Yudhishthira said O best of Bharata's family and the foremost of great men, I wish to know what the fruits are of good deeds! Do you enlighten me.

Bhishma said I shall tell you what you have asked. Do you, O Yudhishthira, listen to this which forms the secret knowledge of the Rishis.

Listen to me as I explain what the long coveted ends, are which befall men after death. The fruits of whatever actions are performed by creatures in whatever bodies or forms of existence, are reaped by the doers while crcatures perform good or evil acts, they reap the fruits there of in similar states of succeeding lives. No act done with the help of the five organs of sensual perception, is ever lost.

The five sensual organs and the immortal soul which is the sixth, are its witnesses. One should devote his eye (to the service of others); one should devote his heart (to the same); one should utter sweet words: one should also follow and worship (one's guest). This is the sacrifice with five gifts. He who offers good food to the unknown, and tired traveller, fatigued by a long journey, acquires great merit.

Those who use the sacrificial platform as their only bed, obtain palatial mansions and beds (in subsequent births). He who wears only rags and barks of trees for dress, gets good apparel and ornaments.

One possessed of penances and having his soul on Yoga, gets vehicles and riding animals. The king who lics down by the side of the sacrificial fire, acquires vigour and valour.

The man who casts off the enjoyment of all delicacies, acquires prosperity, and he who abstains from animal food, obtains children and cattle.

He who lies down with his head downwards, or who lives in water, or who lives secluded and alone in the practice of Brahmacharya, acquires all the desired ends.

He who gives shelter to a guest and welcomes him with water to wash his feet as also with food, light and bed, acquires the merits of the sacrifice with the five gifts.

He who on the battlefield, lays himself down as a warrior on a warrior's bed, goes to those eternal regions where all the objects of desire are fulfilled.

A man, O king, acquires riches who makes charitable gifts. One gets obedience to one's command by the vow of silence all the enjoyments of life by practice of austerities, long life by Brahmacharya, and beauty, prosperity and immunity from discase by abstaining from injury to others.

Those who live on fruits and roots only, acquire Sovereignty, those who live on only leaves of trees acquire Residence in heaven.

A man, O king, is said to acquire happiness, by abstention from food. By eating herbs alone, one gets cows. By living on grass, one acquires the celestial regions.

By avoiding all intercourse with his wife and making ablutions three times a day and by inhaling the air only for purposes of maintenance one acquires the merit of a sacrifice. Heaven is gained by the practice of truth, and nobility of birth by sacrifices.

The Brahmana of pure practices who lives on water only, and performs the Agnihotra continually, and recites the Gayatri, acquires a kingdom. By abstaining from food or by restricting it, one acquires residence in heaven.

O king, by avoiding all but the prescribed diet while celebrating sacrifices, and by making pilgrimage for twelve years, one acquires a place better than the abodes reserved for heroes.

By reading all the Vedas, is immediately freed from misery, and by practising virtue in thought, one acquires the heavenly regions.

That man who shakes off the longing for happiness and material comforts-a thirst that is difficult of conquest by the foolish and which does not abate with the decline of physical vigour and which clings to him like a dreadful disease,-is able to secure happiness.

As the young calf is able to recognise its dam from among a thousand cows, so do the pristinc deeds of a man follow him.

As the flowers and fruits of a tree, unmoved by apparent influences, never miss their proper one season, so does Karma done in a pristine existence bring about its fruits in proper time.

With age, man's hair grows grey; his teeth become loose; his eyes and ears too become dim in action; but the only thing that does not decline is his desire for enjoyments.

Prajapati is pleased with those deeds which please one's father, and the Earth is pleased with those acts which please one's mother, and Brahma is pleased with those acts which please one's mother, and Brahma is adored with those acts that please one's preceptor. Virtue is honoured by him who honours these three. The acts of those who despise these three do not help them.

Vaishampayana said The princes of the line of Kuru became filled with surprise upon listening to this speech of Bhishma. All of them became pleased in mind and overpowered with joy.

As Mantras applied for gaining victory, or the performance of the Soma sacrifice made without proper gifts, or oblations poured on the fire without proper hymns, become fruitless and produce evil results, so sin and evil results originate from falsehood.

O prince, I have thus described to you this doctrine of the fruition of good and evil deeds, as recounted by the Rishis of old. What else do you wish to hear. O prince, I have thus described to you this doctrine of the fruition of good and evil deeds, as recounted by the Rishis of old. What else do you wish to hear.