Section XXXV

"Dhritarashtra said,

'O you of great intelligence, tell me again words such as these, consistent with religion and profit. My thirst for hearing them is not quenched. What you sayst is charming!"

"Vidura said,

'Ablution in all the holy places and kindness to all creatures,—these two are equal. Perhaps, kindness to all creatures surpasses the former. O master, show kindness unto all your sons, for by that winning great fame in this world, you will have heaven hereafter. As long as a man’s good deeds are spoken of in this world, so long, O tiger among men, is he glorified in heaven. In this connection is cited an old story about the conversation between Virocana and Sudhanvan, both suitors for Kesini’s hand. Once on a time, O king, there was a maiden of the name of Kesini, unrivalled for beauty; moved by the desire of obtaining a good husband, she resolved to choose her lord in Swayamvara.

Then one of the sons of Diti, Virocana by name, went to that spot, desirous of obtaining the maiden. Beholding that chief of the Daityas, Kesini addressed him, saying,

'Are Brahmanas superior, O Virocana, or are the sons of Diti superior? And why also should not Sudhanvan sit on the sofa?'

Virocana said,

’sprung from Prajapati himself, we, O Kesini, are the best and at the top of all creatures, and this world is ours without doubt. Who are the gods, and who are the Brahmanas?'

Kesini said,

'We will, O Virocana, stay here in this very pavilion. Sudhanvan will come here on the morrow, and let me see both of you sitting together.'

Virocana said,

'O amiable and timid girl, I will do what you sayst. You will behold Sudhanvan and myself met together in the morning.'

"Vidura continued,

'When the night had passed away and the solar disc had risen, Sudhanvan, O best of kings, came to that place where, O master, Virocana was waiting with Kesini. And Sudhanvan saw there both Prahlada’s son and Kesini. And beholding the Brahmana arrived, Kesini, O bull of the Bharata race, rising up from hers, offered him a seat, water to wash his feet, and Arghya.

And asked by Virocana (to share his seat) Sudhanvan said,

'O son of Prahlada, I touch your excellent golden seat. I cannot, however, suffer myself to be regarded as your equal, and sit on it with you.'

Virocana said,

'A piece of wooden plank, an animal skin, or a mat of grass or straw,—these only, O Sudhanvan, are fit for you. You deserves not, however, the same seat with me.'

Sudhanvan said,

'Father and son. Brahmanas of the same age and equal learning, two Kshatriyas, two Vaisyas and two Sudras, can sit together on the same seat, Except these, no other can sit together. Your father used to pay his regards to me, taking a seat lower than that occupied by me. You are a child, brought tip in every luxury at home and you understandest nothing.'

Virocana said,

’staking all the gold, kine, horses, and every other kind of wealth that we have among the Asuras, let us, O Sudhanvan, ask them this question that are able to answer.'

Sudhanvan said,

'Let alone your gold, kine, and heroes, O Virocana? Making our lives forfeited, we will ask them this question that are competent.'

Virocana said,

'Wagering our lives where shall we go? I will not appear before any of the gods and never before any among men.'

Sudhanvan said,

'Having wagered our lives, we will approach your father, for he, Prahlada, will never say an untruth even for the sake of his son.'

"Vidura continued,

'Having thus laid a wager, Virocana and Sudhanvan, both moved by rage, proceeded to that place where Prahlada was.

And beholding them together, Prahlada said,

'These two who had never before been companions, are now seen together coming hither by the same road, like two angry snakes. Have you now become companions,—you who were never companions before? I ask you, O Virocana, has there been friendship between you and Sudhanvan?'

Virocana said,

'There is no friendship between me and Sudhanvan. On the other hand, we have both wagered our lives. O chief of the Asuras, I shall ask you a question, do not answer it untruly!'

Prahlada said,

'Let water, and honey and curds, be brought for Sudhanvan. You deserves our worship, O Brahmana. A white and fat cow is ready for you.'

Sudhanvan said,

'Water and honey and curds, have been presented to me on my way hither. I shall ask you a question. Prahlada, answer it truly! are Brahmanas superior, or is Virocana superior?'

Prahlada said,

'O Brahmana, this one is my only son. You also art present here in person. How can one like us answer a question about which you two have quarrelled?'

Sudhanvan said,

'Give unto your son your kine and other precious wealth that you mayst have, but, O wise one, you should declare the truth when we two are disputing about it.'

Prahlada said,

'How does that misuser of his tongue suffer, O Sudhanvan, who answers not truly but falsely, a question that is put to him? I ask you this.'

Sudhanvan said,

'The person that misuses his tongue suffers like the deserted wife, who pines, at night, beholding her husband sleeping in the arms of a co-wife; like a person who has lost at dice, or who is weighed down with an unbearable load of anxieties. Such a man has also to stay, starving outside the citygates, into which his admission is barred. Indeed, he that gives false evidence is destined to always find his foes. He that speaks a lie on account of an animal, casts down from heaven five of his sires of the ascending order. He that speaks a lie on account of a cow casts down from heaven ten of his ancestors. A lie on account of a horse causes the downfall of a hundred; and a lie on account of a human being, the downfall of a thousand of one’s sires of the ascending order. An untruth on account of gold ruins the members of one’s race both born and unborn, while an untruth for the sake of land ruins everything. Therefore, never speak an untruth for the sake of land.'

Prahlada said,

'Angiras is superior to myself, and Sudhanvan is superior to you, O Virocana. Mother also of Sudhanvan is superior to your mother; therefore, you, O Virocana, has been defeated by Sudhanvan. This Sudhanvan is now the master of your life. But, O Sudhanvan, I wish that you should grant Virocana his life.'

Sudhanvan said,

’since, O Prahlada, you have preferred virtue and hast not, from temptation, said an untruth, I grant your son his life that is dear to you. So here is your son Virocana, O Prahlada, restored by me to you. He shall, however, have to wash my feet in the presence of the maiden Kesini.'

"Vidura continued,

'For these reasons, O king of kings, it behoves you not to say an untruth for the sake of land. Saying an untruth from affection for your son, O king, hasten not to destruction, with all your children and counsellors. The gods do not protect men, taking up clubs in their hands after the manner of herdsmen; unto those, however, they wish to protect, they grant intelligence. There is no doubt that one’s objects meet with success in proportion to the attention he directs to righteousness and morality. The Vedas never rescue from sin a deceitful person living by falsehood. On the other hand, they forsake him while he is on his death-bed, like newly fledged birds forsaking their nests.

Drinking, quarrels, enmity with large numbers of men, all connections with connubial disputes, and severance of relationship between husband and wife, internal dissensions, disloyalty to the king,—these and all paths that are sinful, should, it is said, be avoided. A palmist, a thief turned into a merchant, a fowler, a physician, an enemy, a friend, and a minstrel, these seven are incompetent as witness. An Agnihotra performed from motives of pride, abstention from speech, practised from similar motives, study and sacrifice from the same motives,—these four, of themselves innocent, become harmful when practised unduly.

One that sets fire to a dwelling house, an administerer of poison, a pander, a vendor of the Soma-juice, a maker of arrows, an astrologer, one that injures friends, an adulterer, one that causes abortion, a violater of his preceptor’s bed, a Brahmana addicted to drink, one that is sharp-speeched, a raker of old sores, an atheist, a reviler of the Vedas, and taker of bribes, one whose investiture with the sacred thread has been delayed beyond the prescribed age, one that secretly slays cattle, and one that slays him who prays for protection,—these all are reckoned as equal in moral turpitude as the slayers of Brahmanas. Gold is tested by fire; a well-born person, by his deportment; an honest man, by his conduct.

A brave man is tested during a season of panic; he that is self-controlled, in times of poverty; and friends and foes, in times of calamity and danger. Decrepitude destroyes beauty; ambitious hopes, patience; death, life, envy, righteousness, anger, prosperity, companionship with the low, good behaviour; lust, modesty, and pride, everything.

Prosperity takes its birth in good deeds, grows in consequence of activity, drives its roots deep in consequence of skill, and acquires stability owing to self-control. Wisdom, good lineage, self-control, acquaintance with the scriptures, prowess, absence of garrulity, gift to the extent of one’s power, and grateful ness,—these eight qualities shed a lustre upon their possessor. But, O sire, there is one endowment which alone can cause all these attributes to come together; the fact is, when the king honours a particular person, the royal favour can cause all these attributes to shed their lustre (on the favourite).

Those eight, O king, in the world of men, are indications of heaven. Of the eight (mentioned below) four are inseparably connected, with the good, and four others are always followed by the good. The first four which are inseparably connected with the good, are sacrifice, gift, study and asceticism, while the other four that are always followed by the good, are self-restraint, truth, simplicity, and abstention from injury to all.

’sacrifice, study, charity, asceticism, truth, forgiveness, mercy, and contentment constitute the eight different paths of righteousness. The first four of these may be practised from motives of pride, but the last four can exist only in those that are truly noble. That is no assembly where there are no old men, and they are not old who do not declare what morality is. That is not morality which is separated from truth, and that is not truth which is fraught with deceit. Truth, beauty, acquaintance with the scriptures, knowledge, high birth, good behaviour, strength, wealth, bravery, and capacity for varied talk,—these ten are of heavenly origin. A sinful person, by committing sin, is overtaken by evil consequences. A virtuous man, by practising virtue, reaps great happiness. Therefore, a man, rigidly resolved, should abstain from sin. Sin, repeatedly perpetrated, destroyes intelligence; and the man who has lost intelligence, repeatedly commits sin. Virtue, repeatedly practised, enhances intelligence; and the man whose intelligence has increased, repeatedly practises virtue. The virtuous man, by practising virtue, goes to regions of blessedness. Therefore, a man should, firmly resolved, practise virtue. He that is envious, he that injures others deeply, he that is cruel, he that constantly quarrels, he that is deceitful, soon meets with great misery for practising these sins.

He that is not envious and is possessed of wisdom, by always doing what is good, never meets with great misery; on the other hand, he shines everywhere. He that draws wisdom from them that are wise is really learned and wise. And he that is wise, by attending to both virtue and profit, succeeds in attaining to happiness. Do that during the day which may enable you to pass the night in happiness; and do that during eight months of the year which may enable you to pass the season of rains happily. Do that during youth which may ensure a happy old age; and do that during your whole life here which may enable you to live happily hereafter. The wise prize that food which is easily digested, that wife whose youth has passed away, that hero who is victorious and that ascetic whose efforts have been crowned with success. The gap that is sought to be filled by wealth acquired wrongfully, remaines uncovered, while new ones appear in other places. The preceptor controls them whose souls are under their own control; the king controls persons that are wicked; while they that sin secretly have their controller in Yama, the son of Vivasvat.

The greatness of Rishis, of rivers, of river-banks, of high-souled men, and the cause of woman’s wickedness, cannot be ascertained. O king, he that is devoted to the worship of the Brahmanas, he that gives away, he that behaves righteously towards his relatives, and the Kshatriya that behaves nobly, rule the earth for ever. He that is possessed of bravery, he that is possessed of learning, and he that knows how to protect others,—these three are always able to gather flowers of gold from the earth.

Of acts, those accomplished by intelligence are first; those accomplished by the arms, second; those by the thighs, and those by bearing weights upon the head, are the very worst. Reposing the care of your kingdom on Duryodhana, on Sakuni, on foolish Dussasana, and on Karna, how canst you hope for prosperity? Possessed of every virtue, the Pandavas, O bull of the Bharata race, depend on you as their father. O, repose you on them as on your sons!"