en one is impure. Nor
should one study while one is impure. When a storm rises or a bad odour
permeates in the atmosphere, one should never think of the Vedas. Persons
conversant with ancient history recite a Gatha sung by Yama in days of
old. He that runs while impure or studies the Vedas under similar
circumstances, indeed, that regenerate Brahman who studies the Vedas at
forbidden times, loses his Vedas and shortens his life. Hence, one should
never study the Vedas with concentrated attention at forbidden times.
They who answer a call of nature, with face towards the sun, or towards a
blazing fire, or towards a cow, or towards a regenerate person, or on the
road, become shortlived. At daytime both calls of nature should be
answered with face turned towards the north. At night, those calls should
be answered facing the south. By so doing one does not shorten one's
life. One that wishes to live long should never disregard or insult any
of these three, however weak or emaciated they may appear to be, viz.,
the Brahmana, the Kshatriya, and the snake. All three are endued with
virulent poison. The snake, if angry, burns the victim with only a glance
of its eyes. The Kshatriya also, if angry, burns the objects of his
wrath, as soon as he sees him, with his energy. The Brahmana, stronger
than any of these two, destroys not only the objects of his wrath but his
whole race as well, not by vision alone but by thought also.[466] The man
of wisdom should, therefore, tend these three with care. One should
never engage in any disputation with one's preceptor. O Yudhishthira, if
the preceptor becomes angry, he should always be pacified by due honours
being paid to him. Even if the preceptor happens to be entirely wrong,
one should still follow and honour him. Without doubt, calumnious sayings
against the preceptor always consume the lives of those that utter them.
One should always answer a call of nature at a spot far removed from
one's habitation. One should wash one's feet at a distance from one's
habitation. One should always throw the remnants of one's dishes and
plates at a spot far removed from one's habitation. Verily, he who
desires his own good should do all these. One should not wear garlands of
red flowers. Indeed, they who are possessed of wisdom should wear
garlands of flowers that are white in hue. Rejecting the lotus and the
lily, O thou of great might, one may bear on one's head, however, a
flower that is red, even i