be covetous of wealth. People will be short in stature but very gluttonous. Thieves and robbers will be considered holy.

1.223.31 "Servants will leave their masters in the lurch; the ascetics will cast off their religious rite; Sudras will begin to receive daksinas and Vaisyas will turn to austerities.

1.223.32-33 "All people will be disgruntled appearing like pisacas. They will be worshiping fire, deities and guests by unjustifiable means of feeding. When Kali age sets in, people will never offer water libations to their Pitrs. They will be devoted to womenfolk and for all appearance they will not be different from Sudras, O Saunaka.

1.223.34 "Women will give birth to many children. Their good fortune will decline. If they are rebuked they will simply scratch their heads and defy all orders.

1.223.35 "Overwhelmed by heretics people will cease to worship Visnu. But, O brahmanas, though the Kali age is full of defects, there is a great benefit in it.

1.223.36-37 "In Kali, by singing songs in praise of Lord Krsna one can free oneself from the great bondage. In Krta age people have to perform sacrifices and in the Treta they have to recite japas. In the Dvapara age, by serving the Lord they can attain salvation but in Kali that is possible only by singing songs in praise of the Lord. Hence, Hari is to be contemplated upon forever and worshiped, O Saunaka.

1.225.20-21 "If a person causes any impediment to a sacrifice, act of charity or performance of a marriage he shall be reborn as a worm. If a person takes food without first offering the same to deities, manes and brahmanas, he is reborn as a crow after undergoing the hardships of hell. A man insulting his elder brother is born again as a crane.

1.225.30 "A thief of Kalapa (peacock's plumes or a woman's girdle or any other ornament) is reborn as an eunuch. (...) If a person steals flowers he is born as a poor beggar. If a person steals lac-juice he is born again as a lame man.

1.225.33 "A stealer of knowledge (a person who does not pay for instructions received) undergoes hardships in many hells and is born again as a dumb man."

1.226.3-5 "The tree of Ignorance sought by the worldly minded for the sake of happiness and peace has the great basin round it in the form of riches and food grains. Its root is sin. The germinating sprout is the feeling of Egoism. The great main trunk is the feeling of 'My-ness'. Houses, fields, etc., are its branches. Wives, sons, etc. are the tender leaves. Those who imbibe the divine Brahmarasa free from dusts (of Rajoguna) and are thornless hew it down with the axe of learning and merge themselves in the [consciousness of the] Supreme God.

1.226.10 "That is called house where one stays; that is diet whereby one sustains oneself. Similarly, that is real knowledge which is conducive to salvation. Ignorance brings about adverse results.

1.226.16 "One shall conquer the various defects in the body by means of Pranayama. By Puraka (inhalation), somnolence is to be conquered. By Kumbhaka (retention of breath), one can conquer the shivering sensation. By Recaka (exhalation), one can conquer the augmentation or excess of heat in the body.

1.227.12 "A person who has mastered all the systems of Vedanta is better than thousands of Mantrayajins (those who perform sacrifice reciting mantras). A devotee of Lord Visnu is better than ten millions of such Vedantins.

1.227.13 "Ekantins (those who are single-minded in Lord's devotion) attain the greatest region even with their gross body. This unswerving faith in Visnu makes them identical with Him and He is fondly attached to them also.

1.227.23 "He who does not listen to the songs of praise of the divine qualities of the discus-bearing lord of lords (Visnu), is no better than a deaf man. He is to be banished from all religious activities.

1.227.33 "The worldly existence is a poisoned tree but two of its fruits are comparable even to nectar; one is devotion to Lord Kesava and the other is a chance association with His devotees.

1.228.12-20 glories of the holy name of Visnu

(13) "If a man calls out the name of the Lord even in his dream it destroys all his sins. Then what doubt is there that the sins will be removed when the name of Janardana is openly repeated?

(18) "What is obtained by means of contemplation in the Krta-yuga, reciting mantras in the Treta-yuga and worshiping in Dvapara is obtained in Kali-yuga by constantly remembering Lord Kesava.

1.229.6 "Neither one's own mother nor father nor other kinsmen can ever do unto one what Hrsikesa (Visnu) does when propitiated and worshiped faithfully.

1.230.5 "If a person performing ordinary rites of expiation begins to love the sin committed, no other atonement is possible except hearty remembrance of Hari. 1.230.11 "There is no greater object of meditation than Visnu. There is no greater penance than fasting (on Ekadasi day). Even more important than this is the constant thought of Vasudeva.

1.230.20 "Evil influence of the Kali age, wicked statements, vile utterances of heretics - none of these affect the mind of the person in whose mind Lord Kesava finds a place.

1.230.23 "If Govinda is fixed in the mind, the vile age of Kali is transformed into Krta. If Acyuta is not fixed in the mind even Krta-yuga is transformed into Kali age.

1.230.27 "If Govinda is stationed in the heart, people readily forgive [titiksava] angry persons and sympathize [karunika] with fools. They are joyous in the company of virtuous people.

1.230.31 "Why don't people seek refuge under the shade of the tree Vasudeva which accords no excessive chilliness or heat and which closes the doorway to hell?

1.230.35 "There is nothing so holy as meditation. Even the sin of taking food from the hands of a Svapaca (a Candala) does not taint him.

1.230.36 "The mind of a wretch is always attached to worldly objects. If one's mind were that much attached to Narayana how could he not be released from bondage?

1.230.46 "The king is the refuge of the nation, the parents that of the child, virtue is the refuge of all men and Lord Hari is the refuge of everyone.

1.230.49 "I consider a sudra, Nisada, a svapaca or a brahmana equal to one another if they are devotees of the Lord. None of these goes to hell.

1.230.50 "People praise a rich man with great respect wishing for some monetary profit. If they were to praise the creator of the world with the same zeal, is there any doubt that they would be released from bondage? (Who is not released from bondage?)

1.235.1-4 "...The butter is actually present in the body of the cows. But it does not add to the strength of the cows. When the milk is taken out from the body and churned and the ghee is administered to the cows, it gives them additional strength. So also the all-pervading Visnu though present in the body too does not grant any special benefit to men without being propitiated. ..."

1.236.29-30 "So long a man has the sense of pleasure, he is called a possessor. But when [sense of] possession is lost, he remains his true self. The individual soul associated with Maya identifies himself with the body but when Maya withdraws he realizes his reality as Brahman.

1.236.31 "Just as a noble person is not affected by the loss of possession, similarly the withdrawal of Maya does not affect a person who has realized Self.

1.236.32 "Reality and illusion are both eternal. But Reality is an unassailable truth while illusion is a mirage.

1.237.8 essence of the Gita

(1.238.2) "Ahimsa (non-violence) is the virtue of refraining from inflicting injury upon living beings by actions, thoughts and speech at all times. It accords happiness.

(1.238.3) "Even an injury inflicted in accordance with Vedic injunctions is also Ahimsa.

(1.238.5) "Abjuring sexual intercourse by actions, thoughts and speech in all states, at all times and everywhere is called Brahmacarya (celibacy).

2.2.16 "O Garuda! Sesame is held sacred, for it is produced from My perspiration. The sesame can destroy the evil spirits.

2.2.48 "He who has never spoken falsehood, nor has any partiality in devotion but believes in God, obtains death peacefully.

2.2.49 "He who does not stray from Dharma, due to pleasure, wrath or envy but does what he says and is gentle obtains death peacefully.

2.2.50-51 "Those who preach ignorance pass through darkness. Those who are false witnesses, liars and deceitful obtain death unconsciously, just as those who abuse the Vedas.

2.2.65 "The sins of the people spread by talk, touch, breathing, going together, eating together, worshiping together, by teaching and sexual union.

2.2.68 "...He who takes meals uninvited becomes a crow...

2.2.70 "...and the performer of cruel deeds becomes a dwarf.

2.2.71-72 "...He who discards his wife becomes an animal to be killed by a hunter. ...He who eats meat becomes a leper. He who does not return the deposit becomes one-eyed. ...

2.2.73 "He who discards progeny and wife encounters ill-luck. He who eats sweets only becomes rheumatic. He who has sexual union with brahmana's wife becomes a jackal.

2.2.74 "...He who envies is born blind. He who steals a lamp becomes beggar.

2.2.75 "...He who speaks lies cannot speak properly. ...

2.2.77 "He who spoils a young girl becomes an eunuch. He who sells the Vedas becomes a leopard. He who performs a sacrifice but not in the prescribed manner becomes a pig.

2.2.79 "...A stealer ...of food suffers from dyspepsia.

2.2.80 "...He who gives stale food to a brahmana becomes hunch-backed.

2.2.81 "If he steals fruits, his progeny dies, O bird. If he eats alone without giving a morsel of it to anyone else, he becomes issueless.

2.2.82 "If he does not opt for Sannyasa he becomes an evil spirit in the desert. A stealer... of book is born blind.

2.2.85 "...He who hears neither Hari's tale, nor the praise of the good suffers from ear disease.

2.2.86-87 "...He who takes out a morsel from another's mouth becomes a blockhead. ... He who observes religion without sincerity suffers from skin disease.

2.2.88 "A treacherous fellow suffers from headache. He who is against Siva suffers from the disease of genital organ.

2.2.89 "And the women too who commit these sins suffer in similar way or they become wives of persons suffering in aforesaid manner.

2.3.74-75 "There is the hot Raurava above and the cold Tamasa below. "In this way, the hells are situated one below the other. The climax of misery is due to bad acts.

2.3.79 "...A day in hell is equal to one hundred years of the mortal.

2.3.83 "If born as a human being he becomes hunch-backed or a dwarf or a candala in wretched yonis.

2.3.84 "The sinner is born again and again and dies again and again till he has exhausted his sin and acquired virtue.

2.3.85 "Then some time he steps into the yoni of sudra or vaisya or ksatriya or brahmana or a deity.

2.3.87 "The virtuous obtain good yonis as directed by Yama. Immediately after the soul leaves the body, the Gandharvas come singing and dancing, adorned with garlands and anklebells.

2.3.88 "And then appear splendid aerial cars decorated with sweet smelling garlands (which take the virtuous souls to heaven).

2.3.89-90 "When their merits are exhausted, the virtuous souls fall from heaven and are born in the houses of kings or nobles of illustrious character, where they enjoy various pleasures. The men go up and down the ladder as stated before.

2.3.100-102 "It [body] is a shrub of sinews adorned with three trunks, combined with organs and having nine openings. Full of sensual pleasures, love, anger, desire and envy, possessing a highway robber in the form of greed, caught in the net of avarice and covered by the cloth of affection. It is bound by illusion and inhabited by greed.

2.4.15 "The salt is produced from the body of Visnu. When the soul of the dying person does not leave the body but lingers on, the salt should be gifted as it opens the door of the heaven.

2.4.38 "If he dies at a sacred place he attains moksa after dying there. ...

2.4.39 "If he undertakes a fast unto death he does not return to this world, O bird.

2.4.90-100 sati results (93 - she stays with her husband in heaven during the rule of 14 Indras -> kalpa) 2.4.176-177 "The five constellations from Dhanista to Revati are always inauspicious. Cremation should not be done on these days. It is tortuous to all creatures. Water offering should also be avoided, for it is inauspicious on these days.

2.4.178 "All rites should be performed after the Pancaka is over. If done otherwise, sons or close relatives are affected thereby.

2.4.179 "If one dies during these constellations and his cremation is performed during this period, his family suffers tremendously.

2.5.83 "The body [of deceased person dragged by Yamadutas] attains a form like air. Born out of pinda it assumes a shape different from the one born from the womb of the mother.

2.5.146 "There [in Yama's abode] are fourteen doorkeepers called Sravanas. They are pleased with the Sravana karma performed by his relatives or else they get angry.

2.5.147-149 "There very soon among Death, Time, etc. he sees Yama with red eyes, looking fierce and dark like a heap of collyrium, with fierce jaws and frowning fiercely, chosen as their lord by many ugly, fierce-faced hundreds of diseases, possessing an iron rod in his hand and also a noose. The creature goes either to good or to bad state as directed by him.

2.5.151 "Those who give umbrella, shoes and shelter see Yama as gentle-faced with ear-rings and a shining crest.

2.6.13 "All heinous sins like the brahmana slaughter, done knowingly or unknowingly, are purified by releasing a bull [Vrsotsarga or Vrsa-yajna, on 11th day after death] or by swimming in the ocean.

2.6.19-21 "A bull... of white color is Vipra, that of red color is Ksatra, that of yellow is Vaisya, and that of black is Sudra, just as the colors of four castes have been prescribed...

The story of five ghosts

Garuda said:

2.7.1 I have heard the story relating to the rite of Vrsotsarga. I wish to be enlightened further upon this topic, for Your knowledge is very great.

The Lord said:

2.7.2 Now I shall tell you a wonderful dialogue between Santapana and the ghosts on this very point.

2.7.3 There was a brahmana Santapana by name whose sins had been destroyed by penance. Knowing the futility of the world he left home and went to the forest.

2.7.4 Whenever Vaikhanasas, sages and Vratas saw him, they bowed to him with respect. Once he went on a pilgrimage.

2.7.5 Though he controlled the outer senses and acted in the prescribed way, he was still dragged by the organs and he slipped in his path.

2.7.6-7 Once in the morn while he was taking bath, he opened his eyes and looked around. He saw a forest full of shrubs, creepers, trees, barks, branches etc.

2.7.8-9 He saw talas, tamalas, priyalas, panasas, suparni, salas, sakhotas, syandanas, tindukas, sarjas, arjunas, amras, slesmatakas, bibhitakas, picumardas, cincimas, karkandhus and karamkaras.

2.7.10 All these and other trees were there among which the way could not be seen even by the birds, not to say of men.

2.7.11-12 There is that fierce forest, full of lions, tigers, hyenas, wild oxen, bears, buffaloes, elephants, deer, cobras, monkeys and other animals and also demons and goblins.

2.7.13 Santapana was terrified in his heart and could not decide where to go. Then thinking 'Come what may', he went further.

2.7.14 Hearing the singing of crickets and the hooting of owls, he moved forward about five steps.

2.7.15 There he saw a corpse tied to a banana tree and five fierce ghosts eating the same.

2.7.16-17 They were rejoicing over their feast by relishing the head bones, stomach attached to the back, fallen bones of the body, marrow, brain etc.

2.7.18 Seeing the ghosts who were loudly cracking the bones with their fierce jaws, he was awe-struck in his heart and stopped at once.

2.7.19 When they saw the brahmana in that lonely forest, they ran towards him saying 'I first, I first.'

2.7.20 Two of them caught hold of his two arms, two caught hold of his legs and the fifth one caught hold of his head.

2.7.21 Speaking loudly in their own language, 'I shall eat first, I shall eat first', they got busy in dragging him.

2.7.22 Then, all of sudden, they went up in the sky. From there they looked down how much flesh was left in the corpse.

2.7.23 They saw the corpse bitten by their jaws. Then they got down and caught hold of the corpse by the legs.

2.7.24-26 Thus taking hold of the body cut by themselves, they went up again in the sky. Then seeing himself being borne in the heaven, the brahmana praised the Lord in his mind. 'I bow down to Lord Visnu, the holder of discus, who is supreme consciousness, who kept away the crocodile by throwing his discus and released the elephant from the noose of crocodile. May He release me from the noose of my actions.

2.7.27 When the kings were captured by Magadha Bhima, the Lord got them released so that they might visit Bhargas's sacrifice. May He release me from the noose of my activities.'

2.7.28 He praised Me in his mind and being praised I got up all of a sudden and I went to the place where he was being carried by the ghosts.

2.7.29 Seeing him thus carried away by the ghosts I was surprised and without speaking anything I followed them a while.

2.7.30 Simply by the dint of My presence, O bird, that brahmana felt the pleasure of riding a palanquin.

2.7.31 Then in the way, I saw Manibhadra going to Meru and winking at him I took the king of Yaksas by My side.

2.7.32 I said to the lord of Yaksas to be active and destroy the ghosts and take away the corpse.

2.7.33 Being instructed thus he took the form of a ghost terrific even to those ghosts.

2.7.34 He stretched his arms besmeared with blood and appeared before the ghosts challenging them.

2.7.35 He struck two with his arms, two with his legs and one with his head and beat the ghosts with severe blows.

2.7.36 They held that corpse bound by hand and legs and began to fight.

2.7.37 They attacked the Yaksa lord with nails, feet and jaws.

2.7.38 But avoiding their attacks, the Yaksa lord snatched the corpse, as death takes away the breath.

2.7.39 When the corpse was snatched by Yaksa they ran towards him.

2.7.40 As soon as they reached the Yaksa moving in air, the Yaksa vanished immediately. In utter dejection they went to the brahmana.

2.7.41 As they were going to kill that brahmana on the mountain they remembered their previous birth. It happened by the glory of My position and by the nobility of the brahmana.

2.7.42 Then they encircled the brahmana and spoke to him reverentially.

2.7.43 'Please excuse us today.' They spoke like the echo of the mountain or the turmoil of the stormy sea.

2.7.44 Hearing their words he asked: 'Who are you? Is it simply an illusion, a dream, or a fancy?'

The chief ghost said:

2.7.45 'Hear, O brahmana, we shall tell you what you have asked us, O mahayogin. We are absolved of our sins by seeing you. My name is Paryusita. He is Sucimukha.

2.7.46 The third one is Sighra and the fourth one is Rodha and the fifth one is Lekhaka.'

The brahmana said:

2.7.47-48 'Why are these meaningless names borne out by you? Can they be derived from actions performed by you? O ghosts, now tell us the meaning of these names.'

The Lord said:

2.7.49 Being thus addressed by the brahmana, they replied separately.

Paryusita said:

2.7.50 'Once, in a month when Sraddha is performed for the manes, I invited a brahmana to my house. He arrived after I had eaten the part of food out of hunger.

2.7.51-52 Then I gave stale food to that brahmana when he came. On account of that sin, when I died I became a ghost and got the name Paryusita since I had given him the stale food.'

Sucimukha said:

2.7.53 'Once an aged woman of the brahmana caste went to the holy place Bhadravrata.

2.7.54-56 The old woman lived with her son aged five years. I being a ksatriya pretender stopped her in the wilderness, became a wayside robber and took her viaticum with clothes along with the dress of her son. I wrapped them around my head and wanted to leave.

2.7.57 I saw the little boy drinking water from a jar. In that wilderness, only that much water was there. I frightened the boy from drinking water and being thirsty myself began to drink from the jar.

2.7.58 The boy died of thirst and the mother who was struck with grief died too, by throwing herself into a dry well.

2.7.59 O brahmana, by that sin I became a ghost with mouth as small as the hole of a needle and body as huge as a mountain.

2.7.60 Although I get food I cannot eat. Although I burn with hunger my mouth is contracted.

2.7.61 Since in my mouth I have a hole equal to that of a needle I am known as Sucimukha.'

Sighra said:

2.7.62 'Formerly I was a rich vaisya and went to a distant country for business.

2.7.63 I was accompanied by a friend who was a partner in business. He was rich but greedy. Then due to bad luck we fared badly in business to the extent that even our capital was lost.

2.7.64 Then we started from there, traveling in a boat. Just as the sun reddened, we began to cross the river.

2.7.65 My friend was tired due to labor, slept in my lap. Then a cruel thought entered into my mind.

2.7.66 I threw my friend sleeping in my lap into the river. Nobody in the boat knew anything about my act.

2.7.67 I got hold of his belongings, jewels, rubies, gold, etc. and returned home.

2.7.68 I kept that all in my house and told his wife: 'My brother has been taken away by robbers in the way and robbed of his wealth.

2.7.69-71 I ran away and escaped. Do not weep.' She was overwhelmed with grief and burnt herself in the fire. Then seeing my path was without obstruction I returned home gladly. I enjoyed my friend's wealth to my heart's content. Since throwing my friend into the river I returned home quickly, I am called Sighraga.'

Rodhaka said:

2.7.72-73 'O brahmana, formerly I was a sudra. By the king's favor I owned a hundred villages. I had old parents and young brother.

2.7.74 Very soon my brother was estranged from me by a greedy person. I stopped giving him food and clothes. He suffered too much at my hands.

2.7.75-79 My parents gave him something secretly. Whatever they gave him I learned from my close confidants. Then I bound my parents with iron chain in a deserted temple. Being miserable they ended their life by drinking poison. The boy who was left by all alone wandered here and there and expired ultimately. By this sin, O brahmana, I have become ghost. Since I chained my parents I was called Rodhaka.'

Lekhaka said:

2.7.80 'Formerly I was a brahmana in Avanti. I was authorized to worship the deities of Bhadra king. There were many images with different names.

2.7.81 On their bodies they wore gold and jewels. While worshiping them an evil thought entered me.

2.7.82 Piercing their bodies with an iron rod I took out jewels from their eyes.

2.7.83 When the king saw the images in that state and their eyes without jewels, he became inflamed like fire.

2.7.84 Then he vowed, O brahmana, and said: 'Whosoever has stolen gold and jewels from these images, if known, will be killed.'

2.7.85-86 Knowing all that, one night, with a sword in hand, I entered the king's palace and struck him dead. I then took jewels and gold and went away at midnight.

2.7.87-88 Then in the deep forest, a tiger put on me his nails. Since I had incised the images with iron rod I was known as Lekhaka.'

The brahmana said:

2.7.89 'You have told us facts about your names; now let us know about your way of life as ghosts as well as your food.'

The ghosts said:

2.7.90-91 'We stay where people do not follow the Vedas, where there is no feeling of shame for falsehood, no faith in religion, no sense of discipline, no inclination for forgiveness, no patience and no knowledge.

2.7.92-95 We trouble the person who does not perform Sraddha or Tarpana. We eat his flesh and suck his blood. Now hear about our food which is most despicable in the world. Something of this you have already seen. We shall now tell you something unknown to you. Vomiting, waste, cough, urine and tears - these we eat and drink. Do not ask us further, O brahmana, we are ashamed to tell you about our food. We are ignorant, in dark, fools and puzzled. Suddenly have we remembered about our previous births.

2.7.96 We are neither humble, nor wild and we know nothing.'

The Lord said:

2.7.97 When the ghosts were speaking thus and the brahmana was hearing,

2.7.98-99 I showed My form, O Tarkshya. When that brahmana saw before him the Purusa of his heart, he praised Me with hymns and fell prostrate before Me. Those ghosts too trembled with eyes wide open in surprise.

2.7.100 Their voice muttered with affection, still they could not speak. 'Bow to You who release the cruel from rajas and the stupid from tamas.' This being uttered by the brahmana that mountain was adorned with six shining aerial cars moving at My will and attended by celestial beings.

2.7.101 By that vimana the brahmana went to My abode along with the five ghosts. The ghosts went to heaven by virtue of their association with the brahmana.

2.7.102 Living in heaven along with the ghosts that brahmana Santapana became My famous gana called Visvaksena. Thus I have told you everything, O bird. Whoever tells or hears this narrative, O bird, does not become a ghost.

2.8.28-29 "...the seven names of Yama, viz Yama, Dharma-raja, Mrtyu, Antaka, Vaivasvata, Kala, Sarva-pranahara...

2.9.56 "The king said: Tell me, o ghost, how one is released from ghosthood. The ghost said: The people can infer about the present of a ghost at home by signs and tormentations.

2.9.57 "I shall now tell you about tormentations given by the ghost to the people on earth. When the menses of the women go in vain and the family does not multiply,

2.9.58-62 "When men die young, it is tormentation by ghost. Sudden loss of profession and insult among the people, sudden setting of house on fire, permanent quarreling at home, false praise, suffering from consumption and foul diseases are due to tormentation by ghost. When the money invested in the customary way bears no fruit but it is destroyed, it is due to tormentation of ghost. When crops are ruined even after proper rains, when commerce is unsuccessful, when wife creates tension, it is due to tormentation by ghosts. By these tormentations, O king, people can know about the presence of ghost at home.

2.9.58-63 "If Vrsotsarga is done properly, one is released from ghosthood. Hence, O king, I pray you to perform Vrsotsarga in my favor. (2.9.50 - king is relative to all castes)

2.10.4 "O bird, hear, sraddha is gratifying to ghosts. There is no restriction on a person if he becomes a deity or a man or an animal according to the actions of his previous life.

2.10.5-7 "If he becomes a deity, the sraddha food turns into nectar; an article of enjoyment if he becomes a Gandharva; a grass if he becomes an animal; an air if he becomes a naga; fruit in case of bird; meat in case of demon; blood in case of a ghost; grain in case of a man and an article of enjoyment in case of a child.

2.10.12 "By their names and gotras the manes receive the offerings made by relatives. The mantras carry the same when they are recited with devotion and faith.

2.10.20 "Just as when the cow is lost in the herd of cattle, the calf searches for her and ultimately finds her, so the sraddha food searches the deceased person, though he is set on a journey (or has assumed a different form).

2.10.26 "Whosoever be the brahmana invited for the feast, they enter his body, eat and return to their abode.

2.10.27-28 "If the performer of sraddha (such as the son of the deceased) has invited a single brahmana for sraddha, the father stays in his stomach, the grandfather on his left side, the great-grandfather on the right and the consumer of pinda [Agnisvatta pitr in charge of the departed > 14-15] at the back. During the period of sraddha Yama releases even the ghosts and the manes staying in hell who being hungry run to the world of mortals to receive the offering made by the relatives.

2.10.74 "How the soul gets a new body, hear from me. The soul without body is like a flame without fire. It is about a thumb in size. [angusthamatrah purusah - Ta. 10.38.1 (Taittiriya-aranyaka?), MBh...]

2.10.75-77 "After leaving the earthly body, the soul obtains an airy body. Like a caterpillar who lifts up the back feet only when the position of the front feet becomes firm, the soul leaves the previous body only when the airy body is available to enjoy.

2.10.81 "O bird, this type of body the deceased can have out of the pinda (rice-ball) offered to him.

2.10.82 "Whatever pinda the sons or kins give him during the ten days, the same unites the Vayuja body with the pindaja body.

2.10.83 "If the pindaja body be not there, the Vayuja body suffers. ...

2.10.86 "Just now, I have told you that it [the soul] obtains the airy body immediately. Now, hear about the body it obtains belatedly. [73 - ...Body is obtained both immediate and late.]

2.10.87 "After some time [2.30.30 - 1 year], the jiva when reaches Yamaloka, obtains the pindaja body.

2.10.88-89 "As directed by Citragupta, he suffers in hell. Having suffered tortures there, he is born in low species. ...

2.12.13 "One is guilty of self-deception who does not strive to gain either heaven or salvation after being born as a man whereby he could gain either.

2.12.17 "A man depending upon his own self is sure to be happy. The qualities of sound, touch, color, taste, and smell make one dependent on the objects of sense and hence one is sure to be unhappy.

2.12.18 "The deer, elephant, the moth, the honey bee and the fish - these five are destroyed due to addiction to their five sense organs. [deer - ear (listens to sweet music and gets caught by the hunter), elephant - touch (caught through she-elephants), moth - eyes (it is attracted by the flame and burnt), honey bee - smell (attracted by fragrance of lotus and caught within), fish - taste (nibbles at the bait and gets caught) Even one of the sense organs is destructive. How can man - using all five - escape it?]

2.12.19 "In infancy one is extremely obsessed with one's parents; in youth with one's wife; later in life one becomes obsessed with one's sons and grandsons. Never is one obsessed with the atman.

2.12.20 "It is easy for one bound with iron fetters to wooden pegs to get o