Markandeya said: - -
1. O conqueror of hostile cities, O hero in this connection, Sarasvati, when asked by that intelligent Rishi Tarkshya, said (the following). Hear it.
Tarkshya said: - -
2. O blessed lady, what is the best thing for a man to do here (on earth) and how he must act so that he may not deviate from (the path of) virtue. O beautiful lady, tell me all, so that being instructed by you I may not deviate from the path of my own duty (Dharma).
3. When and how must one offer oblations to the fire and when must he worship, so that his virtue may not be destroyed? O blessed lady, tell me all, so that I may live in this world without any passion, craving or desire.
Markandeya said: - -
4. Thus questioned by that cheerful Rishi and having seen him eager to learn and at the same time possessed of great intelligence, Sarasvati spoke these virtuous and beneficial words to the Brahmana Tarkshya.
Sarasvati said: - -
5. He who knows Brahma, he who perceives the Supreme with purity and equanimity goes to the celestials region and obtains the supreme bliss with the immortals.
6. Many large, beautiful and sacred lakes are there, abounding in fishes, flowers and golden lotuses. They are like holy shrines and their very sight drives away all grief.
7. Pious men, specially adored by the Apsaras, who are virtuous, well-adorned and golden-complexioned, live in contentment on the banks of these lakes,
8. He who gives away cows (to the Brahmanas here) goes to the highest region. By giving bullocks he goes to the solar region, by giving clothes he goes to the lunar region and by giving gold he goes to the region of the immortals.
9. He who gives away a beautiful cow with a fine calf, a cow which is easily milked and which does not run away lives in the celestials region as many years as there are hairs on the body of that cow.
10. He who gives a fine, strong, powerful and young bullock which is capable of drawing the plough and of carrying burdens goes to the region obtained by men who give away ten kine.
11. When a man gives away a well-caparisoned Kapila cow with money and with a bronze milk pot, he finds that cow, becoming a giver of boons, has come to his side by her own distinguished qualities.
12. He who gives away cows obtains so many merits as are the number of hair on the body of those cows. He also saves (from hell) his sons, grandsons and ancestors up to the seventh generation (upwards and downwards).
13. He, who presents to a Brahmana sesame made up in the form of a cow having horns made of gold with money and a brazen milk pail, goes easily to the region of the Vasus.
14. A man by his own acts falls into the dark depth of the lower region infested by evil spirits, as a ship (goes down) tossed by the tempest on the high sea. But gift of kine saves him in the next world.
15. He who gives his daughter in marriage in the Brahma form, who gives away land to the Brahmanas and duly makes other presents goes to the region of Purandara.
16. O Tarkshya, the virtuous man who continually offers oblations to the sacred fire for seven years sanctifies by his this action his seven generations upwards and downwards.
Tarkshya said: - -
17. O beautiful lady, tell me who ask you the rules of the Agnihotra as explained in the Vedas. I shall learn from you the time-honoured rules for perpetually keeping the sacred fire.
Thus ends the one hundred and eighty-sixth chapter, the history of Tarkshya in the Markandeya Samasya of the Vana Parva.