actice of virtue. Therefore, they
that desire emancipation should associate with those that are wise and
old and honest and pure in conduct and possessed of ascetic merit. They
should be waited upon whose triple possessions, _viz_., knowledge (of
the _Vedas_), origin and acts, are all pure, and association with them
is even superior to (the study of the) scriptures. Devoid of the
religious acts as we are, we shall yet reap religious merit by
association with the righteous, as we should come by sin by waiting upon
the sinful. The very sight and touch of the dishonest, and converse and
association with them, cause diminution of virtue, and men (that are
doomed to these), never attain purity of mind. Association with the base
impaireth the understanding, as, indeed, with the indifferent maketh it
indifferent, while communion with the good ever exalteth it. All those
attributes which are spoken of in the world as the sources of religious
merit, of worldly prosperity and sensual pleasures, which are regarded
by the people, extolled in the _Vedas_, and approved by the
well-behaved, exist in you, separately and jointly! Therefore, desirous
of our own welfare, we wish to live amongst you who possess those
attributes!'

"Yudhishthira said, 'Blessed are we since the people with the Brahmanas
at their head, moved by affection and compassion credit us with merits
we have not. I, however, with my brothers, would ask all of you to do
one thing. Ye should not, through affection and pity for us, act
otherwise! Our grandfather Bhishma, the king (Dhritarashtra), Vidura, my
mother and most of my well-wishers, are all in the city of Hastinapura.
Therefore, if ye are minded to seek our welfare, cherish ye them with
care, uniting together as they are overwhelmed with sorrow and
afflictions. Grieved at our departure, ye have come far! Go ye back, and
let your hearts be directed with tenderness towards the relatives I
entrust to you as pledges! This, of all others, is the one act upon
which my heart is set, and by doing this ye would give me great
satisfaction and pay me your best regards!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Thus exhorted by Yudhishthira the just, the
people in a body set up a loud wail exclaiming,--_Alas, O king!_ And
afflicted and overwhelmed with sorrow on remembering the virtues of
Pritha's son, they unwillingly retraced their steps asking leave of the
Pandavas.

"The citizens having ceased to follow, the Pandavas ascended thei