Apaddharmanushasana Parva — Vidura's discourse on virtue, Profit and Pleasure. An account of men gentle by nature and of true friends

O grandfather, you of great wisdom, I shall ask you a question. You should, O enhancer of the joy of the Kurus, to describe it fully to me.

What kind of man are gentle by nature? With whom may the best friendship exists? Tell us also who are able to do good now and in the future.

I think that neither increasing wealth, nor relatives, nor kinsmen occupy that place which well-meaning friends do.

A friend capable of hearing beneficial advice, and also of doing good, is highly rare! You should foremost of virtuous men, describe fully those subjects.

Bhishma said Hear, O Yudhishthira, as I speak to you fully of those men with whom friendships may be contracted and those with whom friendships should not be made.

One who is covetous, one who has cast off the duties of his castes, one who is dishonest, one who is a knave, one who is mean, one who is of sinful deeds, one who suspects all, one who is idle, one who is procrastinating, one who is of a crooked nature, one who is a butt of universal censure one who dishonours the life of his preceptor, one who is addicted to the seven well-known vices, one who shuns distressed friends, one who is wicked, one who is shameless, one whose eyes are always on sin, one who is an atheist, one who vilifies the Vedas, one whose senses are not under control, one who is lustful, one who is untruthful, one who is forsaken by all, one who disregards all restraints, one who is deceitful, one who is destitute of wisdom, one who is envious, one who is sinful, one whose conduct is bad, one whose soul is not been purified, one who is cruel, one who is a gambler, one who always tries to injure friends, one who covets an other's wealth, that wicked man who is never content with what another may give him according to his means, one who is never pleased with his friends, O foremost of men, one who becomes angry on bad occasions, one who is of restless mind, one who quarrels without cause, that sinful man who feels no scruple in deserting well-meaning friends, that wretch who always seeks his own interests and who, O king, falls out with friends when these do him a very slight injury or do him a wrong unknowingly, one who acts like an enemy but speaks like a friend, one who is perverse in perception, one who does not see his own good, one who never finds pleasure in what is good for himself or others, should be shunned.

One who drinks wine, one who hates others, one who is angry, one who is merciless, one who feels pain on seeing other's happiness, one who injures friends, one who always kills living creatures, one who is ungrateful, one who is vile, should be shunned. Friendship should never be contracted with any of them. Likewise, no friendship should be made with him who is always busy with seeing the faults of others. Listen now to me as I mention the persons, with whom friendship may be contracted.

The well-born, the eloquent, the polite, the learned and scientific men, they that are of beautiful and pleasant features, the accomplished and meritorious persons, those who are free from covetousness, those who are never worn out with labour those who are good to their friends, the grateful, those who keep varied information and knowledge, those who are shorn of avarice, those who are endued with agreeable qualities, those who are firm in truth, those who have subjugated their senses, those who are devoted to athletic and other exercises, those who are nobly born, those who multiply their families, those who are shorn of faults, those who are possessed of fame, should be accepted by kings for making friendship with them.

Those, again, O king, who become pleased and contented if one treats them according to the best of his powers, those who never get angry on occasions when anger should be displayed, those who never become displeased without sufficient cause, those persons who are well-read in the science of Profit and who even when annoyed, can keep their minds quiet, those who give themselves up to the service of friends at personal sacrifice, those who never cast off their friends, but who remain unchanged in their attachment) like a red blanket made of wool, those who never disregard, from anger, those who are poor, those who never dishonour young women by giving way to lust and loss of judgement, those who never show wrong paths to friends, those who are trustworthy, those who always, practise righteousness, those who consider gold and clod of earth with an equal eye, those who are devoted to friends and well-wishers, those who collect their own people and try to be friend them, without caring for their own dignity and their own respectability, should be considered as persons with whom (friendship) should be formed. Indeed, the kingdoms of that king spread on all sides, like the light of the moon, who makes friendship with such superior men.

Friendship should be formed with men who are well-practised in weapons, who have completely subjugated their anger, who are always strong in battle and are highly born, and are of good behaviour, and varied accomplishments.

Amongst the vicious men, O sinless one, that I have mentioned, the vilest, o king, are those who are ungrateful and who injure friends. Those wicked persons should be shunned by all. This, indeed, is a settled injunction.'

Yudhishthira said I wish to hear fully this description. Tell me who they are who injure friends and ungrateful persons.

I shall recite to you an old story the incidents of which took place in the country, O king, of the Mlecchas that lies to the north.

There was a certain Brahmana of the middle country. He had no Vedic learning. (One day), seeing a prosperous village, the man entered it from desire of getting alms.

In that village lived a very rich robber conversant with the characteristics of all the castes, devoted to the Brahmanas, firm in truth, and always engaged in making gifts.

Going to the house of that robber, the Brahmana begged for alms. Indeed, he prayed for a house to live in and the necessaries of life lasting for a year.

Thus begged by the Brahmana, the robber gave him a piece of new cloth with its ends complete, and a young widow.

Getting all those things from the robber, the Brahmana become filled with joy. Gautama began to live happily in that big house given to him by the robber.

He began to help the relatives and kinsmen of the female slave the robber-chief gave him. Thus he lived for many years in that prosperous village of hunters.

He began to practise with great zeal the art of archery. Every day, like the other robbers living there, Gautama, o king, went into the forest and killed a large number of wild cranes. Always engaged in killing living creatures, he became well-skilled in that act and soon became shorn of mercy. For his intimacy with robbers he became one like one of them.

Living happily in that robber village for many months, he killed a number of wild cranes.

One day another Brahmana came to that village. He was clad in rags and deer-skins and bore matted locks on his head. Of highly pure conduct, he was devoted to the study of the Vedas.

Of a humble disposition, of restricted diet, devoted to the Brahmanas, well-read in ihe Vedas, and observant of Brahmacharya vows, that Brahmana had been a dear friend of Gautama and belonged to that part of the country from which Gautama had come.

In course of his peregrinations, as already said, the Brahmana came to that robber village where Gautama was living. He never accepted any food if given by a Shudra and, therefore, began to look for the house of a Brahmana there.

Accordingly he wandered in every direction in that village filled with robber-families. At last that foremost of Brahmanas came to the house of Gautama. It so happened that just then Gautama also, returning from the forest, was entering his house. The two friends met. Armed with bow and sword, he carried on his shoulders a load of killed cranes, and his body was covered with the blood that trickled down from the bag on his shoulders.

Seeing that man who looked like a cannibal and who had fallen away from the pure practices of his caste, and entering his house, the newly-arrived guest, recognising him, O king, said these words

What is this that you are doing here out of ignorance. You are a Brahmana, and the perpetuator of a Brahmana family. Born in a respectable family belonging to the Middle country, how is it that you have become like a robber in your conduct.

Recollect, O twice-born one, your famous kinsmen of former times, all of whom were well-read in the Vedas. Born in their family, alas, you have sullied it.

Awake yourself by your own exertions. Remembering the power, the conduct, the learning, the self-control, the mercy (which belong to your caste), leave this your present house, O twice-born one.

Thus spoken to by that well-meaning friend of his, O king, Gautama answered him in great distress of heart, saying,-O foremost of twiceborn ones, I am poor. I have no knowledge of the Vedas. Know, O best of Brahmanas, that I have taken up my quarters here for the sake of money only.

Seeing you, however, I am blessed to-day. We shall together leave this place tomorrow. Do you spend the night here with me.

Thus accosted, the newly-arrived Brahmana, full of mercy as he was, passed the night there, without touching anything. Though hungry and requested again and again, the guest refused to touch any food in that house.