13.037
Examination of the worthy;
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
O grandsire, what may be considered worthy: something unprecedented, or one who has long resided, or one who has come from afar—what is worthy, O grandsire? (13-37-1)
Bhishma said.
For some, the act of the highest silent vow is this: "Whatever anyone may ask for, I would give everything," thus indeed. (13-37-2)
We have heard thus: 'Not oppressing the group of servants.' For one who oppresses the group of servants indeed brings himself down. (13-37-3)
The wise know as worthy that which is unprecedented, or which has long resided, or which has come from afar; they consider all these as worthy. (13-37-4)
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
One should not regret knowledge truly given to a worthy person, just as one should not regret non-oppression and non-violence towards servants. (13-37-5)
Bhishma said.
Sacrificial priests, family priests, teachers, disciples, relatives, and kinsmen—all are to be respected and honored, and are united by their well-known conduct. (13-37-6)
Therefore, all those who exist otherwise are not worthy of proper conduct. Hence, one should always examine men carefully indeed. (13-37-7)
Absence of anger, truthful speech, non-injury, self-restraint, straightforwardness, absence of malice, lack of excessive pride, modesty, forbearance, austerity, and tranquility. (13-37-8)
O Bhārata, that person in whom these qualities are seen and not improper acts, and in whom they are firmly established by nature, deserves honor. (13-37-9)
Thus, both one who has resided long and one who has just arrived, the unprecedented and the former, all such are worthy of honor. (13-37-10)
Non-authoritativeness of the Vedas and śāstras, excessive transgression, and instability everywhere—this is the destruction of oneself. (13-37-11)
A brāhmaṇa who considers himself a scholar, criticizes the Veda, and is attached to the sciences of inquiry and logic, is useless. (13-37-12)
He who speaks among the good, conquering those who argue logically, is skilled in reasoning; he is always, indeed, a reviler and one who speaks excessively among the brāhmaṇas. (13-37-13)
Dear one, know that a person who suspects everyone, is deluded, childish, and harsh in speech, is to be regarded as a man-dog; indeed, such a person is recognized as such. (13-37-14)
Just as a dog is set loose to bark and bite, so too, for the sake of argument and the destruction of all śāstras, those with little learning and false logic—bad scholars—are seen and encountered. (13-37-15)
One should seek out those who are knowers of the Veda, tradition, epics, Purāṇas, forest texts, as well as those who are very knowledgeable, those who know the essence, and indeed, the learned ones. (13-37-16)
A man who observes worldly conduct, righteousness, and acts beneficial to himself in this way prospers for eternal years. (13-37-17)
Having discharged the debts to the gods, sages, ancestors, brāhmaṇas, and guests, which are the five (debts). (13-37-18)
Thus, when a householder performs actions in succession, with purity and thorough determination, he is not deprived of righteousness. (13-37-19)
