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 Yudhishthira, which they
utter with a voice as deep as that of the clouds. Fraught with happiness
both temporal and spiritual, such words are uttered by them in the courts
of monarchs, themselves being received with honour and attention and
served with reverence by those rulers of men. Indeed, my heart yearns
after them who listen to the words uttered in assemblies or the courts of
kings by persons endued with knowledge and all desirable attributes, and
are respected by others. My heart, O monarch, always yearns after them
who, for the gratification of Brahmanas, O Yudhishthira, give unto them,
with devotion, food that is well-cooked and clean and wholesome. It is
easy to fight in battle, but not so to make a gift without pride or
vanity. In this world, O Yudhishthira, there are brave men and heroes by
hundreds. While counting them, he that is a hero in gifts should be
regarded as superior, O amiable one, if I had been even a vulgar
Brahmana, I would have regarded myself as very great, not to speak of one
born in a good Brahmana family endued with righteousness of conduct, and
devoted to penances and learning. There is no one, O son of Pandu, in
this world that is dearer to me than thou, O chief of Bharata's race but
dearer to me than thou are the Brahmanas. And since, O best of the Kurus,
the Brahmanas are very much dearer to me than thou, it is by that truth
that I hope to go to all those regions of felicity which have been
acquired by my sire Santanu. Neither my sire, nor my sire's sire, nor any
one else connected with me by blood, is dearer to me than the Brahmanas.
I do not expect any fruit, small or great, from my worship of the
Brahmanas (for I worship them as deities because they are deserving of
such worship).[12] In consequence of what I have done to the Brahmanas in
thought, word, and deed, I do not feel any pain now (even though I am
lying on a bed of arrows). People used to call me as one devoted to the
Brahmanas. This style of address always pleased me highly. To do good to
the Brahmanas is the most sacred of all sacred acts. I behold many
regions of beautitude waiting for me that have reverentially walked
behind the Brahmanas. Very soon shall I repair to those regions for
everlasting time, O son. In this world, O Yudhishthira, the duties of
women have reference to and depend upon their husbands. To a woman,
verily, the husband is the deity and he is the highest end after which
she should strive. As the husband is to the wife, even so are the
Brahmanas unto Kshatriyas. If there be a Kshatriya of full hundred years
of age and a good Brahmana child of only ten years, the latter should be
regarded as a father and the former as a son, for among the two, verily,
the Brahmana is superior. A woman in the absence of her husband, takes
his younger brother for her lord; even so the Earth, not having obtained
the: Brahmana, made the Kshatriya her lord. The Brahmanas should be
protected like sons and worshipped like sires or preceptors. Indeed, O
best of the Kurus, they should be waited upon with reverence even as
people wait with reverence upon their sacrificial or Homa fires. The
Brahmanas are endued with simplicity and righteousness. They are devoted
to truth. They are always engaged in the good of every creature. Yet when
angry they are like snakes of virulent poison. They should, for these
reasons, be always waited upon and served with reverence and humility.
One should, O Yudhishthira, always fear these two, viz. Energy and
Penances. Both these should be avoided or kept at a distance. The effects
of both are speedy. There is the superiority, however, of Penances, viz.,
that Brahmanas endued with Penances, O monarch, can, if angry, slay the
object of their wrath (regardless of the measure of Energy with which
that object may be endued). Energy and Penances, each of the largest
measure, become neutralised if applied against a Brahmana that has
conquered wrath. If the two,--that is, Energy and Penances,--be set
against each other, then destruction would overtake both but not
destruction without, a remnant, for while Energy, applied against
Penances, is sure to be destroyed without leaving a remnant. Penances
applied against Energy cannot be destroyed completely.[13] As the
herdsman, stick in hand, protects the herd, even so should the Kshatriya
always protect the Vedas and the Brahmanas. Indeed, the Kshatriya should
protect all righteous Brahmanas even as a sire protects his sons. He
should always have his eye upon the house of the Brahmanas for seeing
that their means of subsistence may not be wanting.'"
