|
Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 11: Chapter 17: Verses 43-53
With his mind fully satisfied by living on the food-grains gleaned (partly) from the fields and (partly) from the grain market (when the stock has been removed or sold at the end of a day), and with his soul dedicated to Me, nay, following his noble duty (of a householder in the shape of entertaning a newcomer and so on) in a disinterested spirit and continuing to live at home, though never deeply attached (to its inmates or things), a Brahmana duly attains (abiding) peace. (Even) as a vessel rescues a drowning man from the sea, I deliver without delay from straits those who duly redeem a Brahmana or (for that matter) anyone (solely) depending on Me and suffering hardship. (Just) as a father would save his progeny from woes (of[1]
every kind) or (just) as a king elephant would lift up (fellow) elephants as well as himself (from
a pit into which they have fallen), a sagacious king should deliver all (classes of) people from . calamities (of every description) and save himself (too) by himself (his own efforts). Shaking off all sin (that he might have incurred in his past lives) in this (very) life, such a (benevolent) king ascends to heaven (after death) in an aerial car, brilliant like the sun, and revels in the company of Indra (the lord of paradise). A Brahmana in distress may (try to) get over it by taking to the calling of a merchant, dealing in such goods only as are worth selling (and not in prohibited articles such as spirituous liquor, salt etc.) or (as a third alternative), when overwhelmed with adversity, he may live even by the sword*, but under no circumstance by service to a man of lower grade. A Ksatriya too may live by the trade of a Vaisya or (even) by hunting in (times of) adversity or he may live by teaching etc., (the pursuit of a Brahmana), but in no case by menial service. (Even so) a Vaisya (inadversity) may adopt the calling of a Sudra and the latter, the craft of an artisan t, such as
making mats and so on. When rid of adversity (of course) a man belonging to a higher caste should no longer seek his living by a reproachful pursuit (prescribed for men of a lower grade). A householder (belonging to the twice-born classes) should according to his means daily worship the gods, the Rsis, the manes and (other) living beings (including men) as My (own) manifestations, through oblations into the secred fire, recitation of the sacred texts (technically known by the name of Brahmayajna), Sraddha and Tarpana, Bali or Bhutayajna (offering before the daily meals morsels of cooked food to birds and animals, nay,
all other creatures including lifeless objects) and offering food and water etc., to newcomers
respectively. With the wealth got without effort or earned (by pursuing one's own
avocation) and (therefore) free from blemish he should perform sacrifices with due ceremony alone without putting his dependents to hardship.
A sane householder too should not get attached to the members of his family nor should he be unmindful of his goal (i.e., Myself). (Nay,) he should realize even the invisible (worlds) to be (as) perishable as the visible. Association with one's sons, wife, friends and relations is no better than the coming together of travellers (in a rest-house). With every change of body they vanish like a dream seen during sleep.
|
|
