Yudhishthira said Tell us, O destroyer of Madhu, the prosperity which originates from the worship of the Brahmanas. You are a master of this subject. Indeed, our grandfather knows you.

Vasudeva said Hear me, O king, with attention, O chief of Bharata's race, as I recite to you what the merits of the Brahmanas are, O foremost one of Kuru's race.

Once on a time while I was scated at Dvaravati, O delighter of the Kurus, my son Pradyumna, enraged by certain Brahmanas, came to me and said, O destroyer of Madhu, what mcrit is there for adoring the Brahmanas. Whence is their lordship derived both in this world and in the next.

O giver of honours, what rewards are gained by constantly adoring the Brahmanas? Kindly explain this clearly to me, for my mind is disturbed by doubts about this.

When Pradyuinna said, these words to me, I answered him as follows. Do you hear, O king, with rapt attention, what those words were.

O child of Rukmini, listen to me as I tell you what prosperity one may acquire by adoring the Brahmanas. When one tries to acquire the threefold objects of life (viz., Virtue, Profit and Pleasure). or Emancipation, or fame and prosperity, or the treatment and cure of disease, or the worship of the deities and the departed manes, he should take care to please the twiceborn ones. They are each a king Soma. They are the dispensers of happiness and misery.

O child of Rukmini, whether in this or in the next world, O son, everything agrecable has originated from the Brahmanas. I have no doubt in this.

From the adoration of the Brahinanas originate achievements and fame and strength. Men and the Regents of the universe, adore the Brahmanas. We should satisfy the Brahmanas for the sake of accomplishment on holy deeds, wealth and desires, for attainment of emancipation, fame, grace and health as also at the time of offering pray to gods and Pitris.

How then, O son, can we disregard them, thinking that we are lords of the Earth? O mighty armed onc, do not allow your anger to embrace the Brahmanas as its objeci.,

In this as also the next world, Brahmanas are considered as great Beings. They have direct knowledge of everything in the universe. Verily, they are capable of reducing everything into ashes, if angry.

They are capable of creating other worlds and other Regents of worlds. Why then should not persons gifted with energy and true knowledge treat thein with obcdience and respect?

Formerly in my house, O son, lived the Brahmana Durvasas whose complexion was green and tawny. Clad in rags, he had a stick made of the Bilva tree. His bcard was long and he was greatly emaciated.

He was taller in stature than the tallest man on Earth. Wandering over all the worlds of human beings and of the deities and other superior beings, he sang constantly among assemblies and in public squares. Who is there who would cause the Brahmana Durvasas to live in his house, doing the duties of hospitality towards him?

He becomes wroth with cvery one if he finds even the slightest transgression! Hearing this about my nature, who is there who will give me refuge?

Indeed, he who would give me shelter as a guest should not do anything to anger me! When I saw that no one ventured to give him shelter in his house, I invited him and made him live in my abode.

On certain days hic would cat the food sufficient for the needs of thousands of persons. On other days he would eat very little. On some days he would go out of my house and would not return.

He would sometimes laugh without any reason and sometimes cry uselessly At that time there was nobody on Earth a old as he.

One day, entering the quarters which were given to him, he burnt all the beds and coveriets and all the welladorned damsels who were there for serving him. Doing this, he went Out.

Of highly praiseworthy vows, he met me shortly after this and addressing me, said, O Krishna, I wish to cal frumenty forthwith.

Having understood his mind previously. I had set my servams to prepare every kind of food and drink.

Indeed, many excellent viands had been kept ready. As soon as I was asked, I caused hot frumenty to be brought and offered to the ascetic.

Having eaten some, he quickly said to me, O Krishna, take some of this frumenty and smear all your limbs with it.

Unhesitatingly I did as directed. Indeed, with the residuc of that frumenty I smeared my body and head.

The ascetic at that time saw your beautiful mother standing near. Laughing the while, he sineared her body also with that frumenty.

The ascetic then caused your mother, whose body was sicared over with frumenty, to be yoked to a car without any delay. Ascending that car he started from my house.

Highly intelligent that Brahmana shone with effulgence like fire, and struck, before, me, my youthful Rukmini, as if she were an animal born to drag the cars of human beings.

Secing this, I did not feel the slightest grief bom of malice or the desire to injure the Rishi. Having yoked Rukmini to the car, he went out, desirous of passing along the high road of the city.

Secing that extraordinary spectacle, some Dasharhas, filled with anger, addressed one another and began to converse thus; Who else is there on Earth who would live afier having yoke Rukmini to a car! Indeed, let the world be filled with Bralımanas only! Let no other orders take birth here!

The poison of a virulent snake greatly powerful. More powerful thc poison is a Brahmana. There is no physician for a person who has been bit or burn by the virulent snake of a Brahmana.

As the irresistible Durvasas proceeded on the car, Rukmini tottered on the road and frequently dropped down. At this the twiceborn Rishi became angry and began to urge Rukmini on by striking her with the whip.

At last, filled with an irresistible passion, the Brahmana leaped down from the car, and fled towards the south, running on foot, over a pathless ground.

Seeing that foremost of Brahmanas, flying along the pathless ground, we followed him, although we were smeared with frumenty, exclaiming behind him, Be pleased with us, O holy onc.

Gifted with great energy, the Brahmana, seeing me, said, O mightyarmed Krishna, you have subdued anger by the strength of your nature.

O you of excellent vows, I have not found the slightest fault in you. O Govinda, I have been highly pleased with you. Do you solicit the fruition of such desires as you please.

Behold duly, O son, what the power is of myself when I become pleased with any one. As long as celestials and human beings will continue to entertain a liking for food, so long will every one among them cherish the same liking for you that they cherish for their food. As long, again as there will be Virtue in the several worlds, so long will the fame of your deeds last.

Indeed, your distinction will last so long in the three worlds. O Janardana, agreeable you will be to all persons.

Whatever articles of yours have been broken or burnt or otherwise destroyed (by me). you will see restored, O Janardana, to their former state or they will reappear even in a better forin.

As long again, O) you of unfading glory, as you will wish to live, so long will you have no fear of death attacking you through such parts of your body as have been smeared with the frumenty I gave you.

O son, why did you not smear that frumenty on the soles of your feet as well? By not doing it, you have acted in a way that is not approved by me. These were the words that he said, well pleased with me on that occasion. After he had ceased speaking, I saw that my body became gifted with great beauty and splendour.

To Rukmini also, the Rishi, well pleased with her, said, O beautiful lady, you will be the foremost one of they sex in fame, and you will enjoy great glory, and achievements. You will never suffer from decrepitude or disease or loss of complexion.

Every one will see you engaged in waiting upon Krishna, possessed as you already are with a fragrant odor which is always present in you.

You will become the foremost of all wives, numbering sixteen thousand, of Keshava. At last, when the time comes for your departure from the world, you will acquire the inseparable companionship of Krishna hereafter.

Having said these words to your mother, the Rishi once more addressed me and uttering the following words, left the spot. Indeed, the Rishi Durvasa, shining like a fire, said, ) Keshava, may you be so disposed always towards the Brahmanas. After uttering these words, that Brahmana disappeared there and then before my eyes.

After his disappearance, I began to follow the vow of uttering certain Mantras silently without being heard by anybody. From that day I resolved to do whatever commands I should receive from the Brahmanas.

Having adopted this vow, O son, along with your mother, both of us, with hearts filled with joy re-entered our palace.

Entering our house I saw that everything which the Rishi had broken or burnt had reappeared fresh.

Seeing those new articles, which had besides become more durable, I became stricken with wonder. O son of Rukmini, from that day forth I have always adored the Brahmanas in my mind.

This, O chief of Bharata's race, is what I said on that occasion about the greatness of those Brahmanas who are the foremost of their order.

Do you also, O son of Kunti, adore the highly blessed Brahmanas every day with gifts of wealth and kind, O powerful one.

It was thus that I won the prosperity I enjoy, the prosperity that is born of the favour of Brahmanas. Whatever, again, Bhishma has said of me, O chief of the Bharatas, is all true.