Markandeya said: - -
1. Continuously mediating upon that wonder, which the woman had told and reproaching himself very often, he appeared as if he was a criminal.
2. Thus meditating upon the fine way of virtue, he said, I should, indeed, respectfully agree to her speech; and, Therefore, go at once to Mithila.
3. Surely there lives in that city a fowler, who possess a soul under complete control and who also is thoroughly versed in the principles of morality. This day I will go to him, who possesses wealth of asceticism in order to ask him about the principles of morality.
4. Thus meditating in his mind and relying upon the statement of the woman, which was ensured by her knowledge of the death of the female crane, as also by her happy discourse bearing upon the principles of virtue, he (Kaushika),
5. Being filled with curiosity. (He) departed to Mithila and crossed over forests, villages and cities.
6. Then at last he came to Mithila, which was governed by king Janaka. The city was decorated with the flags hoisted by men of various creeds. It was echoed with the sound of sacrifices and festive celebrations. Also the city looked most beautiful.
7. Having entered that beautiful city, he saw that it was adorned with magnificent porches, buildings and splendid palaces; and protected on all sides by lofty walls and also filled with numberless cars.
8. The city was traversed by several broad roads, lined with innumerable shops. It was also covered over with innumerable horses, cars, elephants and warriors.
9. The Brahmana saw the town full of men, who were enjoying health and cheer and were always engaged in the celebration of festivities; as also he saw there various other things.
10. Having entered the city, he searched after the virtuous Fowler. Some regenerate persons pointed out to him the place, where he repaired and saw the Fowler seated in the midst of a butcher’s yard.
11. The twice-born person stood at a distant corner; for the fowler, devoted to asceticism, was then selling venison and the flesh of the buffalo; and a large number of buyers gathered round him in right earnest.
12. Understanding that the twice-born one had come to him, he (fowler) suddenly got up from his seat and went to the place, where the Brahmana was standing in seclusion.
The Fowler said: - -
13. O virtuous one, O foremost of the regenerate ones, I salute you. You are welcome! I am the fowler. Indeed, be you happy! Command me what I will do for you.
14. The words, that a woman told to you, viz., you go to Mithila, are all known to me. I know also with what object you have come here.
15. Hearing these words of his, the Brahmana became greatly astonished. The regenerate person went on meditating-Oh! this is the second marvel!
16. The fowler then addressed the Brahmana, saying-Indeed, you are now staying at a place, that is not at all proper for you. O holy one, O faultless one, should you like, let us go to my own abode.
Markandeya said: - -
17. The Brahmana, highly gratified, addressed him, saying, “So be it”. Making the Brahmana proceed before him, he (fowler) departed towards his own abode.
18. Having entered his beautiful abode, he honoured him with a seat. Accepting the water that was given to him for washing the feet and face, the foremost of the regenerate ones.
19. Seated himself at his ease. Thereupon he addressed the fowler, saying, “It appears to me that this business is not really suitable to you. O father, I greatly regret that you should adopt such a dishonourable profession”.
The Fowler said: - -
20. This profession belongs to my race; and it has descended to me from my father and grandfather. O twice-born one, do not be sorry for the reason of my adopting the profession that belongs to my own family.
21. Fulfilling the duties of my own trade, to which I am already destined by the creator, I carefully devote myself, O best of the regenerate ones, to the service of my superiors as well as the old men.
22. I always speak the truth; and I never envy other persons. As also I give away to the best of my power; and live upon what is left after the service of the gods, the guests and my own dependents.
23. I never speak evil of anything; neither I hate anything, however great. O best of the twice-born persons, the actions done in the past existence always follow the doer.
24. In this world the chief professions of men are agriculture, the rearing of cows and trade. But in the next world, the acquaintance in ethics and the three special branches of knowledge (the three Vedas) prove most conducive.
25. Service of other three classes has been the fixed duty of the Shudra. Agriculture has been fixed for the Vaishyas; and fighting has been ordained for the Kshatriyas. The vow of Brahmacharya, devotion, repetition of the mantras and truthfulness are always to be observed by the Brahmanas.
26. The king should govern, in accordance with the dictates of virtue, the subjects, who always stick to their fixed profession. He should also appoint men to their own profession, who have really fallen from it.
27. The king should always be feared by his subjects; because he is their lord. The kings, again, should check their subject, who has gone away from his fixed profession, even as they restrain the deer by the arrows.
28. O twice-born sage, O best of the Brahmanas, there is none here in the kingdom of king Janaka, who has fallen from his ordained duties. In fact, all the four classes strictly follow their respective duties.
29. Janaka is such a king that, even if his son be a cruel and a criminal one, he puts him under punishment. But he never inflicts penalty upon the virtuous.
30. With the assistance of the spies appointed by him, he casts a virtuous look upon all things. O best of the regenerate ones, prosperity, kingdom and the power of inflicting punishment rest with the Kshatriyas.
31. Indeed, the kings, practising their own special virtues, crave for immense prosperity. In fact, the king is the preserver of all the four classes.
32. O regenerate one, I never slay the hogs and buffaloes myself. They are slain by others. O twice-born sage, only I always sell their flesh afterwards.
33. I never eat flesh myself. Really I have an intercourse with my wife during her season. O twice-born one, I always fast during the day and eat only during the night.
34. A person, being born bad, may be of good character. Again, he may turn out virtuous, even if he be a slayer of animals by birth or profession.
35. Virtue diminishes in strength on account of the misconduct of the kings; and sin becomes predominant. Thereon the subjects grow less.
36. Then also the formidable monsters, dwarfs and those, who have crooked backs and wide heads and those, who have lost the power of procreation, the dead and blind persons as also those, who have their eye-sight paralysed, begin to take birth.
37. In consequence of the criminality of the rulers of the earth, the subjects undergo continuous harms. But Janaka is such a monarch, that he looks upon his subjects with virtuous eyes.
38. He is ever kind to all his subjects, who perform their fixed duties. As for myself, those who praise me or those men who blame me,
39-40. All of them I satisfy with deeds well done. But those kings, who lead their lives in the strict observance of their duties and are ever busy (in the performance of honest deeds) and who can bear austerity and possess smartness and promptitude, never depend upon anything for their support. 40. Giving away food incessantly to the best of one’s power, patience and firm belief in virtue,
41. Necessary regard for all creatures always, these virtues are present only in that person, who has wholly abandoned the world (the worldly pleasures); but in none else.
42. One should do away with falsehood. He should render good to all without being asked. He should never forsake virtue out of lust or anger or malice.
43. One should not express unnatural joy at good fortune or succumb under calamities. He should not grow dispirited, when overpowered by poverty or forsake his virtue when so overpowered.
44. If on a certain occasion one commits a wrong, he should not commit it again. One should direct his soul to what contributes to the happiness of others.
45. There should be no wrong over wrong; rather one should deal honestly. The sinful person, who desires to commit a crime, is slain by himself.
46. By committing a crime one becomes wicked and dishonest. Those who consider that there is no virtue or those, who laugh at the pure and good,
47. These vicious men undoubtedly find decay in the long run. The wicked person daily grows flatulent, even as the leather bag inflated with wind.
48. The ideas of those, who are destitute of all sensibilities and who also are most worldly, are worthless. The inner soul points him out (as a fool), even as the sun discovers all features during the day.
49. The fool cannot shine in this world only by praising himself. Rather the learned man, even if he be dirty and anointed, shines gloriously in this world.
50. He never speaks ill of any one; nor does he utter his own praise. No person is found on earth, who shines with all the excellent qualities.
51. The person, who repents for his sins, is freed from them. If one declares that he would not commit the sin again, he is delivered from committing a second one.
52. O best and foremost of the Brahmanas, he may also be saved from sin by the performance of any one of the ordained acts. O Brahmana, this is Shruti, which may be referred to as one this relating to virtue.
53. A person, who was formerly virtuous, having committed sins out of ignorance, can destroy those sins afterwards. O monarch, the virtue of persons shines again (drives off all sins), if sins are committed out of mistake.
54. After having committed a sin, one should consider that he is no longer a man. The gods behold his sin, as also the monitor that is within him.
55. The person, who with piety and without detestation, hides the faults of the honest, like holes in his own garment surely desires to provide for the means of salvation.
56. After having committed the sin, if a person really seeks salvation, he is delivered from all his sins, even as the moon looks bright after it has come out of the clouds.
57. Thus seeking salvation, a man is freed from all his sins, even as the sun, upon rising, displays its lustre after it has driven off all darkness.
58. O best of the twice-born ones, do you know that temptation forms the ground-work of all sins. Men, that are destitute of enough of knowledge, having been given to temptation, commit sins.
59. Sinful persons hide themselves under the guise of virtue, even as the wells remain undiscovered on account of the grasses growing over and covering them. The self-control, which they seem to possess, their holiness, their speeches regarding virtue, all these are witnessed in them. But good behaviours are hardly found in them.
Markandeya said: - -
60. Indeed, that greatly wise Brahmana asked the virtuous flower, saying, “O foremost of men, how shall I know the virtuous behaviours?”
61. O best of virtuous persons, you are blessed! I desire to hear this from you. O lofty-minded one, O Fowler, tell me the details of it truly.
The Fowler said: - -
62. O foremost of the regenerate ones, sacrifice, gift, austerity, the study of the Vedas and truthfulness, these five holy things are always noticed in a virtuous conduct.
63. Having control over desires, anger, haughtiness, avarice and wickedness, those who take pleasure in virtue because it is virtue, are, in the opinion of the honest and wise, really reckoned to be virtuous.
64. Those persons who perform sacrifices and are ever devoted to the study of Vedas, have no behaviours other than what are practised by the virtuous. Indeed, good behaviours form the second attribute of the pious.
65. O Brahmana, rendering services to the superiors, truthfulness, worthlessness and gift, these four are ever present in those, who are really virtuous.
66. Once can wholly obtain credit by directing the heart towards virtuous behaviours. This he gains only be practising the above four; otherwise to gain this becomes impossible.
67. Truth constitutes the essence of the Vedas. Control over passions constitutes the essence of truth. And self-denial (refraining from the worldly enjoyments) forms the essence of self-control. These attributes are always present in a virtuous conduct.
68. Those persons, who, being intelligent and full of delusions, hate these virtues, surely tread in the sinful path. The men who follow them fall in the abyss of decay.
69. They, who are virtuous and are devoted to the observance of the vows, to the Shrutis and to self-denial; and they who have ascended the paths of virtue and are engaged in speaking truth and observing virtues;
70. They, who are endued with the virtuous behaviours; they, who follow the orders of the preceptors; and they, who minutely observe the import of the scriptures, obtain the highest intelligence.
71. Forsake the atheists, who are notorious, wicked and always entertain cruel ideas. Take shelter under knowledge and always worship those, that are virtuous.
72. By means of the boat of endurance you cross over that river, which is replete with such creatures as the desires and temptations. Its waters are the fine senses and the shoals found therein are the successive births.
73. As great is virtue or as it consists in the practice of intelligence and yoga, it looks very beautiful, when acquired and added to a virtuous behaviour, like the dye on a white garment.
74. Absence of malice and truthfulness are most beneficial to all creatures. Absence of malice constitutes the chief virtue, which, again, is founded upon truth. Indeed, all our desirabilities find their scope, when they are all based upon truth.
75. Truth is the supreme virtue, which is specially adopted by the pious. Good behaviour forms the peculiar virtue of the honest and the wise. Those, that are holy, possess good conduct.
76. Every creature frames principles of his own according to his inherent tendency. The vicious man, who can not restrain his own self, becomes subject to these vices, viz., desires, wrath and others.
77. It is an immortal maxim that justice constitutes virtue. The virtuous say that evil behaviours constitute sin.
78. Those men are reckoned to be virtuous, who never show wrath, pride or haughtiness and malice or whose conduct is ever marked by simplicity and quiet due.
79. Those again, are said to possess virtuous conduct, who carefully follow the rites laid down in the three Vedas; who are holy; who possess piety and sacred character; who serve the superiors; and who also have the power of restraining the self.
80. The actions and behaviours of those great men are difficult of acquisition. The sins of those men, who are made pure by means of their own actions, die out of themselves.
81. This pious behaviour is most wonderful, ancient, inchangeable and eternal. The wise men’s who with sanctity lead a virtuous life secure heaven.
82. The holy men, who are atheists, as also who are unaustentatious and who are respectful towards the degenerate persons and who, again, are familiar with the holy rites, are deserved to live in heaven.
83. The explanation of virtue is threefold. The first is called the supreme virtue, which is inculcated in the Vedas. The second is what is laid down in Dharmashastras. The third is called the honest behaviour, which is observed by the pious. Crossing over (the ocean of) knowledge, the performance of ablutions in the places of pilgrimage,
84. forgiveness, truthfulness, simplicity, sacredness are the characteristics of virtuous conduct. Those who, are king to all creatures and who are never malignant
85-86. And who never speak ill of anybody, are always dear to the twice-born ones. Who are familiar with the results of good or evil actions, are reckoned by the wise to be virtuous. Again, those who are just and virtuous and well disposed towards all,
87. And who are honest and have obtained heaven, who possess sacred characters and constantly tread in the path of virtue. Who are liberal in gifts and unselfish, who show favour to the distressed,
88. And who are revered by all, who possess the wealth of knowledge, who are devotees and who are kind to all creatures, are virtuous according to the honest and wise.
89-90. The persons, who are charitable, secure prosperity in this world and abodes of happiness, in the next. The virtuous men, if approached and solicited by the honest and wise, give away alms to them with the best of his power, even at the denial of the comforts of his wife and dependents. Looking to their own interest and having an eye upon virtue and the ways of the world.
91. The men, who thus practise virtue, obtain the greatest amount of virtue through eternal ages. Persons, who possess the attributes of truthfulness, abstention from injuring others, modestly and simplicity.
92. And who are not malicious and proud, who are mild and self-sacrificing, who have self-control and forbearance, intelligence and patience, who are kind towards all creatures.
93. And who are free from desires and malice, are said to be the witnesses of the world. These three are reckoned to constitute the highest way of the pious, viz.,
94-95. A man must not offend anybody. He must be charitable. Also he must speak the truth always. Those great men of highest virtue. Who are kind on all occasions and who are filled with compassion, obtain the greatest contentment and ascend the superior path of virtue; and whose acquisition of virtue is most certain.
96. Harmlessness, forgiveness, peacefulness, contentment, agreeable speech, giving away passions and excitements, the service of the virtuous characters.
97. Actions performed in accordance with the dictates of the Shastra constitute the superior path of the honest and the wise. Those who constantly follow the path of virtue and daily worship the virtuous,
98. Can ascend the palace of knowledge. It is they only who are freed from that greatest terror (rebirth). O best of Brahmanas, it is they only who have the power of observing the several aspects of human nature.
99. O foremost of Brahmanas I have thus related to you all about the virtuous as well as the vicious, behaviours according to my own knowledge or as I have heard on the matter. O Brahmana, O foremost of the twice-born ones, I have done justice to the subject of virtuous conduct, which I had introduced.
Thus ends the two hundred and sixth chapter, colloquy between the Brahmana and the Fowler, in the Markandeya Samasya of the Vana Parva.