deities; or, at such times when wealth is gained, adherence
to the duties of sacrifice and gift is laudable. [1125] The sages have
said that the accomplishment of the objects by means of agreeable
(pacific) means is righteousness. See, O Yudhishthira, that even this is
the criterion that has been kept in view in declaring the indications of
righteousness and iniquity.[1126] In days of old the Creator ordained
righteousness endowing it with the power of holding the world together.
The conduct of the good, that is fraught with excellence, is subjected to
(numerous) restraints for acquiring righteousness which depends upon many
delicate considerations. The indications of righteousness have now been
recounted to thee, O foremost one of Kuru's race! Do not, therefore, at
any time set thy understanding upon any act that is wrong."'"

SECTION CCLX

"'Yudhishthira said, "Thou sayest that righteousness or duty depends upon
delicate considerations, that is indicated by the conduct of those that
are called good, that it is fraught with restraints (from numerous acts),
and that its indications are also contained in the Vedas. It seems to me,
however, that I have a certain inward light in consequence of which I can
discriminate between right and wrong by inferences.[1127] Numerous
questions that I had intended to ask thee have all been answered by thee.
There is one question, however, that I shall presently ask. It is not
prompted, O king, by desire of empty disputation. All these embodied
creatures, it seems, take birth, exist, and leave their bodies, of their
own nature. Duty and its reverse, therefore, cannot be ascertained, O
Bharata, by study of the scriptures alone.[1128] The duties of a person
who is well off are of one kind. Those of a person who has fallen into
distress are of another kind. How can duty respecting seasons of distress
be ascertained by reading the scriptures alone?[1129] The acts of the
good, thou hast said, constitute righteousness (or duty). The good,
however, are to be ascertained by their acts. The definition, therefore,
has for its foundation, a begging of the question, with the result that
what is meant by conduct of the good remains unsettled. It is seen that
some ordinary person commits unrighteousness while apparently achieving
righteousness. Some extraordinary persons again may be seen who achieve
righteousness by committing acts that are apparently unrighteous.[1130]
Then, again, the proof (o