"'Bhishma said, "He who takes food only morning and evening at the prescribed hours and abstains from all food during the interval between, is said to be an abstainer from food. He who has congress with only his wedded wife and that only at her season, is said to be observant of the vow of Brahmacharya. By always making gifts, one comes to be regarded as truthful in speech. By abstaining from all meat obtained from animals slaughtered for nothing, one becomes an abstainer from meat.[417] By making gifts one becomes cleansed of all sins, and by abstaining from sleep during daytime one comes to be regarded as always awake. He who always eats what remains after serving the needs of guests and servants is said to always eat Amrita. He who abstains from eating till Brahmanas have eaten (of that food), is regarded as conquering heaven by such abstention. He who eats what remains after serving the deities, the Pitris, and relatives and dependants, is said to eat Vighasa. Such men acquire many regions of felicity in the abode of Brahman himself. There, O king, they dwell in the company of Apsaras and Gandharvas. Indeed, they sport and enjoy all sports of delight in those regions, with the deities and guests and the Pitris in their company, and surrounded by their own children and grandchildren. Even such becomes their high end."Mbh 13.93.6 · Mahabharata · ANUSASANA PARVA
Mbh 13.93.6
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
CharityThe DivineMarriageChildrenJoyLeadershipSinSpeech
Charity in other traditions
The same theme, as Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and Taoism address it.
And of them is he who made a covenant with Allah (saying): If He give us of His bounty we will give alms and become of the righteous.Quran 9:75 · Quran · Repentance
Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.Hosea 9:14 · Bible · Hosea
Give up what is before, give up what is behind, give up what is in the middle, when thou goest to the other shore of existence; if thy mind is altogether free, thou wilt not again enter into birth and decay.Dhp 24.348 · Dhammapada · Thirst
I do not know its name, and I give it the designation of the Tao (the Way or Course). Making an effort (further) to give it a name I call it The Great.Tao Te Ching 25.2 · Tao Te Ching
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