The ordinances about conduct

I think, O grandfather, that you know everything. O you, who are conversant with duties, I wish to hear you describe to me, O sinless one, the ordinances about conduct.

Bhishma said Those are called wicked men who are of bad conduct, of bad acts, of wicked understanding, and great rashness, gusihed by purity of conduct and habit.

They are good men who never answer calls of nature on the high roads, in cowpens, or in fields filled with paddy.

One should, having finished the necessary rites, perform; his ablutions in river-water and gratify the gods with oblations of water. This is the duty of all men.

The Sun-god should be always adored. One should not sleep after sunrise. Morning and evening the prayers, should be said, sitting with face turned towards the East and towards the West respectively.

One should, washing the five limbs, eal silently with face turned towards the East, One should never speak of the food which he is to eal. One should eat food which is good to the taste.

One should, washing the five limbs, cat silently with face turned towards the East. One should never speak of the food which he is to cal. One should eat food which is good to the taste.

One should every day go round a sacred place, a bull, a sacred image, a cowpen, the crossing point of four roads, a pious Brahmana, and a sacred tree.

One should make no distinctions between his guests and servants and kinsmen in matters of food. To treat servants equally in this matter is highly spoken of.

Eating morning and evening is an ordinance of the gods. It is not sanctioned that one should eat at any intermediate period. He who cats according to this rule gains the merit of a fast.

One should pour libations, at the hours fixed for Homa, on the sacred fire. Without wishing to know other people's wives, the wisc man who seeks his own wife in her season, acquires the merit of Brahmacharya.

The remnants of a Brahmana's food are like nectar. They are like the mother's milk. People highly value those remnants. The god, by cating them, attain to Brahma.

He who pounds turf to clay or he who cuts grass, or he who uses his nails only for taking food, or he who always lives on the residue of Brahinana's dishes, or he who acts, actuated by desire for reward, has not to live long in the world.

One who has abstained from meat, should not take meat even if it be sanctified with Mantras from the Yajurveda. One should also avoid the flesh of the vertebral column and the flesh of animals not killed in sacrifices.

One should never make his guest to fast, whether at his own house or in a strange land. One should, having obtained alms, offer them of his elders.

One should offer seats to his elders and respectfully bow to them. One obtains long life, fame, and prosperity, by a doing his elders.

One should never see the Sun at the moment of rising, nor should one gaze at a naked woman who is another man's wife. Living with one's wife (in her season) is not sinful, but it is an act that should always be done secretly.

The heart of all sacred places and shrines is the Preceptor. The heart of all pure and cleansing things is Fire. All acts done by a good and pious person are good and praiseworthy, including even the touching of the hair of a cow's tail.

One should make polite enquiries every time he meets with another. One should salute Brahmanas every morning and evening.

In temple of gods, amid cows, in performing the rites of religion sanctioned for Brahmanas, in studying, the Vedas, and in Brahmanas, in studying, the Vedas, and in eating, the right hand should be raised.

The adoration of Brahmanas, morning and evening, according to due rites, yields great merit. Through such worship the stock of the merchant, and the produce of the agriculturist, become profuse. The produce of all sorts of corn and the supply of all articles of enjoyment also become profuse.

One should say, while giving food to another.-'Is it sufficient?' One should ask, when presenting drink,-Will it please?-One should ask, when giving sweetened milk and rice, or sugared gruel of barley, or milk with or pcas,-Has it fallen?-People should respectfully adore Brahmanas, after shaving, after spitting, after bathing, and after eating. Such adoration is sure to grant longlife to sickly men.

One should not pass urine with face turned towards the Sun, nor should one see his own excreta. One should not lie on the same bed with a woman, nor eat with her.

One should never Thou-Thee their elders, while addressing them, nor take their names. Thou-,thee-,ing, or taking of names, is only allowable in addressing inferiors or one's compeers.

sesame The hearts of sinful men betray the sins committed by them. Those sinful men who conceal their conscious sins from good men meet with destruction.

Only ignorant fools try to conceal the sins which they commit knowingly. It is true that men do not see those sins, but the gods see them.

A sin concealed by another sin begets fresh sins. Again, an act of merit increases the merit, if concealed by an act of merit. The acts of a virtuous man always follow Virtue.

A man shorn of understanding never thinks of the sins committed by him. Those sins, however, overtake the doer who has disregarded the scriptures. As Rahu comes to Chandra, those sinful acts come to the foolish man.

If the wealth is preserved with the hope of some desire, its end is painful. The wise are not in favour of that. The death does not wait for desire.

The objects that are the righteousness of all creatures is a quality of the mind. One should, therefore, in his hand, do good to all.

One should practise virtue alone. In the practice of virtue one need not seek the help of others. If one follows only the ordinances of the scriptures, what can companion do.

Righteousness is the origin of mankind. Righteousness is the nectar of the gods. After death, men enjoy, through Righteousness, eternal felicity.