certain who the good are whose conduct should be taken as the
standard of righteousness.

1134. The commentator cites the instance of Drona and others of that
class. These men must be regarded as Mahajanas and Sadhus, but how can
their conduct be regarded as righteous? What Yudhishthira means to say is
that the standards of righteousness or that by which a good man may be
known, is difficult of ascertainment.

1135. The example of Viswamitra, Jamadagnya, and Vasishtha are cited by
the commentator. The first won pre-eminence by his mastery over weapons.
The second lost his character as a Brahmana by the profession of arms.
The third lost nothing although he punished Viswamitra's insolence by
using even carnal weapons.

1136. What Yudhishthira says here is that righteousness or virtue or duty
does not depend upon the Srutis or the Smritis, nor upon considerations
of happiness or misery. On the other hand, righteousness is arbitrary in
respect of its standard, that being called righteous which was called so
by the learned of ancient times. As regards happiness or misery, its
cause is eternal nature.

1137. 'In this connection,' i.e., the subject of the true cause to which
is to be ascribed the dispensation of happiness or its reverse.

1138. His gross body was within the water. Nevertheless, by Yoga power,
he was able to rove over the world in his subtile body and beheld
everything he wished to see.

1139. Criya is explained by the commentator as implying the possession of
Vedic lore.

1140. This was a new vow that Jajali began to observe, the vow, viz., of
travelling over the entire earth, sleeping there where evening overtook
him.

1141. A Beniya's shop is a miscellaneous depot. It contains chiefly
spices and drugs, but there is no article for domestic use that may not
be found in such a shop.

1142. Bhandajivanah is one who lays out capital and lives upon its
profits.

1143. Charin is sancharanam for food.

1144. In some of the Bengal texts, verse consists of 3 lines. The 3rd
line, however, is omitted in the Bombay edition.

1145. The commentator observes that in the second line the speaker
explains what morality with its mysteries is.

1146. Padmaka or Padma-kashta is the rootstock of Nymphoea lotus. A kind
of medicinal wood also is indicated by it, which is brought from Malwa
and Southern India. To this day, it enters into the composition of many
drugs used by Hindu Physicians. Tunga is either the fil