ow hear of the man of virtue. He
discerns these evils by means of his spiritual insight, and is able to
discriminate between happiness and misery, and is full of respectful
attention to men of virtue, and from practising virtues, his mind
becomes inclined to righteousness." The Brahmana replied, "Thou hast
given a true exposition of religion which none else is able to expound.
Thy spiritual power is great, and thou dost appear to me to be like a
great _Rishi_." The fowler replied, "The great Brahmanas are worshipped
with the same honours as our ancestors and they are always propitiated
with offerings of food before others. Wise men in this world do what is
pleasing to them, with all their heart. And I shall, O good Brahmana,
describe to thee what is pleasing to them, after having bowed down to
Brahmanas as a class. Do thou learn from me the Brahmanic philosophy.
This whole universe unconquerable everywhere and abounding in great
elements, is Brahma, and there is nothing higher than this. The earth,
air, water, fire and sky are the great elements. And form, odour, sound,
touch and taste are their characteristic properties. These latter too
have their properties which are also correlated to each other. And of
the three qualities, which are gradually characterised by each, in order
of priority is consciousness which is called the mind. The seventh is
intelligence and after that comes egoism; and then the five senses, then
the soul, then the moral qualities called _sattwa, rajas_ and _tamas_.
These seventeen are said to be the unknown or incomprehensible
qualities. I have described all this to thee, what else dost thou wish
to know?"'"

SECTION CCX

"Markandeya continued, 'O Bharata, the Brahmana, thus interrogated by
the virtuous fowler, resumed again this discourse so pleasing to the
mind. The Brahmana said, "O best of the cherishers of religion, it is
said that there are five great elements; do thou describe to me in full
the properties of any one of the five." The fowler replied, "The earth,
water, fire, air and sky all have properties interlapping each other. I
shall describe them to thee. The earth, O Brahmana, has five qualities,
water four, fire three and the air and sky together three also. Sound,
touch, form, odour and taste--these five qualities belong to earth, and
sound, touch, form and taste, O austere Brahmana, have been described to
thee as the properties of water, and sound, touch and form are the three