of others.  These, however, are the indications of a bad man, viz., incapacity to be controlled; liability to be afflicted by dangers; proneness to give way to wrath, ungratefulness; inability to become another’s friend, and wickedness of heart.  He too is the worst of men, who is dissatisfied with any good that may come to him from others who is suspicious of his own self, and who driveth away from himself all his true friends.  He that desireth prosperity to himself, should wait upon them that are good, and at times upon them that are indifferent, but never upon them that are bad.  He that is wicked, earneth wealth, it is true, by putting forth his strength, by constant effort, by intelligence, and by prowess, but he can never win honest fame, nor can he acquire the virtues and manners of high families (in any of which he may be born).’

“Dhritarashtra said, ’The gods, they that regard both virtue and profit without swerving from either, and they that are possessed of great learning, express a liking for high families.  I ask thee, O Vidura, this question,—­what are those families that are called high?’

“Vidura said, ’Asceticism, self-restraint, knowledge of the Vedas, sacrifices, pure marriages, and gifts of food,—­those families in which these seven exist or are practised duly, are regarded as high.  There are high families who deviate not from the right course whose deceased ancestors are never pained (by witnessing the wrong-doings of their descendants), who cheerfully practise all the virtues, who desire to enhance the pure fame of the line in which they are born, and who avoid every kind of falsehood.  Families that are high, fall down and become low owing to the absence of sacrifices, impure marriages, abandonment of the Vedas, and insults offered to Brahmanas.  High families fall off and become low owing to their members disregarding or speaking ill of Brahmanas, or to the misappropriation, O Bharata, of what had been deposited with them by others.  Those families that are possessed of members, wealth and kine, are not regarded as families if they be wanting in good manners and conduct, while families wanting in wealth but distinguished by manners and good conduct are regarded as such and win great reputation.  Therefore, should good manners and good conduct be maintained with care, for, as regards wealth, it cometh or goeth.  He that is wanting in wealth is not really wanting, but he that is wanting in manners and conduct is really in want.  Those families that abound in kine and other cattle and in the produce of the field are not really worthy of regard and fame if they be wanting in manners and conduct.  Let none in our race be a fomenter of quarrels, none serve a king as minister, none steal the wealth of others, none provoke intestine dissensions, none be deceitful or false in behaviour, and none eat before serving the Rishis, the gods, and guests.  He, in our race, who slayeth Brahmanas, or entertaineth feelings