becomes rescued from all his sins by
the study of the Vedas if he betakes himself to the forest mode of life
and abstains from attachment of every kind. O chief of Kshatriyas, I am
in this life, born in a sinful order! I fail to see clearly how I may
succeed in cleansing myself from all sins. In consequence of some
meritorious act of a former life, I have not lost the memory of my
previous lives. O king, I throw myself on the mercy! I ask thee! Do thou
resolve my doubt. By what auspicious course of conduct should I wish to
achieve my emancipation? O foremost of men, by what means shall I succeed
in getting rid of my status as a Chandala?'

"'"The person of the royal order said, 'Know, O Chandala, the means by
which thou mayst be able to attain to emancipation. By casting off thy
life-breaths for the sake of a Brahmana thou mayst attain a desirable
end! By throwing thy body on the fire of battle as a libation to the
beasts and birds of prey for the sake of a Brahmana, indeed, by casting
off thy life-breaths thus, thou mayst achieve emancipation! By no other
means wilt thou succeed in achieving it!'"

"'Bhishma continued, "Thus addressed, that Chandala, O scorcher of foes,
poured his life-breaths as a libation on the fire of battle for the sake
of protecting a Brahmana's wealth and as the consequence of that act
attained to a very desirable end. Hence, O son, thou shouldst always
protect the property of the Brahmanas, if, O chief of Bharata's race,
thou desirest, O thou of mighty arms, an end that is eternal felicity!"'"

SECTION CII

"'Yudhishthira said, "O grandsire, it has been said that all pious men
attain to the same region after death. Is it true, O Bharata, that there
is difference of position or status among them?"

"'Bhishma said, "By different deeds, O son of Pritha, men attain to
different regions. They who are righteous in conduct attain to regions of
felicity, while they who are sinful attain to regions that are fraught
with misery. In this connection is cited the old narrative of the
discourse, O son, between the ascetic Gautama and Vasava. A certain
Brahmana of the name of Gautama, mild and self-restrained and with all
his senses under complete control, beheld an infant elephant that had
lost his mother and that was exceedingly cheerless on that account. Full
of compassion and steady in the observance of his vows, the ascetic
nursed that infant animal. After a long time the little beast grew up
i