Truth is the
Ordinance. Truth is the observance of vows and fasts. Truth is the
Primeval Word Om. Truth is the origin of creatures. Truth is their
progeny. It is by Truth that the Wind moves. It is by Truth that the Sun
gives heat. It is by Truth that Fire burns. It is on Truth that Heaven
rests. Truth is Sacrifice, Penance, Vedas, the utterance of Samans,
Mantras, and Saraswati. It hath been heard by us that once on a time
Truth and all religious observances were placed on a pair of scales. When
both were weighed, that scale on which Truth was seen to be heavier.
There is Truth where Righteousness is. Everything increaseth through
Truth. Why, O king, dost thou wish to do an act that is stained with
falsehood? Be firm in Truth. Do not act falsely, O monarch! Why wouldst
thou falsify thy words "Give (me)," which thou hast uttered? If thou
refusest, O monarch, to accept the fruits that I have given thee of my
recitations, thou shalt then have to wander over the world, fallen away
from Righteousness! That person who does not give after having promised,
and he also that does not accept after having solicited, are both stained
with falsehood. It behoveth thee, therefore, not to falsify thy own
words.'

"'"The king said, 'To fight and protect (subjects) are the duties of
Kshatriyas. It is said that Kshatriyas are givers (of presents). How then
shall I take anything from thee (in gift)?'

"'"The Brahmana said, 'I never insisted on thee, O king (for accepting
anything from me in the first instance). I did not seek thy house.
Thyself, coming here, didst solicit me. Why then dost thou not take?'

"'"Dharma said, 'Know ye both that I am Dharma himself. Let there be no
dispute between you. Let the Brahmana become endued with the reward
attaching to gift, and let the monarch also obtain the merit of Truth.'

"'"Heaven said, 'Know, O great king, that I am Heaven's self in my embodied
form, come hither in person. Let this dispute between you cease. You are
both equal in respect of the merit or rewards earned.'

"'"The king said, 'I have no use with Heaven. Go, O Heaven, to the place
you have come from. If this learned Brahmana desires to repair to thee,
let him take the rewards that I have won (by my acts in life).'

"'"The Brahmana said, 'In my younger days I had, through ignorance,
stretched my hand (for acceptance of gifts). At present, however, I
recite the Gayatri, observing the duty of abstention.[637] Why dost thou,
O ki