1,106.10 321 years dies, the corpse is simply buried (not cremated). No Udaka rites (offering of water, etc.) in that case. 2. The corpse shall be borne upto the cremation ground by kinsmen reciting Yamasikta. For ordinary men ordinary fire may be used. If the dead man is an Ahitagni (person regularly maintaining sacred fires) the same shall be used for cremation. 3. Kinsmen upto the seventh or tenth degree shall per- form Udakakriya facing the south and reciting the mantra apa nah Sofucadagham?, etc. 4. The Udakakriya for maternal grandfather, preceptor and one’s own wife is also the samc. In the case of sons, friends, sister’s sons, father-in-law (all being brahmins) the water is sprinkled once proclaiming the name of the dead man and his Gotra but otherwise remaining silent. 5. No water-offering is made to the heretics, sinful per- sons, Vratyas (persons not duly invested with sacred thread, etc. Brahmacarins, and wives without fidelity. 6. Those addicted to drinking of wine and those who had committed suicide need not be honoured with the water offering or observation of Agauca. A dead man shall not be bewailed after the water-offering. Indeed, the existence of all living beings in the world is never permanent. 7-8. All rites are to be performed upto the utmost ext- ent of one’s ability. Thereafter, they shall proceed homeward. At the door of the stallion, torn leaves of the Nimba? tree (Margosa) shall be strewn. They shall step slowly on a rock first and perform Acamana and touch fire, water, cowdung and white mustard seeds before entering the house formally. 9. Those who have touched the corpse must purify themselves by these rites and the final formal entry into the house. Those who had merely witnessed the rites do not requi- re any formal purificatory rites. They are pure at the close of the rites. Others become pure after bath. They should remain celibate for the next three days. 10. There should be no cooking of food in the house. They shall take food bought or received from others. They 2. RV. 197.1. %. Acadirachta indica.322 Garuda Purana shall sleep on the ground away from one another. To the departed soul a rice-ball (pinda) is given for three days. 11. Milk and water should be kept in a mud pot out in the open. Sacrificial rites enjoined by the Vedas should also be performed. 12. Ifa child dies before cutting its first tooth there is no impurity; if a child dies before the tonsure (cutting of the forelocks) rite is performed, the impurity is for a night only; if a child dies before the sacred thread investiture, the impu- rity is for three days; thereafter the impurity lasts for ten days. 13. In brief, the impurity due to death lasts for three ‘or ten days. If two children die not two years old, the impu- rity is for the mother alone. If two impurities due to birth and death overlap, at the close of the latter, everyone becomes pure. 14. The impurity due to death has to be observed by the four castes for ten days, twelve days, fifteen days and thirty days respectively. 15-16. If a girl dies before being given in marriage or @ son, a preceptor, a disciple, person continuing Vedic studies, an uncle, a Vedic Scholar, a son not one’s own but of the wife who has had intercourse with others, or if an unpopular king dies, the impurity is for a day only. 17. There is no impurity at all on the death due to king’s orders, attack of a cow or a brahmin or due to suicide in secret, or due to poison. 18-20. On the death of a sacrificer, a person performing Vratas, Brahmacdrins, donors and those who have realised Brahman there is no impurity. In the case of those who die at the time of charity, marriage, sacrifice, battle, civic comm- otion or any other calamity there is no impurity at all. Lapse of time, rites in fire, lump of clay, wind, mind, knowledge austerities, recital of prayers, repentence, fasting—all these are agents for purification. Charity purifics a person commiting an unworthy act and the current itself purifies the river. 21-23, In cases of emergency a brahmin shall pursue a ksatriya’s duties (taking part in wars) or a vaigya’s activities. But these articles he shall not sell :—Fruits, soma, silk, medici- nal creepers, curd, milk, ghee, water, gingelly seeds, cooked1.107.3 323 rice, mercury, acidsand alkalis, honey, lac, requisites of homas, cloth, stone, utensils flowers, vegetables, clay, leather shoes, deer-skin, silk, salt, meat, oil cakes, roots and perfumes. If it is for the purpose of religious observances, some of the articles inentioned above can be sold along with gingelly seeds and grains, 24. Even in dire necessity a brahmin should not sell salt, etc, He should rather pursue cultivation. Horses should never be sold. 25. A brahmin oppressed by great poverty shall fast for three days (and approach the king for help). The king on see- ing the brahmin devoid of a means of support shall provide him with one. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVEN Teachings of Parasara Sita said : 1. Paragara! narrated to Vyasa the various duties of the different castes and stages in life. At the end of every Kalpa there is dissolution and anew creation, But the unborn god does not perish. 2, Srutis (Vedas), Smytis and the conduct of the good not repugnant to the Vedas (are to be followed by all). At first Brahma remembered the Vedas (andjraught Manu and others). Manu and others propagated Dharma through their Smrtis, 3. In the Kali age charity is the main virtue. Other virtues are likely to forsake the doer. Sinful deeds are perpetrat- ed only in the Kali age. A curse uttered bears fruit in a year. 1. Pardéara is known as the author ofsome hymns in the Rgveda. He is also said to have taught Visnu Purdga, According to the statement of the Mahabharata, he isknown as the father of Kreja Dvaipiyana Vyasa. His writings on Dharma are often quoted in Hindu law-texts.324 Garuda Purana 4, By strictly adhering to the performance of six rites every day man obtains everything. They are—taking bath, sandhya prayers, recital of mantras, homas, worship of gods and hospitality to guests. 5. Brahmins observing all rites properly will be rare then (in the Kali age); sages will be rare. A ksatriya shall conquer the enemie’s army and protect the earth. Business transactions and agriculture shall be the duties of vaigyas and devotion to the twice-born that of the Sidras. 6. By eating forbidden food, by stealing, and by approa- ching unworthy women a man becomes degraded. A twice- born engaged in cultivation shall not employ tired bullocks in ploughing, 7. Upto midday one shall be engaged in religious rites such as bathing, yogic rites and then feed brahmins. The five sacrifices shall be performed. The cruel shall be treated with contempt. 8 A brahmin shall not sell gingelly seeds and clarified butter. He shall become sinful if sinayajfia is performed. A man engaged in agriculture shall not be sullied if he gives a sixth of the produce to the king, one-twentieth to the gods and one-thirtythird to the brahmins. 9. A ksatriya,a vaisya and a Sidra engaged in agri- culture shall be considered a thief ifhe does not give the tax mentioned before. A pure brahmin shall be cleansed of the impurity of death in three days. 10. Aksatriya becomes pure in ten days, a vaisya in twelve days and a éiidra in a month. If proper rites are not maintained a brahmin shall become pure in ten days and a kgatriya in twelve days. 11. A vaigya shall be pure in fifteen days and a diidra in a month. Some kinsmen living separately have a single rice-ball in common. 12, In the event of birth and death such kinsmen shall observe inpurity. If the kinsmen are removed to the fourth degree the impurity lasts for ten days; if they are of the fifth remove the impurity is for six days. ‘18. If they are removed to the sixth degree the impurity is for four days; if they are of the seventh remove the impurity1,107.24 325 is for three days. If a person dies in a foreign land or if an ascetic dies, there is no impurity. 14-15. No cremation, no offering of rice-ball and no offering of water for children dying before cutting teeth or still born. In regard to still-birth and abortion the impurity is for as many days as the number of months of pregnancy. 16. If the child dies before the naming ceremony, there is no impurity; if it dies before the rite of first cutting of the forelock, the impurity is for one day and night; ifhe dics before the holy rite of investiture with the sacred thread, the impurity is for three days, beyond that the impurity is for ten days only. 17, Abortion usually occurs within four months and miscarriage and still births in the fifth and sixth months. No impurity in case these are observed strictly—celibacy rites in fire and abstention from evil association. 18, Artisans, craftsmen, physicians, servants, a Vedic scholar maintaining holy fire, the king—all these are of imme- diate purity (i.e. no impurity is observed on their death). 19. After the birth of a child the mother becomes pure after ten days and the father by taking bath. The impurity due to birth is removed by touching water. 20. In the rites of marriage, festivals and sacrifices, ine terrupted by the impurity of death or birth, all further rites shall be given up except what had been already undertaken. 21, Ifa child dies within the period of impurity, both the impurities cease with the former. If anyone dies ina cowshed the impurity is only for a day. 22. By carrying the corpse of an unknown person the impurity incurred is very little and that very little is removed by Pranayama. If the dead man is a Sidra, the impurity is for three nights. 23. No purificatory rite is necessary in case the death is due tn selfimmolation, poison, hanging or insect bite. The man who touches a person killed by a cow or bitten by an insect becomes pure by means of krechravrata. 24. Ifa person forsakes an undefiled undegraded wife in the prime of her youth he shall be born as a woman in seven successive births and suffer widowhood over and over again.326 Garudg@urdne 25. If a man does not cohabit with bis wife after the fourth day from menstruation he shall inawr the sin of infanti- cide. A woman not allowing her hushand to have intercourse during those days shall be born as a sow. Unworthy women though they perform Vratas thave no right for a rice-ball or water-offerings. 26. Te son legitimately born or after Niyoga? in one’s aie @rrough another, shall offer a rice-ball to the legal father. A person committing the minor sin of Parivedana? shall perform Krechra and the girl who marries him too shall perform Kgcchra. 27, The man who gives his daughter in a Parivedana marriage and the priest who officiates in thesame shall perform Atikycchra and Candrayana respectively. If the elder brother is dwarfish, hunch-backed, stammerer, idiotic, blind, deaf or dumb, Parivedana is no offence at all. 28. If the husband is untraceable, dead, or has renounc- ed the world or is impotent or degraded—in these cases of emer- gency a woman can remarry. 29. A wife who dies in the company of her husband shall remain in heaven as many years as there are hairs on his person. 30. Ifa person is bit by a dog he shall become pure by reciting Gayatri mantra. A brahmin killed by a candala or others shall be cremated with ordinary fire. If he has main- tained sacrificial fircs his corpse shall be iathed in milk and cremated with those sacred fires with mantras. 31-35. Ifa man dies in a foreign land the obsequies are done as follows :—On a deer skin six hundred Palasa twigs are spread making the contours of a human body. A Sami twig is placed in the spot where penis should be, the Arani wood is placed in the spot of scrotum; a pot is placed at the right hand and a sacrificial pitcher at the left; mortar at the sides, a thre- shing rod at the back, the sacrificial slab at the thighs, rice 1, This term is used to denote the legally permitted intercourse of a married woman to obtain a son with a male other than her husband, generally her brother-in-law i.e. her husband's younger brother. 2. The act of one’s marrying before one’s elder brother. CSL, p. 445.1,108.4 327 grains, ghee and gingelly seeds in the mouth, the vessel of holy water at the ears and the vessel for ghee at the eyes; small bits of gold shall be dropped into the ears, eyes, mouth and nostrils. An effigy of the man made of kusa grass is placed over this and burnt. The Ahuti is offered with the mantra Asau seargdya lokaya sodthd slowly once. Since all the requisites of an Agni- hotra are used he will surely attain Brahmaloka. 36. A person who kills Swans, Sarasas, Krauficas, Cak- ravakas, hens, peacocks and sheep becomes pure in a day and night. 37. The killer of any bird becomes pure in a day and night. After killing quadrupeds one shall observe fast fora day and night and perform Japa 38. After killing a Sidra, the rite of Krcchra shall be performed; if a vaigya is killed atikrechra shall be performed. If aksatriya is killed Candrayana shall be performed twenty times and if a brahmin is killed it is performed thirty times. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT Brhaspati-niti-Sara Sita said : 1, Now I shall explain the essence of Polity based on Economics for the benefit of kings and others. It is holy and conducive to longevity, heavenly bliss, etc. 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 for the other world. 3. One should always avoid arguments with mcan-mind- ed base people and shun even the very sight of the wicked. He should avoid enmity with friends and intimacy with persons serving the enemy. 4. Even a scholar comes to grief by trying to advise a foolish disciple, by supporting a wicked wife and by keeping the coffipany of wicked men.328 Garuda Purana 5. One should keep aloof from a brahmin foolishly puerile, a ksatriya averse to fighting, a vaigya sluggish and in- active and a Sidra hot-headed and vain due to complete, defe- ctive study. 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. 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. 8. The semenvirile flows out at proper time and develops itself in the womb. It is time that causes creation and it is time again that effects the dissolution. 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. 10. The divine preceptor Brhaspati expounded the essence of polity to god Indra which got him omniscience and heavenly glory after killing the asuras. 11, The worship of gods, brahmins, etc. should be per- formed by saintly kings and brahmins. They should also perform the horse-sacrifice to wipe off their sins both small and great. 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. 13, Illicit contact with or gay revelries in the company of another man’s wife, desire for another man’s wealth or resi- dence in another man’s house shall never be pursued. 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. 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. 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1.108.28 329 speaks pleasantly and he is the real son who lives to the family tradition. 17. His life is perfect who has virtues and good qualities; fruitless, indeed, is the life of a man devoid of these two. 18. Atrue wife manages the household affairs skilfully, speaks sweet pleasant words, solely dedicates herself to her husband and is loyally devoted to him. 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. 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 peo- ple’s house frequently, depending on other people’s help, evil in actions and devoid of shame. 24, A wife who appreciates good qualities, devoted to her husband, and satisfied with the minimum in everything is the rea) beloved. 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. 26. Forsake the contact with wicked people, resort to the assembly of the good; do meritorious acts day and night and remember the unstabilitv of everything. 27. Awoman devoi. f love, terrific in appearance, ferocious by nature, more horrible than a serpent round the neck, tigcrlike in having ruddy cycs, appearing to spit fire desirous of visiting other houses and cities should never be approached. 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.330 Garuda Purana 29. Who can be complacent and carefree if serpents in- fest 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? CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINE Brhaspati-niti-sdra Sita said : 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. 2. One should sacrifice oneself to save the family; a family should be sacrificed to save the village; a village should be secrificed for the safety of the land and the land should be sacrificed to save one’s soul. 3. The residence in hell is better than that in a house of evil conduct. By the former, one’s sins are washed away where- as there is no redemption from the latter. 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. 5. One should unhesitatingly abandon a country infest- ed with men of evil conduct, a residence of harassing environ- ment, a king of miserly temperament, and a friend of deceptive disposition. 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 valuc is a friend who turns his face away at the time of misfortune ? 7. Many persons unknown to him before will flock round aperson occupying a high post as his friends and assistants.1,109.15 331 Time being adverse, if he loses his wealth and is dismissed from his post even his kinsmen become his enemies. 8. A friend can be found out if he is genuine or other- wise 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. 9. Birds leave off the tree when the fiuits are exhausted ; the Sarasa 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 fice the forest consumed by fire—So, it is evident that people take delight in things that delight them. Who takes interest in others otherwise ? 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. 11. Devas, good people and brahmins are pleased with genuine good nature; the ordinary vulgar people by an offer of something toeat ordrink and the learned scholars by due honour and fitting rewards. 12, The noblest canbe won over by humility and sub- mission; the rogue with a threat; the vulgar with small gifts and concessions and men of equal status by exhibiting an equal strength and valour. 13. An intelligent man must penetrate deep into the innermost recesses of every one’s heart and speak and act be- fitting his nature and inclination and win him over to his side. 14, Implicit trust in rivers, clawed beasts, horned aui- mals, armed men, women and scions of royal families is never to be encouraged. 15, Men of sense will never disclose loss of wealth, men- tal anguish, illicit actions in the house, deception (of which they had been the victim) and disrespect.332 Garuda Puréna 16, The following are the activitics 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 detiler) and residence in another man’s house. 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 ? 18. Who is the man in the wide world who does not become haughty on attaining wealth? Who has escaped mis- eries in his life? Whose mind is not ripped asunder by maidens ? Who has been a favourite of kings for ever ?. Who is it that has remained out of sight of the god of Death ? 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 ? 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 success- fully but which necessarily ushers in great sorrow when left incomplete ? 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. 21. Earn that wealth to which there is no danger from kings or robbers and which does not leave you even after your death. 22. The wealth that a man acquires by putting in exer- tions 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. 23. Amassed and deposited wealth of the miser is ransa- cked by others frequently like that of the mouse and is condu- cive to sorrow. 24. Beggars roaming the streets, naked, grief-stricken,1.109.385” 333 rough and armed with broken bowls point out to the world that the fruits the non-charitable persons reap are like these. 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. 26. A miser’s hoarded wealth is not being employed in hundreds of sacrifices (i.c. for good purposes) nor is it 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. 27, The wealth of the miser does not go unto the deities, brahmins, relatives or to himself but it goes unto the robbers or kings or is consumed by fire. 28. Let those riches be not thine—thé riches acquired with great deal of toil, by transgressing the curbs of virtue or by falling at the feet of the enemy. 29. A blow of destruction to learning is absence of prac- tice; 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. 30. A fitting punishment to the thief is the death sentence; being reserved is the best punishment for a false friend; lying ona separate bed is a punishment for women, and non invitation in sacrifice is a punishment for brahmins. 33. Wicked persons, artisans, siaves, defiled ones, drums and women are softened by being beaten; they do not deserve gentle handling. 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. 33. The diet of a woman is twice as much as that of a man; shrewdness four times, energy is six times and armurgus- ness is eight times as much as that of a man. 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. 85. Acdelicious fatty meat diet, pleasing dress, glowing334 Garuda Purtas wine, fragrant scented pastes, and sweet smelling flowers kindle passion in women. 36. It can be said with certainty that even during the period of celibacy the god of love is busily active. On seeing aman pleasing to her heart the vagina of a woman becomes wet with profuse secretion. 37. O Saunaka, it is true, definitely true that the vagi- nal passage of a woman begins to secrete profusely on seeing a -well dressed man whether a brother or a son. 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. 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. 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. 41, Itis impossible to be satiated with the company of good men, friends, men of delightful conversation, and pleasures, sons, life and boons. 42. Aking 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. 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. 44, If the wife is after your heart, if she is attractive, well bedecked and delightful, if you live in your own house it isheaven indeed which can be obtained only by good deeds performed in previous birth, -109.53 335, 45. Women are incorrigible; they can never be brought round by making a gift, or offering respect, or a straight for- ward dealing, or repeated service. They can neither be threa- tened with a weapon nor asked to be quiet by citing scriptural codes. 46. Five things should be pursued slowly and cautiously. Learning, riches, ascending the mountain, amorous approach to women, and assimilation of virtuous conduct. 47, Worship to gods is of permanent benefit; a present to a brahmin leaves a permanent blessing behind; a thoroughly good learning has an everlasting beneficent result and a good bosom friend is a permanent asset. 48. Those who have not acquired enough learning dur- ing studentship and those who have not secured a decent wife and sufficient wealth during youth are to be pitied for ever. They are no better than beasts, but have a human form. 49, Apperson 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. 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 miscrable plight during old age slighted by others and burning within like the lotuses in the winter season. 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. 52. The inner workings of a man’s mind should be in- ferred from his facial reflexes, behaviour, gestures, movements, specch and the contractions and distortions of his eyes and lips. 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 other’s gestures.336 Garuda Purana 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 divest- ed of his royal splendour has no other alternative but go ahunting. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TEN Brhaspati-niti-sdra Sita said : 1, Ifa person forsakes things of sure results in his pur- suit of things of uncertain results he loses both—the certain as well as the uncertain. 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. 3. Itis the fruit ofno small penance to possess both delicious foodstuffs and good appetite; sexual virility and healthy as well as handsome wives, extensive wealth and desire to give it to others, 4, The aim of the study of Vedas is the ability to per- form Agnihotra; everything auspicious should have the invari- able 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. “5, An intelligent man should marry a girl of noble family though not very beautiful; he shallnot marry a girl of low descent though she may be beautiful and have developed hips 6. Of what availis the wealth which brings disaster in its wake ? Who will dare to remove the crest-jewel of a serpent embedded in its hood ? 7. Butter for sacrificial purposes can be taken even from the family of wicked persons; a wise saying uttered by even a1.110.18 337 child shall be listened to; gold can be taken even from the heap of rubbish and a jewel of a girl can be brought even from a mean family. 8. Nectar may be taken from even a poison-infested spot; gold can be taken even froma 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. 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. 10. Adevoted servant should be engaged in houschold duties; a son should be engaged in study; an enemy should be employed in acts of vice and a friend in virtuous acts. 11. Servants and ornaments should be put in proper places; a crest-jewel worn on the foot will never shine. 12. Crest-jewel, ocean, fire, bell, the vast expanse of the firmament anda king—these have to be at the head; it is wrong to keep them at the foot. 13. Aman of stuff will have access to one of the two goals like a bunch of flowers. Either he is at the head of every: one or he fades in a forest. 14. Ifa 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. 15. Great is the difference between any two members of each of these :—horses, elephants, iron, wood, stone, cloth, women, men and water. 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. 17, Alhorse ofgood breed does not brook a cut from the whip; a lion cannot bear to hear the trumpeting sound of an elephant. A truc hero does not coolly listen to the loud boasts of his enemy. 18. None shall deign to serve the wicked or the base even.if unfortunately deprived of wealth or fallen from a high position. Even though oppressed by hunger the lion does not338 Garuda Purana ‘Stoop to graze the grass. It is satisfied only when it drinks the hot blood of elephants. 19. He who tries to cultivate again the friendship of one who has once deceived him really seeks hisown death like the she-mule that conceives. 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. 21. Ifa 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 encmy whose help for the nonce can be sccured by an act of gratification. 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. 23, When fate is adverse, disastrous harmful things may seem to be auspicious and vice versa. This attitude shall even- tually bring destruction too. 24. Ifthe fate is favourable, naturally, good fruitful thoughts befitting the matter on hand occur to everyone everywhere. 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). 26, None shall stay ina place where these five do not live, viz :—rich men, Vedic scholar, king, river and a physician. 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. 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. . 29. O Saunaka, knowledge is not the monopoly of any one. All do not know everything; there is no omniscient being anywhere.1111.8 339 30. In this world we cannot find an omniscient man nor a person utterly foolish. Aman can be considered base, middling, or highly intelligent in accordance with the type of knowledge he possesses. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN Brhaspatt’s nitisdra Sita said : 1, Tshould now mention the characteristic features of the king as well as the servants. A king should examine the following carefully, 2. He should protect the kingdom with devotion to truth and virtue. He should righteously rule over the earth after conquering the enemy. 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. 4. Those who milk the cow and drink milk do not do #0 ifit is turned sour. So also the king should not defile the king- dom of the enemy which is expected to be enjoyed. 5. Theman who wants cow’s milk docs not cut off its udders. He draws the milk no doubt. Similarly, the king who ‘wants to tap the resources of a kingdom shall avoid injury to the same. 6. Hence, the king should rule over the earth with care and exertion. In that case the carth, the famey longevity, ree nown and strength shall all be truly his. 7. The king of well controlled sense-organs will be able to protect the subjects only if his rule is rightcous and if he, worships Lord Visnu and is eager to render service to cows and brahmins, 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,340 Garuda Puraga 9. Indeed, it is pleasing to gratify the lust. Itis true that Tiches are highly pleasant. But life is as fickle as the roving glances of a winsome maiden. 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 fot. Still no one in the world does ever think of redeeming the soul. 11. O Men! do service unto others. Do what will be beneficent, later on. Why do you rejoice now, without any sus- picion 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 brahmins and Lord Visnu 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. 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. 13, It is for this that brahmins wish their kings to be rich, that in all their rites their words should be heeded and never slighted. 14. It is for this that kings board wealth that after serv- ing themselves they shall give unto the brahmins what is left over. 15. The king in whose realm the sound of Om uttered by the brahmins is resonant, flourishes, Getting whatever he wants he is never tormented by sickness. 16. Even the apparently incompetent sages can gather riches and articles of daily use. Then why cannot a king who protects his subjects like his children ? 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. 18. Friends, sons, wives and relativés abandon a man devoid of wealth. When he regains his lost wealth they come back to him. Hence, wealth alone is a man’s kith and kin and mone other. 19 The king who hasdiscarded the Sacred Code is noT.111.29 $41 better than a blind man. A blind man may well see through spies but not so a man devoid of sacred codes. 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. 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. 22. The king who transgresses the injunctions of scrip- tures and the dictates of reason perishes here in this world and forfeits the right to Heaven. 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. 24. Courageous souls never become grief-stricken when mishaps occur. Does not the moon rise again though gobbled up by Rahu? 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 for ever. 26. Acking should maintain teams of courtesans and patronize their arts of music and dance. He should give suffi- cient protection to the science of archery and Economics too. 27. The king who becomes angry with his servants with- out sufficient cause actually takes in the poison vomited by a black serpent. 28. A king should avoid fickleness and false utterances towards all men and especially to Vedic Scholars and his per- sonal attendants, 29. Proud of his servants and kinsmen, if aking remains complacent and begins sports and dalliance he is sure to be outwitted by the enemy. 1, The son of Vicitra-Virya and the brother of Dhytarigtra, His five sons are known as Pandavas—Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sabadéva.342 Garuda Purana 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. 31. A king should abandon sensuous enjoyments and pleasures. Such people become easy targets of enemies who are always on the alert. 32. Enterprise, adventurousness, courage, intellect, prowess and valour—he who possesses these six is viewed with suspicious awe even by Devas. 33. Where results are not remarkable even after energetic exertion it is duc to an adverse fate. Still man should put up endeavour and take resort to fruitful activities. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWELVE Brhaspati’s nitisara Sata said : 1. Servants are of various types—the excellent, the middling and the base. They should be employed befittingly in the three types of jobs. 2. I shall narrate the mode of test for servants and the qualities necessary for different jobs as narrated by autho- rities on them. 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. 4, Aman of noble family, endowed with good character and qualities, truthful and virtuous, handsome and pleasant- mannered should be appointed as the officer-inecharge uf the Treasury. 5. He who can appraise the value, shape and size, (of gold, gems, ctc.) should be appointed as the chief jeweller. A man who can understand strength and weakness of the soldiers should be appointed as the Commander-ineChief.1112.17 343 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. 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. 8. The chief Ambassador should be intelligent, sensible, a reader of others’ minds, ruthless and blunt in speaking facts. 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. 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. 11, The Royal physician shall be well-versed in Ayur- veda! with enough practical experience. He should have all the qualities of a decent man and look comely in appearance. 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. 13, Whether he is a writer, or a reciter, an accountant or achief executive, if any one is found to be lazy, he should at once be dismissed. 14. The mouths of a wicked man and a serpent are sour- ces of distress—since they are double-tongued, causing pain, ruthless and terrific. 15. A wicked man should be avoided even if he happens to be ascholar. Is not a serpent terrific though its head is be- decked with a precious gem ? 16. Who is not afraid of the wicked ? Who is furious with- out provocation ? It is the wicked from whose mouth the poison of a great serpent in thc form of unbearable words flows out con- tinuously. 17. Ifa salaried servant of the king becomes 80 rich as to vie with him, is of equal competency, who knows his inner 1,_ The ancient Indian medical science propagated and practited by Caraka, Suiruta, Vagbhata and other: is still recognized by Indian Govern- ment and put to use by the people in India.344 Garuda Puréna secrets and vulnerable points, who is very industrious and puts up a claim to half of his kingdom there is no harm if the king puts him to death. 18. Those servants are not to be retained who were at first valorous, slow and gentle of speech, truthful and self-controll- ed but later on proved to be otherwise. 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. 20. A servant suffering from all these bad points or from any one of them should be summarily dismissed—devoid of patience, dishonest, cruel-tempered, speaking ill of others, hau- ghty, gluttonous, roguish, greedy inefficient and cowardly. 21, The king shall keep in his fort strong weapons of all types and then try to conquer his enemies. 22. Ifhe 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. 23. Ifa king engages foolish persons in various offices the results will be ignominy, loss of wealth and hell after death. 24. Whatever the king does himself or whatever his servants do meritorious or sinful acts, the king has to reap the fruits thereof. He will flourish or fall as the case may be. 25. Hence, a king should employ intelligent and capable men in offices of virtue or wealth for the welfare of cows and brahmins in the State. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN Brhaspati’s nitisdra Sita said : 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.1.11312 345 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. 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. 4. Completing all works left unfinished he shall become wealthy. He should make it a point to complete un-finished tasks. 5. Like the honey bre 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 carth but leave plenty for the calves i. e. the subjects. 6. Just as the honeybee collects honey from a number of flowers so the king shall gather wealth taking a little from each. 7. The anthill, honey, the moon in the bright half and alms wax little by little. 8. Seeing that collyrium and ink, used though very little every day, become exhausted after some time, and that the ant- hill 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. 9. A vicious and lustful man shall find hundreds of obs- tacles even in a forest; but if he can control his five senses he can practise 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. 10. Virtue is protected by truth. Knowledge by further acquisition; a pot by frequent cleaning and a family by good conduct. 11. [tis better to stay in the forest of Vindhya, todie with- out partaking of food; it is better to sleep ina spot infested by serpents or to Icap into a well; it is better to plunge into a whirl- pool or a dangerous water current, than to say “Please give" or beg for a sum of money from one’s own kindred. 12. Riches dwindle when fortune dwindles and not by enjoyment; if merit had Leen acquired before, riches will never perish.