Vaishampayana said The highly energetic delighter of Kurus, viz., Bhishma said,—'I shall describe the subject of duty. My speech and mind have become steady, through your favour, O Govinda, since you are the eternal soul of every being.

Let the righteous-souled Yudhishthira enquire of me about morality and duty. I shall then be much pleased to speak of all duties.

Let the son of Pandu, that virtuous and noble royal sage, upon whose birth all the Vrishnis were filled with joy, question me.

Let the son of Pandu, who has no peer among all the Kurus, among all righteous persons and among celebrated men question me.

let the son of Pandu, who is endued with intelligence, self-restraint, Brahmacharya, forgiveness righteousness, mental vigour and energy, question me.

Let the son of Pandu, who always by his favour honours his relative and guests and servants and dependants, question me.

Let the son of Pandu, who is settled in truth, charity, penances, heroism, peacefulness, cleverness, and fearlessness, question me.

Let the pious son of Pandu, who would never commit a sin actuated by desire of pleasure of profit or from fear, question me.

Let the son of Pandu, who is ever truthful, forgiving, endued with knowledge, and attentive to guests and who always makes gifts to the pious, question me.

Let the son of Pandu, who always celebrates sacrifices and studies the Vedas and satisfies the morality and duty, who is ever peaceful and who has heard all mysteries, question me.

Vasudeva said 'King Yudhishthira, possessed by great shame and fearing your imprecations, does not venture to approach you.

That king, O monarch, having caused a great carnage, ventures not to approach you from fear of your curse.

Having wounded with arrows those who were worthy of his worship, those who were devoted to him, those who were his preceptors, those who were his relatives and kinsmen, and those who deserved his highest regard, he ventures not to approach you.

Bhishma said As the duty of the Brahmanas is to practise charity, to study, and perform penances, so the duty of Kshatriyas is to renounce their bodies, OKrishna, in battle.

Kshatriyas should kill fathers and grandfathers and brothers and preceptors and relatives and kinsmen that may give them an unjust battle. This is their open duty.

The Kshatriya, O Keshava, knows his own duty who kills in battle his very preceptors, if they happen to be sinful and covetous and negligent of restraints and vows.

That Kshatriya knows his duty who kills in battle the person who out of covetousness neglects the eternal restrictions of virtue.

That Kshatriya knows his duty who in battle converts the Earth into a lake of blood, having the hairs of killed warriors for the grass and straw floating on it, and having elephants for its rocks, and standards for the trees on its banks.

A Kshatriya, when challenged, must always fight in battle, for Manu has said that a righteous battle acquire both heaven and fame on Earth for him.

Vaishampayana said After Bhishma had spoken thus, Dharma's son Yudhishthira humbly approached the Kuru hero and stood before him.

He seized the feet of Bhishma who in return cheered him with affectionate words. Smelling his head, Bhishma asked Yudhishthira to take his seat.

Then Ganga's son, that best of bowmen, addressed Yudhishthira, saying,—'Do not fear, O best of the Kurus. Ask me, O child, without any hesitation.'