Prajagara Parva — The moral lessons as explained by Vidura

Dhritarashtra said O you of great wisdom, repeat these sayings, that are consist on with morality and worldly benefit. What you say is most interesting; my desire for hearing them has not been satisfied.

Vidura said Bathing in all the holy places and kindness to all beings-both these are equal. Perhaps kindness is better.

O Lord, always show kindness to your sons; and thus you will attain to heaven after having gained great fame in this world.

As long as a man's deeds are spoken of in this world, so long, O foremost among men, he is glorious in heaven.

As an instance of this is cited the old story about the conversation between Virochana and Sudhanvan, suitors of Keshini's hand.

A maiden named Keshini, of peerless beauty, o king, with the desire of a good husband, resolved to to choose in Svayamvara.

Then Virochana, a son of Diti, came there with the desire of winning her. Then did Keshini address that chief among the Daityas thus. one a

Keshini said Are the Brahmanas superior or are the sons of Diti superior, O Virochana? why should not Sudhanvan sit on the sofa?

Virochana said We, the descendants of Prajapati, O Keshini, are the best among creatures. This world is ours. Who are the gods and who are the twice-born person?

Keshini said Even in this very Pavilion shall we wait, O Virochana. Sudhanvan will come in the morning to-morrow; I shall both of you together.

Virochana said 0gentle maiden, I shall do as you say, 0 timid one; you will see in the morning myself and Sudhanvan together.

Vidura said The night had passed away and the solar disc had appeared, there came to that country, O best kings, Sudhanvan, where, O Lord, Virochana was staying with Keshini.

Sudhanvan came to the son of Prahrada and Keshini; the latter, O best among the race if Bharata, having observed the approach of a Brahmana, rose up; and gave him water to wash his feet and the Arghya (mark of respect).

Sudhanvan said (When asked by Virochana to sit on the sofa he occupied) O son of Prahrada, how can I touch that excellent gold seat occupied by you? I shall then come down to the same level with yourself. I shall not sit with you.

Virochana said You are fit for (sitting on) a plank, a skin or a mat. O Sudhanvan, you are not fit for a seat equal to mine.

Sudhanvan said Father and son, two Brahmanas, two Kshatriyas, two old men and two Sudras can sit together. Excepting these, no others can sit together.

Your father used to respect me and occupy a seat lower than mine. You are a child bred in luxury at home; and do not know anything.

Virochana said The gold kine, horses and all other wealth that we Asuras have-staking all these, o Sudhanvan, let us ask this question to them that know.

Sudhanvan said O Virochana, let alone your gold, kine and horses. Let us stake our very lives and ask them the question that are able to answer.

Virochana said Where shall we go after staking our lives. I shall not stand before any of the gods and never before any among men.

Sudhanvan said We shall go your father after staking our lives. Prahrada will not tell a lie even for the sake of his son.

Vidura said In this way having laid wagers, Virochana and Sudhanvan, enraged at each other, then went to the place where Prahrada was staying.

Prahrada said These two now appear, who have never before been together, like two enraged serpents coming by the same road.

Is it that friendship has now been established between you, among whom these was no friendship before? O Virochana, I ask you why this friendship with Sudhanvan.

Virochana said There is no friendship between myself and Sudhanvan. (the Truth is that) we have wagered our lives. O sire, I shall ask you a question; do not answer it untruely.

Prahrada said Let water, honey and curds be brought for Sudhanvan. O Brahmana, you ought to be respected by ine. A white and healthy cow is ready for you.

Sudhanvan said Water, honey and curds have been presented to me on the way. O Prahrada, I ask you a question; answer truly what I ask you. Are the Brahmanas superior or is Virochana superior?

Prahrada said I have got only one son; and you are a Brahmana present here in person. How can one situated as I am, answer the question, which is a matter of dispute between yourselves.

Sudhanvan said Keep your cow and whatever wealth you hold dear for yourself; but, O wise man, you should speak the truth in a matter, on which we two are disputing.

Prahrada said Who does not answer, truly or falsely; I ask you, Sudhanvan, where does that wrong user of his tongue live?

Sudhanvan said One who makes a wrong use of his tongue lives passing his nights like a woman having her husband sleeping in the arms of a co-wife or like one who has been defeated at a game at dice or like one whose body is burning with troubles.

The man, who is giving evidence tells lies, stays staving at the outer gates, shut out from the city; and he always sees his enemies.

A lie for the sake of an animal means the degradation from heaven of five of one's ancestors; one for the sake of a cow means the downfall of ten; one for the sake of a horse means for the downfall of a hundred; while one for the sake of a man means the casting away of a thousand.

A lie for the sake of gold means the destruction of one's race born and unborn; and one for the sake of land means the ruin of everything. Therefore do not tell lies for the sake of land.

Prahrada said Superior to me is Angirasa; and superior to you is Sudhanvan, O Virochana. His mother, too, is superior to (your) mother. Therefore you have been vanquished by him.

O Virochana, this Sudhanvan is now the lord of your life. O Sudhanvan, I desire it (the life) to be restored by you to Virochana.

Sudhanvan said you have chosen virtue and have not I spoken an untruth from temptation; therefore I give back your dear son his life, O Prahrada.

This son of your, Virochana, who is given to you by me, O Prahrada, should wash my feet before the maiden. Since you

Vidura said Therefore, O chief among kings you should not speak an untruth for the sake of land. Do not ruin yourself with your sons and ministers by refraining from speaking the truth.

The gods do not look after men with club in hands, like the herdsman. To those they want to protect, they give intelligence.

In proportion as a man is inclined towards virtue, his wishes meet with success, there is no doubt about it.

The Vedas do not rescue one who is deceitful and lives by deceit from sins. Indeed, the Vedas, when the end approaches, forsake him, as the full-fledge birds forsake their nests.

Drinking quarrels, enmity with many, separating husband from wife (by sowing dissensions), family quarrels, disloyalty to the king, causing quarrels between husbands and wife ought, it is said, to be avoided, as well as the sinful ways of life.

A palmist, a merchant who has formerly been a thief, a cunning fowler, a medical man, an enemy, a friend and one who is of bad habits these seven should not be cited as witnesses.

An Agnihotra ceremony performed out of vanity, silence, study out of vanity and pride based upon haughtiness, these four though not fearful of themselves, become fearful when performed unduly.

46-An incendiary, one who imprisons other persons, a pander, a wine-seller, a manufacturer of arrows, an astrologer, one who injuries friends, one who violates other's wives, one who causes miscarriage, one who violates the wife of his elders and superiors, a twice-born who drinks wine, one who uses excessively harsh words, one who opens up old hostilities, an atheist, one who speaks ill of the Vedas, one addicted to taking bribes, one whose holy thread ceremony has not been performed even through the time has come, one who secretly poisons cattle and one who injures a person who says "protect me”-all these are on the same level with those who slay Brahmanas.

Gold is known by fire, one of good birth by his behaviour, an honest man by his conduct, a hero in times of panic, a patient man during the time of poverty and friends and enemies during the seasons of difficulties and dangers.

Old age destroys beauty; patience hope; death, life envy, virtue; passion, prosperity; association with the vulgar good manners; lust, modesty; and vanity, everything.

Prosperity has for its source good deeds; it increases owing to activity and takes root owing to skill and continues its existence owing to self-control.

Eight qualities glorify a man, viz., wisdom, good birth, self-restraint, learning, strength, littleness of speech, gift to the best of his power and gratitude.

But, O dear, one thing alone can make all these great qualities come together. When a king honours a man, all the qualities shed luster on him.

These eight, O king, in this world of human beings are considered as the marks of heaven. Of these, four are the attributes of the good; and the honest men follow the other four.

Sacrificial ceremonies, gifts, study and devotion, these tour are followed by the good. Self-control, truth, kindness and humanity, these four are also the attributes of the good.

Sacrificial ceremonies, study, gift, devotion, truth, forgiveness, mercy and contentment, these are the eight ways to virtue, according to the Smriti.

The first four of these may be followed from motives of vanity; but the last four do not exist in those that are not great.

That one is not an assembly where there are no old men. Those are not old men who do not speak of virtue. That is not virtue where truth does not exist; and that is not truth where deceit pervades.

Truth, beauty, learning, knowledge, good birth, good manners, strength, wealth, heroism and ability to talk on diverse topics, these ten have their origin in heaven.

A man, who is notoriously sinful by doing sinful acts, gets evil fruits; and one, who is reputed to be virtuous by doing virtuous acts, gains great happiness.

There should a man firmly resolve not to do sinful acts. The sinful acts being committed again and again destroy wisdom.

The man who has lost his wisdom constantly commits sin. The virtuous acts being done again and again increase wisdom.

An old man and wise always does virtuous acts. By doing virtuous acts he gains a good reputation and goes to a holy place (hereafter). Therefore should a man intently practice virtue.

A man that is envious, one that gravely injures another, one who is cruel, one who is always making enemies of others and one who is deceitful by committing sins, soon meets with grave difficulties.

He that is not envious and he who is wise by always doing graceful acts, never meets with any grave difficulties; and shines with luster everywhere.

He that assimilates the wisdom of the wise is himself wise; and he who is wise by doing acts, both virtuous and conducive to worldly benefits, succeeds in gaining happiness.

That act should be done by one during the day, which will enable him to live in comfort during the night; and that should be done in eight months which will enable one to live in comfort throughout the year.

That act should be done during the early years of life, which will enable one to live in comfort during the old age. That act should be done in this life which will enable one to live in happiness after death.

People speak well of that food which has been digested. They speak well of the wife whose youth has passed away and of that hero who has come off victorious in the battle and of that ascetic who has gone over to the other side (of life).

The hole, that one seeks to stop by wealth acquired by foul means, remains uncovered; and others come into existence in other places.

The preceptor is the controller of those who have their souls under restraint; the king is the controller of those who have bad souls; and Yama, the son of Vivasvata, is the controller of those who sin in secret.

The greatness of Rishis, of rivers, of the banks of rivers and of the noble-minded cannot be conceived, as also the wickedness of a woman.

One attached to the worship of the twiceborn, one that makes gifts, one who behaves generously towards his cousins and the Kshatriya of good manners, rules the earth forever.

These three, viz., the brave, the wise and these who know how to protect others, plucks flowers of gold from the earth.

Acts performed by means of the intellect are the best; those performed by the arms come next; O Bharata, those by the things are bad; while those performed by carrying loads are the worst.

Having entrusted your kingdom Duryodhana, Shakuni and the fool Dushasana and Karna, how can you hope for prosperity?

The Pandavas who are possessed of every virtue, O best among the race of Bharata, depend on you as their father. Do you also depends upon them as your sons. to