An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s1.448.2

c5.s1.448.2

he should not engage in such [unfruitful] speculations, but simply follow his instructions like a blind man, knowing that righteousness consists in abstention from injury, truth, absence of wrath, and liberality, and that conduct towards the brahmans that has been observed by his sires and grandsires. The fool who would deny that to be authority that [has always been accepted as] authority, does not deserve to become an authority, for he creates [only] fright.—Asked by Yudhishṭhira, Bhīshma said that those who hate righteousness have their hearts overwhelmed with passion and darkness and go to hell; those who observe righteousness go to heaven. The brahmans, who are the eldest sons of Bráhman, represent righteousness, and, therefore, they are worshipped by the righteous as a ripe fruit by a hungry man.—Asked by Yudhishṭhira, Bhīshma indicated the acts that are characteristic of wicked and good men (curious enumeration): the good never talk while eating, and never go to sleep with wet hands; two times have been appointed by the deities for taking food, viz. morning and evening; in the meantime, one should not eat anything; when following this rule, one is said to observe a fast; one who never approaches his spouse at any other time save after her courses, is said to observe the vow of brahmacarya; amṛta, brahmans, and kine are regarded as equal; one does not incur any fault by eating the meat of animals slain in sacrifices with mantras from the Yajurveda;