their seasons come, they conform to the duties that have been laid down for them.  The religion which these virtuous men are to follow is the religion that has been laid down and followed by the Rishis.  With their eyes set upon the acquisition of righteousness, they should never pursue any other object of desire from a sense of unrestrained caprice.  That man who makes the gift unto all creatures of an assurance of perfect harmlessness or innocence, freed as his soul becomes from the stain of malice or harmfulness, becomes endued with righteousness.  Verily, that person who shows compassion to all creatures, who adopts as a vow a behaviour of perfect sincerity towards al creatures, and who constitutes himself the soul of all creatures, becomes endued with righteousness.  A bath in all the Vedas, and a behaviour of sincerity towards all creatures, are looked upon as equal in point of merit; or, perhaps, the latter is a little distinguished above the other in point of merit.  Sincerity, it has been said, is Righteousness; while insincerity or crookedness is the reverse.  That man who conducts himself with sincerity becomes endued with Righteousness.  The man who is always devoted to sincerity of behaviour, succeeds in attaining to a residence among the deities.  Hence, he who wishes to achieve the merit of righteousness should become endued with sincerity.  Possessed of a forgiving disposition and of self-restraint, and with wrath under complete subjection, one should transform oneself into an embodiment of Righteousness and become freed from malice.  Such a man, who becomes devoted, besides, to the discharge of all the duties Religion, becomes endued with the merit of Righteousness.  Freed from drowsiness and procrastination, the pious person, who adheres to the path of Righteousness to the best of his power, and becomes possessed of pure conduct, and who is venerable in years, comes to be regarded as equal to Brahma himself.’

“Uma said.  By what course of duties, O god, do those ascetics who are attached to their respective retreats and possessed of wealth of penances, succeed in becoming endued with great splendour?  By what acts again, do kings and princes who are possessed of great wealth, and others who are destitute of wealth, succeed in obtaining high rewards?  By what acts, O god, do denizens of the forest succeed in attaining to that place which is eternal and in adorning their persons with celestial sandal-paste?  O illustrious god of three eyes, O destroyer of the triple city, do thou dispel this doubt of mine connected with the auspicious subject of the observance of penances by telling everything in detail.’