Yudhishthira said Tell me, O grand-father, if gifts, sacrifices, penances and dutiful services offered to preceptors, yield wisdom and supreme bliss.

Bhishma said 'If the mind is stricken with desire, anger and other evil passions, it then inclines towards sin. If one's acts are sullied by sin, he is obliged to dwell in painful regions.

Sinful men are born as poor men and suffer again and again the pangs of fainine, woe, fear, and death.

The virtuous, the faithful, and the selfrestrained, become born as affluent men and continually enjoy festivities and heaven and happiness.

Unbelievers, with their hands bound, are sent to regions rendered inaccessible by carnivorous beasts and elephants, and dreadful with snakes and robbers, What more should I say of them.

They, on the other hand, who respects god and guests, who are liberal who love good and honest men, enjoy for their acts of charity, that happy way which belongs to persons of purified souls.

They who have no respect for virtue are as vile among men as seedless grains among corn or the gnat among birds.

The pre-ordained act follows the doer even if the latter tries his best for leaving it behind. It sleeps when he sleeps and does whatever else he does.

Like his shadow it takes rest when he rests, goes on when he goes on, and acts when he acts.

Whatever acts a man does in his previous birth, he certainly enjoys the fruits thereof.

Death is dragging all creatures who are destined to take birth according to their deserts and are liable to enjoy or suffer that which has been ordained as the fruit of their acts.

Pristine acts develop their consequences in their own proper time even as flowers and fruits, without any outward efforts, never fail to appear when the proper season sets in.

After the ordained consequences of pristine acts have been dissipated (by enjoyment or sufferance), honour and disgrace, profit and loss, development and decay no longer come. This takes place again and again.

While still in the mother's womb, a creature enjoys or suffers the happiness of the misery that has been ordained for him by his own acts,

In childhood or youth or old age whenever a man does a good or bad act the consequences there of surely visit him in his next life at precisely the same period.

As a calf recognises and comes to it mother in the midst of even a thousand kine, so the pristine acts recognise and visit the doer in his new life.

Washed in water a piece of cloth becomes clean. Likewise, men, repenting (for their past misdeeds), get eternal happiness by proper penances.

By living in the woods and by practising austerities for a long period, one can wash themselves of their sins, and get the objects of their hearts.

As no one can mark the track of birds in the sky or of fishes in the water, so the track of persons whose souls have been purified by knowledge cannot be seen by any.

There is no need of speaking more of sinful acts. Suffice it to say that one should, with proper judgement and as best as can, do what is for his well-being. This is the means by which wisdom and great happiness may be acquired." persons whose souls have been purified by knowledge cannot be seen by any.

There is no need of speaking more of sinful acts. Suffice it to say that one should, with proper judgement and as best as can, do what is for his well-being. This is the means by which wisdom and great happiness may be acquired."