Garuda Purana

tr. J.L. Shastri/A board of scholars, Ancient Indian Tradition and 
Mythology 12-14, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi 1982.

(extracts with notes in [] by JanJM, 1997) - full version


1. Acara (Karma) kanda, 2. Dharma (Preta) kanda, 3. Brahma (Moksa) 
kanda


"... Hence, Bhagavata is the highest of all Puranas. The Visnu Purana 
comes next, then comes Garuda. The three are principal Puranas in the 
Kali age. Garuda contains some additional matter." (3.1.45-6)

----

1.2.15 Lord Visnu is devoid of physical body

1.4.37-8 perfect brahmacaris attain Brahmaloka, perfect grhasthas 
Prajapatiloka, perfect vanaprasthas Saptarsiloka, perfect sannyasis 
the imperishable region (Brahman)

1.5.2-5 mind-created sons [of Brahma], seven types of pitas - 
Barhisads, Agnisvattas, Kravyadas, Ajyapas, Sukalins, Upahutas and 
Dipas - of whom three are formless and four having forms

1.5.14-16 ...Sumati, the wife of Kratu, gave birth to Balakhilyas 
(Valikhilyas). Sixty thousand in number, resplendent like the blazing 
sun, although they were of the size of thumb - they became sages of 
sublimated vitality.

1.15.* Visnu-sahasra-nama-stotra

1.19.19 om kuru kunde (or kule) svaha [pranesvari vidya, against 
serpents]

1.19.23 om hrim hraum hrim hrim bhirundayai svaha (recited to the ear 
of the patient removes poison)

1.19.33 When mantra "om hrim sah" is contemplated in the heart and 
forehead it gives the power to influence anyone.

1.45.* characteristics of salagrama

1.46.* vastu-puja (worship of the site for building, choosing places 
of objects and their orientation)

1.50.69 "Then he shall perform the fire yajnas to gods, to the living 
beings, to the manes, to men and to the Brahma(n). [panca-maha-yajna]

1.50.70 "If he has already performed Brahma yajna [Manu 3.70] before 
Tarpana (water offering to deva-rsi-bhuta), he can proceed with his 
study of Vedas after performing Manusya yajna (the sacrifice to men).

1.50.71 Vaisva deva (oblations to fire before meals intended for all 
deities collectively) shall be performed - it is called Deva yajna. 
The offering to bhutas - living beings or spirits - is to be known as 
bhuta yajna.

1.50.72 Food offerings to dogs, svapacas (outcastes), fallen people, 
on the ground outside (the house) as also to the birds.

1.50.73 Pitr yajna is conducive to liberation. The best man shall feed 
a single brahmana bearing all the manes in mind. It has to be 
performed every day faithfully."

1.51.* charity

1.58.8-22 sun, sage, yaksa, raksasa, apsara, gandharva, serpent [of 
sun god's suite change] in each of 12 months: sages pray to the sun, 
gandharvas sing in front, apsaras dance, raksasas walk behind the sun, 
serpents bear the yoke, yaksas catch hold of the reins, Valikhilyas 
sit surrounding the sun.

1.59.-62.* astrology (Lord Hari speaks to Rudra)

1.59.40 "Add together the letters in the names of the husband and 
wife. Divide by three. If two is the remainder, wife is harmed, if one 
or zero, husband is harmed."

1.60.15-17 Hikka (sound of hiccup) when heard from east: great 
results, south-east: sorrow and anxiety, south: loss, south-west: 
sorrow and anxiety, west: sumptuous feast, north-west: money, north: 
quarrel.

1.62.1-3 "At sunrise every day the sun is in his own rasi. Then he 
begins his transit to the other rasis (signs of zodiac). He covers six 
rasis in the day time and six in the night. In Mina lagna and Mesa 
lagna he spends five ghatikas (5 x 24 min, i.e. 2 hours). In Vrsa 
lagna and Kumbha lagna he spends four ghatikas each (96 min). In 
Makara lagna and Mithuna lagna he spends three ghatikas each (72 min). 
In Dhanur lagna and Karkata lagna he spends five ghatikas each (2 h). 
In Simha and Vrscika lagnas he spends six ghatikas each (2h 24 min) 
and in Kanya lagna and Tula lagna he spends seven ghatikas each (2 h 
48 min). Thus I explained the time spent in lagnas."

(physiognomy:)

1.63.5-6 people destined to become: great men or kings - one hair in 
each pore, great scholars and Vedic interpreters - two hairs out of 
each pore, poor - three hairs out of each pore.

1.63.10-14 three parallel lines on forehead: happy with children, life 
up to 60 years, 2 lines: 40 years, 1 line: 20 years, 3 lines extending 
up to ears: up to 100 years, 2 lines up to ears: 70 years, 3 lines 
partly distinct and partly indistinct: 60 years, if the number of 
lines decreases: reduce 20 years from the previous, if the lines are 
broken in the middle, premature death is the result

1.64.6 "A real wife is like a minister for the personal affairs of her 
husband, a friend in executing his tasks, in affectionate dealings she 
is like his mother and in his bed she is like a courtesan to him. Such 
a wife is auspicious."

1.64.8 woman with hairy sides and breasts and high lips: husband dies 
soon

1.64.11 little finger and thumb of a woman placed on the ground do not 
rest there: she will become a widow and of ill repute  

1.64.12 woman who shakes the ground as she treads, kills her husband 
quickly and lives like a mleccha woman

1.65.57-60 (-> Samudrika) a round face: prosperity, lady will beget 
son, a long face: poverty, misfortune, great sorrow, a square face: 
coward, sinner, rogue, a depressed face: issuelessness, a short face: 
miserliness

1.65.112 If the palm is placed on the ground and the little finger and 
the ring finger do not touch the ground, she is surely a whore.

1.65.114 long neck of woman: destruction of family

1.65.115 stout neck: she becomes very fierce. Squint in the eyes, dark 
blue or tawny in the eyes, roving eyes: absence of chastity

1.65.116 If when she smiles two dimples are seen in the cheeks, she is 
surely one adulteress.

1.65.117 ...if the buttocks hang down, she kills her husband. A 
mustache-like growth of hair above the upper lip is inauspicious for 
the husband.

1.65.118 Hairy breasts are inauspicious and uneven ears too are 
inauspicious.

1.65.119 If the gum is dark blue, she is a thief, if the teeth are 
long, she will bring about the death of her husband.

1.65.120 An elevated upper lip indicates quarrelsome nature and 
harshness in speech.

1.67.* [Siva tells Gauri after hearing from Visnu:] svarodaya or 
parama-vijaya (planets and nadis in the body -> auspicious/ 
inauspicious times)

1.68.9-10 "These are the different kinds of gems: Vajra (diamond), 
Mukta (pearl), Mani (gems), Padmaraga (ruby), Marakata (emerald), 
Indranila (sapphire), Vaidurya (lapis lazuli), Pusparaga (topaz), 
Karketana (?, Karkenata - a species of quartz), Pulaka, Rudhira (blood 
red stone), Sphatika (crystal), Vidruma (coral). Persons who know gems 
have classified them thus."

1.68.12 Gems bought or first used in a bad lagna or inauspicious day 
become defective and lose even their merits.

1.68.27-29 diamonds with defects - inauspicious, bring bad luck up to 
death

1.70.19 "If anyone wears a gem of many flaws our of ignorance, then 
grief, anxiety, sickness, death, loss of wealth and other evils 
torment him."

1.70.30 "Even one Candala can attack and kill a number of brahmanas. 
Similarly, a spurious alien gem can nullify the potency of many gems 
endowed with good qualities."

1.81.24 "He who takes a holy dip in the tirtha of Manasa (mind) that 
has the eddy of Jnana (pure knowledge) and the pure water of Dhyana 
(meditation) that removes the dirt of Raga (passion) and Dvesa 
(hatred) attains the supreme goal."

(Yajnavalkya-smrti:)

1.93.11-13 Garbhadhana (conception) [is performed] after the 
menstruation, Pumsavana before throbbing of the child in the womb 
[with purpose to get a son], Simanta [parting child's hair] in the 
sixth or eighth month, Prasava (delivery), Jatakarma (birth) [for 
child's welfare], Namakarana (naming) on the eleventh day, Niskramana 
(coming out of the house for the first time) in the fourth month, 
Annaprasana (first feeding with the solid food) in the sixth month, 
and Cudakarana (cutting of the hair for the first time, only tuft - 
cuda - is left) as per practice in the family. Thus the sin of seed 
and conception is nullified. To girls these rites are performed 
without mantras.

1.94.17 ...One shall never find fault with the food served. (+1.96.16)

1.95.24-26 The highest duty of a woman is to carry out the behests of 
her husband. Sixteen nights subsequent to the month menstrual flow are 
the nights of rut for women. The husband shall restrain himself during 
the parvan (full moon and new moon days), when the stars Magha and 
Mula are ascendant and on the first four nights. Thereafter, on even 
nights, he will be able to beget a healthy son of auspicious traits. 
If the woman is in a mood to receive him on any night he should 
satisfy her remembering that lust in women is terrible.

1.96.72 "By eating garlic and onion one becomes sinful and as 
atonement one should perform Candrayana. If one takes meat after 
worshiping deities and manes in Sraddha one does not acquire sin."

1.96.73 "If one kills animals otherwise (and eats their flesh) he will 
fall into hell and remain there for as many days as there are hairs on 
that animal. Eschewing flesh a devotee attains God Hari after due 
prayer."

1.97.10 "...[for purification] he should touch his right ear. Gods of 
Fire, etc. stay in the right ear of a brahmana.

1.98.3 A gift should never be taken by a person devoid of learning and 
austerity. By taking it he degrades the giver as well as himself.

1.98.8 The giver [of the cow] remains in heaven for as many years as 
there are hairs on the body of that cow. If the cow is tawny, it 
enables his seven generations to cross hell.

1.98.14 "The giver of the Vedas (in manuscript) attains the region of 
Brahma not accessible even to gods. Those who transcribe the Vedas 
with meanings, yajna sastras, dharma sastras, on payment, also attain 
the region of Brahma.

1.98.15 "Since God has created the universe with Vedas as the basis, 
collection of Vedic texts with bhasyas (commentaries) should be done 
with effort.

1.98.16 "He who transcribes Itihasas (epics) or Puranas or makes a 
gift of them,

1.98.17 attains merit equal to that of gifting Vedic text or even 
twice the fruit."

1.101.2 [The nine planets:] "The Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, 
Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu."

1.101.3 "The malignant aspect is countermanded respectively by wearing 
copper, bell metal, crystal, the red sandalwood, gold, silver, iron, 
lead and bell metal on their bodies."

1.101.4 "O sages, know their respective colors to be red, white, red, 
yellow, yellow, white, black, black and black."

1.104.* specific karmic reactions for specific sinners and sins

1.105.48 Willful abortion and hatred of the husband are great sins in 
women without any expiation. [This chapter deals with atonements for 
specific sins.]

1.106.* pretasauca (rites and impurity subsequent to death of persons)

1.106.6 not to cry for dead person

(Parasara-smrti:)

1.107.3 In the Kali age charity is the main virtue. Other virtues are 
likely to forsake the doer. Sinful deeds are perpetrated only in the 
Kali age. A curse bears fruit in a year.

1.107.25 "If a man does not cohabit with his wife after the fourth day 
from menstruation he shall incur the sin of infanticide. A woman not 
allowing her husband to have intercourse during those days shall be 
born as a sow. ..."

1.107.28 "If the husband is untraceable, dead, or has renounced the 
world, is impotent or degraded - in these cases of emergency a woman 
can remarry."

1.107.29 "A wife who dies in the company of her husband [sati] shall 
remain in heaven as many years as there are hairs on his person."

1.123.11 "Fasting on Ekadasi days (eleventh day) in both halves of the 
month shall be observed. It removes sins and wards off hell - nay it 
enables one to attain Visnuloka and gives everything desired.

1.123.12-13 "For authentic fasts, the eleventh and twelfth phases of 
moon [tithi] should cover the full day from sunrise to sunset and the 
thirteenth phase should be at sunrise. The Parana [taking food] should 
be on the twelfth day. This vrata can be performed even when there is 
impurity due to birth and death. If the eleventh phase covers the 
whole day from sunrise to sunset Lord Hari is present [suddha 
Ekadasi]. If part of the day is covered by the tenth phase and part by 
the eleventh phase, demons permeate that [viddha Ekadasi]. Fasts shall 
not be undertaken then."

(Sivaratri:)

1.124.4 "Once Sundara Senaka, the sinful king of Nisadas, went hunting 
into a forest along with his dogs.

1.124.9 "...After some time when he died he was dragged by the 
soldiers of Yama with a noose."

1.127.* Bhima Ekadasi (removes all great sins, no more birth)

1.128.6 "Wearing flower garlands, ornaments and gaudy clothes, 
smearing of scented unguents, washing the teeth and applying collyrium 
spoil the fast."

1.128.7 "...Constant drinking of water, chewing betel leaves, sleeping 
during the day, gambling and sexual intercourse spoil a vrata."

1.128.8-9 "In all vratas ten virtuous practices should be followed: 
forbearance, truthfulness, sympathy, charity, purity, control over the 
sense organs, worship of gods, sacrificial offering into the fire, 
contentment and non-stealing." 

1.128.13 "During Malamasa or the intercalary month many auspicious 
rites are not performed [for example installation of Deities, 
sacrifices, vratas, tonsure ceremony, second initiation, marriages, 
crowning of kings, etc.]

1.128.14-17 ...Two phases of the moon on the same day are very 
auspicious such as: 2.+3., 3.+4., 4.+5., 6.+7., 8.+9. 11.+12. 
14.+purnima, amavasya+1. The conjunction of tithis other than these is 
very frightful, destroying all previous merits.

1.141.5-8 The future line of kings in the Iksvaku race will be: 
...Sakya, Suddhodana [father of Gautama Buddha], Bahula [Rahula],...

1.142.19-29 story of sinful brahmana-leper and whore-monger Kausika 
and his chaste wife who stopped the sun from rising. Demigods on 
Brahma's advice propitiated the chaste wife of Atri, Anasuya, who made 
her the sun rise and resuscitated Kausika, too.

(Ayurveda:)

1.146.15-16 "The Vayu [prana] becomes upset usually in summer, towards 
the close of the night or the day or at the end of meal. It is caused 
by gluttonous eating or taking in bitter, sour, astringent, hot and 
coarse, parchifying articles of food. Running, lifting up heavy 
objects, keeping awake at night too long, loud shouting, sudden 
onslaught, shock of fear and sorrow, anxious brooding [pondering], 
exercises, and excited sexual intercourse also cause the upset of the 
Vayu principle.

1.146.17 "The principle of Pittam (i.e. bile causing defective 
metabolism) is usually upset in the season of autumn, midday or 
midnight or in the course of digestion or acidification of food taken 
in. Taking in articles of food too hot, pungent, sour and creating a 
burning sensation in the body is also a cause for such an upset. 
Getting angry may also cause the upset of Pitta.

1.146.18-19 "The principle of Kapha or slesma (i.e. phlegm controlling 
secretions or excretory process) usually gets upset in the forenoon, 
early parts of the nights, in the season of spring and immediately 
after taking food when vomiting, belching, etc. accompanies it. 
Foodstuffs sweat, sour, too saltish, oily and greasy, very heavy, 
indigestible, too cold and fluid and soup-like in nature, too, cause 
the upset of Kapha. Other causes are sedentary habits, sleeplessness, 
indigestion, sleeping during the day and eructation [belching]."

1.147.43 "Since digestion is possible by the removal of the Ama 
matter, a seven day fast is recommended in this case. (...)"

1.158.25-26 "A sickness called Vatakundalika is produced when semen is 
retained for a long time without emission. The deranged Vayu lies 
within the bladder in a coil and gives great pain. It whirls after 
obstructing the urine. There is rigidity, heaviness and convolution of 
the bladder. Urine is passed out bit by bit."

1.165.41 "All diseases are transmitted from person to person by 
touching, taking food together, sexual intercourse, sharing the same 
bed or seat or by using the same clothes, garlands, unguents, etc."

1.167.57 ...Triphala (three kinds of myrobalan) [three fruits - 
Terminalia chebala, T. bellerika, Emblica officinalis] is the panacea 
for all ailments when used in conjunction with honey, ghee and jaggery 
[palm sugar].

1.168.15 "...Vayu is cool, light, subtle, cause of loss of voice, 
strong and unsteady.

1.168.16 "Pitta is acid, pungent, hot; unripeness, undigestedness is 
the cause of sickness. Kapha is sweet, saline, glossy, heavy and 
lubricious.

1.168.17 "Vayu is seated in rectum and buttocks; Pitta is located in 
the digestive cavity; Kapha is located in the abdomen, throat and 
joints of the cranium.

1.168.18 "Things of pungent, bitter and stringent taste aggravate 
Vayu; things pungent, acid and saline in taste aggravate Pitta; things 
sweet, hot and saline aggravate Kapha.

1.168.20 "Sweet taste improves the power of vision and increases lymph 
secretions and the dhatus. An acid taste at the end is relishing,  
appetizing and digestant.

1.168.21 "A bitter taste is appetizing, curative of fever, remover of 
thirst, laxative and cause of emaciation. An astringent taste excites 
Pitta, is scraping, rigidifier and absorbent.

1.168.31 "If the pregnant woman takes Kapha-generating foodstuffs the 
child will be Kapha prakrti (Kapha-temperamented). The same is the 
case with Vayu-generating and Pitta-generating foodstuffs. If a 
balanced diet is maintained the child will be Samadhatu (having all 
fundamental constituents in proper proportion).

1.168.32 "A Vata-temperamented person is lean, harsh and volatile. He 
has few hair and he prattles in dream. 

1.168.33 "A Pitta-temperamented person is irritable, scholarly and 
perspiring too much. His hair turn prematurely grey. He dreams of 
fiery blazing things.

1.168.34 "A Kapha-temperamented person is of steady mind, subtle in 
speech and of gay disposition. He has glossy hair. In dreams he sees 
water and rocks."

1.168.38 "The root cause of all ailments is indigestion resulting in 
the annihilation of the gastric fire; indigestion is of four types - 
Ama, Amla, Rasa and Vistambha.

1.168.39 "The Ama sort of indigestion causes cholera, sluggishness of 
the heart, etc. The antidote for this is the administration of an 
emetic with the washing of the drug Vaca [sweet flag, Acorus calamus] 
with salt.

1.168.40 "Due to Amla (acidity) the disorders, non secretion of semen, 
vertigo, fainting fits and excessive thirst are observed. The remedy 
there is drinking of unboiled cold water and inhaling chill air.

1.168.41 "In the Rasa type of indigestion (affecting lymph secretion) 
the symptoms are breaking pain in the limbs, sluggishness of the head 
and repugnance for food. The remedy in this case is complete 
abstention from food and drink and sleep during the day.

1.168.42 "The two symptoms of acute pain and enlarged spleen indicate 
the Vistambha form of indigestion marked by suppression of feces and 
urine. Diaphoretic measures and salt water for drinking are the 
antidote in this case.

1.168.43-44 "The types of indigestion Ama, Amla and Vistambha are 
respectively caused by Kapha, Pitta and Vayu. A sensible man 
(suffering from any of these) shall plaster his stomach with a paste 
of hingu [asafoetida], Tryusana [also called Trikatu. It is a
combination of black pepper, long pepper and dry ginger.] and salt and 
take a nap in the daytime. All sorts of indigestion will be dispelled. 
Hosts of illness result from unwholesome articles and hence one should 
forsake all unwholesome articles.

1.168.45 "Hot water taken after honey is a good digestant. (...)"

1.169.42 "Curd generates Pitta and Kapha and dispels Vayu and is an 
aphrodisiac. Churned sour cream dispels all dosas and cleanses all 
vessels of the system.

1.169.43 "Fresh butter dispels diarrhea, piles, etc.; products of milk 
turned sour like kilata (the solid residue of sour milk) are heavy and 
cause Kustha.

1.169.44 "Butter milk, according to the former writers, dispels the 
three dosas and is very efficacious in diarrhea, tumor, piles, 
jaundice, dysentery and enlarged spleen.

1.169.45 "Ghi is an aphrodisiac and sweet. It dispels Vayu, Pitta and 
Kapha. Cow's ghi improves intellect, eyesight and after medication and 
purification dispels dosas. 

1.169.46 "Medicated and purified ghi dispels loss of memory, epileptic 
fits, insanity, fainting and other disorders. The ghi prepared from 
the milk of goat and other animals has the same good properties as 
cow's milk. Goat's urine dispels Kapha, Vayu, germs and poison.

1.169.47 "Gingelly [sesame] oil is extremely efficacious in jaundice, 
dropsy, cutaneous (skin) afflictions, piles, tumor, enlarged spleen 
and diabetes. It destroys Vayu and Kapha and is conducive to the 
growth of hair and strengthening the body.

1.169.48 "Mustard oil dispels worms and jaundice, Vayu and Kapha and 
disorders due to corpulence. The linseed oil affects the eyes but 
dispels Pitta and Vayu.

1.169.49 "...Honey is exalted as the remover of the excess of the 
three dosas as well as generator of Vayu.

1.169.50 (Honey) dispels hiccup, dyspnoea, worms, vomiting, urinary 
disorders, poison and thirst. Sugarcane dispels Rakta pitta. It is 
conducive to strength, growth of Kapha and is an aphrodisiac.

1.171.53 "Diseases of the eyes, diseases of the stomach, cold 
(catarrh), ulcers and fever - these five ailments subside in five days 
by fasting.

1.172.30 "Massage, application of oil, errhine, emetics and purgatives 
are mentioned as Pancakarma (five activities).

1.176.1 "Within seven nights even a bald man will grow his hair if a 
plaster of burnt ashes of elephant's tusk with Rasanjana [extract of 
Indian barberry] and goat's milk is applied. 

1.176.2 Oil cooked with the juice of Bhrngaraja [Eclipta prostrata, 
Wedelia calendulacea, substituted by dandelion Eclipta alba] 1/4 in 
volume, mixed with gunja powder leads to growth of hair.

1.176.5 "Application of plaster of the powdered pulp or mango stones 
gives the hair a thickness and silky gloss. They grow with firm roots 
very long and glossy. They never fall off.

1.176.7 "O Vrsabhadhvaja (Siva whose banner has the emblem of a bull), 
if fresh burnt conch ashes mixed with fillings of lead are applied as 
a paste, hair turns dark black and glossy.

1.176.14 "O Siva, rock salt dissolved in sheep's urine poured into the 
ears removes fetid smell, foul discharges and worms in the ears.

1.176.15 "Pouring the juice of Malati [Jasminum grandiflorum] flowers 
and leaves into the ears or pouring cow's urine alone into the ears 
arrests fetid discharges from the ears.

1.176.18 Mustard oil cooked well with Bhallataka [Semecarpus 
anacardium], Brhati [Solanum janthocarpum], Dadima [pomegranate] and 
bark can be applied to penis to make it longer.

1.177.1 "There is no doubt in this that the eye salve prepared from 
the juice of Sobhanjana [Jayanti, horse radish] with honey cures all 
ocular affections.

1.177.13 "An eyesalve prepared with Bilvaka [bilva?, bel, wood-apple 
tree, Aegle marmelos] and roots of Nili [indigo] quells timira 
[blindness] instantly.

1.177.15 "A person who holds water in his mouth and washes his face 
and eyes regularly in the morning every day can keep himself free from 
eyesores perpetually.

1.177.23 "Jati [jasmine, Jasminum grandiflorum] leaves must be chewed 
well and kept in the mouth for some time. This cures sores in the 
mouth. By chewing and eating seeds of Kosa [nutmeg?], teeth shaking in 
their roots become steady.

1.177.25-26 "Daily intake of astringent, pungent and bitter vegetables 
fried in the oil removes fetid smell from the mouth and all ulcers of 
the gum and teeth are removed by this.

1.177.35-36 ...Fruits of Jyotismati must be soaked in water for 21 
days and ground into paste with the pulp of white Abhaya [Haritaki, 
Chebulic Myrobalan, Terminalia chebula]. If this compound is used for 
rubbing the teeth it removes dark spots and tartar in the teeth.

1.177.39-41 "Water boiled with Sunthi [dry ginger, Zingiber 
officinale], powdered Pippali [pepper, Piper longum], Guduci 
[Tinaspora cordifolia] and Kantakarika [Solanum janthocarpum?] when 
drunk improves digestion. O Siva (Pramathesvara, Lord of spirits), it 
removes the ache due to the deranged Vayu...

1.177.51 "Water boiled with Pippali, root of Pippali and Bhallataka 
when drunk quells colic epileptic fits.

1.177.55 "The drug Asthisamhara [Manjistha?, Rubia cordifolia, Rubia 
munjista] taken with a single meal everyday, or drunk with gravy 
dispels deranged Vayu and sets broken bones right.

1.177.60 "Heated oil mixed with ashes of Yava [carbonate of Potash 
Barilla] frequently applied over scalds and blisters heals them.

1.177.67 "O Sankara, Abhaya, rock salt and Sunthi ground into paste 
with water when taken in quells indigestion.

1.177.72-73 "O Rudra, Pippali, iron fillings, Sunthi, Amalaka [Emblic 
Myrobalan, Emblica officinalis], rock salt, honey, and sugar taken in 
equal quantities must be ground into the paste. A daily dose of this 
compound, of the size of an Udumbara fruit for seven days, makes the 
man strong and longlived. He may live even up to two hundred years. 
The mantra Om Tha Tha Tha employed in all activities involving charms 
blesses one with everything one wishes for.

1.177.80 "...The washings of sandalwood used as an errhine facilitates 
the reappearance of fallen hair.

1.177.82 "O Isvara, O Siva, one can take away the life of blazing 
(poisonous) serpents even if they are in their holes by means of the 
blood of a peacock."

1.178.10 "...The root of Mahasugandhika [Piper chaba?] kept around the 
hips arrests the rapid emission of semen. 13 - same with clumps of 
Brahmadandi in mouth during intercourse; sexual power: roots of 
Jayanti [horse radish, or Agnimantha, Premna spinosa?]

1.178.12 "Brahmadandi [Adhyanda?, Carpopogon pruriens, Flacourtia 
cataphracta], Vaca and Patra should be ground into paste with honey 
and applied over the organ (of generation). The woman will never wish 
for another husband.

1.178.16-18 "The regions where Candrakalas (erotic centres) are 
located in men and women are big toes, feet, heels, knees, pelvis, 
navel, chest, abdomen, armpits, throat, cheeks, lips, eyes, forehead, 
head. In men they are in the right side and in women they are in the 
left side. By tickling these centres love can be aroused. Different 
centres from the head to the toe should be tickled in the bright half 
and from toe to head in the dark half. In the Kamasastra (Science of 
Erotics) sixty four arts and measures of fascination have been fully 
explained by which man and wife can enamor mutually. Girls and women 
are charmed by close embraces.

1.178.25 "Cook Madhuyasti [licorice, Woodfordia floribondia?], 
Kantarika and cow's milk taken in equal quantities in water and reduce 
the entire thing to 1/4. This decoction drunk hot enables a woman to 
conceive quickly." Satavari [Asparagus racemonus]: aphrodisiac for 
women 

1.178.26 "Seeds of Matulunga [citron tree, sweet lime] should be 
purified and cooked in milk. -> conceiving
	  
1.178.27 drink ghee medicated with seeds of Matulunga and roots of 
Eranda [castor seed, Ricinus comunis] -> begetting a male child

1.179.10 "O Hara, these seven drugs - Haridra [turmeric, Curcuma 
longa], Nimba [Melio azadirachta, Azadiracta indica] leaves, Pippali, 
Marica [Piper nigrum], Vidangabhadra [Embelia ribes?], Musta [Mariscus 
cyprus, Cyperue rotundus] and Visvabhesaja [dry ginger] ground into 
paste with cow's urine and made into pills constitute a great 
medicine. Even a single pill dispels indigestion, two pills will cure 
cholera.

1.179.11 "These pills mixed with honey remove Patala (coating in the 
eye), taken with cow's urine remove tumors. Wicks thus made are called 
Sankari Varti and are called efficacious in sorts of eyesores.

1.180.2 "A paste of Karpura [camphor Cinnamonum camphora] and Devadaru 
[Pinus deodara] with honey applied over penis enables man to enamor 
any woman.

1.180.3 "After sexual intercourse a man should take the discharged 
semen with his left hand and apply the same to the left hand of the 
woman whom he wants to keep under his power. She will never wish the 
company of any other man.

1.181.6 "Powdered Sunthi mixed with sugar and honey and taken in makes 
voice as sweet as that of a cuckoo.

1.181.7 "A compound of Haritala [tri-sulfide of arsenic, yellow], 
Sankha [conchshell?], and ashes of plantain [Plantago major] leaves 
all pounded well and rubbed over the body is a great depilatory.

1.181.8 "Lavana [Cardiospermum halicacabum?], Haritala fruits of 
Tumbini [Lagenaria vulgaris] pasted with the juice of Laksa is also a 
fine depilatory. 

1.181.9 "Sudha [Euphorbia neraifolia], Haritala, ash of Sankha, 
Manahsila [red sulfate of arsenic] and rock salt must be ground into 
paste with goat's urine. This removes all unwanted hair immediately 
after application.

1.182.2 "Sugar taken with butter makes the intellect keen. Daily 
intake of old jaggery, about a pala per dose, makes the man so strong 
that he can satisfy a thousand women, O Hara.

1.182.3 "Kustha [Costus speciosus or arabicus?] powdered well and 
ground into paste with ghi and honey must be taken at bed time. It 
dispels wrinkles and greying hair.

1.182.6 "A decoction of Hingu [Ferula asafoetida, Embelia ribus?], 
Sauvarcala [soda and Emblic Myrobalan boiled down] and Sunthi when 
drunk dispels Parinama Sula (a type of gastroalgia) and impaired 
digestion.

1.182.7 "Dhataki [Woodfordia floribondia, Grislea tomentosa?] and 
Somaragi [Serratula anthelmintica] ground and cooked with milk and 
taken regularly, make the weakest man the stoutest. ...

1.182.9 "Powdered Kulira [crab?] (or Karkanasrngi) drunk with milk 
dispels tuberculosis.

1.182.21 "...The mantra Om Hrum Jah removes the poison of a scorpion, 
O Rudra.

1.183.16 "Pippali and honey or sweet diet or the bulbous root Surana 
[Amorphophallus campanulatus/Telinga potato?, Bignonia indica?] cure 
enlarged spleen.

1.183.17 "Pippali and Haridra pasted with cow's urine must be inserted 
into the rectum. (removes piles)

1.184.2 "Abhaya taken with butter, sugar and Pippali removes piles.

1.184.3 "Cook powdered Atarusaka [Justicia adhatoda?] leaves in butter 
over a low fire. Plastering with this cures piles.

1.184.18 "Milk taken with honey and butter removes wrinkles and 
greying hair.

1.184.19 "Copper burnt with the compound of honey, butter, jaggery and 
juice of Karavella [gourd Momordica charantia] becomes silver. Now 
hear me explain the process of converting it to gold.

1.184.20 "A Pala [70.5024 g] of lead, yellow Dhatura flower 
[jimsonweed] and a twig of Langalika [Pothes officinalis?, Methonia 
superba?, Jussiaea repens?] burnt together makes it converted into 
gold.

1.185.15 "O Sankara, beloved of Parvati, he who after his sexual 
intercourse takes his semen with his left hand and smears the left leg 
of his beloved with it becomes her favorite lover.

1.185.16 "Smearing the penis with Saindhava [rock salt], excreta of 
pigeon and honey, O Mahadeva, a man can satisfy any woman.

1.185.17 "Take five red flowers of any species and equal quantity of 
(by weight) of Priyangu [millet Panicum italicum] and grind them into 
a paste. He who smears his penis with this, gives thrilling pleasure 
to his partner whom he can enslave.

1.185.21 "...O Siva, the horn of a deer burnt in fire taken with cow's 
butter removes cardiac and back pain.

1.185.23 "Root of Apamarga [Achyranthes aspera] taken with sea salt 
removes impaired digestion and colic.

1.185.34 "Pippali, powdered Triphala, honey and Saindhava cure all 
types of fever, cough, consumption and catarrh.

1.185.36 "O Rudra, a compound of Pippali, Ketaka [Pandanus tectorius], 
Haridra, Amalaka and Vaca coked in milk and applied as collyrium to 
the eyes cures all ocular afflictions.

1.186.1 "The essence of Guduci taken with honey removes Prameha 
(diabetes and urinary complaints).

1.186.3 "O Rudra, powdered Goraksa [?] and roots of Karkati [Cucumis 
utilissimus] drunk with washings of Vasya [?] for three days dispels 
gravel and similar urinary complaints.

1.186.4 "Roots of Malati collected in summer and cooked in goat's milk 
when drunk with sugar cure strangury, gravel and jaundice.

1.186.7 "By applying the paste of the roots of Karavira [oleander 
Nerium odorum] or Pugaphala [fruit of Areca catechu] to the genitals, 
loss of sexual vigor can be cured... 

1.186.10 "...Ghosaphala [Luffa foetida?] and Saindhava ground into 
paste together is a sure remedy for piles.

1.186.13 "O Vrsabhadhvaja, equal quantities of Yavaksara [an alkali 
from the ashes of burnt green barleycorns], powdered Sunthi and 
jaggery early in the morning improves digestion.

1.188.1 "A cut from sharp instrument filled with butter immediately 
gets healed without inflammation and pus formation. To stop excessive 
bleeding, roots of Apamarga must be squeezed with hands and the juice 
must be poured into the wound.

1.188.8 "Roots of Sobhanjana and burnt linseed mixed with white 
mustard and applied over knotty tumors with buttermilk not turned 
sour, cures it.

1.188.9 "Roots of white Aparajita [Clitoria ternatea, Marsilea 
quadrifolia, Sesbania aegyptiaca] ground into paste in water with 
which rice has been washed can be used as an errhine to drive away 
malignant hosts of bhutas (evil ghosts).

1.189.1 "Dropping the juice of white Aparajita flowers into the eyes 
heals the coating of the eyes. There is no doubt in this.

1.189.6 "O Paramesvara, the root of Vrscika [Mucuna pruriens?, 
Boerhavia procumbens] drunk with water kept overnight, removes the 
burning sensation due to fever.

1.189.7 "The same tied round tuft removes intermittent fever. When 
drunk with the washings of Vasya it quells all poisons.

1.189.9 "He who drinks cow's butter medicated with the roots of Patha 
[Clypea hernamdifolia] surely mitigates the baneful influences of all 
kinds of poisons. There is no doubt in this.

1.190.1 "The root of Aparajita drunk with cow's urine removes goiter. 
There is no doubt in this.

1.190.4 "Powdered Kustha and Nagabala [Sida spinosa, Uraria 
lagopodioides] pasted with butter and applied over the breasts of 
young women give them a shapely beauty.

1.190.6 "Root of Punarnava [Boerhavia diffusa or procumbens] of the 
white variety drunk with rice washings removes abscesses. There is no 
doubt in this.

1.190.24 "A person who smears his body with a solution of Lodhra 
[Symplocos racemosa] water and powdered Kanaka [several plants of this 
name] is never affected by rigors of summer.

1.190.25 "Sprinkling profusely with milk relieves the body of the 
defects of heat...

1.190.28 "Powdered Vibhitaka [Beleric Myrobalan, Terminalia belerica], 
Pippali and Saindhava taken with sour gruel (or honey) cures hoarse 
voice.

1.191.7 "Roots of Tanduli(ya)ka [Leeia hista?, Amaranthus 
polygonoides, Embelia ribes] soaked in rice washings and pasted, taken 
with clarified butter remove all kinds of poison.

1.191.12 "Ghi taken with sugar arrests intoxication and inebriety.

1.191.16 "Applying the oil from an oil lamp removes the poison of 
insects and Kharjuraka (scorpions).

1.192.35 "A compound of Agnimantha, Vaca, Vasa [various plants of this 
name] and Pippali taken with honey and Saindhava for seven days 
enables one to sing sweetly as the Kinnaras.

1.192.37 "Vaca taken with mere water, milk or butter daily for a month 
makes a man so intelligent as to grasp anything as soon as it is 
heard.

1.192.37 "A pala of Vaca drunk with milk during lunar or solar eclipse 
makes a man highly gifted with intelligence instantly.

1.193.17 "When a medicine is being administered Lord Visnu should 
necessarily be remembered. Thought of, worshiped or praised, He quells 
all ailments. There is no doubt in this.

1.202.19-20 "If a man drinks the powders of Palasa [Curcuma zedoaria?, 
Butea frondosa?], Vidanga [Embelia ribes] and Amalaki with honey and 
cow's butter, he will instantly become highly intelligent and if he 
drinks the same continuously for a month, he may even win old age and 
death, O Mahadeva.

1.202.21 "O Rudra, if one takes the seeds of Palasa along with butter, 
sesame and honey for one full week, then old age disappears.

1.202.22 "If a man takes the powder of Amalaki along with honey, oil 
and butter continuously for one month, he will become young and master 
of speech, O Rudra.

1.202.23 "O Siva, if the powders of Siva [various plants of this name] 
and Amalaki are taken along with honey or water every morning, they 
give strength to nasal parts.

1.203.1 "To a cow who is not fond of her calf, her own milk should be 
given mixed with salt. The calf will be loved by her."

1.213.150 ...Never should a man take a foodstuff exclusively of one 
taste.

1.221.23 "Even the very sight of good men purifies one. It is better 
than the holy places of pilgrimage. The benefit from a holy place is 
derived later but that from the contact of good men is immediately 
effective.

1.222.30 "Gruel, curd, milk, buttermilk and Krsara (mixture of 
jaggery, rice and gingelly seeds) can be taken even from a sudra. 
These together with pulse and honey can be taken from a low caste 
person.

1.222.49 "...During sports wearing of blue cloth is not forbidden. Nor 
it is forbidden as a bedsheet. An indigo dyed cloth should not be 
touched otherwise. Persons regularly using blue cloth will fall into 
hell.

1.222.63-66 "The constituents of Pancagavya are as follows: Milk taken 
from a gold colored cow, the cow dung of a white cow, urine of a 
copper colored cow, clarified butter of the milk of a blue cow and the 
curd of the milk of a black cow. Water added should be consecrated by 
Kusa grass. Eight Masas of cow's urine, four Masas of dung, twelve 
Masas of milk, ten Masas of curd and five Masas of ghee form the 
correct proportion. This Pancagavya removes all impurities.

1.223.27 "When Tamas alone is predominant, the people utter falsehoods 
always, are lethargic, somnolent, seeking violent means and 
overwhelmed by grief, delusion, terror and wretchedness, know that to 
be Kali age.

1.223.28 "Then people are lustful and harsh in speech. Country is 
overrun by thieves and robbers. Vedas are spoiled by Pasandas 
(misinterpreters).

1.223.28 "Kings will be begging of the subjects. People will be 
overpowered by their penises and bellies. [They will be carnal minded 
and gluttonous.] The religious students will be divested of their 
rites and impure. Mendicants will turn householders.

1.223.30 "Ascetics will begin to stay in villages. Depositors will be 
covetous of wealth. People will be short in stature but very 
gluttonous. Thieves and robbers will be considered holy.

1.223.31 "Servants will leave their masters in the lurch; the ascetics 
will cast off their religious rite; Sudras will begin to receive 
daksinas and Vaisyas will turn to austerities.

1.223.32-33 "All people will be disgruntled appearing like pisacas. 
They will be worshiping fire, deities and guests by unjustifiable 
means of feeding. When Kali age sets in, people will never offer water 
libations to their Pitrs. They will be devoted to womenfolk and for 
all appearance they will not be different from Sudras, O Saunaka. 

1.223.34 "Women will give birth to many children. Their good fortune 
will decline. If they are rebuked they will simply scratch their heads 
and defy all orders.

1.223.35 "Overwhelmed by heretics people will cease to worship Visnu. 
But, O brahmanas, though the Kali age is full of defects, there is a 
great benefit in it.

1.223.36-37 "In Kali, by singing songs in praise of Lord Krsna one can 
free oneself from the great bondage. In Krta age people have to 
perform sacrifices and in the Treta they have to recite japas. In the 
Dvapara age, by serving the Lord they can attain salvation but in Kali 
that is possible only by singing songs in praise of the Lord. Hence, 
Hari is to be contemplated upon forever and worshiped, O Saunaka.

1.225.20-21 "If a person causes any impediment to a sacrifice, act of 
charity or performance of a marriage he shall be reborn as a worm. If 
a person takes food without first offering the same to deities, manes 
and brahmanas, he is reborn as a crow after undergoing the hardships 
of hell. A man insulting his elder brother is born again as a crane.

1.225.30 "A thief of Kalapa (peacock's plumes or a woman's girdle or 
any other ornament) is reborn as an eunuch. (...) If a person steals 
flowers he is born as a poor beggar. If a person steals lac-juice he 
is born again as a lame man.

1.225.33 "A stealer of knowledge (a person who does not pay for 
instructions received) undergoes hardships in many hells and is born 
again as a dumb man."

1.226.3-5 "The tree of Ignorance sought by the worldly minded for the 
sake of happiness and peace has the great basin round it in the form 
of riches and food grains. Its root is sin. The germinating sprout is 
the feeling of Egoism. The great main trunk is the feeling of 
'My-ness'. Houses, fields, etc., are its branches. Wives, sons, etc. 
are the tender leaves. Those who imbibe the divine Brahmarasa free 
from dusts (of Rajoguna) and are thornless hew it down with the axe of 
learning and merge themselves in the [consciousness of the] Supreme 
God. 

1.226.10 "That is called house where one stays; that is diet whereby 
one sustains oneself. Similarly, that is real knowledge which is 
conducive to salvation. Ignorance brings about adverse results.

1.226.16 "One shall conquer the various defects in the body by means 
of Pranayama. By Puraka (inhalation), somnolence is to be conquered. 
By Kumbhaka (retention of breath), one can conquer the shivering 
sensation. By Recaka (exhalation), one can conquer the augmentation or 
excess of heat in the body.

1.227.12 "A person who has mastered all the systems of Vedanta is 
better than thousands of Mantrayajins (those who perform sacrifice 
reciting mantras). A devotee of Lord Visnu is better than ten millions 
of such Vedantins.

1.227.13 "Ekantins (those who are single-minded in Lord's devotion) 
attain the greatest region even with their gross body. This unswerving 
faith in Visnu makes them identical with Him and He is fondly attached 
to them also.

1.227.23 "He who does not listen to the songs of praise of the divine 
qualities of the discus-bearing lord of lords (Visnu), is no better 
than a deaf man. He is to be banished from all religious activities.

1.227.33 "The worldly existence is a poisoned tree but two of its 
fruits are comparable even to nectar; one is devotion to Lord Kesava 
and the other is a chance association with His devotees.

1.228.12-20 glories of the holy name of Visnu

(13) "If a man calls out the name of the Lord even in his dream it 
destroys all his sins. Then what doubt is there that the sins will be 
removed when the name of Janardana is openly repeated?

(18) "What is obtained by means of contemplation in the Krta-yuga, 
reciting mantras in the Treta-yuga and worshiping in Dvapara is 
obtained in Kali-yuga by constantly remembering Lord Kesava.

1.229.6 "Neither one's own mother nor father nor other kinsmen can 
ever do unto one what Hrsikesa (Visnu) does when propitiated and 
worshiped faithfully.

1.230.5 "If a person performing ordinary rites of expiation begins to 
love the sin committed, no other atonement is possible except hearty 
remembrance of Hari.
 
1.230.11 "There is no greater object of meditation than Visnu. There 
is no greater penance than fasting (on Ekadasi day). Even more 
important than this is the constant thought of Vasudeva.

1.230.20 "Evil influence of the Kali age, wicked statements, vile 
utterances of heretics - none of these affect the mind of the person 
in whose mind Lord Kesava finds a place.

1.230.23 "If Govinda is fixed in the mind, the vile age of Kali is 
transformed into Krta. If Acyuta is not fixed in the mind even 
Krta-yuga is transformed into Kali age.

1.230.27 "If Govinda is stationed in the heart, people readily forgive 
[titiksava] angry persons and sympathize [karunika] with fools. They 
are joyous in the company of virtuous people. 

1.230.31 "Why don't people seek refuge under the shade of the tree 
Vasudeva which accords no excessive chilliness or heat and which 
closes the doorway to hell?

1.230.35 "There is nothing so holy as meditation. Even the sin of 
taking food from the hands of a Svapaca (a Candala) does not taint 
him.

1.230.36 "The mind of a wretch is always attached to worldly objects. 
If one's mind were that much attached to Narayana how could he not be 
released from bondage?

1.230.46 "The king is the refuge of the nation, the parents that of 
the child, virtue is the refuge of all men and Lord Hari is the refuge 
of everyone.

1.230.49 "I consider a sudra, Nisada, a svapaca or a brahmana equal to 
one another if they are devotees of the Lord. None of these goes to 
hell.

1.230.50 "People praise a rich man with great respect wishing for some 
monetary profit. If they were to praise the creator of the world with 
the same zeal, is there any doubt that they would be released from 
bondage? (Who is not released from bondage?)

1.235.1-4 "...The butter is actually present in the body of the cows. 
But it does not add to the strength of the cows. When the milk is 
taken out from the body and churned and the ghee is administered to 
the cows, it gives them additional strength. So also the all-pervading 
Visnu though present in the body too does not grant any special 
benefit to men without being propitiated. ..."

1.236.29-30 "So long a man has the sense of pleasure, he is called a 
possessor. But when [sense of] possession is lost, he remains his true 
self. The individual soul associated with Maya identifies himself with 
the body but when Maya withdraws he realizes his reality as Brahman.

1.236.31 "Just as a noble person is not affected by the loss of 
possession, similarly the withdrawal of Maya does not affect a person 
who has realized Self.

1.236.32 "Reality and illusion are both eternal. But Reality is an 
unassailable truth while illusion is a mirage.

1.237.8 essence of the Gita

(1.238.2) "Ahimsa (non-violence) is the virtue of refraining from 
inflicting injury upon living beings by actions, thoughts and speech 
at all times. It accords happiness.

(1.238.3) "Even an injury inflicted in accordance with Vedic 
injunctions is also Ahimsa.

(1.238.5) "Abjuring sexual intercourse by actions, thoughts and speech 
in all states, at all times and everywhere is called Brahmacarya 
(celibacy).

2.2.16 "O Garuda! Sesame is held sacred, for it is produced from My 
perspiration. The sesame can destroy the evil spirits.

2.2.48 "He who has never spoken falsehood, nor has any partiality in 
devotion but believes in God, obtains death peacefully.

2.2.49 "He who does not stray from Dharma, due to pleasure, wrath or 
envy but does what he says and is gentle obtains death peacefully.

2.2.50-51 "Those who preach ignorance pass through darkness. Those who 
are false witnesses, liars and deceitful obtain death unconsciously, 
just as those who abuse the Vedas.

2.2.65 "The sins of the people spread by talk, touch, breathing, going 
together, eating together, worshiping together, by teaching and sexual 
union. 

2.2.68 "...He who takes meals uninvited becomes a crow...

2.2.70 "...and the performer of cruel deeds becomes a dwarf.

2.2.71-72 "...He who discards his wife becomes an animal to be killed 
by a hunter. ...He who eats meat becomes a leper. He who does not 
return the deposit becomes one-eyed. ...

2.2.73 "He who discards progeny and wife encounters ill-luck. He who 
eats sweets only becomes rheumatic. He who has sexual union with 
brahmana's wife becomes a jackal.

2.2.74 "...He who envies is born blind. He who steals a lamp becomes 
beggar.

2.2.75 "...He who speaks lies cannot speak properly. ...

2.2.77 "He who spoils a young girl becomes an eunuch. He who sells the 
Vedas becomes a leopard. He who performs a sacrifice but not in the 
prescribed manner becomes a pig.

2.2.79 "...A stealer ...of food suffers from dyspepsia.

2.2.80 "...He who gives stale food to a brahmana becomes hunch-backed.

2.2.81 "If he steals fruits, his progeny dies, O bird. If he eats 
alone without giving a morsel of it to anyone else, he becomes 
issueless.

2.2.82 "If he does not opt for Sannyasa he becomes an evil spirit in 
the desert. A stealer... of book is born blind.

2.2.85 "...He who hears neither Hari's tale, nor the praise of the 
good suffers from ear disease.

2.2.86-87 "...He who takes out a morsel from another's mouth becomes a 
blockhead. ... He who observes religion without sincerity suffers from 
skin disease.

2.2.88 "A treacherous fellow suffers from headache. He who is against 
Siva suffers from the disease of genital organ.

2.2.89 "And the women too who commit these sins suffer in similar way 
or they become wives of persons suffering in aforesaid manner.

2.3.74-75 "There is the hot Raurava above and the cold Tamasa below.
"In this way, the hells are situated one below the other. The climax 
of misery is due to bad acts.

2.3.79 "...A day in hell is equal to one hundred years of the mortal.

2.3.83 "If born as a human being he becomes hunch-backed or a dwarf or 
a candala in wretched yonis.

2.3.84 "The sinner is born again and again and dies again and again 
till he has exhausted his sin and acquired virtue.

2.3.85 "Then some time he steps into the yoni of sudra or vaisya or 
ksatriya or brahmana or a deity.

2.3.87 "The virtuous obtain good yonis as directed by Yama. 
Immediately after the soul leaves the body, the Gandharvas come 
singing and dancing, adorned with garlands and anklebells.

2.3.88 "And then appear splendid aerial cars decorated with sweet 
smelling garlands (which take the virtuous souls to heaven).

2.3.89-90 "When their merits are exhausted, the virtuous souls fall 
from heaven and are born in the houses of kings or nobles of 
illustrious character, where they enjoy various pleasures. The men go 
up and down the ladder as stated before.

2.3.100-102 "It [body] is a shrub of sinews adorned with three trunks, 
combined with organs and having nine openings. Full of sensual 
pleasures, love, anger, desire and envy, possessing a highway robber 
in the form of greed, caught in the net of avarice and covered by the 
cloth of affection. It is bound by illusion and inhabited by greed.

2.4.15 "The salt is produced from the body of Visnu. When the soul of 
the dying person does not leave the body but lingers on, the salt 
should be gifted as it opens the door of the heaven.

2.4.38 "If he dies at a sacred place he attains moksa after dying 
there. ...

2.4.39 "If he undertakes a fast unto death he does not return to 
this world, O bird.

2.4.90-100 sati results (93 - she stays with her husband in heaven 
during the rule of 14 Indras -> kalpa)
		  
2.4.176-177 "The five constellations from Dhanista to Revati are 
always inauspicious. Cremation should not be done on these days. It is 
tortuous to all creatures. Water offering should also be avoided, for 
it is inauspicious on these days.

2.4.178 "All rites should be performed after the Pancaka is over. If 
done otherwise, sons or close relatives are affected thereby.

2.4.179 "If one dies during these constellations and his cremation is 
performed during this period, his family suffers tremendously.

2.5.83 "The body [of deceased person dragged by Yamadutas] attains a 
form like air. Born out of pinda it assumes a shape different from the 
one born from the womb of the mother.

2.5.146 "There [in Yama's abode] are fourteen doorkeepers called 
Sravanas. They are pleased with the Sravana karma performed by his 
relatives or else they get angry.

2.5.147-149 "There very soon among Death, Time, etc. he sees Yama with 
red eyes, looking fierce and dark like a heap of collyrium, with 
fierce jaws and frowning fiercely, chosen as their lord by many ugly, 
fierce-faced hundreds of diseases, possessing an iron rod in his hand 
and also a noose. The creature goes either to good or to bad state as 
directed by him.

2.5.151 "Those who give umbrella, shoes and shelter see Yama as 
gentle-faced with ear-rings and a shining crest.

2.6.13 "All heinous sins like the brahmana slaughter, done knowingly 
or unknowingly, are purified by releasing a bull [Vrsotsarga or 
Vrsa-yajna, on 11th day after death] or by swimming in the ocean.

2.6.19-21 "A bull... of white color is Vipra, that of red color is 
Ksatra, that of yellow is Vaisya, and that of black is Sudra, just as 
the colors of four castes have been prescribed...

The story of five ghosts

Garuda said:

2.7.1 I have heard the story relating to the rite of Vrsotsarga. I 
wish to be enlightened further upon this topic, for Your knowledge is 
very great.

The Lord said:

2.7.2 Now I shall tell you a wonderful dialogue between Santapana and 
the ghosts on this very point.

2.7.3 There was a brahmana Santapana by name whose sins had been 
destroyed by penance. Knowing the futility of the world he left home 
and went to the forest.

2.7.4 Whenever Vaikhanasas, sages and Vratas saw him, they bowed to 
him with respect. Once he went on a pilgrimage.

2.7.5 Though he controlled the outer senses and acted in the 
prescribed way, he was still dragged by the organs and he slipped in 
his path.

2.7.6-7 Once in the morn while he was taking bath, he opened his eyes 
and looked around. He saw a forest full of shrubs, creepers, trees, 
barks, branches etc.

2.7.8-9 He saw talas, tamalas, priyalas, panasas, suparni, salas, 
sakhotas, syandanas, tindukas, sarjas, arjunas, amras, slesmatakas, 
bibhitakas, picumardas, cincimas, karkandhus and karamkaras.

2.7.10 All these and other trees were there among which the way could 
not be seen even by the birds, not to say of men.

2.7.11-12 There is that fierce forest, full of lions, tigers, hyenas, 
wild oxen, bears, buffaloes, elephants, deer, cobras, monkeys and 
other animals and also demons and goblins.

2.7.13 Santapana was terrified in his heart and could not decide where 
to go. Then thinking 'Come what may', he went further.

2.7.14 Hearing the singing of crickets and the hooting of owls, he 
moved forward about five steps.

2.7.15 There he saw a corpse tied to a banana tree and five fierce 
ghosts eating the same.

2.7.16-17 They were rejoicing over their feast by relishing the head 
bones, stomach attached to the back, fallen bones of the body, marrow, 
brain etc.

2.7.18 Seeing the ghosts who were loudly cracking the bones with their 
fierce jaws, he was awe-struck in his heart and stopped at once.

2.7.19 When they saw the brahmana in that lonely forest, they ran 
towards him saying 'I first, I first.'

2.7.20 Two of them caught hold of his two arms, two caught hold of his 
legs and the fifth one caught hold of his head.

2.7.21 Speaking loudly in their own language, 'I shall eat first, I 
shall eat first', they got busy in dragging him.

2.7.22 Then, all of sudden, they went up in the sky. From there they 
looked down how much flesh was left in the corpse.

2.7.23 They saw the corpse bitten by their jaws. Then they got down 
and caught hold of the corpse by the legs.

2.7.24-26 Thus taking hold of the body cut by themselves, they went up 
again in the sky. Then seeing himself being borne in the heaven, the 
brahmana praised the Lord in his mind. 'I bow down to Lord Visnu, the 
holder of discus, who is supreme consciousness, who kept away the 
crocodile by throwing his discus and released the elephant from the 
noose of crocodile. May He release me from the noose of my actions.

2.7.27 When the kings were captured by Magadha Bhima, the Lord got 
them released so that they might visit Bhargas's sacrifice. May He 
release me from the noose of my activities.'

2.7.28 He praised Me in his mind and being praised I got up all of a 
sudden and I went to the place where he was being carried by the 
ghosts.

2.7.29 Seeing him thus carried away by the ghosts I was surprised and 
without speaking anything I followed them a while.

2.7.30 Simply by the dint of My presence, O bird, that brahmana felt 
the pleasure of riding a palanquin.

2.7.31 Then in the way, I saw Manibhadra going to Meru and winking at 
him I took the king of Yaksas by My side.

2.7.32 I said to the lord of Yaksas to be active and destroy the 
ghosts and take away the corpse.

2.7.33 Being instructed thus he took the form of a ghost terrific even 
to those ghosts.

2.7.34 He stretched his arms besmeared with blood and appeared before 
the ghosts challenging them.

2.7.35 He struck two with his arms, two with his legs and one with his 
head and beat the ghosts with severe blows.

2.7.36 They held that corpse bound by hand and legs and began to 
fight.

2.7.37 They attacked the Yaksa lord with nails, feet and jaws.

2.7.38 But avoiding their attacks, the Yaksa lord snatched the corpse, 
as death takes away the breath.

2.7.39 When the corpse was snatched by Yaksa they ran towards him.

2.7.40 As soon as they reached the Yaksa moving in air, the Yaksa 
vanished immediately. In utter dejection they went to the brahmana.

2.7.41 As they were going to kill that brahmana on the mountain they 
remembered their previous birth. It happened by the glory of My 
position and by the nobility of the brahmana.

2.7.42 Then they encircled the brahmana and spoke to him 
reverentially.

2.7.43 'Please excuse us today.' They spoke like the echo of the 
mountain or the turmoil of the stormy sea.

2.7.44 Hearing their words he asked: 'Who are you? Is it simply an 
illusion, a dream, or a fancy?'

The chief ghost said:

2.7.45 'Hear, O brahmana, we shall tell you what you have asked us, O 
mahayogin. We are absolved of our sins by seeing you. My name is 
Paryusita. He is Sucimukha.

2.7.46 The third one is Sighra and the fourth one is Rodha and the 
fifth one is Lekhaka.'

The brahmana said:

2.7.47-48 'Why are these meaningless names borne out by you? Can they 
be derived from actions performed by you? O ghosts, now tell us the 
meaning of these names.'

The Lord said:

2.7.49 Being thus addressed by the brahmana, they replied separately.

Paryusita said:

2.7.50 'Once, in a month when Sraddha is performed for the manes, I 
invited a brahmana to my house. He arrived after I had eaten the part 
of food out of hunger.

2.7.51-52 Then I gave stale food to that brahmana when he came. On 
account of that sin, when I died I became a ghost and got the name 
Paryusita since I had given him the stale food.'

Sucimukha said:

2.7.53 'Once an aged woman of the brahmana caste went to the holy 
place Bhadravrata.

2.7.54-56 The old woman lived with her son aged five years. I being a 
ksatriya pretender stopped her in the wilderness, became a wayside 
robber and took her viaticum with clothes along with the dress of her 
son. I wrapped them around my head and wanted to leave.

2.7.57 I saw the little boy drinking water from a jar. In that 
wilderness, only that much water was there. I frightened the boy from 
drinking water and being thirsty myself began to drink from the jar.

2.7.58 The boy died of thirst and the mother who was struck with grief 
died too, by throwing herself into a dry well.

2.7.59 O brahmana, by that sin I became a ghost with mouth as small as 
the hole of a needle and body as huge as a mountain.

2.7.60 Although I get food I cannot eat. Although I burn with hunger 
my mouth is contracted.

2.7.61 Since in my mouth I have a hole equal to that of a needle I am 
known as Sucimukha.'

Sighra said:

2.7.62 'Formerly I was a rich vaisya and went to a distant country for 
business.

2.7.63 I was accompanied by a friend who was a partner in business. He 
was rich but greedy. Then due to bad luck we fared badly in business 
to the extent that even our capital was lost.

2.7.64 Then we started from there, traveling in a boat. Just as the 
sun reddened, we began to cross the river.

2.7.65 My friend was tired due to labor, slept in my lap. Then a 
cruel thought entered into my mind.

2.7.66 I threw my friend sleeping in my lap into the river. Nobody in 
the boat knew anything about my act.

2.7.67 I got hold of his belongings, jewels, rubies, gold, etc. and 
returned home.

2.7.68 I kept that all in my house and told his wife: 'My brother has 
been taken away by robbers in the way and robbed of his wealth.

2.7.69-71 I ran away and escaped. Do not weep.' She was overwhelmed 
with grief and burnt herself in the fire. Then seeing my path was 
without obstruction I returned home gladly. I enjoyed my friend's 
wealth to my heart's content. Since throwing my friend into the river 
I returned home quickly, I am called Sighraga.'

Rodhaka said:

2.7.72-73 'O brahmana, formerly I was a sudra. By the king's favor I 
owned a hundred villages. I had old parents and young brother.

2.7.74 Very soon my brother was estranged from me by a greedy person. 
I stopped giving him food and clothes. He suffered too much at my 
hands.

2.7.75-79 My parents gave him something secretly. Whatever they gave 
him I learned from my close confidants. Then I bound my parents with 
iron chain in a deserted temple. Being miserable they ended their life 
by drinking poison. The boy who was left by all alone wandered here 
and there and expired ultimately. By this sin, O brahmana, I have 
become ghost. Since I chained my parents I was called Rodhaka.'

Lekhaka said:

2.7.80 'Formerly I was a brahmana in Avanti. I was authorized to 
worship the deities of Bhadra king. There were many images with 
different names.

2.7.81 On their bodies they wore gold and jewels. While worshiping 
them an evil thought entered me.

2.7.82 Piercing their bodies with an iron rod I took out jewels from 
their eyes.

2.7.83 When the king saw the images in that state and their eyes 
without jewels, he became inflamed like fire.

2.7.84 Then he vowed, O brahmana, and said: 'Whosoever has stolen gold 
and jewels from these images, if known, will be killed.'

2.7.85-86 Knowing all that, one night, with a sword in hand, I entered 
the king's palace and struck him dead. I then took jewels and gold and 
went away at midnight.

2.7.87-88 Then in the deep forest, a tiger put on me his nails. Since 
I had incised the images with iron rod I was known as Lekhaka.'

The brahmana said:

2.7.89 'You have told us facts about your names; now let us know about 
your way of life as ghosts as well as your food.'

The ghosts said:

2.7.90-91 'We stay where people do not follow the Vedas, where there 
is no feeling of shame for falsehood, no faith in religion, no sense 
of discipline, no inclination for forgiveness, no patience and no 
knowledge.

2.7.92-95 We trouble the person who does not perform Sraddha or 
Tarpana. We eat his flesh and suck his blood. Now hear about our food 
which is most despicable in the world. Something of this you have 
already seen. We shall now tell you something unknown to you. 
Vomiting, waste, cough, urine and tears - these we eat and drink. Do 
not ask us further, O brahmana, we are ashamed to tell you about our 
food. We are ignorant, in dark, fools and puzzled. Suddenly have we 
remembered about our previous births.

2.7.96 We are neither humble, nor wild and we know nothing.'

The Lord said:

2.7.97 When the ghosts were speaking thus and the brahmana was 
hearing,

2.7.98-99 I showed My form, O Tarkshya. When that brahmana saw before 
him the Purusa of his heart, he praised Me with hymns and fell 
prostrate before Me. Those ghosts too trembled with eyes wide open in 
surprise.

2.7.100 Their voice muttered with affection, still they could not 
speak. 'Bow to You who release the cruel from rajas and the stupid 
from tamas.' This being uttered by the brahmana that mountain was 
adorned with six shining aerial cars moving at My will and attended by 
celestial beings.

2.7.101 By that vimana the brahmana went to My abode along with the 
five ghosts. The ghosts went to heaven by virtue of their association 
with the brahmana.

2.7.102 Living in heaven along with the ghosts that brahmana Santapana 
became My famous gana called Visvaksena. Thus I have told you 
everything, O bird. Whoever tells or hears this narrative, O bird, 
does not become a ghost.

2.8.28-29 "...the seven names of Yama, viz Yama, Dharma-raja, Mrtyu, 
Antaka, Vaivasvata, Kala, Sarva-pranahara...

2.9.56 "The king said: Tell me, o ghost, how one is released from 
ghosthood. The ghost said: The people can infer about the present of a 
ghost at home by signs and tormentations.

2.9.57 "I shall now tell you about tormentations given by the ghost to 
the people on earth. When the menses of the women go in vain and the 
family does not multiply,

2.9.58-62 "When men die young, it is tormentation by ghost. Sudden 
loss of profession and insult among the people, sudden setting of 
house on fire, permanent quarreling at home, false praise, suffering 
from consumption and foul diseases are due to tormentation by ghost. 
When the money invested in the customary way bears no fruit but it is 
destroyed, it is due to tormentation of ghost. When crops are ruined 
even after proper rains, when commerce is unsuccessful, when wife 
creates tension, it is due to tormentation by ghosts. By these 
tormentations, O king, people can know about the presence of ghost at 
home.

2.9.58-63 "If Vrsotsarga is done properly, one is released from 
ghosthood. Hence, O king, I pray you to perform Vrsotsarga in my 
favor. (2.9.50 - king is relative to all castes)

2.10.4 "O bird, hear, sraddha is gratifying to ghosts. There is no 
restriction on a person if he becomes a deity or a man or an animal 
according to the actions of his previous life.

2.10.5-7 "If he becomes a deity, the sraddha food turns into nectar; 
an article of enjoyment if he becomes a Gandharva; a grass if he 
becomes an animal; an air if he becomes a naga; fruit in case of bird; 
meat in case of demon; blood in case of a ghost; grain in case of a 
man and an article of enjoyment in case of a child.

2.10.12 "By their names and gotras the manes receive the offerings 
made by relatives. The mantras carry the same when they are recited 
with devotion and faith.

2.10.20 "Just as when the cow is lost in the herd of cattle, the calf 
searches for her and ultimately finds her, so the sraddha food 
searches the deceased person, though he is set on a journey (or has 
assumed a different form).

2.10.26 "Whosoever be the brahmana invited for the feast, they enter 
his body, eat and return to their abode.

2.10.27-28 "If the performer of sraddha (such as the son of the 
deceased) has invited a single brahmana for sraddha, the father stays 
in his stomach, the grandfather on his left side, the 
great-grandfather on the right and the consumer of pinda [Agnisvatta 
pitr in charge of the departed > 14-15] at the back. During the period 
of sraddha Yama releases even the ghosts and the manes staying in hell 
who being hungry run to the world of mortals to receive the offering 
made by the relatives.

2.10.74 "How the soul gets a new body, hear from me. The soul without 
body is like a flame without fire. It is about a thumb in size. 
[angusthamatrah purusah - Ta. 10.38.1 (Taittiriya-aranyaka?), MBh...]

2.10.75-77 "After leaving the earthly body, the soul obtains an airy 
body. Like a caterpillar who lifts up the back feet only when the 
position of the front feet becomes firm, the soul leaves the previous 
body only when the airy body is available to enjoy.

2.10.81 "O bird, this type of body the deceased can have out of the 
pinda (rice-ball) offered to him.

2.10.82 "Whatever pinda the sons or kins give him during the ten days, 
the same unites the Vayuja body with the pindaja body.

2.10.83 "If the pindaja body be not there, the Vayuja body suffers. 
...

2.10.86 "Just now, I have told you that it [the soul] obtains the airy 
body immediately. Now, hear about the body it obtains belatedly. [73 - 
...Body is obtained both immediate and late.] 

2.10.87 "After some time [2.30.30 - 1 year], the jiva when reaches 
Yamaloka, obtains the pindaja body.

2.10.88-89 "As directed by Citragupta, he suffers in hell. Having 
suffered tortures there, he is born in low species. ...

2.12.13 "One is guilty of self-deception who does not strive to gain 
either heaven or salvation after being born as a man whereby he could 
gain either.

2.12.17 "A man depending upon his own self is sure to be happy. The 
qualities of sound, touch, color, taste, and smell make one dependent 
on the objects of sense and hence one is sure to be unhappy.

2.12.18 "The deer, elephant, the moth, the honey bee and the fish - 
these five are destroyed due to addiction to their five sense organs. 
[deer - ear (listens to sweet music and gets caught by the hunter), 
elephant - touch (caught through she-elephants), moth - eyes (it is 
attracted by the flame and burnt), honey bee - smell (attracted by 
fragrance of lotus and caught within), fish - taste (nibbles at the 
bait and gets caught) Even one of the sense organs is destructive. How 
can man - using all five - escape it?]

2.12.19 "In infancy one is extremely obsessed with one's parents; in 
youth with one's wife; later in life one becomes obsessed with one's 
sons and grandsons. Never is one obsessed with the atman.

2.12.20 "It is easy for one bound with iron fetters to wooden pegs to 
get oneself released. But one bound with the nooses of children and 
wives is never released.

2.12.22 "Man is born alone; man dies alone; he enjoys his merits by 
himself; he reaps the bitter fruits of his sins by himself.

2.13.8 "If Vrsotsarga is not carried out on the eleventh day after 
death, the ghosthood of the dead becomes eternal even if hundreds of 
sraddhas are performed in his favor.

2.13.13 "If a person has performed the rite of Vrsotsarga and has 
lived a celibate life, he goes to Brahmaloka, even if he dies an 
unnatural death.

2.13.22 "One shall perform sacred rites as long as the body is hale 
and hearty. Falling sick, one may not feel enthusiastic to do anything 
even if prompted by others.

2.13.25 "...It is foolishness to begin to dig a well when the house 
has caught fire.

2.15.14-15 "...When the organs lose their functioning power, 
consciousness is benumbed and the messengers of Yama are at hand, the 
breath leaves the body. The departed soul attains divine vision and 
can see the universe at a glance.

2.15.16-17 "He observes the dreadful form of Yama even when he is on 
the verge of death. He sees Yama's servants beating the wicked with 
the cane. He sees the attendants of Visnu cheering the good.

2.15.25-26 "O Garuda, body is liable to destruction in an instant. How 
can a man boast of it? "The purpose of wealth is charity, that of 
speech truth, that of life is fame and spirituality, that of body 
benevolence. In this way, one can gain something substantial out of 
the things unsubstantial.

2.15.67 "Within three days and nights the soul assumes a new body. On 
the tenth day the embodies soul longs for food.

2.15.74 "On the eleventh day and the twelfth, the soul of dead eats to 
his fill.

2.15.76 "On the thirteenth day, the soul of the dead is taken to the 
High Way. Now he assumes a body of the pinda and feels hungry by day 
and night.

2.16.49-52 "There [in Yama's city, Yamya] abide honorable and 
respectable Sravanas, the sons of Brahma who know and report to 
Citragupta whatever good or bad actions are performed by the mortals. 
"The Sravanas are eight in number [2.17.13-12(?)]. They move about in 
heaven, hell and on earth. They can see and hear from afar. Their 
women are known as Sravanis who are identifiable by their individual 
names. They are the presiding deities of mortals and have full 
knowledge of their activities.

2.18.34 "Those who have passed several years in the dreadful hell and 
have no descendants (to offer gifts) in their favor become messengers 
of Yama.

2.18.34 "Yama sends them on errand and they share with the dead the 
food and drink which their relatives offer them from time to time.

2.18.39 "Here [in Yamaloka] he [dead man] gives up his dreadful body, 
of the measure of arm, which he derived within ten days from the ten 
pindas gifted to him by his descendants. ...

2.18.40 "He gives up his previous body for the one derived from his 
actions. He receives an airy body of the size of a thumb and reaches 
the sword-edged hell.

2.20.15 "The ghost torments his family through the enemy. While he was 
in human body he was affectionate to his people, now that he is dead 
he becomes hostile to them.

2.20.17 "He who does not observe rites, has no faith in the sanctity 
of the Vedas, hates righteous acts and indulges in falsehood, is 
tormented by the pretas. By doing unrighteous acts, O Garuda, he 
becomes a preta in this Kali age.

2.20.18 "From the beginning of Satya-yuga to the end of Dvapara, 
nobody became a preta and nobody suffered from preta.

2.20.43 "O Garuda, a person becomes a ghost and undergoes sufferings 
if he dies an accidental death or if his body is not cremated 
properly.

2.21.5-7 "He (the ghost-afflicted man) shall explain the signs and 
symptoms to the astrologer. If he dreams of a holy plant like a 
campaka or of a mango tree laden with fruits or if he dreams of a 
brahmana or of a bull or of himself in a place of pilgrimage or of the 
death of a kinsman and if in dream he takes this as truth, this is all 
due to pretadosa. Mysterious events often occur if the ghost has bad 
intentions.

2.21.8 "If a person desires to visit a holy place and his heart is set 
upon it, but somehow there is a break in carrying out his desire, that 
is due to the bad intention of a ghost.

2.21.21-22 "Brahmanas say only what is true. They never tell lies. 
Fully believing in what the brahmanas say the person (advised and 
warned of ghosts) shall devoutly pray to the manes, perform 
purascarana rite [a rite preparatory to another rite] and offer 
oblations to Visnu.

2.21.23 "By means of japas, homas and danas he should sanctify his 
body. O lord of birds, if this is performed, all obstacles and 
hindrances are dispelled.

2.21.24 "He is never afflicted by bhutas and pisacas or other sort of 
ghosts. By performing the rites of oblations to Narayana with the 
ancestors in view he shall be freed of all sorts of affliction. This 
is my sworn statement.

On attaining ghosthood

Garuda said:

2.22.1-2 How do these ghosts come into being? How are they redeemed 
from pretahood? What are their features? What is their diet, o Lord? 
How are the ghosts propitiated? O Lord of deities, where do they stay? 
Please favor me, o Lord, with an answer to these queries.

The Lord said:

2.22.3 It is the men of sinful actions actuated by their previous 
misdeeds who become ghosts after death. Please listen to me, I shall 
tell you in detail.

2.22.4-5 He who desecrates well, tanks, lakes, parks, temples, water 
sheds, groves of trees, almshouses etc. and misdirects anyone in 
religious rites for monetary gain is a sinner. After death he becomes 
a ghost and remains as such till the final deluge.

2.22.6 Out of greed if people upset the boundaries of villages and 
destroy pasture lands, tanks, parks, underground drainage, etc. they 
become ghosts.

2.22.7 Sinful persons meet with death at the hands of candalas, 
infuriated brahmanas, serpents, animals with curved teeth or in watery 
graves or struck by lightning.

2.22.8-13 Those who meet with foul death such as committing suicide by 
hanging from a tree, by poison or weapon, those who die of cholera, 
those who are burnt to death alive, those who die of foul and 
loathsome diseases or at the hands of robbers, those who are not 
cremated duly after death, those who do not follow sacred rites and 
conduct, those who do not perform Vrsotsarga and monthly pinda rites, 
those who allow sudras to bring sacrificial grass, twigs and other 
articles of homa, those who fall from mountains and die, those who die 
when walls collapse, those who are defiled by women in their menses, 
those who die in the firmament and those who are forgetful of Visnu, 
those who continue to associate with persons defiled due to births or 
death, those who die of dog-biting or meet with death in a foul 
manner, become ghosts and roam over the earth.

2.22.14 One who discards one's mother, sister, wife, daughter or 
daughter-in-law without seeing any fault in them, obtains ghosthood 
surely.

2.22.15 One who deceives his own brother, kills a brahmana or a cow, 
drinks liquor, defiles the preceptor's bed, steals gold and silk 
garment, becomes ghosts, o bird.

2.22.16 One who usurps a deposit, deceives a friend, enjoys other 
man's wife, kills other's faith, is cruel, definitely becomes a ghost.

2.22.17 One who discards the family customs, takes to other customs, 
is without knowledge and good character, definitely becomes a ghost.

2.22.18 To illustrate this there is an anecdote narrated by Bhisma to 
Yudhisthira. O you of good rites, I shall narrate the same to you, on 
hearing which you may feel pleasure.

Yudhisthira said:

2.22.19 O grandfather, please tell me what those evil deeds are as a 
result of which one becomes a ghost and what are the means of 
redemption from the same on hearing which I shall not be deluded thus 
further.

Bhisma said:

2.22.20 I shall tell you entirely what those causes are whereby one 
turns a ghost and how he is set free after falling into dismal hell 
impassable even to gods.

2.22.21 I shall tell all those things on hearing which a person is set 
free from ghosthood.

2.22.22 O dear, there was a brahmana of rigorous sacred rites named 
Santaptaka. For practicing penance, he went to a forest.

2.22.23 He was a man of kind, compassionate nature. He used to perform 
homas and yogic practices as well as great sacrifices. He used to 
spent time usefully engaged.

2.22.24 He strictly followed the instructions of his preceptor. He was 
soft-hearted, truthful and pure. He was afraid of the other world.

2.22.25 He strictly followed the instruction of his preceptor. He was 
delighted in serving guests. He observed yogic practices. He was free 
from dvandvas (like happiness and misery, heat and cold and such 
opposite pairs.)

2.22.26 Practicing yoga incessantly to conquer mundane existence, he 
subjugated the sense organs. Following the path of good conduct he 
eagerly desired salvation.

2.22.27 He spent years in the secluded forest. Then the idea of 
visiting holy centres entered his mind.

2.22.28 He thought within himself "I shall keep immersed my body in 
the waters of a holy river till I die." Accordingly he hastened to a 
holy centre where he took bath at sunrise. He performed the rites of 
japa and namaskara (obeisance) and started on journey.

2.22.29-31 One day, this brahmana of great penance lost his way and 
reached a forest full of thorny shrubs, secluded and devoid of big 
trees. While he was hurrying up, he saw five terrible ghosts. On 
seeing these five awful ghosts of deformed features he was terrified 
and he closed his eyes in sheer fright. Then, he cast off his fear and 
became bold enough to ask in sweet words "O sires, how is it that you 
are so deformed?"

2.22.32 What was the sin committed by you? Wherefore have you attained 
this deformity? Where are you proceeding in company?

The lord of the ghosts said:

2.22.33 O excellent brahmana, our ghosthood is the outcome of our own 
misdeeds. We had been engaged in harassing others. Hence, we became 
victims of foul death.

2.22.34 In this state of our ghosthood we are oppressed with hunger 
and thirst. We are unable to speak. We have lost our mental 
equilibrium. We have lost consciousness too.

2.22.35 We are Pisacas born of our own misdeeds. We do not know the 
difference between one quarter and another. We are extremely 
distressed. We do not know where to go.

2.22.36 We have neither fathers nor mothers. This ghosthood is due to 
our own misdeeds. We are extremely dejected and sorrowful because the 
attack is all too sudden.

2.22.37 O brahmana, we are delighted on seeing you. We feel refreshed. 
Please wait a little. I shall narrate everything from the very 
beginning.

2.22.38 My name is Paryusita. This ghost is known as Sucimukha. The 
other one is Sighraga and the others are Rohaka and Lekhaka. These are 
our names and we are ghosts.

The brahmana said:

2.22.39 How can ghosts, the outcome of evil actions, have names? You 
may have some purpose in view in having these names. Please tell me.

The pretaraja (king of ghosts) said:

2.22.40 O excellent brahmana, while I myself took all sweet things I 
left stale things for brahmanas to eat.

2.22.41 While I was on earth as a man, I showed the hungry brahmanas 
the exit door. Hence, my name is Paryusita.

2.22.42 O excellent brahmana, whenever a brahmana begged him for food, 
out of hunger, this ghost used to run away, hence his name is 
Sighraga.

2.22.43 This other one irritated many brahmanas with sharp tongue when 
they came to him for food, hence he is called Sucimukha.

2.22.44 In his life on earth, this ghost ate sumptuously in isolation 
the foodstuffs offered to gods and manes in the absence of brahmanas. 
Hence, he is known as Rohaka.

2.22.45 Whenever a needy person requested him for something, this 
ghost pretended to be silent and went on scratching on the ground. As 
a result of this he is known as Lekhaka.

2.22.46-47 Thus acquiring our ghosthood and names from our misdeeds we 
have got ourselves deformed too. This Lekhaka is goat-mouthed; Rohaka 
is mountain-faced; Sighraga is cow-faced; Sucimukha is needle-mouthed; 
I, Paryusita, am crane-necked.

2.22.48-49 Taking this illusory form, we wander over this wide region. 
We suffer from terrible distress. O brahmana, you can judge from our 
deformed faces with protruding lips and twisted shape. Our teeth are 
long, our bodies huge, our faces crooked, due to our misdeeds. Thus I 
have told you how we turned ghosts.

2.22.50 We have become somewhat wise on seeing you. If you wish to 
hear more, you can ask us further whatever you like to know.

The brahmana said:

2.22.51 The creatures on this earth subsist on food. I wish to know 
precisely what you all eat for your subsistence.

The ghost said:

2.22.52 If you are inclined to hear what we eat, o noble sir, listen 
attentively.

The brahmana said:

2.22.53 O king of ghosts, please tell me what you eat. Thus requested 
the ghosts began to explain their diet respectively.

The ghosts said:

2.22.54 O brahmana, our diet is extremely loathsome, despised by all 
living beings. On hearing it from us you are sure to hate us. It is so 
despicable.

2.22.55 Mucous secretions, feces and urine together with other 
exudations, filth as well as leavings of food constitute our diet.

2.22.56 We eat, drink and revel in the house where people do not pay 
attention to cleanliness and where they scatter litter carelessly. We 
haunt unclean beings as well.

2.22.57 We reside and enjoy in the house where there is no purity, 
where people do not observe truthfulness and restraint and where 
outcastes, robbers, etc. join together and take meals.

2.22.58 We take delight in haunting the house where no mantras are 
recited, where no oblation is offered, where no homa is performed and 
where people do not read the Vedas regularly nor perform religious 
rites.

2.22.59 We hover round the house where gods are not honored, where the 
householder is a vile wretch without shame and decency and where the 
poor husband is controlled by his sturdy wife.

2.22.60 We enjoy gaiety in the house where covetousness, fury, 
somnolence, sorrow, fear, haughtiness, lethargy, quarrels and 
deception reign supreme.

2.22.61 We lick up the urine mixed with semen from the vaginal passage 
of the widow having illicit intercourse with her paramour.

2.22.62 Dear friend, I am ashamed to tell you about the food we take. 
O pious brahmana, we lick up the menstrual blood from the generative 
organ of a woman.

2.22.63 O noble brahmana, preferring penance to riches and engaged in 
performing the sacred rites, I ask you out of frustration. Please tell 
me the means of warding off ghosthood. It is better to die a hundred 
times than turn a ghost.

The brahmana said:

2.22.64 A person who is assiduously engaged in fasts such as Krcchra 
and Candrayana [Ms 11.211-217] is never born as a ghost.

2.22.65 He who observes fast, keeps awake at night and is purified by 
meritorious deeds is never born as a ghost.

2.22.66 He who performs Asvamedha and other sacrifices, makes liberal 
gifts and builds monasteries, parks, drinking water-sheds and cowpens 
is never born as a ghost.

2.22.67 He who helps brahmanas to give their virgin daughters in 
marriage, according to his capacity, he who enables students to study, 
and he who accords shelter and refuge to the needy is never born as a 
ghost.

2.22.68 If man takes food offered by a fallen man and dies with that 
food undigested in his stomach, he is supposed to have courted a foul 
death and hence, he becomes a ghost.

2.22.69 If a priest officiates at the sacrifice of an unworthy person 
and neglects that of worthy sacrificer, if a man lives in the company 
of despicable people he becomes a ghost.

2.22.70 He who associates with drunkards or indulges in intercourse 
with a woman addicted to wine or eats meat unconsciously becomes a 
ghost.

2.22.71 He who misappropriates a brahmana's wealth, or he property of 
a temple or that of his preceptor and he who takes money from his 
son-in-law before giving his daughter in marriage becomes a ghost.

2.22.72 He who forsakes his innocent and guiltless mother, sister, 
wife, daughter or daughter-in-law becomes a ghost.

2.22.73 All these are sure to be born as ghosts - a man 
misappropriating a trust property, a man treacherous to his friend, a 
man fond of another man's wife, a faithless man and a deceptive 
wretch.

2.22.74 A man hating his brother, a murderer of a brahmana, a slayer 
of the cow, a wine addict, a defiler of the preceptor's bed, one who 
casts off customary rites, or one who is fond of telling lies, a 
stealer of gold or one who takes possession of plots of land illegally 
- all these are born as ghosts.

Bhisma said:

2.22.75 When the brahmana spoke thus, the beating of drums was heard 
in the sky. The gods showered flowers over the brahmana.

2.22.76 Five celestial chariots arrived there and took the ghosts 
away, the ghosts having taken leave of the saintly brahmana.

2.22.77 The ghosts were relieved of their sins after the pious speech 
of that brahmana. They all achieved the highest region (Vaikuntha).

2.22.78 On hearing this anecdote, the lord of birds quaked like the 
asvattha tree. He asked the Lord again, for the benefit of human 
beings.

On ghosthood

Garuda said:

2.23.1 What do the ghosts do in their ghosthood? When do they speak 
sometime? Please tell me, o Lord of gods!

The Lord said:

2.23.2 I shall tell you about their form, signs and dreams. Being 
oppressed by hunger and thirst they enter their former home.

2.23.3 Though possessed of airy forms, they give signs to their 
sleeping descendants, o bird.

2.23.4 They visit the place where their sons, wives and relatives 
sleep.

2.23.5 If a person dreams of a horse, an elephant, a bull, or a man 
with deformed face, if a person awakened from sleep sees himself in 
the opposite side of the bed, this is all due to the workings of a 
ghost.

2.23.6 If a man is fastened with chains in dream, if his dead 
ancestors demand food in dream,

2.23.7 If one snatches the food from him while he is eating in dream, 
if thirsty, one drinks water,

2.23.8 If in dream one rides a bull or moves with bulls or if one 
springs up in the sky or goes to a holy place hungry,

2.23.9-10 If one speaks aloud among cows, bulls, brahmanas, horses, 
elephants, deities, ghosts and demons - this is due to the working of 
a ghosts. Many are the signs of ghosts in dream, o bird. It is due to 
a ghost if one sees his wife, relative, son or husband as dead.

2.23.11 He who begs in dream oppressed by hunger or thirst should give 
pindas to the manes to ward off coming distress.

2.23.12 If one sees in dream his son, cattle, father, brother, wife, 
getting out of house, it is due to the working of a ghost.

2.23.13 These signs, o bird, call for atonement. One should bathe at 
home or at a holy place, give water oblation to a deity at the root of 
a fig tree.

2.23.14 Or give black corn, perform worship, offer gifts to a Vedic 
scholar and do homa as far as his means can allow.

2.23.15 If, in faith, one reads or hears this discourse, the ghosts 
disappear immediately from his vicinity.

2.24.18 "If one neglects both, dana, japa, homa, study of the Vedas or 
the worship of gods on a certain day that is a day wasted in the life 
of that man.

2.24.20 "The food cooked in the morning becomes stale in the evening. 
How can one expect permanence in the body sustained by such a food?

2.24.31 "When the actions of previous births ripen, man succumbs to 
death. From the time of conception to the fifth year even a slight sin 
may cause death.

2.24.32-33 "It is due to major sins that man dies after the fifth 
year. Usually, he completes the allotted span of life, dies and is 
born again. It is a result of the influence of sacred rites and gifts 
that he is able to complete his life's term.

2.25.25 "Thereby a son yields all pleasure to his parents. If dead 
early, he is born again in the family.

2.25.45 "A single son, free from the sins of Kali, is honored by the 
Siddhas and fanned by celestial damsels with divine chowries. He will 
be able to lift hundreds of manes, kinsmen, sons, grandsons and 
great-grandsons fallen into the abysmal depths of Inferno.

2.26.52 "If she [a woman] is separated from her husband and dies 
elsewhere she cannot attain the region of her husband till the day of 
final deluge [at the end of kalpa].

2.26.56-57 "If a woman who is married duly according to religious 
rites does not associate herself with her husband she will remain 
miserable for seven births subsequent to this. She will be 
evil-conducted and repulsive in speech. The woman of such despicable 
character who goes after another man, leaving her own husband shall be 
born as lizard or an alligator or a leech.

2.26.59 "A woman who commits sins against her husband alive or dead 
shall never get a husband in her re-birth. She will be the most 
unfortunate creature among women.

2.27.36 "O excellent king, those who steal or misappropriate a 
brahmana's wealth, temple property, woman's wealth or children's money 
are turned into ghosts.

2.27.37 "Those who indulge in sexual intercourse with saintly women or 
women of their own gotra or forbidden women or those who steal 
conchshells become major ghosts.

2.27.38-40 "Those who steal corals and diamonds, those who steal 
garments, those who steal gold, those who do not face enemies but turn 
away from battlefield and are killed, those who are ungrateful, those 
who are atheists, harsh, roguish and foolhardy, those who are devoid 
of five major sacrifices [panca maha-yajna] - become ghosts, o great 
king.

2.27.56 "This gift is called pretaghata which removes all evils. It is 
rare in the world and it destroys the evil state.

2.27.57 "Get a jar of heated gold manufactured by the smith. Fill it 
with milk or butter. With full devotion to Brahma, Visnu, Siva and the 
guardians of quarters [dik-palas] give the same to a brahmana. What 
avails hundreds of other gifts is compared to this.

2.27.60 "This gift is best of all. It removes even the major sins. It 
should be made in good faith, o king, to ward off ghosthood.

2.29.7 "The ground should be smeared with cow dung. Gingelly seeds and 
darbha grass should be strewn. The sick man put thereon will be able 
to burn off his sins.

2.29.10 "Evil spirits, demons, ghosts and terrible giants of low 
strata attack the sick man lying on the ground which is not smeared 
with cow dung by people.

2.29.15 "Gingelly seeds originate from My sweat, O Garuda, and thence 
are holy. Asuras, Danavas and Daityas flee from the place where 
gingelly seeds are kept.

2.29.16 "Gingelly seeds, white, black or brown, destroy sins committed 
by the body.

2.29.18-19 "Darbha grass is born of My hair and the gingelly seeds 
originate from My sweat. Not otherwise. The holy sacred thread is an 
essential item in all religious rites. The whole universe rests on it. 
Brahma and other deities are propitiated when the sacred thread is 
worn in the normal way. When it is worn over the right shoulder and 
under the left arm, the manes are propitiated.

2.29.23 "O bird, there are five types of boats [panca pravahana] to 
succor saintly men who may otherwise get drowned in the ocean of 
worldly existence - tulasi, brahmanas, cows, Visnu and the Ekadasi 
day.

2.29.29 "If the ground is smeared with cow dung and the death bed is 
made of kusa grass, whatever charity is given therefrom dispels all 
sins.

2.29.30 "Salt is on par with everything divine. It yields everything 
the person wishes for himself. No dish tastes sweet without salt.

2.29.31 "Hence, salt is favorite with the manes. The gift of salt 
leads them to heaven. It is said that salt is originated from Visnu's 
body.

2.30.5 "He who makes a gift of gingelly seeds, cow, plot of land or 
gold to a worthy brahmana will have his sins, accruing in different 
births, instantaneously quelled.

2.30.13 "Gingelly seeds, iron, gold, cotton, salt, seven grains, plot 
of land and cow - each constitutes a holy gift. [cf. 2.40.61]

2.30.25 "Dagger, iron club, baton, sword and lancet are the weapons in 
the hands of Yama to curb the sinners.

2.30.28 "The different emissaries of Yama - Churinas, Sandas, Markas, 
Udumbaras - are delighted by gifts of iron.

2.30.30 "Listen to the course of a man dying on the earth. The first 
stage is that of Ativaha (subtle body in transit); then that of ghost; 
then at the end of a year that of pitr.

2.30.37 "The names of the ten incarnations of the Lord [dasavatara], 
viz - Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise), Varaha (boar), Narasimha, 
Srirama, Parasurama, Krsna, Balarama, Buddha and Kalki shall be 
remembered always.

2.30.47 "It is I [the Lord] who induce thoughts of virtue. It is Yama 
who induces thoughts of evil. (...)

2.32.9 "A woman in her menses is an outcaste on the first day, a 
slayer of brahmana on the second day and a washerwoman on the third. 
She becomes pure on the fourth day.

2.32.10 "After seven days, she becomes pure enough to take part in the 
worship of manes and deities. If conception takes place within seven 
days the progeny is impure.

2.32.15-16 "Conception usually takes place within eight days. On the 
fifth day the woman is given sweet dishes which is a good tonic for 
the embryo. Astringent and pungent things should not be taken at all. 
The woman's parts can be likened to a medicinal vessel. The seed of a 
man can is like an ambrosial food.

2.32.17 "A man depositing his semen in her vagina is actually sowing 
a seed. For the proper growth of the child she should avoid excessive 
sunshine. Cooling articles should be resorted to.

2.32.18-19 "On the night auspiciously selected for the intercourse, 
the pair should chew betel leaves and apply scents and sandal paste 
over their bodies. The ideas and thoughts that hover in the mind of 
the man [12 - the parents] at the time of intercourse have a lasting 
influence in molding the character of the conceived child.

2.32.22 "If the blood is predominant at intercourse, the child will be 
a girl. If the semen is predominant, the child will be a boy.

2.32.43-44 "There are ten principal nerves [nadi] in the body: Ida, 
Pingala, Susumna, Gandhari, Gajajihva, Pusa, Yasa, Alambusa, Kuhu and 
Sankhini.

2.32.100 "In this shadowy world of unsurmountable difficulties, the 
following six incite devotion: meditation on Visnu, observance of vow 
on the eleventh day of the month (Ekadasi), listening to the 
Bhagavadgita, worship of the sacred plant Tulasi, brahmanas and cows.

2.32.101 "By muttering the mantra Om namo bhagavate Vasudevaya, one is 
completely absorbed in Brahman. Even by worshiping Me alone, one can 
reach My region direct.

2.34.2 "In the Krta age they extol penance; in the Treta they extol 
knowledge, in Dvapara sacrifices and charities and in the Kali only 
gifts are extolled.

2.35.17-18 "If a member of the brahmana caste dies on days when the 
moon is in conjunction with any of the stars - Dhanistha and the four 
succeeding one ending with Revati - it is very inauspicious. Cremation 
and water libations is not performed during those days [so-called 
Pancaka]. 19 - no job should be done during it.

2.35.20 "Great distress will befall sons and clansmen of the dead who 
dies on any of these days. Loss in the house is also inevitable. 

2.35.41-43 "The hands and feet of the dead together with the covering 
cloth should be tied to the bamboo bier. If this is not done, there is 
risk of an attack by the pisacas. If the dead body is taken out during 
the night, there is a fear from spirits roaming in the sky. The dead 
body should not be left unattended. By touching it mishaps may occur.

2.35.45 "When there is a dead body in the village the following is 
avoided: chewing the betel, chewing the toothbrush twig, taking food, 
sexual intercourse and offering of pindas.

2.36.5 "If anyone observes the rite of fasting and dies, he will cast 
off his human form and become equal in lustre to Me.

2.36.8 "If a person suffering from an incurable disease such as 
plague, etc. observes fast and dies, he has no rebirth. He rejoices in 
heaven like a deity.

2.36.11 "If gifts are made in favor of the dead, his major and minor 
sins are washed away. On death, he attains immortality on par with 
sages.

2.36.15 "If a person dies at home after observing the fast, he alone 
will sojourn in heaven leaving the members of his family.

2.36.16 "If a person casts off food and water and drinks only the 
water from My feet [caranamrta], he is not reborn on the earth.

2.36.31 "What is given to father will be requited a hundredfold; to 
mother a thousandfold; to a sister a hundred thousandfold and to 
brother manifold. 

2.36.33 "Wealth is acquired with strain and stress. It is naturally 
unsteady. The only solution is in being gifted to others. Otherwise 
there awaits only disaster.

2.38.4 "After obtaining human form in any of the thirteen castes in 
Bharata[-varsa], if a man dies in a holy centre [tirtha], he is never 
born again. 

2.38.5 "The seven cities of Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya [Mayapura], Kanci, 
Avantika [Jagannatha Puri], Kasi and Dvaravati [Dvaraka] confer 
salvation.

2.38.7 "He has already tucked his clothes for his journey to his goal 
of salvation, if he pronounces the two letters "Hari" even for once.

2.38.9 "Undoubtedly one attains salvation if one dies near a Salagrama 
stone which is powerful for annihilating all sins and defects.

2.38.10 "There is no doubt in this that salvation is ever present 
wherever Salagrama stone or the stone of Dvaravati [Dvaraka-sila] or 
both are present.

2.38.11 "O bird, by growing, nurturing, sprinkling, saluting and 
extolling the Tulasi plant man's sin accumulated in various births is 
wiped off.

2.38.16 "He who lays down his life for the sake of his preceptor, a 
brahmana, a woman or a child attains salvations.

2.38.21-22 "A man dying in Hariksetra, Kuruksetra, Bhrguksetra, 
Prabhasa, Sri Saila, Arbuda, Puskara or Bhutesvara attains heavenly 
abode for the period of a day of Brahma and thereafter falls to earth.

2.38.25-26 "By giving gifts a man shall reap the fruits thereof. There 
is no doubt in this that he who resuscitates and repairs tanks, wells, 
lakes, parks and temples in ruins reaps twice the merit derived by the 
original builder.

2.40.4-12 "There are people who are dead by fasts [hunger?], killed by 
fanged animals, dead by strangulation, who are slayers of preceptors, 
killed by wolves, who die of arson or imprecations of brahmanas, who 
die of cholera, who commit suicide, who fall from a peak and die, who 
hang themselves to death, who are drowned in tank, river or ocean - 
listen to their plight. These go to hell. Those who are killed by the 
mlecchas and other infidels, who are defiled by dogs, jackals, etc., 
who are not cremated, who are full of germs, who die of leaping or 
great ailments or contact with foul women, or an attack by a low-born 
person, who die of water or serpent bite, who are struck by lightning, 
killed by fanged beasts, who die of falling from trees, who are 
defiled by women in menses and impurities, who are sudras, washermen 
and others, who are likely to fall into hell by committing sin or 
escaping it become ghosts - for such persons there is no rite of 
cremation, no water libation, no rite of obsequy and no observance of 
impurity. For these people, o Garuda, the rite of Narayana bali should 
be performed. Now, for the benefit of the entire world, I shall 
narrate the procedure of this rite that dispels the fear of sins.

2.40.40 "O lord of birds, the following articles should be gifted to a 
pious brahmana - seat, sandals, umbrella, coins, water pot, vessel, 
foodstuffs and grains, thus constituting the eight padas as well as a 
copper vessel with gingelly seeds along with gold and compatible 
daksinas.

2.40.61 "Gingelly seeds, iron, gold, cotton, salt, cow - each of them 
is considered to be pious.

2.42.1 "As a calf can trace its mother cow among a thousand cows, so 
also the actions done in previous births can follow the doer. 

2.42.4 "Gold is the first offspring of fire, land of Visnu and cow of 
the sun. He who gifts gold, cow and land actually makes a gift of 
three worlds.

2.42.5 "He who gifts knowledge, land and cow is blessed. Reciting 
epics and the Puranas, cultivating seeds in the fertile land and 
milking the cow save people from the hell.

2.42.22 "A person who performs japas and homas and abstains from 
accepting cooked food from others is not tarnished by any sin even if 
he accepts the gift of the whole earth, full of precious jewels."

2.43.2 "Either the mother or a kinsman can perform the expiatory rite 
of behalf of a boy less than twelve but above four.

2.43.5 "Boys less than four years [Mbh - 14 ys] in age can never be 
guilty or sinful. Even the king cannot punish them. There is no 
expiatory rite prescribed for such boys in the sastras."

2.44.1-3 "O bird, now listen. Those who die of their will, or through 
horned animals, toothed animals, reptiles, low caste people 
(candalas), suicide, poison, beating, water, fire, air, hunger are 
counted among great sinners. So also the women of bad character."

2.45.22 "If a donor or a receiver [of a gift] does not know of 
impurity due to birth or death of a relative then no fault accrues.

2.45.27 "[In the daily sraddha] he [the performer] should worship the 
Visvedevas, offer the cooked to the brahmanas along with the fee. He 
should pay homage to them as they take leave of him.

2.45.28 "With the Visvedevas in view, the brahmanas are fed 
sumptuously. This rite of feeding the brahmanas is called Nitya 
sraddha or Deva sraddha.

2.46.3 "Virtue triumphs, not evil. Truth triumphs, not falsehood. 
forgiveness wins, not anger. Visnu conquers, not the asuras. 
(=2.47.46)

2.46.4 "I have understood this truth that everything auspicious 
results from merit. When our merit is at peak we are devoted to Lord 
Krsna. 

2.46.9-10 "When the expiatory and deterrent tortures in hell cease, 
the living beings are born again in human (or animal - 28) form with 
the characteristic traits of their sins. O foremost among birds, I 
shall tell you what these signs are.

2.46.15 "(...) He who scolds others without a cause becomes a cat. 
(...)

2.46.16 "He who imparts knowledge to the undeserving becomes a bull. 
(...) He who is malicious to others, is born blind. He who steals a 
book is born similarly.

2.46.18-19 "(...) He who is averse to thinking on self is born a 
stupid trader. (...)

2.46.20-21 "(...) He who rapes an immature girl becomes a serpent. 
(...)

2.46.22 "(...) He who censures others is born of defiled womb. (...)

2.46.23-24 "(...) He who kills a serpent becomes a born (?) He who 
slanders brahmanas becomes a tortoise. He who subsists on the worship 
of murtis becomes a Candala.

2.46.26 "He who indulges in sex at the prohibited time becomes an 
eunuch.

2.46.31-32 "The receptivity, the inducement, misery, desire, effort, 
feature, complexion, love, hatred, birth, death - these are attributed 
to the beginningless soul. 

2.46.35 "O bird, all these take place in all castes according to their 
previous actions. (...)

2.47.24 "Bodies are perishable, riches are transitory, death is ever 
present. Hence, virtue should be accumulated.

2.47.39-40 "The life of a person devoid of gifts and virtue is 
pitiable. Then why not achieve a permanent fruit with the help of 
perishable body? Vital airs are only guests and they go away for 
certain sooner or later.

2.47.52 "A person achieves purity externally as well as internally if 
he meditates on the lotus-eyed Visnu, no matter in whatever state, 
pure or impure, he may be passing through. [om apavitrah pavitro va 
sarvavastham gato 'pi va, yah smaret pundarikaksam sa bahyabhyantarah 
sucih, sri visnu sri visnu sri visnu]

2.48.4-6 "For those walking on the path of Yama, the four vargas - 
dharma, artha, kama and moksa - are secondary. Having entered the body 
measuring a thumb of his own hand and being held by the noose, he 
weeps again and again (...)

2.49.11 "The departed souls enter into insentient objects, worms, 
birds, animals, men, deities, but after release do not enter into any 
object or any body at all.

2.49.27 "Time fleets while man is ignorant due to the pressure of work 
he is engrossed. People do not realize what is harmful or what is 
wholesome for them. They are deaf to their own interest.

2.49.28 "Even after seeing the distressed, the dead, the fallen and 
the aggrieved, people do not even fear having drunk the wine of 
infatuation.

2.49.33 "He who does not know reality calls as useful what is useless, 
as permanent what is impermanent and meaningful what is meaningless.

2.49.41 "One shall do today what is to be done tomorrow, before noon 
what is to be done afternoon - but whether done or not done, death 
does not wait whether a person has completed the task or left in 
incomplete.

2.49.43 "Split with the needle of greed, soaked in the oil of 
passions, cooked in the fire of anger and envy, man is eaten up by 
death. 

2.49.46 "This world has sorrow as the root. Whosoever possesses the 
same is sorrowful. Whosoever leaves it is happy.

2.49.48 "Man can get rid of fetters of iron and wood but not the 
fetters in the form of his son and wife.

2.49.49 "So far as a being makes relations dear to heart, the cones of 
sorrow are being pegged in his heart.

2.49.53 "Sleep, fear, sex and food are equal for all creatures. He who 
possesses knowledge is a man and he who is without knowledge is an 
animal. [eating, sleeping, mating, defending] 

2.49.57 "Association with the good and discrimination are two clear 
eyes. Whosoever lacks them is a blind man who can go astray from the 
right path.

2.49.58 "Men are busy with their own affairs devolved on them by their 
ancestral profession [varna] or by their particular stage in life 
[asrama]. They do not know about true religion. Being deceitful they 
perish.

2.49.62 "Can the ignorant fools get release by torturing their body? 
Can a serpent die simply by beating the hole wherein he dwells?

2.49.70 "People are content with their routine work. But that does not 
help them to reach the goal. It is the knowledge of truth or reality 
that effects release.

2.49.78 "They study the Vedas and discuss. But they do not realize the 
Ultimate Reality just as a spoon does not know the taste of food.

2.49.89 "The word of Guru alone can grant release. All knowledge is in 
vain. Among thousands of scriptures the word of Guru alone is 
vivifying.

2.49.94 "That is the right action which does not put one into bondage. 
That is the knowledge which brings him release. All other action is 
but a labor and all other knowledge is but an artisanship. [akarma vs. 
karma]

2.49.111 "He obtains release who bathes in the holy tirtha of mind 
whose pond is knowledge, water is truth and which is devoid of filth 
of attachment and envy.

2.49.114 "Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya [Mayapura], Kasi, Kanci, Avantika 
Puri and Dvaravati [Dvaraka] - these seven places of pilgrimage can 
grant release.

3.1.43 "In the Kali age, only three principal Puranas are devoted to 
Visnu. Among these the Bhagavata Purana renders more good to the 
people.

3.1.44 "The Bhagavata Purana opens with the description of the origin 
of the universe, Visnu, Brahma, Rudra and others.

3.1.45 "The wise declare knowledge to be manifold, consisting of 
various grades - high, low and middling. All that knowledge is found 
in the Bhagavata Purana. Hence, Bhagavata is the highest of all 
Puranas.

3.1.46 "The Visnu Purana comes next, then comes Garuda. The three are 
principal Puranas in the Kali age. Garuda contains some additional 
matter.

3.1.64 "...Bhagavata is the best of all Puranas."

3.1.74-77 order of worship before the recitation of the Puranas: Visnu 
(74), Laksmi, Vayu, Bharati (Sarasvati) (75-76) [also mentioned in 
88], Vyasa (77).

3.2.18 "The knowledge of the root [Visnu, 13] is essential. Those who 
are not aware of the root are asuras. They think that by illusion, the 
non-dual entity shows many forms as reflections in the mirror.

3.2.35 "The term [Brahman] is applicable primarily to Visnu. It is 
secondarily applicable to Brahma, Rudra and others. Being the 
store-house of endless merits Visnu is called Brahma.

3.2.57 "The Vedas declare Hari as the Lord of all. He who learns the 
Vedas with this knowledge is the best of the twiceborn.

3.2.61 "The Supreme Lord [Paramatma, conscience], when He observes 
that a guiltless person, with an honorable place in society, has 
committed a sinful deed, is extremely irritated and howls at him.

3.2.64 "Rise up, o Hari, that are ever watchful. Deprived of true 
knowledge and engrossed in worldly affairs from kalpa to kalpa, I 
undergo tortuous pains of unbearable suffering, o Lord.

3.2.65 "O Hari, you are of the nature of consciousness (cit sakti). 
You throw sinful daityas and evil-minded persons in the dungeon full 
of intense darkness. They say you are of the nature of suffering, o 
Hari, since you are distressed [as parent] by that act of yours.

3.3.3 "The incarnations of Lord Visnu are perfect. Perfect is that 
supreme form. Perfection begets perfection.

3.3.5 "The Supreme Lord is full. The Super-imposed universe is full. 
When the Super-imposed full is taken off that which remains is also 
full. [om purnam adah purnam idam purnat purnam udacyate purnasya 
purnam adaya purnam evavasisyate]

3.3.28 "She [Prakrti] is beginningless, eternal and truthful. How can 
she be a fake, o Lord of birds? Prakrti is eternal truth though not 
manifest in distinct form.

3.3.36 "The devotees of Visnu and their followers are exempt from 
censure and reproach. He who bears malice to them cannot receive the 
pleasure of Visnu. Even in the state of release he cannot enjoy 
perfect bliss.

3.3.39-40 "The seekers of eternal wisdom should know that the material 
objects consist of infinitesimal particles. You should know, o bird, 
that in the categories of the material objects there is a category 
called visesa of which the final visesa is the paramanu. ["the 
smallest", atomos]

3.3.43 "There are experts who can perceive the divisible particles of 
a substance but not the ultimate particle.

3.4.1 "When the Lord created the three gunas, their composite form 
being prakrti, there sprang up Laksmi in her threefold form - Sri, Bhu 
and Durga.

3.4.2 "Sri was characterized by sattva, Bhu by rajas and Durga by 
tamas. Thus say the wise.

3.4.8 "Brahma and Rudra are pervaded by Visnu. This very knowledge 
leads one to release. It is never otherwise.

3.4.22 "Of the three gunas, the sattva alone is pure. O Garuda, it is 
not mixed with rajas guna or tamas guna.

3.4.23 "It is called kevala sattva, not that it is superior to other 
gunas but because it was the only existing guna at the beginning of 
creation which got mixed with the rest at the time of dissolution.

3.4.63 "Thus, the three parts of rajas and one part of tamas [57, 64 - 
of four parts of mahat] constitute the body of Brahma due to the 
imbalance of gunas.

3.4.66 "There is a doubt, o Lord, on this point. The body of Brahma is 
constituted of pure sattva, they say. How could it be formed of rajas?

3.4.73 "Parts of rajas [in mahat of 12 parts]: one part of tamas, ten 
parts of rajas, one part of sattva - twelve parts in all.

3.4.74 "Parts of tamas: one part of rajas, eleven parts of tamas.

3.4.75 "Parts of sattva: ten parts of sattva. Such is the position of 
sattva in the mahat principle.

3.4.76 "Since Brahma is constituted of more sattva parts then any 
other deity he is called suddha sattva, i.e. consisting of pure 
sattvika quality.

3.6.23 "[Vayu prayed:] I crave for eternal pleasure accruing from the 
company of the person who sings praises of Hari. Those who initiate 
others to the same are Vaisnavas attached to Visnu.

3.6.39 "[Bharati prayed:] As in the original form, so in the assumed 
form at the stage of incarnation, Vayu feels no suffering. Visnu, 
Vayu and other incarnations do not suffer even when they take human 
shape.

3.6.58 "[Parvati prayed:] Your appellation 'Narayana' alone has the 
power to confer detachment from worldly affairs and devotion to the 
Lord. It can wipe off the sin of slaying a brahmana and of having 
illicit connection with the wife of a preceptor."

3.7.15 "[Daksa said:] The dust from the Lord's feet [in the form of 
Ganga] on the matted locks of hair made Siva auspicious. (...)

3.7.21 "[Aniruddha said:] O Lord, a man of poor intellect is averse to 
hearing the sweet narrative of Your Lordship. Such a person indulges 
in sensuous pleasures, the kissing of a woman's lovely cheek or a 
pressing his penis into her vagina filled with feces and intestines, 
like a pig fond of excrement.

3.7.33 "[Narada said:] O Lord, there is nothing more pleasing than 
hearing or uttering the praise of the Lord. O Lord, You purify those 
who utter Your name, together with their ancestors and successors.

3.7.63 "[Kratu said:] Your names, at the time of death, o Lord, 
destroy all suffering accruing from birth. Your names, when recited 
remove, all of a sudden, the pains of birth and confer release. Of 
such Yourself, o Lord, I place myself at disposal.

3.7.64 "O Lord Visnu, not to speak of those who meditate on You, even 
those who utter Your name for devotion attain release."

3.10.50 "From the unmanifest Prakrti to the gross elements the 
evolutes of Prakrti are primary. The knowledge of the same leads one 
to liberation.

3.10.51 "O Lord of the birds, the universe evolved out of the Cosmic 
Egg is secondary creation.

3.10.52-53 "Creation, dissolution, recreation and release, deities, 
major sages and regions Bhu, Bhuvar, Svar are eternal and 
unchangeable. The existence of the universe is actual and not a 
fiction.

3.10.54 "Those who speak otherwise are slayers of truth. The course of 
the universe is true, o Lord, the service of the Lord is also true."

3.12.74-75 "Neglecting the holy fig-tree, devoid of boughs, those who 
pay respects to the holy basil plant less than two months old or a 
young cow that has not delivered - should be declared asuras.

3.12.76 "...Full one hundred years of my [Brahma's] life constitute 
the age of Kali [a person]. 

3.12.79 "After the lapse of one hundred years the [sinful] living 
beings together with Kali will have their subtle bodies smashed with 
the thrust of a club by Vayu.

3.12.82-83 "In this world of mortals or in the world of extreme 
darkness, there is none equal to Kali who slanders the Lord, among the 
devotees of Siva who find pleasure in ignorance and aversion in 
knowledge. "Kali is known as Duryodhana, the endless pain incarnate.

3.12.84 "The wife of Kali hundred percent less in qualities is known 
as Alaksmi, popularly known as Manthara." [in Ramayana a hump-backed 
slave/servant of Kaikeyi]

3.14.30 "On Ekadasi, the day sacred to Visnu, the cooked food loses 
essence.

3.14.33 "O Lord of birds, on Ekadasi, sacred to Visnu, milk, ghee, 
honey and water are full of essence, while other stuffs are without 
essence. The best of sages have declared thus. 

3.14.34 "In the month of Asadha, o Garuda, the vegetable loses all 
essences.

3.14.35 "In the month of Asadha, o lord of birds, the curd loses all 
essences. In the month of Asvina, the milk loses all essences.

3.14.36 "If a woman does not put the traditional mark Urdhvapundra on 
her forehead, she becomes devoid of essence. Those who are averse to 
devotion of Hari are called asuras."

3.15.26 "Then in Kali age, the Lord was born in the Kikata [modern 
Bihar] as Buddha. He deluded the asuras and flouted the Vedas.

3.15.27 "Then, at the interval between Kali and Satya age, the Lord 
will be born in the house of Visnugupta and slay the rulers who have 
turned thieves."

3.16.2 "O lord of birds, the universe is distinct from the Lord. The 
personal soul is the eye that perceives the universe. The knowledge of 
the universe is the knowledge belonging to Laksmi.

3.16.3 "The eternal Goddess Laksmi is inseparable from the Lord. The 
feet of the Lord are her only shelter. She is a released soul. 
[>Madhva] She is always awakened.

3.16.6-8 "As the consort of Vasudeva, she is called Maya; as the 
consort of Sankarsana, Jaya; as the consort of Aniruddha, Santa; as 
the consort of Pradyumna, Krti; as the consort of Visnu, Laksmi - the 
presiding deity of sattva guna. As the consort of Krsna, the son of 
Nanda, she is called Kanyaka.

3.16.9-10 "As the goddess of earth, the presiding deity of rajas, she 
is the consort of Boar. As the presiding deity of the Vedas, she is 
Annapurna. As the consort of Narayana, she is Laksmi, the unborn.

3.16.28 "Abiding in the hearts of his devotees, he multiplies their 
devotion to Visnu. Therefore he [Vayu] is called the devotee of Visnu.

3.16.58 "Vayu consumes all sorrows accruing both from virtue and vice 
in the Kali-age. Hence, Vayu is called Kali.

3.16.66-67 "O lord of birds, I shall explain to you the total 
incarnations of Vayu. Listen. Of the fourteen Indras, the second is 
called Virocana who is identical with Vayu. With his eyes expanded all 
around, he, the partial incarnation of Marut, is also called Rocana.

3.16.68 "When the Lord Rama incarnated on earth, Vayu was born as 
Hanuman for rendering assistance to Rama.

3.16.69 "When Lord Krsna descended on earth, he was born as Bhima, the 
offspring of Vayu.

3.16.70-71 "Vayu will be born as Maniman daitya, known as Sankara. He 
will be so called, for he will abolish caste and destroy dharma.

3.16.72 "Then he will be born as the son of Vasudeva. There will be 
none equal to him in the fourteen worlds. He will be fully equipped 
with wisdom.

3.16.78-80 "Of the 23 forms of the Supreme Lord Brahma, Vayu is one. 
In the enjoyment of eternal bliss, pleasure, etc., Vayu is at par with 
Brahma. This truth knows no variation; listening to this leads to 
release.

3.16.84 "Being the presiding deity of the Vedas, she [Bharati] is the 
Veda herself. She is the mistress of Vayu, the great meditator. [same 
as v. 89]

3.17.4-5 "O lord of birds, in the Krta age, formerly, Parvati, the 
mistress of Rudra, Saci, the mistress of Indra, Syamala, the mistress 
of Yama and Usa, the mistress of Asvins, went to the region of Brahma.

3.17.6 "In the presence of Brahma, they displayed their amorous 
feeling [to him]. O best of birds, on seeing that they were excited by 
love, Brahma cursed all the four [to take human births].

3.17.41-42 "In the form of Draupadi, Saci and the rest had their 
intercourse with Vayu in the body of Arjuna and other [Pandavas], 
hence, their union with Arjuna and others was not illegal.

3.17.44 "As they have realized Self, even if they transgress norms 
they cannot invite scandal."

3.18.21 "Suka, the son of Vyasa, who had been influenced by Vayu, was 
the incarnation of Rudra.

3.18.23 "Born of Drona, Asvatthama was Rudra himself. He was born to 
reap the fruits of the seeds of his actions sown in former births [22 
- as Durvasa] and to illumine (by contrast) the virtues of his enemy. 

3.19.20 "Except Lord Brahma even the gods, until and unless they are 
released, are ignorant. Brahma and Vayu know their self and the 
Supreme Self endowed with special traits.

[Nila to her father Agni:]

3.19.31 "In this world, there are several women who though married are 
always widows. Those who do not regard Hari as their husband - Hari 
who is beginningless, eternal, the quintessence of the universe, 
beautiful, bestower of liberation and accomplisher of desires - are 
always widows.

3.19.37 "The women should desert their husbands if they are averse to 
Visnu.

3.19.38 "If they have stored merit accruing from their pious acts 
performed in previous lives, their husbands can be devoted to Visnu.

3.19.39 "Rare are the devotees of Visnu in Kali age. Rare is a 
devotion for the Lord. Rare is the narrative of the Lord to be heard 
in the mortal world. Initiation in the cult of Visnu is rare, very 
rare. Rare is the company of the devotees of Hari.

3.19.40 "Rare is the chance for circumambulating the Lord or for 
homage to Hari. Rare is the means for maintaining His devotees. Rare 
is the gift of food to them.

3.19.41 "Rare is the tantric worship conducted for the Lord. Rare is 
the recitation of His name. Rare is the worship of His devotees. Rare 
is the dialogue with Him.

3.19.53-54 "You are my mother, father, husband, friend, son, 
preceptor, brother, sister and my darling. Throughout this vast 
universe, o Lord, I have been trying to know Reality but have not 
succeeded in my attempt. Father, mother, etc. are just artificial 
relations. You are the sole true relation, my Lord.

3.19.72-74 "In her second birth, Nila was born as the daughter of 
Nagnajit, Kavyavaha. In the svayamvara of Nila, I controlled seven 
bulls who by the favor of Lord Siva were uncontrollable by gods and 
mortals. I conquered kings who had assembled at the ceremony. I 
married her."

3.20.26 "The wise declare that the life of such people is rendered 
fruitless as have not heard the Bhagavata or the Brahma-kanda section 
of the present Purana, in the company of their preceptor or the 
followers of the Bhagavata sect. Such is the efficacy of the 
illustrious narrative of the glorious Lord. (32 - opposite case: those 
who hear or narrate Bh.P.)

3.20.28-29 "In the village, where there is no recital of the Bhagavata 
Purana, no follower of the Bhagavata cult who can taste the flavor of 
the Bhagavata verses, where there is no exegesis or commentary on the 
supreme songs of the Lord or His one thousand names, where there are 
no people who understand the substance thereof, one should not live 
even for a moment.

3.20.34 "Those who recite Bhagavata Purana out of greed for riches or 
those who know but do not reveal the secret of the Bhagavata go to 
Yama's abode.

3.20.35-37 "Those who create interest in Dharma and Karma Kandas but 
not in the Brahma Kanda and those who recite the Purana by accepting 
fee go to Yama's abode. Those alone are worthy of recital who remain 
satisfied with whatever money is offered willingly by devotees.

3.20.38 "Those who are extremely greedy of wealth have no right to 
recite this Purana.

3.20.43 "One should enjoy the essence of the Bhagavata Purana - a rare 
thing in this mortal world. One should enjoy the essence so that tears 
of joy may trickle down the eye - a phenomena very rare to occur."

3.21.1-2 "O lord of birds, now shall I tell you the birth of Kalindi, 
too. A daughter was born to Vivasvat of the solar race. O lord of 
birds, she was Kalindi, also known as Yamuna, the daughter of sun. She 
practiced penance with a desire to obtain Lord Krsna for her husband.

3.21.3 "Penance, they say, is a self-reflection, whereby reality is 
sought to be determined or it is a way of repentance for the sins of 
previous life.

3.21.4 "Praya is a penance wherein the mind is controlled. Hence, 
Prayascitta (expiation) is a way of self-control. It is not the 
tonsure of head which they do while entering penance.

3.21.5 "This penance has its root in remorse. (...)

3.21.13 "I have incurred sin by not offering perfumes, flowers, 
ornament or clothes. My body is polluted by anointing it with the 
perfumes prepared by nondevotees of Visnu. (...)

3.21.26 "But Brahma is not so complete in merits as Laksmi. Laksmi is 
not so complete in virtue as Visnu. Bharati is not so complete as 
Vayu. Varuni is not so complete as Sesa.

3.21.27 "Parvati is not so complete as Rudra. Others too are not so 
complete either. Brooding over the matter in her mind, she practiced 
penance on the bank of Yamuna river.

3.21.28 "At that time I had gone hunting on the bank of Yamuna. I saw 
her there practicing penance. I spoke to my friend Arjuna. 

3.21.29 "O friend, approach the maiden immediately and ask her about 
the purpose of her penance.

3.21.32 "I married her just to favor her, but not for My pleasure. 
(...)

3.21.33 "Listen, I am going to tell a great secret. There is nothing 
that the preceptor will not disclose to his disciple."

3.23.23 "If one goes on pilgrimage on foot let him take the Salagrama 
stone with him. Such a person obtains full fruits of his pilgrimage. 
If he wears shoes or protects his feet, he derives the fruit of his 
pilgrimage less by one fourth.

3.23.24 "(...) If he subsists on the food provided by another, his 
pilgrimage is wasted. He derives no fruit of his pilgrimage.

3.23.25 "But there is no sin if he accepts food from an ascetic, Vedic 
scholar or a high-souled person. (...)

3.23.28 "The noble have declared that pilgrimage without compassion is 
barren. Similar fate awaits those who do not hear the divine story of 
Lord Hari on their way to a shrine.

3.23.31 "The sin accruing from the worship of Lord without devotion 
can be wiped off by the repeated uttering of the Vedic mantra for the 
purpose or by meditating upon Visnu. Whatever is performed by way of 
worship without devotion is a sheer waste. Thus say the learned 
devotees of Visnu.

3.23.47-48 "She [Jambavati] put salagrama in front and bowed to the 
Lord with devotion. She had traversed one hundred steps before she 
found herself in front of the Lord where sitting comfortably she heard 
the recital of the Bhagavata and the portion of the Purana which 
contains the praise of the mountain Venkata. [Garuda P.] With full 
devotion she heard the glory of Lord Venkatadri from the honorable 
preceptor Jaigisavya."

3.24.8-11 "Brahma and others can see Srinivasa as of eternal form of 
lustrous body. This is how Venkatesa is seen by Rudra and his 
associates. He appears to them as lustrous as one hundred thousand 
suns, which to the mortals is as lustrous as one thousand suns, as 
also possessed of the lustre of lightning. To the sages he appears 
like the sun and the moon, to holy men like constellations, to the 
worldly people like the mass of milk, to the liars as a blue stone, to 
the lay people as an ordinary stone only.

3.24.12 "People do not realize the true form of Lord Hari. They are 
swayed by tamas and rajas.

3.24.13 "Those characterized by sattva are seldom found in Kali age. 
Those who appear to be devotees of Visnu are in fact not devotees at 
all. Rather, they are busy in filling up their belly and meeting their 
sexual desire; for they undertake journey with that end in view.

3.24.14 "Rare is the diffusion of devotion in the iron age. Those who 
are devotees of the Lord but still not detached from worldly pleasures 
cannot easily get the sight of Lord Visnu.

3.24.34-35 "O maid, hear, I shall tell you a significant fact. At a 
congregation where lay narrate the tale of Visnu, where the devotees 
who understand the essence flock together - all those who are present 
are the devotees of the Lord.

3.24.40 "(...) He should worship Lord Visnu with eight organs of the 
body [astanga-pranama]. He should worship his preceptor in the same 
way taking him for Visnu.

3.24.45 "Brahma, etc. are the names of Visnu which He Himself had 
given to the gods. The wise Lord did not transfer some of His names 
such as Kesava, just as a king, when leaves the capital, does not 
relinquish his title or pass it onto another. [> Vs 1.4.28]

3.24.51 "In the epithet Kesava, the letter 'K' denotes the primeval 
being Brahma which again signifies the lord of all beings. The word 
Isa denotes the worthy Lord Rudra who instigates dissolution of the 
universe.

3.24.57 "In the word Govinda 'go' means the universal speech. As You 
are expressed by the medium of universal speech you are called 
Govinda. O Lord, You are known to or by the Vedas.

3.24.73 "The maid sat in front of the principal deity and said: 'O 
noble Jaigisavya, please tell me how shall I have the audience of the 
Lord.'

3.24.74 "'O maid, I tell you how you shall proceed. At the main gate 
of Srinivasa you should recite the following:

3.24.75 "I commit thousands of faults day and night. O Lord, pardon 
all these faults of mine, o best of primeval beings.

3.24.76 "'O Lord, efface those causes of mine which create hatred for 
the devotees of Visnu, whether they are mental, oral or physical.

3.24.125 "O lord of birds, it is very rare to keep company with the 
good and noble people who can throw light on the nature of tattvas. It 
is possible to have a preceptor only if one has in store the aggregate 
of merits accumulated in previous existences.

3.24.126 "In the company of holy pious people even inauspicious things 
turn into auspicious ones. In the company of Lord Visnu the unsteady 
mind leaves its unsteadiness, as water changes its nature in 
association with the sea-shell or in contact with lotus leaf.

[8-year old Hiranyaksa:]

3.26.16 "The primeval Lord Visnu alone is the son because He protects 
against the hell Pum which is none other than this body itself. O 
mother, neither I, your son, nor your husband nor your parents nor 
brothers can ever be called your protectors. None other than Visnu is 
the protector.

3.26.17 "O mother, cut off your illusion with the weapon of knowledge 
and fix up your mind on Hari. O mother, the devotional remembrance of 
the name of Hari alone can destroy the sins for ever.

3.26.92 "One should donate the holy stone of salagrama to a brahmana 
well versed in the Vedas. The gift of salagrama destroys all sins, 
even those accruing from the slaughter of a brahmana.

3.26.100 "If a devotee is unable to donate anything in charity, he 
should at least hear the glorious narrative of the Lord. Thereby, he 
can derive as much fruit as is available by the gift of salagrama.

3.26.119 "The murti of Sesa [salagrama?] is twofold: awakened and 
asleep.

3.26.120 "The awakened form is the one with rising hoods which number 
seven lakhs. The sleeping form is rare to behold. It is one that 
bestows fortune in this world and liberation hereafter.

3.26.121-122 "If the murti carries nine to twenty wheels [cakras] it 
is called Ananta. It confers endless fruits to the worshiper. If it 
carries more than twenty wheels it is called Visvambhara.

3.27.34-36 "The maid practiced penances at these holy places. She 
continued the practice till I descended on earth. She gave up her body 
by way of yoga and was born in the house of Jambavat. She was called 
Jambavati. Her father Jambavat gave her in marriage to Me. I married 
her and gave her a rank next to Rukmini. Who else than Myself can 
describe the glory of Mount Venkata?

3.28.8 "Revati, the daughter of Raivata, became the wife of Balabhadra 
along with Varuni and Sauparna. (...)

3.28.20-21 "Arjuna, the son of Kunti, was the incarnation of 
Mantradyumna [Mantradruma, 6th of 14 Indras], Visnu and Ananta. Among 
the four, Vayu was prominent in Arjuna.

3.28.26-27 "Kusa, the son of Rama Dasarathi, was also Indra. Since he 
was created by sage Valmiki by means of Kusa grass, he was named Kusa, 
the son of Sita.

3.28.28 "Mantradyumna [>3.28.20-21], Purandara [present Indra], Gadhi 
[father of Visvamitra], Bali [the monkey king], Arjuna, Vikuksi [son 
of Iksvaku] and Kusa - these seven are Indras.

3.28.34 "Sudarsana [presiding deity of disc], Pradyumna [son of 
Krsna], Bharata [brother of Rama], Samba [son of Krsna], Sanat-kumara 
[son of Brahma] and Skanda [son of Rudra] - these six are the 
incarnations of Kama [Cupid].

3.28.36 "Prana (vital airs) is called ahamkara; it is a part of 
Garutmat [Garuda]. It is inferior to Kama and Indra by ten percent.

3.28.44 "Svayambhuva Manu, at par with Brhaspati, the preceptor of 
Devas, was the first son of the creator. He was born to propitiate 
Lord Visnu. He formulated laws of the state [Manu-samhita].

3.28.45 "Brhaspati, the preceptor of gods, had three forms, o lord of 
birds. When Rama incarnated on earth, he was born as Bharata. As such 
he was pervaded by Brahma.

3.28.46 "He took monkeys, the incarnations of Devas, across the ocean 
of life and death. He narrated the mighty exploits of Lord Rama. He 
was known as Nara who incarnated to be absorbed in Rama.

3.28.47 "When Lord Krsna incarnated on earth, Brhaspati, the preceptor 
of gods, incarnated as Drona [son of Bharadvaja and apsara Ghrtaci]. 
He was pervaded by the creator. As Brhaspati was born of drona [jug], 
he was called Drona.

3.28.48 "Brhaspati incarnated as Uddhava. He was pervaded by wind god 
in order to help the Lord to relieve the earth of its burden and 
mankind of their suffering.

3.28.62-63 "Visnu is the best of all gods. Brahma and the rest are 
dependent on Him. Whatever I [Lord Krsna] state is the truth.

3.28.68 "The primeval being, Visnu, alone is real. (...)

3.28.69-70 "The supreme soul is real, so is the personal soul. The 
difference between the two is real, so also between the animate and 
the inanimate, similarly between the inanimate and the Lord. The 
difference between one soul and the other is also real. If all this is 
proved to be false then let the lord of snakes sting Me mortally. 
[basis of Madhva's dvaita]

3.28.71 "So saying, He [Krsna] caught hold of the infuriated snake but 
the snake did not sting Him at all. (...)

3.28.73 "By accepting duality as a matter of fact, one feels quite 
happy. If all this is proved to be false then let the lord of serpents 
sting Me mortally. 

3.28.75 "[Lord Krsna said:] In this body two organs are the strongest 
of all. They are two ears and two eyes. The two are interrelated. O 
lord of birds, I shall tell you the real nature of the two.

3.28.76 "Ears are prone to hearing gossips and enjoying them with 
pleasure. They are naturally averse to hearing the ambrosial tale of 
Lord Visnu. They have twofold nature: dullness and control. 

3.28.77 "Eyes are prone to gaze at men and women. Excessive doting 
takes away sleep. They are averse to seeing the devotees and their 
worship of the Lord.

3.28.78 "Even the stupid person is aware of their dual nature. He 
rather accepts indulgence as a matter of course. In his stupidity he 
takes delight in entering his penis in the vagina of any female.

3.28.79 "Neither men nor women nor ascetics have any dread or shame in 
this respect. Men can copulate even with their sisters, that too at 
the day time, just as the priests do with the women at the Soma 
sacrifice.

3.28.85 "Intellect is the wife of Purusa. She has twofold nature, o 
lord of birds. One is wicked; the other is pious. Of the two the 
younger one is wicked, the elder one is pious.

3.28.109 "O lord, propitiate the brahmanas, the devotees of Visnu, who 
alone can help you to cross the ocean of suffering in this world. 
Therefore give up the worship of gods or goddesses (other than Visnu). 
Is there any gain in propitiating illusion?

3.29.5 "Ganga is so called because she purifies the world by her 
waters. The devotees call her Visnupadi out of devotion for her.

3.29.6 "Formerly, she forced her way out of the nails of the left foot 
of Visnu whose symbol is sacrifice. In the beginning she broke through 
the upper part of the cosmic egg.

3.29.14 "One should never nourish his own sexual organ but should ever 
devote oneself to the phallic emblem of Siva. One should not attach 
oneself to the vagina of a woman. If he gives up his thought on vagina 
he becomes detached and attains liberation.

3.29.16 "(...) The wife of Yama is Syamala. She is also the wife of 
Kali.

3.29.24-25 "Since she avoided all these, she was called Syamala. She 
became the consort of Vasudeva known as Devaki. (...)

3.29.31 "(...) The noble Abhimanyu was born of Arjuna and Subhadra. He 
contains the amsas of Krsna, moon, Yama, Asvins and Hara.

3.29.38 "O lord of birds, now I shall tell you about those activities 
which are delightful to the Lord. A person should rise early in the 
morning and remember Lord Hari Narayana.

3.29.39 "He should bow to Tulasi and remember Visnu and His consort 
Laksmi. At the call of nature, while evacuating bowels he should 
remember Kesava of the form of apana [vital air].

3.29.43-44 "In the house where there is no cow or the holy basil plant 
in the courtyard, where the inmates do not celebrate any festival for 
the gods, where there is no recitation of the narrative of Visnu, one 
should never stay even for a moment, for association with the inmates 
of that house will lead to misery. 

3.29.45 "He who does not keep a cow at home, is unaware of the art of 
milking it or is averse to nourishing it, passes his life in vain. 

3.29.62 "When he is on the verge of death he should remember the 
attributeless and omnipresent Narayana and His vehicle Garuda. (...)

3.29.63 "When indulging in intercourse with his consort he should 
remember Visnu playing with the gopis' pair of breasts.

3.29.64 "When he is going to sleep he should remember Hari as the 
incarnation of Vyasa."