association with fools
produceth an illusion that entangleth the mind, as daily communion with
the good and the wise leadeth to the practice of virtue. Therefore, they
that desire emancipation should associate with those that are wise and
old and honest and pure in conduct and possessed of ascetic merit. They
should be waited upon whose triple possessions, viz., knowledge (of the
Vedas), origin and acts, are all pure, and association with them is even
superior to (the study of the) scriptures. Devoid of the religious acts
as we are, we shall yet reap religious merit by association with the
righteous, as we should come by sin by waiting upon the sinful. The very
sight and touch of the dishonest, and converse and association with them;
cause diminution of virtue, and men (that are doomed to these), never
attain purity of mind. Association with the base impaireth the
understanding, as, indeed, with the indifferent maketh it indifferent,
while communion with the good ever exalteth it. All those attributes
which are spoken of in the world as the sources of religious merit, of
worldly prosperity and sensual pleasures, which are regarded by the
people, extolled in the Vedas, and approved by the well-behaved, exist in
you, separately and jointly! Therefore, desirous of our own welfare, we
wish to live amongst you who possess those attributes!

"Yudhishthira said, 'Blessed are we since the people with the Brahmanas
at their head, moved by affection and compassion credit us with merits we
have not. I, however, with my brothers, would ask all of you to do one
thing. Ye should not, through affection and pity for us, act otherwise!
Our grandfather Bhishma, the king (Dhritarashtra), Vidura, my mother and
most of my well-wishers, are all in the city of Hastinapura. Therefore,
if ye are minded to seek our welfare, cherish ye them with care, uniting
together as they are overwhelmed with sorrow and afflictions. Grieved at
our departure, ye have come far! Go ye back, and let your hearts be
directed with tenderness towards the relatives I entrust to you as
pledges! This, of all others, is the one act upon which my heart is set,
and by doing this ye would give me great satisfaction and pay me your
best regards!

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus exhorted by Yudhishthira the just, the
people in a body set up a loud wail exclaiming,--Alas, O king! And
afflicted and overwhelmed with sorrow on remembering the virtues of
Pritha's son, they unwilli