Tuesday, 10 March 2015

laugh and grieve

Arshtishena to Yudhishthira

Dost thou follow the customs of thy ancestors, by

  1. charity, and 
  2. religious observances, and 
  3. asceticism, and 
  4. purity, and 
  5. candour, and 
  6. forgiveness? And dost thou go along the way taken by the royal sages? 
On the birth of a son in their (respective) lines, the Pitris in their regions, both laugh and grieve, thinking--

  1. Will the sinful acts of this son of ours harm us, or 
  2. will meritorious deeds conduce to our welfare? 
  3. He conquereth both the worlds that payeth homage unto his 
    1. father, and 
    2. mother, and 
    3. preceptor, and 
    4. Agni, and 
    5. soul.' 
Yudhishthira said, 'O worshipful one, those duties have been mentioned by thee as excellent. To the best of my power I duly and properly discharge them.'

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03158.htm

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