Brihaspati on Atonement and the Gift of Food

Verse 1 (13.174.1)

अधर्मस्य गतिर्ब्रह्मन्कथिता मे त्वयाऽनघ । धर्मस्य तु गतिं श्रोतुमिच्छामि वदतांवर ॥

adharmasya gatirbrahmankathitā me tvayā'nagha | dharmasya tu gatiṃ śrotumicchāmi vadatāṃvara

You have told me, O Brahmin, the course of unrighteousness, O sinless one. Now I wish to hear the course of righteousness, O best of speakers.

Note on the text: = CE 13,113.001a, 001c (the critical edition's verse 1 is a three-line verse, 001a, 001c, 001e, with a star line 001f*0567_01; the next Wikisource verse takes the third line).

Verse 2 (13.174.2)

कृत्वा कर्माणि पापानि कथं यान्ति शुभां गतिम् । कर्मणा च कृतेनेह केन यान्ति शुभां गतिम् ॥

kṛtvā karmāṇi pāpāni kathaṃ yānti śubhāṃ gatim | karmaṇā ca kṛteneha kena yānti śubhāṃ gatim

After doing sinful deeds, how do men attain a good destination? And by what deed performed here do they attain a good destination?

Note on the text: First line = CE 13,113.001e; second line = CE star line 13,113.001f*0567_01 ('karmaṇā ca kṛteneha kena yānti śubhāṃ gatim').

Verse 3 (13.174.3)

कृत्वा पापानि कर्माणि अधर्मवशमागतः । मनसा विपरीतेन निरयं प्रतिपद्यते ॥

kṛtvā pāpāni karmāṇi adharmavaśamāgataḥ | manasā viparītena nirayaṃ pratipadyate

A man who has done sinful deeds and has fallen under the sway of unrighteousness goes to hell if his mind remains perverse.

Verse 4 (13.174.4)

मोहादधर्मं यः कृत्वा पुनः समनुतप्यते । मनःसमाधिसंयुक्तो न स सेवेत दुष्कृतम् ॥

mohādadharmaṃ yaḥ kṛtvā punaḥ samanutapyate | manaḥsamādhisaṃyukto na sa seveta duṣkṛtam

But one who has acted unrighteously through delusion and afterwards repents, and who is steadied in mind, does not go on to commit the evil act again.

Verse 5 (13.174.5)

यथायथा मनस्तस्य दुष्कृतं कर्म गर्हते । तथातथा शरीरं तु तेनाधर्मेण मुच्यते ॥

yathāyathā manastasya duṣkṛtaṃ karma garhate | tathātathā śarīraṃ tu tenādharmeṇa mucyate

The more his mind condemns the evil deed, the more his body is released from that unrighteousness.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (opening bracket '['). Lines 1-2 of star passage 13,113.003d*0568 (_01-02), attached to CE 13,113.003; not in the critical edition's numbered text. Wikisource prints this and the next verse in square brackets (editorial mark of an interpolated passage).

Verse 6 (13.174.6)

यदि व्याहरते राजन्विप्राणां धर्मवादिनाम् । ततोऽधर्मकृतात्क्षिप्रमपवादात्प्रमुच्यते ॥

yadi vyāharate rājanviprāṇāṃ dharmavādinām | tato'dharmakṛtātkṣipramapavādātpramucyate

And if, O king, he declares it before brahmins who speak of dharma, he is quickly freed from the reproach that the unrighteous act has brought.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (closing bracket ']' and doubled danda). Lines 3-4 of star passage 13,113.003d*0568 (_03-04); not in the critical edition's numbered text.

Verse 7 (13.174.7)

यथायथा नरः सम्यगधर्ममनुभाषते । समाहितेन मनसा विमुच्येत तथातथा । भुजङ्ग इव निर्मोकात्पूर्वभुक्ताज्जरान्वितात् ॥

yathāyathā naraḥ samyagadharmamanubhāṣate | samāhitena manasā vimucyeta tathātathā | bhujaṅga iva nirmokātpūrvabhuktājjarānvitāt

The more a man, with a composed mind, rightly acknowledges his unrighteousness, the more he is released from it, as a serpent from its old, worn-out slough.

Note on the text: Corrected सम्यगध्रम → सम्यगधर्म (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ra; CE reads 'adharmam'). Three-line verse as in CE 13,113.004a, 004c, 004e. Second line reads विमुच्येत (CE 'vimucyati'): recension variant, Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 8 (13.174.8)

दत्त्वा विप्रस्य दानानि विविधानि समाहितः । मनःसमाधिसंयुक्तः सुगतिं प्रतिपद्यते ॥

dattvā viprasya dānāni vividhāni samāhitaḥ | manaḥsamādhisaṃyuktaḥ sugatiṃ pratipadyate

By giving various gifts to a brahmin, with a composed mind, steadied in thought, he attains a good destination.

Note on the text: CE 13,113.005a reads 'adattvāpi pradānāni vividhāni samāhitaḥ'; Wikisource's 'दत्त्वा विप्रस्य दानानि' is a recension variant, kept. Second line as in CE 005c.

Verse 9 (13.174.9)

प्रदानानि तु वक्ष्यामि यानि दत्त्वा युधिष्ठिर । नरः कृत्वाऽप्यकार्याणि ततो धर्मेण युज्यते ॥

pradānāni tu vakṣyāmi yāni dattvā yudhiṣṭhira | naraḥ kṛtvā'pyakāryāṇi tato dharmeṇa yujyate

I shall tell you, Yudhishthira, the gifts by giving which a man, even though he has done what ought not to be done, is joined again to righteousness.

Verse 10 (13.174.10)

सर्वेषामेव दानानामन्नं श्रेष्ठमुदाहृतम् । पूर्वमन्नं प्रदातव्यमृजुना धर्ममिच्छता ॥

sarveṣāmeva dānānāmannaṃ śreṣṭhamudāhṛtam | pūrvamannaṃ pradātavyamṛjunā dharmamicchatā

Of all gifts, food is declared the best. The upright man who desires dharma should give food first.

Verse 11 (13.174.11)

प्राणा ह्यन्नं मनुष्याणां तस्माज्जन्तुश्च जायते । अन्ने प्रतिष्ठितो लोकस्तस्मादन्नं प्रशस्यते ॥

prāṇā hyannaṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ tasmājjantuśca jāyate | anne pratiṣṭhito lokastasmādannaṃ praśasyate

Food is the very life-breath of men, and from it a creature is born. The world rests on food, and so food is praised.

Note on the text: = CE 13,113.008a, 008c with variants (second line: Wikisource 'अन्ने प्रतिष्ठितो लोकस्तस्मादन्नं प्रशस्यते', CE 'anne pratiṣṭhitā lokās tasmād annaṃ prakāśate'); Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 12 (13.174.12)

अन्नमेव प्रशंसन्ति देवर्षिपितृमानवाः । अन्नस्य हि प्रदानेन स्वर्गमाप्नोति मानवः ॥

annameva praśaṃsanti devarṣipitṛmānavāḥ | annasya hi pradānena svargamāpnoti mānavaḥ

Gods, seers, ancestors and men alike praise food above all. By the gift of food a man reaches heaven.

Note on the text: A footnote printed after the colophon on the page (13-174-12: 'प्रदानेन रन्तिदेवो दिवं गतः इति झ.पाठः') records a manuscript variant of the last line; not added to the text.

Verse 13 (13.174.13)

न्यायलब्धं प्रदातव्यं द्विजातिभ्योऽन्नमुत्तमम् । स्वाध्यायसमुपेतेभ्यः प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना ॥

nyāyalabdhaṃ pradātavyaṃ dvijātibhyo'nnamuttamam | svādhyāyasamupetebhyaḥ prahṛṣṭenāntarātmanā

The best food, lawfully obtained, should be given with a glad heart to the twice-born who are devoted to the study of the Veda.

Verse 14 (13.174.14)

यस्य ह्यन्नमुपाश्नन्ति ब्राह्मणानां शतं दश । हृष्टेन मनसा दत्तं न स तिर्यग्गतिर्भवेत् ॥

yasya hyannamupāśnanti brāhmaṇānāṃ śataṃ daśa | hṛṣṭena manasā dattaṃ na sa tiryaggatirbhavet

The man in whose house ten hundred brahmins eat, the food given with a glad heart, does not fall into the life of an animal.

Verse 15 (13.174.15)

ब्राह्मणानां सहस्राणि दश भोज्य नरर्षभ । नरोऽधर्मात्प्रमुच्येत योगेष्वभिरतः सदा ॥

brāhmaṇānāṃ sahasrāṇi daśa bhojya nararṣabha | naro'dharmātpramucyeta yogeṣvabhirataḥ sadā

Having fed ten thousand brahmins, O best of men, a man who is ever devoted to yogas is freed from unrighteousness.

Note on the text: = CE 13,113.012a, 012c; the second line reads योगेष्वभिरतः (CE 'pāpeṣv abhirataḥ'): recension variant, kept.

Verse 16 (13.174.16)

भैक्ष्येणान्नं समाहृत्य दद्यादन्नं द्विजेषु वै । सुवर्णदानात्पापानि नश्यन्ति सुबहून्यपि ॥

bhaikṣyeṇānnaṃ samāhṛtya dadyādannaṃ dvijeṣu vai | suvarṇadānātpāpāni naśyanti subahūnyapi

Having gathered food by begging, one should give that food to the twice-born; and by a gift of gold even very many sins are destroyed.

Note on the text: First line parallels CE 13,113.013a ('bhaikṣeṇānnaṃ samāhṛtya vipro vedapuraskṛtaḥ'; second half differs, vulgate reading kept); second line = CE star line 13,113.013b*0569_01.

Verse 17 (13.174.17)

दत्त्वा वृत्तिकरीं भूमिं पातकेनापि मुच्यते । पारायणैश्च वेदानां मुच्यते पातकैर्द्विजः ॥

dattvā vṛttikarīṃ bhūmiṃ pātakenāpi mucyate | pārāyaṇaiśca vedānāṃ mucyate pātakairdvijaḥ

By giving land that provides a livelihood, one is freed even from a mortal sin; and by recitations of the Vedas a twice-born is freed from mortal sins.

Note on the text: Lines 2-3 of star passage 13,113.013b*0569 (_02-03), attached to CE 13,113.013; not in the critical edition's numbered text.

Verse 18 (13.174.18)

गायत्र्याश्चैव लक्षेण गोसहस्रस्य तर्पणात् । वेदार्थं ज्ञापयित्वा तु शुद्धान्विप्रान्यथार्थतः ॥

gāyatryāścaiva lakṣeṇa gosahasrasya tarpaṇāt | vedārthaṃ jñāpayitvā tu śuddhānviprānyathārthataḥ

By a hundred thousand repetitions of the Gayatri, by satisfying a thousand cows, by making pure brahmins understand the meaning of the Veda rightly,

Note on the text: Lines 4-5 of star passage 13,113.013b*0569 (_04-05); not in the critical edition's numbered text. The sentence continues in the next verse.

Verse 19 (13.174.19)

सर्वत्यागादिभिश्चैव मुच्यते पातकैर्द्विजः । सर्वातिथ्यं परं ह्येषां तस्माद्दानं परं स्मृतम् ॥

sarvatyāgādibhiścaiva mucyate pātakairdvijaḥ | sarvātithyaṃ paraṃ hyeṣāṃ tasmāddānaṃ paraṃ smṛtam

and by renunciation of all things and the like, a twice-born is freed from mortal sins. Hospitality to all is the highest of these, and therefore giving is declared the highest.

Note on the text: Lines 6-7 of star passage 13,113.013b*0569 (_06-07; Wikisource has 'चैव' for CE 'cāpi' and 'दानं' for CE 'annaṃ'); not in the critical edition's numbered text.

Verse 20 (13.174.20)

अहिंसन्ब्राह्मणस्वानि न्यायेन परिपाल्य च । क्षत्रियस्तरसा प्राप्तमन्नं यो वै प्रयच्छति ॥

ahiṃsanbrāhmaṇasvāni nyāyena paripālya ca | kṣatriyastarasā prāptamannaṃ yo vai prayacchati

A kshatriya who guards brahmins' property rightly and without harming it, and who gives away food won by his own strength,

Note on the text: = CE 13,113.014a, 014c (variant in the first line: Wikisource 'ब्राह्मणस्वानि', CE 'brāhmaṇaṃ nityam'). The sentence continues in the next verse.

Verse 21 (13.174.21)

द्विजेभ्यो वेदवृद्धेभ्यः प्रयतः सुसमाहितः । तेनापोहति धर्मात्मन्दुष्कृतं कर्म पाण्डव ॥

dvijebhyo vedavṛddhebhyaḥ prayataḥ susamāhitaḥ | tenāpohati dharmātmanduṣkṛtaṃ karma pāṇḍava

to twice-born old in the Veda, self-controlled and fully composed, by that, O righteous-souled Pandava, wipes away his evil deed.

Verse 22 (13.174.22)

षड्भागपरिशुद्धं च कृषेर्भागमुपार्जितम् । वैश्योऽददद्द्विजातिभ्यः पापेभ्यः परिमुच्यते ॥

ṣaḍbhāgapariśuddhaṃ ca kṛṣerbhāgamupārjitam | vaiśyo'dadaddvijātibhyaḥ pāpebhyaḥ parimucyate

A vaishya who gives to the twice-born a share of the harvest earned by farming, purified by the sixth part, is freed from his sins.

Verse 23 (13.174.23)

अवाप्य प्राणसंदेहं कार्कश्येन समार्जितम् । अन्नं दत्त्वा द्विजातिभ्यः शूद्रः पापात्प्रमुच्यते ॥

avāpya prāṇasaṃdehaṃ kārkaśyena samārjitam | annaṃ dattvā dvijātibhyaḥ śūdraḥ pāpātpramucyate

A shudra who gives food to the twice-born, food gathered by hard labour at the risk of his life, is freed from sin.

Verse 24 (13.174.24)

औरसेन बलेनान्नमर्जयित्वाऽविहिंसकः । यः प्रयच्छति विप्रेभ्यो न स दुर्गाणि पश्यति ॥

aurasena balenānnamarjayitvā'vihiṃsakaḥ | yaḥ prayacchati viprebhyo na sa durgāṇi paśyati

One who earns food by his own natural strength, harming no one, and gives it to brahmins, does not meet with hardships.

Verse 25 (13.174.25)

न्यायेनैवाप्तमन्नं तु नरो हर्षसमन्वितः । द्विजेभ्यो वेदवृद्धेभ्यो दत्त्वा पापात्प्रमुच्यते ॥

nyāyenaivāptamannaṃ tu naro harṣasamanvitaḥ | dvijebhyo vedavṛddhebhyo dattvā pāpātpramucyate

A man who, glad at heart, gives food obtained only by right means to the twice-born who are old in the Veda is freed from sin.

Note on the text: = CE 13,113.019a, 019c (Wikisource 'हर्षसमन्वितः', CE 'lobhavivarjitaḥ': variant, kept).

Verse 26 (13.174.26)

अन्नमूर्जस्करं लोके दत्त्वोर्जस्वी भवेन्नरः । सतां पन्थानमावृत्य सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥

annamūrjaskaraṃ loke dattvorjasvī bhavennaraḥ | satāṃ panthānamāvṛtya sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate

Food gives vigour in the world, and by giving it a man becomes vigorous. Following the path of the good, he is freed from all sins.

Note on the text: = CE 13,113.020a and 020c; the two lines between them in the critical edition (star 13,113.020b*0570_01-02) are the next Wikisource verse.

Verse 27 (13.174.27)

शूद्रान्नं नैव भोक्तव्यं विप्रैर्धर्मपरायणैः । आपद्येव स्वदासानां भोक्तव्यं स्वयमुद्यतैः ॥

śūdrānnaṃ naiva bhoktavyaṃ viprairdharmaparāyaṇaiḥ | āpadyeva svadāsānāṃ bhoktavyaṃ svayamudyataiḥ

Food given by a shudra should never be eaten by brahmins devoted to dharma. Only in distress may one eat the food of one's own servants, and then only when they are themselves hard pressed.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (opening backtick). Star passage 13,113.020b*0570_01-02 (attached to CE 13,113.020); not in the critical edition's numbered text.

Verse 28 (13.174.28)

दानवद्भिः कृतः पन्था येन यान्ति मनीषिणः । ते हि प्राणस्य दातारस्तेभ्यो धर्मः सनातनः ॥

dānavadbhiḥ kṛtaḥ panthā yena yānti manīṣiṇaḥ | te hi prāṇasya dātārastebhyo dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ

The path made by the generous, by which the wise go: they are the givers of life-breath, and to them belongs the eternal dharma.

Note on the text: = CE 13,113.021a, 021c with variants (Wikisource 'दानवद्भिः', 'ते हि'; CE 'dānakṛdbhiḥ', 'te sma'); Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 29 (13.174.29)

सर्वावस्थं मनुष्येण न्यायेनान्नमुपार्जितम् । कार्यं पात्रागतं नित्यमन्नं हि परमा गतिः ॥

sarvāvasthaṃ manuṣyeṇa nyāyenānnamupārjitam | kāryaṃ pātrāgataṃ nityamannaṃ hi paramā gatiḥ

In every condition of life a man should always give food rightly obtained to the worthy recipient who has come; for food is the highest goal.

Verse 30 (13.174.30)

अन्नस्य हि प्रदानेन नरो रौद्रं न सेवते । तस्मादन्नं प्रदातव्यमन्यायपरिवर्जितम् ॥

annasya hi pradānena naro raudraṃ na sevate | tasmādannaṃ pradātavyamanyāyaparivarjitam

By the gift of food a man meets with nothing dreadful. Therefore food, free from injustice, should be given.

Note on the text: = CE 13,113.023a, 023c; first line differs slightly (Wikisource 'नरो रौद्रं न सेवते', CE 'naro durgaṃ na sevate'); Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 31 (13.174.31)

यतेद्ब्राह्मणपूर्वं हि भोक्तुमन्नं गृही सदा । अवन्ध्यं दिवसं कुर्यादन्नपानीयदानतः ॥

yatedbrāhmaṇapūrvaṃ hi bhoktumannaṃ gṛhī sadā | avandhyaṃ divasaṃ kuryādannapānīyadānataḥ

A householder should always try to eat only after a brahmin has been fed; he should make his day fruitful by giving food and drink.

Verse 32 (13.174.32)

भोजयित्वा दशशतं नरो वेदविदां नृप । न्यायविद्धर्मविदुषामितिहासविदां तथा ॥

bhojayitvā daśaśataṃ naro vedavidāṃ nṛpa | nyāyaviddharmaviduṣāmitihāsavidāṃ tathā

Having fed ten hundred men, O king, who know the Veda, who know reasoning and dharma, and likewise those who know the Itihasas,

Note on the text: The sentence continues in the next verse.

Verse 33 (13.174.33)

न याति नरकं घोरं संसारांश्च न सेवते । सर्वकामसमायुक्तः प्रेत्य चाप्यश्नुते सुखम् ॥

na yāti narakaṃ ghoraṃ saṃsārāṃśca na sevate | sarvakāmasamāyuktaḥ pretya cāpyaśnute sukham

he does not go to dreadful hell, nor does he enter the cycles of rebirth; endowed with all his desires, he enjoys happiness after death.

Note on the text: = CE 13,113.026a, 026c (last word: Wikisource 'सुखम्', CE 'phalam'); Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 34 (13.174.34)

एवं सुखसमायुक्तो रमते विगतज्वरः । रूपवान्कीर्तिमांश्चैव धनवांश्चोपपद्यते ॥

evaṃ sukhasamāyukto ramate vigatajvaraḥ | rūpavānkīrtimāṃścaiva dhanavāṃścopapadyate

Thus joined with happiness, free from anguish, he rejoices, and is born handsome, renowned and wealthy.

Verse 35 (13.174.35)

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातमन्नदानफलं महत् । मूलमेतत्तु धर्माणां प्रदानानां च भारत ॥

etatte sarvamākhyātamannadānaphalaṃ mahat | mūlametattu dharmāṇāṃ pradānānāṃ ca bhārata

I have told you all this, the great fruit of the gift of food. This is the root of all the dharmas and of all gifts, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Corrected महूत् → महत् (misprint in Wikisource; spurious ū; CE reads 'mahat').