or who is desirous of gaining victory (in disputations) in assemblies of good men by disproving the reasons that exist for morality and religion and ascribing everything to chance, or who indulges in censuring and reproaching others or who reproves Brahmanas, or who is suspicious of all persons, or who is foolish and bereft of judgment, or who is bitter of speech, should be known to be as hateful as a dog.  As a dog encounters others, barking the while and seeking to bite, such a person is even so, for he spends his breath in vain and seeks to destroy the authority of all the scriptures.  Those practices that support society, the duties of righteousness, and all those acts which are productive of benefit to one’s own self, should be attended to.  A person that lives, attending to these, grows in prosperity for everlasting time.  By paying off the debt one owes to the deities by performing sacrifices, that to the Rishis by studying the Vedas, that to the Pitris by procreating children, that to the Brahmanas by making presents unto them and that to guests by feeding them, in due order, and with purity of intention, and properly attending to the ordinances of the scriptures, a householder does not fall away from righteousness.’"[270]

SECTION XXXVIII

“Yudhishthira said, ’O best of the Bharatas, I wish to hear thee discourse on the disposition of women.  W omen are said to be the root of all evil.  They are all regarded as exceedingly frail.’

“Bhishma said, ’In this connection is cited the old history of the discourse between the celestial Rishi Narada and the (celestial) courtezan Panchachuda.  Once in ancient times, the celestial Rishi Narada, having roamed over all the world, met the Apsara Panchachuda of faultless beauty, having her abode in the region of Brahman.  Beholding the Apsara every limb of whose body was endued with great beauty, the ascetic addressed her, saying, ’O thou of slender waist, I have a doubt in my mind.  Do thou explain it.’

“Bhishma continued, ’Thus addressed by the Rishi, the Apsara said unto him, ’If the subject is one which is known to me and if thou thinkest me competent to speak on it, I shall certainly say what is in my mind.’

“Narada said, ’O amiable one, I shall not certainly appoint thee to any task that is beyond thy competence.  O thou of beautiful face, I wish to hear from thee of the disposition of women.’

“Bhishma continued, ’Hearing these words of the celestial Rishi, that foremost of Apsaras replied unto him, saying, ’I am unable, being myself a woman, to speak ill of women.  Thou knowest what women are and with what nature they are endued.  It behoveth thee not, O celestial Rishi, to set me to such a task.’  Unto her the celestial Rishi said, ’It is very true, O thou of slender waist!  One incurs fault by speaking what is untrue.  In saying, however, what is true, there can be no fault.’  Thus addressed by him, the Apsara Panchachuda of sweet smiles consented to answer Narada’s question.  She then addressed herself to mention what the true and eternal faults of women are!’