ade his son (when
the wind had ceased) to go on with his Vedic recitation. He then left
that spot for plunging into the waters of the celestial Ganga."'"[1755]

SECTION CCCXXX

"'Bhishma said, "After Vyasa had left the spot, Narada, traversing through
the sky, came to Suka employed in studying the scriptures. The celestial
Rishi came for the object of asking Suka the meaning of certain portions
of the Vedas. Beholding the celestial Rishi Narada arrived at his
retreat, Suka worshipped him by offering him the Arghya according to the
rites laid down in the Vedas. Pleased with the honours bestowed upon him,
Narada addressed Suka, saying,--'Tell me, O foremost of righteous persons,
by what means, O dear child, may I accomplish what is for thy highest
good!'--Hearing these words of Narada, Suka said unto him, O Bharata,
these words:--'It behoveth thee to instruct me in respect of that which
may be beneficial to me.'

"'"Narada said, 'In days of yore the illustrious Sanatkumara had said these
words unto certain Rishis of cleansed souls that had repaired to him for
enquiring after the truth. There is no eye like that of knowledge. There
is no penance like renunciation. Abstention from sinful acts, steady
practice of righteousness, good conduct, the due observance of all
religious duties,--these constitute the highest good. Having obtained the
status of humanity which is fraught with sorrow, he that becomes attached
to it, becomes stupefied: such a man never succeeds in emancipating
himself from sorrow. Attachment (to things of the world) is an indication
of sorrow. The understanding of person that is attached to worldly things
becomes more and more enmeshed in the net of stupefaction. The man who
becomes enmeshed in the net of stupefaction attains to sorrow, both here
and hereafter. One should, by every means in one's power, restrain both
desire and wrath if one seeks to achieve what is for one's good. Those
two (viz., desire and wrath) arise for only destroying one's good.[1756]
One should always protect one's penances from wrath, and one's prosperity
from pride. One should always protect one's knowledge from honour and
dishonour and one's soul from error.[1757] Compassion is the highest
virtue. Forgiveness is the highest might. The knowledge of self is the
highest knowledge. There is nothing higher than truth. It is always
proper to speak the truth. It is better again to speak what is beneficial
than to speak what is tr