Mahabharata, Book 13, Section CXXVIIअनुशासनपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 13.127.

127Sanskrit adhyāya 13.127 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

शुक उवाच।
केन वर्णविभागेन विज्ञेया कपिला भवेत्।
कति वा लक्षणान्यस्या दृष्टानि मुनिभिः पुरा।।
श्रीव्यास उवाच।
शृणु तात यथा गोषु विज्ञेया कपिला भवेत्।
नेत्रयोः शृङ्गयोश्चैव खुरेषु वृषणेषु च।
कर्णतो घ्राणतश्चापि षड्विधाः कपिलाः स्मृताः।।
एतेषां लक्षणानां तु यद्येकमपि दृश्यते।
कपिलां तां विजानीयादेवमाहुर्मनीषिणः।।
आग्नेयी नेत्रकपिला खुरैर्माहेश्वरी भवेत्।
ग्रीवायां वैष्णवी ज्ञेया पूष्णो घ्राणादजायत।।
कर्णतस्तु वसन्तेन स्वयोनिमभिजायते।
गायत्र्याश्च वृषणयोरुत्पत्तिः षड्गुणा स्मृता।।
एवं गावश्च विप्राश्च गायत्री सत्यमेव च।
वसन्तश्च सुवर्णश्च एकतः समजायत।।
नेत्रयोः कपिलां यस्तु वाहयेत दुहेत वा।
स पापकर्मा नरकं प्रतिष्ठां प्रतिपद्यते।।
नरकाद्विप्रमुक्तस्तु तिर्यग्योनिं निषेवते।
यदा लभेत मानुष्यं जात्यन्धो जायते नरः।।
शृङ्गयोः कपिलां यस्तु वाहयेत दुहेत वा।
तिर्यग्योनिं स लभते जायमानः पुनः पुनः।।
खुरेषु कपिलां यस्तु वाहयेत दुहेत वा।
तमस्यपारे मज्जेत धनहीनो नराधमः।।
कपिलां वालधानेषु वाहयेत दुहेत वा।
निराश्रयः सदा चैव जायते यदि चेत्कृमिः।।
कर्णेन कपिलां यस्तु जानन्नप्युपजीवति।
सहस्रशः शुचिर्भुत्वा मानुष्यं प्राप्नुयादथ।
चण्डालः पापयोनिश्च जायते स नराधमः।।
घ्राणेन कपिलां यस्तु प्रमादादुपजीवति।
सोऽपि वर्षसहस्राणि तिर्यग्योनौ प्रजायते।।
व्याधिग्रस्तो जडो रोगी भवेन्मानुष्यमागतः।।
मधुसर्पिस्सुगन्धास्तु कपिलाः शास्त्रतः स्मृताः।
एताः समुपजीवेत सोऽपि तिर्यक्षु जायते।।
स्थावरत्वमनुप्राप्तो यदि मानुष्यतां लभेत्।
अल्पायुः स भवेज्जातो हीनवर्णकुलोद्भवः।।
ये तु पापा ह्यसूयन्ते कपिलां वाहयन्ति च।
निरयेषु प्रतिष्ठन्ते यावदाभूतसम्प्लवम्।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते अनुशासनपर्वणि
दानधर्मपर्वणि सप्तविंशत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः।। 127 ।।

English Ganguli

"'"Vibhavasu (otherwise called Surya) said, 'There are two offerings. One of those consists of a palmful of water and the other called Akshata consists of rice-grains with ghee. One should, on the day of the full moon, stand facing that bright orb and make unto him the two offerings mentioned, viz., a palmful of water and the rice-grains with ghee called Akshata. The man who presents these offerings is said to adore his sacred fire. Verily, he is regarded as one that has poured libations on the three (principal) fires. That man of little understanding who cutteth down a large tree on the day of the new moon, becomes stained with the sin of Brahmanicide. By killing even a single leaf one incurs that sin. That foolish man who chews a tooth-brush on the day of the new moon is regarded as injuring the deity of the moon by such an act. The Pitris of such a person become annoyed with him.[553] The deities do not accept the libations poured by such a man on days of the full moon and the new moon. His Pitris become enraged with him, and his race and the family become extinct.'

"'"Sree said, 'That sinful house, in which eating and drinking vessels and seats and beds lie scattered, and in which women are beaten, the deities and Pitris leave in disgust. Verily, without accepting the offerings made unto them by the owners of such houses, the deities and the Pitris fly away from such a sinful habitation.'

"'"Angiras said, 'The offspring of that man increase who stands every night for a full year under a Karanjaka tree with a lamp for lighting it, and holds besides in his hand the roots of the Suvarchala plant.'[554]

"'"Gargya said, 'One should always do the duties of hospitality to one's guests. One should give lamps in the hall or shed where sacrifices are performed. One should avoid sleep during the day, and abstain from all kinds of flesh or food. One should never injure kine and Brahmanas. One should always recite names of the Pushkara lakes and the other sacred waters. Such a course of duty, is the foremost. Even this constitutes a high religion with its mysteries. If observed in practice, it is sure to produce great consequences. If a person performs even a hundred sacrifices, he is doomed to see the exhaustion of the merits attaching to the libations poured therein. The duties, however, which I have mentioned are such that when observed by a person endued with faith, their merit becomes inexhaustible. Listen now to another high mystery concealed from the view of many. The deities do not accept the libations (poured upon the fire) on the occasion of Sraddhas and rites in their honour or on the occasion of those rites that are performable on ordinary lunar days or on the especially sacred days of the full moon and the new moon, if they behold a woman in her season of impurity or one that is the daughter of a mother afflicted with leprosy. The Pitris of the man who allows such a woman to come near the place where the Sraddha is being performed by him, do not become gratified with him for thirteen years. Robed in raiment of white, and becoming pure in body and mind, one should invite Brahmanas and cause them to utter their benedictions (when one performs the Sraddha). On such occasions one should also recite the Bharata. It is by observing all these that the offerings made at Sraddhas become inexhaustible.'

"'"Dhaumya said, 'Broken utensils, broken bedsteads, cocks and dogs, as also such trees as have grown within the dwelling houses, are all inauspicious objects. In a broken utensil is Kali himself, while in a broken bedstead is loss of wealth. When a cock or a dog is in sight, the deities do not eat the offerings made to them. Under the roots of a tree scorpions and snakes undoubtedly find shelter. Hence, one should never plant a tree within one's abode.'[555]

"'"Jamadagni said, 'That man whose heart is not pure is sure to go to Hell even if he adores the deities in a Horse-sacrifice or in a hundred Vajapeya sacrifices, or if he undergoes the severest austerities with head downmost. Purity of heart is regarded as equal to sacrifices and Truth. A very poor Brahmana, by giving only a Prastha of powdered barley with a pure heart unto a Brahmana, attained to the region of Brahman himself. This is a sufficient proof (of the importance of purity of heart).'"'"