revious
acts of a man pursue him (in all his different transformations). As the
flowers and fruits of a tree, unurged by visible influences, never miss
their proper season, so does Karma done in a previous existence bring
about its fruits in proper time. With age, man's hair grows grey, his
teeth become loose; his eyes and ears too become dim in action; but the
only thing that does not abate is his desire for enjoyments. Prajapati is
pleased with those acts that please one's father, and the Earth is
pleased with those acts that please one's mother, and Brahma is adored
with those acts that please one's preceptor. Virtue is honoured by him
who honours these three. The acts of those that despise these three do
not avail them."'

"Vaisampayana said, 'The princes of Kuru's race became filled with wonder
upon listening to this speech of Bhishma. All of them became pleased in
mind and overpowered with joy. As Mantras applied with a desire to win
victory, or the performance of the Shoma sacrifice made without proper
gifts, or oblations poured on the fire without proper hymns, become
useless and lead to evil consequences, even so sin and evil results flow
from falsehood in speech. O prince, I have thus related to thee this
doctrine of the fruition of good and evil acts, as narrated by the Rishis
of old. What else dost thou wish to hear?'"

SECTION VIII

"'Yudhishthira said, "Who are deserving of worship? Who are they unto whom
one may bow? Who are they, O Bharata, unto whom thou wouldst bend thy
head? Who, again, are they whom thou likest? Tell me all this, O prince.
What is that upon which thy mind dwells when affliction overwhelms thee?
Do thou discourse to me on what is beneficial here, that is, in this
region of human beings, as also hereafter."[10]

"'Bhishma said, "I like those regenerate persons whose highest wealth is
Brahman, whose heaven consists in the knowledge of the soul, and whose
penances are constituted by their diligent study of the Vedas. My heart
yearns after those in whose race persons, young and old diligently bear
the ancestral burthens without languishing under them. Brahmanas
well-trained in several branches of knowledge, self-controlled,
mild-speeched, conversant with the scriptures, well-behaved, possessed of
the knowledge of Brahman and righteous in conduct, discourse in
respectable assemblies like flights of swans.[11] Auspicious, agreeable,
excellent, and well-pronounced are the words, O Yu