d a permanent dominion over
the three worlds. And when I had obtained such dominion, haughtiness
possessed me. And thousands of Brahmanas were engaged in carrying my
chair. And intoxicated by supremacy, I insulted those Brahmanas. And, O
lord of the earth, by Agastya have I been reduced to this pass! Yet, O
Pandava, to this day the memory (of my former birth) hath not forsaken
me! And, O king, even by the favour of that high-souled Agastya, during
the sixth division of the day have I got for meal thy younger brother.
Neither will I set him free, nor do I wish for any other food. But if
to-day thou answerest the questions put by me, then, I shall deliver
Vrikodara!" At this Yudhishthira said, 'O serpent, ask whatever thou
listest! I shall, if I can, answer thy questions with the view of
gratifying thee, O snake! Thou knowest fully what should be known by
Brahmanas. Therefore, O king of snakes, hearing (thee) I shall answer thy
queries!'

The serpent said, 'O Yudhishthira, say--Who is a Brahmana and what should
be known? By thy speech I infer thee to be highly intelligent.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'O foremost of serpents, he, it is asserted by the
wise, in whom are seen truth, charity, forgiveness, good conduct,
benevolence, observance of the rites of his order and mercy is a
Brahmana. And, O serpent, that which should be known is even the supreme
Brahma, in which is neither happiness nor misery--and attaining which
beings are not affected with misery; what is thy opinion?'

"The serpent said, 'O Yudhishthira, truth, charity, forgiveness,
benevolence, benignity, kindness and the Veda[42] which worketh the
benefit of the four orders, which is the authority in matters of religion
and which is true, are seen even in the Sudra. As regards the object to
be known and which thou allegest is without both happiness and misery, I
do not see any such that is devoid of these.'

"Yudhishthira said, Those characteristics that are present in a Sudra, do
not exist in a Brahmana; nor do those that are in a Brahmana exist in a
Sudra. And a Sudra is not a Sudra by birth alone--nor a Brahmana is
Brahmana by birth alone. He, it is said by the wise, in whom are seen
those virtues is a Brahmana. And people term him a Sudra in whom those
qualities do not exist, even though he be a Brahmana by birth. And again,
as for thy assertion that the object to be known (as asserted by me) doth
not exist, because nothing exists that is devoid of both (happi