heavy as the latter.'"

"'Bhishma continued, "Having spoken these words, those four persons, each
of whom is endued with immeasurable energy, viz., the goddess Earth,
Kasyapa, Agni, and Bhrigu's son armed with weapons, quickly went away."

"'Yudhishthira said, "If Brahmanas observant of the vow of Brahmacharyya
in this world solicit the offerings one makes (unto one's deceased
ancestors in Sraddhas) I ask, can the Sraddha be regarded well-performed,
if the performer actually makes over those offerings unto such Brahmanas?"

"'Bhishma said, "If, having practised the vow of Brahmacharyya for the
prescribed period (of twelve years) and acquired proficiency in the Vedas
and their branches, a Brahmana himself solicits the offering made in
Sraddhas and eats the same, he is regarded to fall away from his vow. The
Sraddha, however, is not regarded as stained in any way."

"'Yudhishthira said, "The wise have said that duty of righteousness has
many ends and numerous doors. Tell me, O grandsire, what however are the
settled conclusions in this matter."[207]

"'Bhishma said, "Abstention from injury to others, truthfulness, the
absence of wrath (forgiveness), compassion, self-restraint, and sincerity
or candour, O monarch, are the indications of Righteousness. There are
persons who wander over the earth, praising righteousness but without
practising what they preach and engaged all the while in sin, O king. He
who gives unto such persons gold or gems or steeds, has to sink in hell
and to subsist there for ten years, eating the while the faeces of such
persons as live upon the flesh of dead kine and buffalos, of men called
Pukkasas, of others that live in the outskirts of cities and villages,
and of men that publish, under the influence of wrath and folly, the acts
and the omissions of others.[208] Those foolish men who do give unto a
Brahmana observant of the vow of Brahmacharyya the offerings made in
Sraddhas (unto one's deceased ancestors), have to go, O monarch into
regions of great misery."

"'Yudhishthira said, "Tell me, O grandsire, what is superior to
Brahmacharyya? What is the highest indication of virtue? What is the
highest kind of purity?"

"'Bhishma said,--"I tell thee, O son, that abstention from honey and meat
is even superior to Brahmacharyya. Righteousness consists in keeping
within boundaries or in self-restraint, the best indication of
Righteousness is Renunciation (which is also the highest kind of
purity)