It is impossible, O monarch, to
exhaust the merits of Truth. It is for these reasons that the Brahmanas,
the Pitris, and the gods, applaud Truth. There is no duty which is higher
than Truth, and no sin more heinous than untruth. Indeed, Truth is the
very foundation of righteousness. For this reason, one should never
destroy Truth. From Truth proceed gifts, and sacrifice with presents, as
well as the threefold Agnihotras, the Vedas, and everything else that
leads to righteousness. Once on a time a thousand horse-sacrifices and
Truth were weighed against each other in the balance. Truth weighed
heavier than a thousand horse-sacrifices."'
SECTION CLXIII
"Yudhishthira said, 'Tell me, O thou of great wisdom, everything about
that from which spring wrath and lust, O bull of Bharata's race, and
sorrow and loss of judgment, and inclination to do (evil to others), and
jealousy and malice and pride, and envy, and slander, and incapacity to
bear the good of others, and unkindness, and fear. Tell me everything
truly and in detail about all these.'
"Bhishma said, 'These thirteen vices are regarded as very powerful foes
of all creatures. These, O Monarch, approach and tempt men from every
side. They goad and afflict a heedless man or one that is insensate.
Indeed, as soon as they see a person, they assail him powerfully like
wolves jumping upon their prey. From these proceed all kinds of grief.
From these proceed all kinds of sin. Every mortal, O foremost of men,
should always know this.
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