The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4: Books 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18
General
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4: Books 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18
Epic literature, Sanskrit
"'Bhishma said, "Having purified oneself (by baths and other purificatory
acts) and then going through the well-known auspicious rites, one should
carefully do all acts relating to the deities in the forenoon, and all
acts relating to the Pitris in the afternoon. What is given to men should
be given in the midday with affection and regard. That gift which is made
untimely is appropriated by Rakshasas.[211] Gifts of articles that have
been leapt over by any one, or been licked or sucked, that are not given
peacefully, that have been seen by women that are impure in consequence
of their season having come, do not produce any merit. Such gifts are
regarded as the portion belonging to the Rakshasas. Gifts of articles
that have been proclaimed before many people or from which a portion has
been eaten by a Sudra, or that have been seen or licked by a dog, form
portions of Rakshasas. Food which is mixed with hair or in which there
are worms, or which has been stained with spittle or saliva or which has
been gazed at by a dog or into which tear-drops have fallen or which has
been trodden upon should be known as forming the portion of Rakshasas.
Food that has been eaten by a person incompetent to utter the syllable
Om, or that has been eaten by a person bearing arms, O Bharata, or that
has been eaten by a wicked person should be known to form the portion of
Rakshasas.[212] The food that is eaten by a person from which a portion
has already been eaten by another, or which is eaten without a part
thereof having been offered to deities and guests and children, is
appropriated by Rakshasas. Such stained food, if offered to the deities
and Pitris is never accepted by them but is appropriated by Rakshasas.
The food offered by the three regenerate classes in Sraddhas, in which
Mantras are either not uttered or uttered incorrectly and in which the
ordinances laid down in the scriptures are not complied with, if
distributed to guests and other people, is appropriated by Rakshasas. The
food that is distributed to guests without having been previously
dedicated to the deities or the Pitris with the aid of libation on the
sacred fire, which has been stained in consequence of a portion thereof
having been eaten by a person that is wicked or of irreligious behaviour,
should be known to form the portion of Rakshasas.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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