senseless words, one
word of the law is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.

If one man conquer in battle a thousand times a thousand men, and if
another conquer himself, he is the greatest of conquerors.

One's own self conquered is better than all other people; not even a
god, a Gandharva, not Mara (with Brahman) could change into defeat the
victory of a man who has vanquished himself, and always lives under
restraint.

If a man for a hundred years sacrifice month by month with a thousand,
and if he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded
in true knowledge, better is that homage than a sacrifice for a hundred
years.

If a man for a hundred years worship Agni (fire) in the forest, and if
he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded in true
knowledge, better is that homage than sacrifice for a hundred years.

Whatever a man sacrifice in this world as an offering or as an oblation
for a whole year in order to gain merit, the whole of it is not worth a
quarter a farthing; reverence shown to the righteous is better.

He who always greets and constantly reveres the aged, four things will
increase to him: life, beauty, happiness, power.

But he who lives a hundred years, vicious and unrestrained, a life of
one day is better if a man is virtuous and reflecting.

And he who lives a hundred years, ignorant and unrestrained, a life of
one day is better if a man is wise and reflecting.

And he who lives a hundred years, idle and weak, a life of one day is
better if a man has attained firm strength.

And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing beginning and end, a life
of one day is better if a man sees beginning and end.

And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the immortal place, a life
of one day is better if a man sees the immortal place.

And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the highest law, a life of
one day is better if a man sees the highest law.

CHAPTER IX

EVIL

A man should hasten towards the good, and should keep his thought away
from evil; if a man does what is good slothfully, his mind delights in
evil.

If a man commits a sin, let him not do it again; let him not delight in
sin: the accumulation of evil is painful.

If a man does what is good, let him do it again; let him delight in it:
the accumulation of good is delightful.

Even an evil-doer sees happiness so long as his evil deed does not
ripen; but when his evil d