Bhishma said Once on a time a king of Janaka's family while roaming in the uninhabited forest in pursuit of deer, saw a superior Brahmana or Rishi of Bhrigu's race.

Bowing with his head to the Rishi who was seated at his ease, king Vasuman sat near him and with his permission put to him this question:भगवन् किमिदं श्रेयः प्रेत्य चापीह वा भवेत्।

O holy one, what yields the highest benefit, both in this world and in the next, to man who has an unsuitable body and who is the slave of his desires?

Duly respected by king, and and thus questioned, that great Rishi endued with ascetic merit, then said these words to him which were highly beneficial.

see If you seek both here and hereafter what is agreeable to your mind, do you then, with controlled senses, abstain from doing what is disagreeable to all creatures.

Virtue is beneficial to them that are good. Virtue is the refuge of the good. From virtue have originated the three worlds with their mobile and immobile creatures.

O you, who are eagerly desirous of enjoying all agreeable objects, how is it that you are not yet satiated with objects or desire? You the honey, O you of little understanding, but are blind to the fall.

As one desirous of acquiring the fruits of knowledge, should busy himself with the acquisition of knowledge, so one desirous of acquiring the fruits of Virtue should be busy with the acquisition of Virtue.

If a wicked men, from desire of virtue, tries to do a pure and stainless act, the fulfilment of his desire becomes impossible. If, on the other hand, a good man, moved by the desire of acquiring virtue, tries to do an act that is even difficult, its accomplishment becomes easy for him.

If, while living in the forest, one acts in such a way as to enjoy all the pleasures of living amongst men in towns, one comes to be regarded not as a forest recluse but as an inhabitant of towns. Likewise, if one while living in towns, acts in such a way as to enjoy the happiness of a forest life, one is regarded not as a inhabitant of towns but as a forest recluse.

Ascertaining the merits of the religion of Karma and that of Abstention therefrom, do you, with concentrated senses, be devoted to the practices of virtue in thought, word, and deed.

Judging of the propriety of time and place, purified by the observance of vows and other purifying rites, and solicited, do you, without malice, make large gifts to the good.

Acquiring riches by fare means, one should give it away to worthy persons. One should make gifts, renouncing anger; and having made gifts one should never yield to sorrow nor proclaim those gifts with his own mouth.

The Brahmana who is full of mercy, who is pure, who has his senses under control, who is truthful in speech, who is full of candour, and whose birth is pure, has been considered as a person deserving of gifts.

A person is said to be pure in birth when he is born of a mother who has only one husband and who is of the same caste with him. Indeed, such a Brahmana, knowing the three Vedas, viz., Rich, Yajush, and Saman, endued with learning, only observant of the six duties, has been considered as deserving of gifts.

Virtue becomes sin and sin becomes virtue, according to the nature of the doer, of time, and of place.

Sin is renounced like the fifth on one's body,-a little with a little exertion, and a great quantity when the exertion is greater.

A person, after clearing his bowels, should lake clarified butter, butter, which acts most beneficially on his system. Likewise, when one has freed himself of all faults and busies himself with the acquisition of virtue, that Virtue in the next world, brings on the highest happiness.

Good and evil thoughts are in the minds of all creatures. Withdrawing the mind from cvil thoughts, it should always be bent towards good thoughts.

One should always respect the practices of his own caste. Do you try, therefore, to act in such a way that you may have faith in the practices of your own caste.

O you who are endued with an impatient soul, follow the practice of patience. O you of a foolish understanding try to be possessed of intelligence. Shorn of tranquillity, try to be tranquil, and shorn of wisdom as you are, try to act wisely.

He who is in the company of the righteous, succeeds, by his own energy, in acquiring the means of doing what is beneficial for him both here and hereafter. Verily, the root of that benefit is unflinching firmness.

The royal sage Mahabhisha, for want of this firinness, fell from heaven. Yayati, also, though his merits had become exhausted succeeded in regaining regions of happiness through his firmness.

You are sure to acquire great intelligence, as also what is for your highest good by seeing virtuous and learned persons endued with ascetic merit.

Hearing these words of the sage, king Vasuman, having good disposition, withdrawing his mind from the pursuits of desire, set it upon the acquisition of virtue. a