they who are always attentive to the study of the Vedas, succeed in crossing all calamities and obstacles.  They who bow unto all the deities (without showing a preference for any and thereby proving their tolerance), they who betake themselves to one Veda as their refuge, they who are possessed of faith and are self-restrained, succeed in crossing all calamities and obstacles.  They who worship the foremost of Brahmanas with reverence and are firm in the observance of excellent vows and practise the virtue of charity, succeed in crossing all calamities and obstacles.  They who are engaged in the practice of penances, they who are always observant of the vow of celibacy, and they whose souls have been cleansed by penances, succeed in crossing all calamities and obstacles.  They who are devoted to the worship of the deities and guests and dependants, as also of the Pitris, and they who eat the remnant of the food that is offered to deities, Pitris, guests and dependants, succeed in crossing all calamities and obstacles.  They who, having ignited the domestic fire, duly keep it burning and worship it with reverence and they who have duly poured libations (to the deities) in Soma-sacrifices, succeed in crossing all calamities and obstacles.  They who behave as they should towards their mothers and fathers and preceptors and other seniors even as thou, O tiger among the Vrishnis, dost behave, succeed in crossing all calamities and obstacles—­Having said these words, the celestial Rishi ceased speaking.’

“Bhishma continued.  ’For these reasons, do thou also, O son of Kunti, always worship with reverence the deities, the Pitris, the Brahmanas, and guests arrived at thy mansion and as the consequence of such conduct thou art sure to attain to a desirable end!’”

SECTION XXXII

“Yudhishthira said,—­’O grandsire, O thou of great wisdom, O thou that art conversant with all branches of knowledge, I desire to hear thee discourse on topics connected with duty and Righteousness.  Tell me truly, O chief of Bharata’s race, what the merits are of those persons that grant protection to living creatures of the four orders when these pray for protection.’

“Bhishma said, ’O Dharma’s son of great wisdom and widespread fame, listen to this old history touching the great merit of granting protection to others when protection is humbly sought.  Once on a time, a beautiful pigeon, pursued by a hawk, dropped down from the skies and sought the protection of the highly-blessed king Vrishadarbha.  The pure-souled monarch, beholding the pigeon take refuge in his lap from fear, comforted him, saying, Be comforted, O bird; do not fear, Whence hast thou taken such great fright?  What hast thou done and where hast thou done it in consequence of which thou hast lost thy senses in fear and art more dead than alive?  Thy colour, beautiful bird, is such as to resemble that which adorns a fresh-blown lotus of the blue variety.