Chapter 124

“Yudhishthira said, ‘All persons on earth, O foremost of men, applaudvirtuous behaviour. I have, however, great doubts with respect to thisobject of their praise. If the topic be capable of being understood byus, O foremost of virtuous men, I desire to hear everything about the wayin which virtuous behaviour can be acquired. How indeed, is thatbehaviour acquired, O Bharata! I desire to hear it. Tell me also, Oforemost of speakers, what has been said to be the characteristics ofthat behaviour.’

“Bhishma said, Formerly, O giver of honours, Duryodhana while burningwith grief at sight of that well-known prosperity belonging to thee andthy brothers at Indraprastha and for the jeers he received in consequenceof his mistakes at the grand mansion, had asked his father Dhritarashtrathe same question. Listen to what transpired on that occasion, O Bharata!Having seen that grand mansion of thine and that high prosperity of whichthou wert master, Duryodhana, while sitting before his father, spake ofwhat he had seen to the latter. Having heard the words of Duryodhana,Dhritarashtra, addressing his son and Karna, replied unto him as follows.

Dhritarashtra said, ‘Why dost thou grieve, O son! I desire to hear thecause in detail. If after ascertaining the reason they appear to beadequate, I shall then endeavour to instruct thee. O subjugator ofhostile towns, thou too hast obtained great affluence. All thy brothersare ever obedient to thee, as also all thy friends and relatives. Thoucoverest thy limbs with the best robes. Thou eatest the richestfood.[378] Steeds of the best kind bear thee. Why then hast thou becomepale and emaciated?’

Duryodhana said, ‘Ten thousands of high-souled Snataka Brahmanas dailyeat at Yudhishthira’s palace off plates of gold. Beholding his excellentmansion adorned with excellent flowers and fruit, his steeds of theTittiri and the Kalmasha breeds, his robes of diverse kinds, indeed,beholding that high prosperity of my enemies viz., the sons of Pandu, aprosperity that resembles the high affluence of Vaisravana himself, I amburning with grief, O Bharata!’

Dhritarashtra said, ‘If thou wishest, O sire, to win prosperity like thatof Yudhishthira or that which is even superior to it, do thou then, Oson, endeavour to be of virtuous behaviour. Without doubt, one may, bybehaviour alone, conquer the three worlds. There is nothing impossible ofattainment by persons of virtuous behaviour. Mandhatri conquered thewhole world in course of only one night, Janamejaya, in course of three;and Nabhaga, in course of seven. All these kings were possessed ofcompassion and of virtuous behaviour. For this reason the earth came tothem of their own accord, won over by their virtue.

“Duryodhana said, ‘I desire to hear, O Bharata, how that behaviour may beacquired, that behaviour, viz., in consequence of which the earth was wonso speedily (by the kings named by thee).

“‘Dhritarashtra said, ‘In this connection, the following old narrative iscited. It was formerly recited by Narada on the subject of virtuousbehaviour. In days of yore, the Daitya Prahlada, by the merit of hisbehaviour, snatched from the high-souled Indra his sovereignty andreduced the three worlds to subjection. Sukra then, with joined hands,approached Vrihaspati. Possessed of great wisdom, the chief of thecelestials addressed the great preceptor, saying, ‘I desire thee to tellme what is the source of felicity. Thus addressed, Vrihaspati said untohim that Knowledge (leading to emancipation) is the source of the highestfelicity. Indeed, Vrihaspati indicated Knowledge to be the source ofsupreme felicity. Indra, however, once more asked him as to whether therewas anything higher than that.

“Vrihaspati said, ‘There is something, O son, that is still higher. Thehigh-souled Bhargava (Usanas) will instruct thee better. Repair to him,blessed be thou, and enquire of him, O chief of the celestials!’Possessed of great ascetic merit and endued with great splendour, thechief of the celestials then repaired to Bhargava and obtained from himwith a ratified heart, a knowledge of what was for his great good.Obtaining the permission of the high-souled Bhargava, the performer of ahundred sacrifices once more asked the sage as to whether there wasanything higher (as the means for the acquisition of felicity) than whatthe sage had already told him. The omniscient Bhargava said, ‘Thehigh-souled Prahlada has better knowledge.’ Learning this, Indra becamehighly delighted. The chastiser of Paka, possessed of great intelligence,assumed the form of a Brahmana, and repairing to Prahlada, asked him,saying, ‘I desire to hear what conduces to felicity. Prahlada answeredthe Brahmana, saying, ‘O chief of regenerate ones, I have no time, beingwholly occupied in the task of ruling the three worlds, I cannot,therefore, instruct thee.’ The Brahmana said, ‘O king, when thou maysthave leisure, I desire to listen to thy instructions about what course ofconduct is productive of good. At this answer, king Prahlada. becamedelighted with that utterer of Brahma. Saying, ‘So be it!’ he availed ofa favourable opportunity for imparting to the Brahmana the truths ofknowledge. The Brahma na duly observed towards Prahlada the conduct whicha disciple should observe towards his preceptor, and began with his wholeheart to do what Prahlada desired. Many a time the Brahmana enquired,saying, ‘O chastiser of foes, by what means hast thou been able to winthe sovereignty of the three worlds? Tell me, O righteous king, ‘Whatthose means are.’ Prahlada, O monarch, answered the question the Brahmanaasked.

“Prahlada said, ‘I do not, O regenerate one, feel any pride inconsequence of my being a king, nor do I cherish any hostile feelingstowards the Brahmanas. On the other hand, I accept and follow thecounsels of policy they declare unto Me based upon the teachings ofSukra. In complete trustfulness they say unto me what they wish to say,and restrain me from courses that are unrighteous or improper. I am everobedient to the teachings of Sukra. I wait upon and serve the Brahmanasand my seniors. I bear no malice. I am of righteous soul. I haveconquered wrath. I am self-restrained, and all my senses are under mycontrol. These regenerate ones that are my instructors pour beneficialinstructions upon me like bees dropping honey into the cells of theircomb. I taste the nectar dropped by those learned men, and like the Moonamong the constellations I live among the members of my race.[379] Eventhis is nectar on earth, even this is the clearest eye, viz., listeningto the teaching of Sukra from the lips of Brahmanas and acting accordingto them. In these consists the good of a man.’ Thus said Prahlada untothat utterer of Brahma. Served dutifully by him, the chief of the Daityasonce more said, ‘O foremost of regenerate ones, I am exceedinglygratified with thee in consequence of thy dutiful behaviour towards me.Ask of me the boon thou desirest, blessed be thou, for verily I shallgrant thee what thou wilt ask. The Brahmana answered the chief of theDaityas saying, ‘Very well. I will obey thee.’ Prahlada, gratified withhim, said, ‘Take what thou wishest.’

“The Brahmana said, ‘If, the king, thou hast been gratified with me andif thou wishest to do what is agreeable to me, I desire then to acquirethy behaviour. Even this is the boon that I solicit.[380] At this, thoughdelighted, Prahlada became filled with a great fear. Indeed, when thisboon was indicated by the Brahmana, the Daitya chief thought thesolicitor could not be a person of ordinary energy. Wondering much,Prahlada at last said, ‘Let it be so.’ Having, however, granted the boon,the Daitya chief became filled with grief. The Brahmana, having receivedthe boon, went away, but Prahlada, O king, became penetrated by a deepanxiety and knew not what to do. While the Daitya chief sat brooding overthe matter, a flame of light issued out of his body. It had a shadowyform of great splendour and huge proportions. Prahlada asked the form,saying, ‘Who art thou?’ The form answered, saying, ‘I am the embodimentof thy Behaviour. Cast off by thee I am going away. I shall henceforth, Oking, dwell in that faultless and foremost of Brahmanas who had becomethy devoted disciple.’ Having said these words, the form disappeared andsoon after entered the body of Sakra. After the disappearance of thatform, another of similar shape issued out of Prahlada’s body. The Daityachief addressed it, saying, ‘Who art thou?’ The form answered, saying,’Know me, O Prahlada, for the embodiment of Righteousness. I shall gothere where that foremost of Brahmanas is, for, O chief of the Daityas, Ireside there where Behaviour dwells.’ Upon the disappearance ofRighteousness, a third form, O monarch, blazing with splendour, issuedout of the body of the high souled Prahlada. Asked by Prahlada as to whohe was, that form possessed of great effulgence answered, saying, ‘Know,O chief of the Daityas, that I am Truth. I shall leave thee, followingthe way of Righteousness.’ After Truth had left Prahlada, following inthe wake of Righteousness, another great person issued out of Prahlada’sbody. Asked by the Daityas king, the mighty being answered, ‘I am theembodiment of Good deeds. Know, O Prahlada, that 1 live there where Truthlives.’ After this one had left Prahlada, another being came out,uttering loud and deep cries. Addressed by Prahlada, he answered, ‘Knowthat I am Might. I dwell there where Good deeds are.’ ‘Having said thesewords, Might went away to that place whither Good deeds had gone. Afterthis, a goddess of great effulgence issued out of Prahlada’s body. TheDaitya chief asked her and she answered him saying that she was theembodiment of Prosperity, adding, ‘I dwelt in thee, O hero, O thou ofprowess incapable of being baffled! Cast off by thee, I shall follow inthe wake of Might.’ The high-souled Prahlada, penetrated, with greatfear, once more asked the goddess, saying, ‘Where dost thou go, Ogoddess, O thou that dwellest amid lotuses? Thou art ever devoted totruth, O goddess, and thou art the first of deities. Who is that foremostof Brahmanas (who was my disciple)? I desire to know the truth.’

The goddess of Prosperity said, ‘Devoted to the vow of Brahmacharya, thatBrahmana who was instructed by thee was Sukra. O puissant one, he robbedthee of that sovereignty which thou hadst over the three worlds. Orighteous one, it was by thy behaviour that thou hadst reduced the threeworlds to subjection. Knowing this, the chief of the celestials robbedthee of thy behaviour. Righteousness and Truth and Good deeds and Mightand myself, O thou of great wisdom, all have our root verily inBehaviour.’

“Bhishma continued, ‘Having said these words, the goddess of Prosperitywent away, as also all the rest, O Yudhishthira! Duryodhana, once moreaddressing his father, said these words: ‘O delighter of the Kurus, Iwish to know the truth about Behaviour. Tell me the means by which it maybe acquired.’

“Dhritarashtra said, ‘Those means were indicated by the high-souledPrahlada while discoursing unto Indra. Listen, however, O ruler of men,as how in brief Behaviour may be acquired. Abstention from injury, byact, thought, and word, in respect of all creatures, compassion, andgift, constitute behaviour that is worthy of praise. That act or exertionby which others are not benefited, or that act in consequence of whichone has to feel shame, should never be done. That act, on the other hand,should be done in consequence of which o tie may win praise in society. Obest of the Kurus, I have now told thee in brief as to what Behaviour is.If O king, persons of wicked behaviour do ever win prosperity, they donot enjoy it long, O son, and are seen to be exterminated by the root.’

“Dhritarashtra continued, ‘Knowing all this truly, do thou, O son, be ofgood behaviour, if thou desirest to obtain prosperity greater than thatof Yudhishthira.’

“Bhishma continued, ‘Even this was what king Dhritarashtra said unto hisson. Do thou act according, to these instructions, O son of Kunti, andthou wilt then surely obtain their fruit.'”