"The man of faith, devoted to piety, and constant in the exercise of
virtue, on reading this section is freed from sin. The believer that
constantly heareth recited this section of the Bharata, called the
Introduction, from the beginning, falleth not into difficulties. The man
repeating any part of the introduction in the two twilights is during such
act freed from the sins contracted during the day or the night. This
section, the body of the Bharata, is truth and nectar. As butter is in
curd, Brahmana among bipeds, the Aranyaka among the Vedas, and nectar
among medicines; as the sea is eminent among receptacles of water, and the
cow among quadrupeds; as are these (among the things mentioned) so is the
Bharata said to be among histories.
"He that causeth it, even a single foot thereof, to be recited to
Brahmanas during a Sradha, his offerings of food and drink to the manes of
his ancestors become inexhaustible.
"By the aid of history and the Puranas, the Veda may be expounded; but the
Veda is afraid of one of little information lest he should it. The learned
man who recites to other this Veda of Vyasa reapeth advantage. It may
without doubt destroy even the sin of killing the embryo and the like. He
that readeth this holy chapter of the moon, readeth the whole of the
Bharata, I ween. The man who with reverence daily listeneth to this sacred
work acquireth long life and renown and ascendeth to heaven.
"In former days, having placed the four Vedas on one side and the Bharata
on the other, these were weighed in the balance by the celestials
assembled for that purpose.
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