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Yudhiṣṭhira said.
O grandsire, the learned men in the world praise truth, forbearance, self-restraint, and wisdom; how did this become your opinion?
Bhīṣma said.
Here, O Yudhiṣṭhira, I will tell you the ancient story—the conversation that took place here between the Sādhyas and Haṃsa.
Having become a swan, then the golden, self-born, eternal Prajapati indeed went around the three worlds and then approached the Sādhya deities.
The Sādhyas spoke.
O Śakuni, we, the Sādhyas among the gods, approach you. We ask you about the dharma of liberation, for you are indeed known as the knower of liberation.
We have heard of you as a wise and steadfast speaker; your good words fall, O bird. What do you consider the best, O twice-born? In what does your mind find delight, O great-souled one?
O best of birds, decide for us that action which you consider the best among all actions. That, by doing which, a person is quickly released from all bonds here, O king of birds.
The Swan said.
"This is what I have heard should be done by those who desire immortality: austerity, self-restraint, truth, and self-protection. Having loosened all the knots of the heart, one should not let oneself be controlled by pleasure or pain."
One should neither speak harshly nor utter cruel words; one should not accept gifts from those inferior or superior. Speech that causes distress to others should not be spoken, for such painful words lead to sinful realms.
Words are like arrows that emerge from the mouth; when someone is struck by them, they grieve day and night. These do not strike the vital parts of another, so a wise person should not direct such words towards others.
If another person wounds you intensely with harsh words, you should practice only forbearance here. Whoever, when provoked to anger, endures it, he indeed acquires the merit of the other person.
He who restrains anger arising from insult, pride, attachment, or falsehood, whose mind is pure, joyful, and free from envy, truly acquires the merit of others.
When reviled, I do not utter a word; I always forgive, even when beaten. The noble ones declare that forgiveness is indeed the highest virtue, as are truth, straightforwardness, and compassion.
The essence of the Veda is truth; the essence of truth is self-restraint; the essence of self-restraint is liberation. This is the teaching for all.
He who has subdued the impulses of speech, mind, anger, curiosity, belly, and genitals—I consider him truly a brāhmaṇa and a sage.
He who is free from anger is superior among the angry; likewise, the patient is superior even to the extremely patient. The human is superior to non-humans; likewise, the wise is foremost among the ignorant.
When insulted, one should not retaliate; for anger burns the insulter, and the patient person gains merit.
The gods always favor the one who does not speak excessively, nor utter harsh or flattering words, who does not retaliate when harmed, and who never desires to commit sin.
One should forgive those who are more sinful; if insulted, struck, or abused by those who are more virtuous or equals, by acting thus, one attains success.
I always serve the noble ones with restraint; I have no desire for knowledge, nor do I harbor anger. I do not seek to gain by approaching others, nor do I pursue anything by unfair means.
I am not cursed, nor do I curse anyone in return; I know that self-restraint is truly the gateway to immortality here. I reveal to you this secret of Brahman: there is indeed nothing superior to a human being.
Just as the moon becomes spotless when freed from sins and riches, so too does the wise man, awaiting the right time, achieve success through patience.
He who is revered by all, like a noble-born pillar in ritual, and to whom people speak words of high praise—such a self-restrained person indeed attains the gods.
Those who pursue fault-finding do not wish to speak of a person's good qualities as much as they wish to speak of their lack of virtue.
He whose speech and mind are always properly guarded and directed, attains all—Vedas, austerity, and renunciation.
The wise person grows through abuse and insult from the ignorant; therefore, one should neither cause another to grow (by such means), nor harm oneself.
Just as a twice-born is satisfied with nectar, so too with insult; the insulted sleeps peacefully, but the one who insults perishes.
Whatever an angry person may sacrifice, give, perform as austerity, or offer, Yama takes all of it away; the effort of the angry person is in vain.
He who keeps well-guarded the four doors—genitals, belly, two hands, and speech—is a knower of dharma.
He should be one who is truthful, self-restrained, straightforward, non-cruel, steadfast, forbearing, devoted to self-study, not coveting what belongs to others, solitary in conduct, and aspiring for higher progress.
Though I followed all these breasts like a clever calf, I did not attain anything purer than truth anywhere.
I declare to men and gods, moving among them: truth is the stairway to heaven, like a boat is to the ocean.
A person becomes like those with whom he lives and associates; as is his desire to become, so he becomes.
If a person associates with the virtuous or the unvirtuous, with ascetics or even thieves, just as cloth takes on the color chosen by the dyer, so too does he come under the influence of those he associates with.
The gods always converse with the virtuous; they do not go to see human objects. The moon may be equal, but the wind is indeed unequal; he who knows the object of brightness and lowness understands.
When a person is not wicked in their present inner heart, it is by such a one alone that the gods are truly pleased—by one who is established in the path of the virtuous.
Those who are always devoted to sensual pleasures and food, thieves, and men who are habitually harsh in speech—recognizing them as such and knowing them to be free from faults, the gods keep away from them from a distance.
The gods are not pleased by those of inferior character, by gluttons, or by those who do evil deeds. Rather, they associate with men who are truthful in their vows, grateful, and devoted to righteousness.
They say that what is unspoken is superior to what is spoken; speaking the truth is the second best, speaking righteousness is the third, and speaking what is pleasing is the fourth.
The Sādhyas spoke.
By what is this world enveloped, by what does it not shine forth? By what does a person abandon friends, and by what does one not attain heaven?
The swan said:
The world, enveloped in ignorance, does not shine because of envy; out of greed, one abandons friends; due to attachment, one does not attain heaven.
The Sādhyas spoke.
Who is that one who delights among the Brāhmaṇas? Who is that one who remains at peace among many? Who is that one who is strong even though weak? Who among these does not get involved in quarrels?
The Swan said.
A wise person alone finds joy among Brāhmaṇas; a wise person alone remains calm even among many; a wise person alone is strong, even if weak; a wise person does not get involved in their quarrels.
The Sādhyas spoke.
What is considered the divinity of Brāhmaṇas, and what is regarded as their virtue? What is their vice, and what is the human opinion about them?
The Swan said.
For these, self-study is considered divinity, vow, and virtue; non-virtue, slander, and death are considered human.
Bhīṣma said.
It is declared that this dialogue is excellent among those to be accomplished. The field is indeed the source of actions; true being is said to be truth.
