head. I am about to leave
thee. Tell me, however, what those fruits are (of thy recitations).'

"'"The Brahmana said, 'I have no knowledge of the fruits I have won. I
have, however, given thee those fruits that I have acquired by
recitation. These, viz., Dharma and Time, and Yama, and Mrityu, are
witnesses (of the act of gift).'

"'"The king said, 'What will the fruits, that are unknown, of these thy
observances, do for me? If thou dost not tell me what the fruits are of
thy recitations, let those fruits be thine, for without doubt I do not
wish for them.'

"'"The Brahmana said, 'I will not accept any other utterance (from thee). I
have given thee the fruits of my recitations. Let, O royal sage, both thy
words and mine become true. As regards my recitations, I never cherished
any specific desire to accomplish. How then, O tiger among kings, should
I have any knowledge of what the fruits are of those recitations? Thou
saidst, "Give!" I said "I give!" I shall not falsify these words. Keep
the truth. Be calm! If thou request to keep my word, O king, great will
be thy sin due to falsehood. O chastiser of foes, it does not become thee
to utter what is untrue. Similarly, I dare not falsify what I have
uttered. I have, before this, unhesitatingly said, "I give!" If,
therefore, thou art firm in truth, accept my gift. Coming here, O king,
thou didst solicit of me the fruits of my recitations. Therefore, take
what I have given away, if, indeed, thou art firm in truth. He who is
addicted to falsehood has neither this world nor the next. Such a person
fails to rescue his (deceased) ancestors. How again shall he succeed in
doing good to his (unborn) progeny? The rewards of sacrifices and gifts,
as also of fasts and religious observances, are not so efficacious in
rescuing (a person from evil and hell) as Truth, O bull among men, in
both this and the next world. All the penances that have been undergone
by thee and all those that thou wilt undergo in the future for hundreds
and thousands of years do not possess efficacy greater than that of
Truth. Truth is one undeteriorating Brahma. Truth is the one
undeteriorating Penance. Truth is the one undeteriorating sacrifice.
Truth is the one undeteriorating Veda. Truth is awake in the Vedas. The
fruits attached to Truth have been said to be the highest. From Truth
arise Righteousness and Self-restraint. Everything rests on Truth. Truth
is the Vedas and their branches. Truth is Knowledge.