heir minds tranquil, they who devote themselves to the
service of friends at personal sacrifice, they who are never estranged
from friends but who continue unchanged (in their attachment) like a red
blanket made of wool (which does not easily change its colour),[489] they
who never disregard, from anger, those that are poor, they who never
dishonour youthful women by yielding to lust and loss of judgment, they
who never point out wrong paths to friends, they who are trustworthy,
they who are devoted to the practice of righteousness, they who regard
gold and brick-bats with an equal eye, they that adhere with firmness to
friends and well-wishers, they who muster their own people and seek the
accomplishment of the business of friends regardless of their own dignity
and casting off all the marks of their own respectability, should be
regarded as persons with whom alliances (of friendship) should be made.
Indeed, the dominions of that king spread on every direction, like the
light of the lord of the stars, who makes alliances of friendship with
such superior men. Alliances should be formed with men that are
well-practised in weapons, that have completely subdued their anger, that
are always strong in battle and possessed of high birth, good behaviour,
and varied accomplishments. Amongst those vicious men, O sinless one,
that I have mentioned, the vilest, O king, are those that are ungrateful
and that injure friends. Those persons of wicked behaviour should be
avoided by all. This, indeed, is a settled conclusion."

"'Yudhishthira said, "I desire to hear in detail this description. Tell me
who they are that are called injurers of friends and ungrateful persons."

"'Bhishma said, "I shall recite to thee an old story whose incidents
occurred in the country, O monarch, of the Mlecchas that lies to the
north. There was a certain Brahmana belonging to the middle country. He
was destitute of Vedic learning. (One day), beholding a prosperous
village, the man entered it from desire of obtaining charity.[490] In
that village lived a robber possessed of great wealth, conversant with
the distinctive features of all the orders (of men), devoted to the
Brahmanas, firm in truth, and always engaged in making gifts. Repairing
to the abode of that robber, the Brahmana begged for alms. Indeed, he
solicited a house to live in and such necessaries of life as would last
for one year. Thus solicited by the Brahmana, the robber gave him a piece
of