, for these four constitute eternal Righteousness! Do thou also,
O mighty-armed prince, pursue that conduct towards the Brahmanas which is
consistent with what has been observed towards them by thy sires and
grandsires. These are the principal indications of Righteousness. That
man of little intelligence who would destroy the weight of authority by
denying that to be a standard which has always been accepted as such
would himself fail to become an authority among men. Such a man becomes
the cause of much grief in the world. Do thou reverence the Brahmanas and
treat them with hospitality. Do thou always serve them in this way. The
universe rests on them. Do thou understand them to be such!"

"'Yudhishthira said, "Tell me, O grandsire, what the respective ends are
of those that hate Righteousness and of those that adore and observe it!"

"'Bhishma said, "Those men that hate Righteousness are said to have their
hearts overwhelmed by the attributes of passion and darkness. Such men
have always to go to Hell. Those men, on the other hand, O monarch, who
always adore and observe Righteousness, those men who are devoted to
truth and sincerity, are called good. They always enjoy the pleasures or
felicity of heaven. In consequence of their waiting upon their preceptors
with reverence their hearts always turn towards Righteousness. Verily,
they who adore Righteousness attain to the regions of the deities. Those
individuals, whether human beings or deities who divest themselves of
cupidity and malice and who emaciate or afflict their bodies by the
observance of austerities, succeed, in consequence of the Righteousness
which then becomes theirs to attain to great felicity. Those that are
gifted with wisdom have said that the Brahmanas, who are the eldest sons
of Brahmana, represent Righteousness. They that are righteous always
worship them, their hearts regarding them with as much love and affection
as a hungry man's stomach entertains for ripe and delicious fruits."

"'Yudhishthira said, "What is the appearance presented by those that are
wicked, and what are those acts which they that are called good are to
do? Explain to me this, O holy one! Indeed, tell me what the indications
are of the good and the wicked."

"'Bhishma said, "They that are wicked are evil in their practices,
ungovernable or incapable of being kept within the restraints of rules,
and foul mouthed. They, on the other hand, that are good, are always good
in the