Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/54

20 and Tapa behold dewellingdwelling [sic] in their hearts as a reflected image in the mirror.

"The man of faith, devoted to piety, and constant in the exercise of virtue, on reading this section is freed from sin. The believer that constantly heareth recited this section of the Bharata, called the Introduction, from the beginning, falleth not into difficulties. The main repeating any part of the introduction in the two twilights is during such act freed from the sins amassed during the day or the night. This section, the body of the Bharata, is truth and nectar. As butter is among curds, Brahmana among bipeds, the Aranyaka among the Vedas, and nectar among medicines; as the sea is eminent among receptacles of water, and the cow among [sic]quadrupeds; as are these (among the things mentioned) so is the Bharata said to be among histories.

"He that causeth it, even a single foot thereof, to be recited to Brahmans during a Sradha, his offerings of food and drink to the manes of his ancestors become inexhaustible.

"By the aid of history and the Puranas, the Veda may be expounded; but the Veda is afraid of one of little information lest he should injure it. The learned man who recites to others this Veda of Vyasa reapeth advantage. It may without doubt destroy even the sin of killing the embryo and the like. He that readeth this holy chapter at every change of the moon, readeth the whole of the Bharata, I ween. The man who with reverence daily listeneth to this sacred work acquireth long life and renown and ascendeth to heaven.

"In former days, having placed the five Vedas on one side and the Bharata on the other, these were weighed in the balance by the celestials assembled for that purpose. And as the latter weighed heavier than the four Vedas with their mysteries, from that period it hath been called in the world Mahabharata (the great Bharata); for it being esteemed superior both in substance and gravity of import is denominated Mahabharata from such substance and gravity of import. He that knoweth its meaning is saved from all sins.

"Tapa is innocent, study is harmless, the ordinances of the Vedas prescribed for all the tribes are harmless, the acquisi-