"'
"Markandeya continued, 'Thus questioned by that cheerful _Muni_ and
seeing him eager to learn and endued with high intelligence, Saraswati
addressed these pious and beneficial words to the Brahmana, Tarkshya.'
"'Saraswati said, "He who is engaged in the study of the _Vedas_, and
with sanctity and equanimity perceives the supreme Godhead in his proper
sphere, ascends the celestial regions and attains supreme beatitude with
the Immortals. Many large, beautiful, pellucid and sacred lakes are
there, abounding with fish, flowers, and golden lilies. They are like
shrines and their very sight is calculated to assuage grief. Pious men,
distinctively worshipped by virtuous well-adorned golden-complexioned
_Apsaras_, dwell in contentment on the shores of those lakes. He who
giveth cows (to Brahmanas) attaineth the highest regions; by giving
bullocks he reacheth the solar regions, by giving clothes he getteth to
the lunar world, and by giving gold he attaineth to the state of the
Immortals. He who giveth a beautiful cow with a fine calf, and which is
easily milked and which doth not run away, is (destined) to live for as
many years in the celestial regions as there are hairs on the body of
that animal. He who giveth a fine, strong, powerful, young bullock,
capable of drawing the plough and bearing burdens, reacheth the regions
attained by men who give ten cows. When a man bestoweth a
well-caparisoned _kapila_ cow with a brazen milk-pail and with money
given afterwards, that cow becoming, by its own distinguished qualities,
a giver of everything reacheth the side of the man who gave her away.
Pages:
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165