f
Uma's having thus prevented her lord from accomplishing his purpose the
ascetic Usanas (from the day) became the son of the goddess.

"'"The goddess said, 'This Brahmana no longer deserves to be slain by thee.
He has become my son. O god, one who comes out of thy stomach does not
deserve slaughter at thy hands.'"

"'Bhishma continued, "Pacified by these words of his spouse, Bhava smiled
and said repeatedly these words, O king, 'Let this one go whithersoever
he likes.' Bowing unto the boon-giving Mahadeva and to also his spouse
the goddess Uma, the great ascetic Usanas, endued with superior
intelligence, proceeded to the place he chose. I have thus narrated to
thee, O chief of the Bharatas, the story of the high-souled Bhargava
about which thou didst ask me."'"

SECTION CCXCI

"'Yudhishthira said, "O thou of mighty arms, tell me, after this what is
beneficial for us. O grandsire, I am never satiated with thy words which
seem to me like Amrita. What are those good acts, O best of men, by
accomplishing which a man succeeds in obtaining what is for his highest
benefit both here and hereafter, O giver of boons!"

"'Bhishma said, "In this connection I shall narrate to thee what the
celebrated king Janaka had enquired, in days of yore, of the high-souled
Parasara, 'What is beneficial for all creatures both in this world and
the next! Do thou tell me what should be known by all this connection.'
Thus questioned, Parasara, possessed of great ascetic merit and
conversant with the ordinances of every religion,[1497] said these words,
desirous of favouring the king.

"'"Parasara said, 'Righteousness earned by acts is supreme benefit both in
this world and the next. The sages of the old have said that there is
nothing higher than Righteousness. By accomplishing the duties of
righteousness a man becomes honoured in heaven. The Righteousness, again,
of embodied creatures, O best of kings, consists in the ordinance (laid
down in the scriptures) on the subject of acts.[1498] All good men
belonging to the several modes of life, establishing their faith on that
righteousness, accomplish their respective duties.[1499] Four methods of
living, O child, have been ordained in this world. (Those four methods
are the acceptance of gifts for Brahmanas; the realisation of taxes for
Kshatriyas; agriculture for Vaisyas; and service of the three other
classes for the Sudras). Wherever men live the means of support come to
them of themsel