m this arises fame. From this springs forth intelligence
or knowledge of the soul. A Kshatriya by this conduct, becomes a mighty
car-warrior and a scorcher of foes and succeeds in acquiring great fame.
Even this is what Narada said unto me, viz., that one should always
revere a Brahmana that is well-born, of rigid vows and conversant with
the scriptures, if one desires every kind of prosperity. That man really
grows in prosperity who is applauded by the Brahmanas, who are higher
than those that are regarded superior to all men high or low. That man
who speaks ill of the Brahmanas soon meets with discomfiture, even as a
clod of unbaked earth meets with destruction when cast into the sea.
After the same manner, all acts that are hurtful to the Brahmanas are
sure to bring about discomfiture and ruin. Behold the dark spots on the
Moon and the salt waters of the ocean. The great Indra had at one time
been marked all over with a thousand sex-marks. It was through the power
of the Brahmanas that those marks became altered into as so many eyes.
Behold, O Mahadeva how all those things took place. Desiring fame and
prosperity and diverse regions of beatitude in the next world, a person
of pure behaviour and soul should, O slayer of Madhu, live in obedience
to the dictates of the Brahmanas.'"[260]

"'Bhishma continued, "Hearing these words of the goddess Earth, the slayer
of Madhu, O thou of Kuru's race, exclaimed,--Excellent, Excellent--and
honoured the goddess in due form. Having heard this discourse between the
goddess Earth and Madhava, do thou, O son of Pritha, always, with rapt
soul, worship all superior Brahmanas. Doing this, thou shalt verily
obtain what is highly beneficial for thee!"'"

SECTION XXXV

"'Bhishma said, "O blessed king, Brahmana, by birth alone, becomes an
object of adoration with all creatures and are entitled, as guests, to
eat the first portion of all cooked food.[261] From them flow all the
great objects of life (viz., Righteousness and Wealth and Pleasure and
Emancipation). They are the friends of all creatures in the universe.
They are again the mouths of the deities (for food poured into their
mouths is eaten by the deities). Worshipped with reverence, they wish us
prosperity by uttering words fraught with auspiciousness. Disregarded by
our foes, let them be enraged with these, and let them wish evil unto
those detractors of theirs, uttering words fraught with severe curses. In
this connection,