m. In the case of such a person neither the mantras of
homa, nor auspicious ceremonies, nor the mantras of the Atharva Veda, nor
any of the antidotes of poison, are of any efficacy. Serpents, fire,
lions, and consanguineous relatives,--none of these, O Bharata, should be
disregarded by a man; all of these are possessed of great power. Fire is
a thing of great energy in this world. It lurketh in wood and never
consumeth it till it is ignited by others. That very fire, when brought
out by friction, consumeth by its energy not only the wood in which it
lurketh, but also an entire forest and many other things. Men of high
lineage are just like fire in energy. Endued with forgiveness, they
betray no outward symptoms of wrath and are quiet like fire in wood.
Thou, O king, with thy sons art possessed of the virtue of creepers, and
the sons of Pandu are regarded as Sala trees. A creeper never groweth
unless there is a large tree to twine round. O king, O son of Ambika, thy
son is as a forest. O sire, know that the Pandavas are the lions of that
forest. Without its lions the forest is doomed to destruction, and lions
also are doomed to destruction without the forest (to shelter them).'"

SECTION XXXVIII

"Vidura said, 'The heart of a young man, when an aged and venerable
person cometh to his house (as a guest), soareth aloft. By advancing
forward and saluting him, he getteth it back. He that is self-controlled,
first offering a seat, and bringing water and causing his guest's feet to
be washed and making the usual enquiries of welcome, should then speak of
his own affairs, and taking everything into consideration, offer him
food. The wise have said that man liveth in vain in whose dwelling a
Brahmana conversant with mantras doth not accept water, honey and curds,
and kine from fear of being unable to appropriate them, or from
miserliness and unwillingness with which the gifts are made. A physician,
a maker of arrows, even one that hath given up the vow of Brahmacharya
before it is complete, a thief, a crooked-minded man, a Brahmana that
drinks, one that causeth miscarriage, one that liveth by serving in the
army, and one that selleth the Vedas, when arrived as a guest, however
undeserving he may be the offer of water should be regarded (by a
householder) as exceedingly dear. A Brahmana should never be a seller of
salt, of cooked food, curds, milk, honey, oil, clarified butter, sesame,
meat, fruits, roots, potherbs, dyed clot