The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 2,393 pages of information about The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2.

The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 2,393 pages of information about The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2.
proud.  These two, O tiger among men, can pierce the orb itself of the sun, viz., a mendicant accomplished in yoga, and a warrior that hath fallen in open fight.  O bull of the Bharata race, persons versed in the Vedas have said that men’s means are good, middling, and bad.  Men also, O king, are good, indifferent, and bad.  They should, therefore, be respectively employed in that kind of work for which they may be fit.  These three, O king, cannot have wealth of their own, viz., the wife, the slave, and the son, and whatever may be earned by them would be his to whom they belong.  Great fear springeth from these three crimes, viz., theft of other’s property, outrage on other’s wives, and breach with friend.  These three, besides, being destructive to one’s own self, are the gates of hell, viz., lust, anger, and covetousness.  Therefore, every one should renounce them.  These three should never be forsaken even in imminent danger, viz., a follower, one who seeks protection, saying,—­I am thine,—­and lastly one who hath come to your abode.  Verily, O Bharata, liberating a foe from distress, alone amounteth in point of merit, to these three taken together, viz., conferring a boon, acquiring a kingdom, and obtaining a son.  Learned men have declared that a king, although powerful, should never consult with these four, viz., men of small sense, men that are procrastinating, men that are indolent, and men that are flatterers.  O sire, crowned with prosperity and leading the life of a householder, let these four dwell with thee, viz., old consanguineous, relatives, high-born persons fallen into adversity, poor friends, and issueless sisters.  On being asked by the chief of the celestials, Vrihaspati, O mighty king declared four things capable of fructifying or occurring within a single day, viz., the resolve of the gods, the comprehensions of intelligent persons, the humility of learned men, and the destruction of the sinful.  These four that are calculated to remove fear, bring on fear when they are improperly performed, viz., the Agni-hotra, the vow of silence, study, and sacrifice (in general).  O bull of the Bharata race, these five fires, should be worshipped with regard by a person, viz., father, mother, fire (proper), soul and preceptor.  By serving these five, men attain great fame in this world, viz., the gods, the Pitris, men, beggars, and guests.  These five follow thee wherever thou goest, viz., friends, foes, those that are indifferent, dependants, and those that are entitled to maintenance.  Of the five senses beholding to man, if one springeth a leak, then from that single hole runneth out all his intelligence, even like water running out from a perforated leathern vessel.  The six faults should be avoided by a person who wisheth to attain prosperity, viz., sleep, drowsiness, fear, anger, indolence and procrastination.  These six should be renounced like a splitting vessel in the sea, viz.,
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The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.