ness and
misery), such indeed is the opinion, O serpent, that nothing exists that
is without (them) both. But as in cold, heat doth not exist, nor in heat,
cold, so there cannot exist an object in which both (happiness and
misery) cannot exist?"

"The serpent said, 'O king, if thou recognise him as a Brahmana by
characteristics, then, O long-lived one, the distinction of caste
becometh futile as long as conduct doth not come into play.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'In human society, O mighty and highly intelligent
serpent, it is difficult to ascertain one's caste, because of promiscuous
intercourse among the four orders. This is my opinion. Men belonging to
all orders (promiscuously) beget offspring upon women of all the orders.
And of men, speech, sexual intercourse, birth and death are common. And
to this the Rishis have borne testimony by using as the beginning of a
sacrifice such expressions as--of what caste so ever we may be, we
celebrate the sacrifice. Therefore, those that are wise have asserted
that character is the chief essential requisite. The natal ceremony of a
person is performed before division of the umbilical cord. His mother
then acts as its Savitri and his father officiates as priest. He is
considered as a Sudra as long as he is not initiated in the Vedas. Doubts
having arisen on this point, O prince; of serpents, Swayambhuba Manu has
declared, that the mixed castes are to be regarded as better than the
(other) classes, if having gone through the ceremonies of purification,
the latter do not conform to the rules of good conduct, O excellent
snake! Whosoever now conforms to the rules of pure and virtuous conduct,
him have I, ere now, designated as a Brahmana.' The serpent replied, 'O
Yudhishthira, thou art acquainted with all that is fit to be known and
having listened to thy words, how can I (now) eat up thy brother
Vrikodara!"

SECTION CLXXX

"Yudhishthira said, 'In this world, you are so learned in the Vedas and
Vedangas; tell me (then), what one should do to attain salvation?'

"The serpent replied, 'O scion of the Bharata's race, my belief is that
the man who bestows alms on proper objects, speaks kind words and tells
the truth and abstains from doing injury to any creature goes to heaven.'

"Yudhishthira enquired, 'Which, O snake, is the higher of the two, truth
or alms-giving? Tell me also the greater or less importance of kind
behaviour and of doing injury to no creature.'

"The snake rep