Vaishampayana said Thus addressed by Arjuna of curly hair, the Kuru king, son of Kunti, remained silent. Then Dvaipayana (Vyasa) said.

Vyasa said The words of Arjuna, O amiable Yudhishthira, are true. The highest religion as sanctioned by the scriptures, consists in the duties of a householder.

You are acquainted with all duties. Do you then duly practise the duties prescribed for you (viz., the duties of a householder.) A life of retirement in the forest forgetting the duties of a householder, has not been laid down for you.

The gods, Pitris, guests, and servants all depend (for their maintenance) upon householder. Do you then support all these, O king.

Birds and animals and various other creatures, O king, supported by a are householders. He, therefore, who belongs to that mode of life, is superior to all.

The life of a householder is the inost difficult of all the four modes of life. Do you practise that mode of life then, O Partha, which is difficult of being practised by persons of uncontrolled senses.

You have mastered all the Vedas. You have earned great ascetic merit. You should, therefore, bear like an ox the burden of your ancestral kingdom.

Penances, sacrifices, forgiveness, learning, mendicancy, restraint of senses, contemplation, living in solitude, contentment, and knowledge (of Brahma), should, O king, be practised by Brahmanas to the best of their ability for the attainment of success.

I shall now tell you the duties of Kshatriyas. They are not unknown to you. Sacrifice, learning, activity, ambition, holding, the rod of chastisement, dreadfulness, protection of subjects, knowledge of the Vedas, practise of all kinds of penances, enances, good conduct, acquisition of wealth, and gifts to deserving person, these, o king, when performed properly by the Kshatriyas, secure for them both this world and the next, as heard by us.

Of them, O son of Kunti, wielding the rod of chastisement has been declared to be the foremost. A Kshatriya must always have strength, and upon strength depends chastisement.

Those I have mentioned are, O king, the principle duties for Kshatriyas and lead greatly to their success. Brihaspati, in this matter, sang this verse :

Like a snake devouring a mouse, the Earth devours a king who is inclined to peace and a Brahmana who is greatly addicted to a life of domesticity!

It is heard again that the royal sage Sudyumna, only by wielding the rod of chastisement, gained the highest success, like Daksha himself, the son of Prachetas.

Yudhishthira said O holy sage, by what acts did king Sudyumna gain the highest success? (I wish to hear the king.)

Vyasa said 'In this matter is also cited this old history. There were two brothers, viz., Shankha and Likhita of rigid vows.

The two brothers had two separate beautiful houses. Situate by the bank of the river called Vahuda, both of those houses were decorated with trees always bearing flowers and fruits.

Once on a time Likhita come to the house of his brother Shankha. At that time, however, Shankha had left his asylum with no fixed purpose.

Arrived at the asylum of his brother, Shankha, Likhita plucked many ripe fruits.

Getting them the Rishi Likhita began to eat them without feeling any pinch of conscience. While thus eating Shankha returned to his hermitage.

Seeing him eating, Shankha addressed his brother, saying,-Whence have these fruits been got and for why are you eating them?

Approaching his elder brother and saluting him, Likhita smilingly replied, saying,—I have taken them even from this hermitage.

Filled with great anger, Shankha said to him,—You have committed theft by taking yourself these fruits.

Go to the king confess what you have done. Tell him,-O best of kings, I have committed the offence of taking what was not given to me.

Knowing me for a thief and following your duty of order, do you punish me O king, like a thief.

Thus commanded by his brother, the highly blessed Likhita of rigid vows proceeded to king Sudyumna.

Hearing from his gate-keepers that Likhita had come, king Sudyumna, with his counsellors, went out (for receiving him.)

Meeting with him, the king addressed that best of all persons conversant with duties, saying,-Tell me, O reverend sir, why you have Know it is already accomplished.-Thus accosted, that Rishi said to Sudyumna,-Do you promise first that you will do it. You should then, after hearing me, fulfil that promise.

O foremost of men, I ate some fruits that had not given me by my elder brother. Do you, o king, punish me for it forthwith, Sudyumna answered,-If the king be considered to wield the rod of chastisement, he come. should be regarded, O foremost of Brahmanas, as equally competent to pardon.

Purged in sin, you of high vows, consider yourself as pardoned. Tell me now what else do you wish. I shall certainly accomplish those your commands.'

“Thus honoured by the great king, the Rishi Likhita, however, did not ask for any other favour.

Then that king caused the two hands of the high-souled Likhita to be cut off, whereupon the latter, bearing the punishment, went away.

Returning to his brother Shankha, Likhita, in great agony said,-'You should now pardon this wretched man who has been duly punished (for what he did)'.

Shankha said "I am not angry with you nor have you injured me, O foremost of all persons conversant with duties. Your virtue, however, had deteriorated. I have saved you from that plight.

Proceed forthwith to the river Vahuda and please duly, with oblations of water, the gods, Rishis, and the Pitris, and never again think of sin.

Hearing these words of Shankha, Likhita performed his ablutions in the sacred river and began to perform the water-rite.

Thereat, two hands, like two lotuses, appeared at the extremities of his stumps. Stricken with wonder he returned to his brother and showed him the two hands.

Shankha said All this has been done by me through my penances! Do not be surprised at it. Providence is the instrument here.

Likhita answered: O you of great splendour, why did you not purify me at first, when, O best of Rishis, such was the power of your penances?

Shankha said I should not have acted otherwise. I am not your punisher. The king has been himself purified as also yourself, along with the Pitris.

Vyasa said That king, O eldest son of Pandu, became great by this act and obtained the greatest success like the lord Daksha himself.

Such is the duty of Kshatriyas, viz., the ruling of subjects. Any other, O king, would be considered as a wrong path for them. Do not grieve.

O best of all persons conversant with duty, listen to the wholesome words of this your brother. Holding the rod of chastisement, O king, is the duty of kings and not the shaving of the head. more