I desire to hear thee
discourse to me, O sinless one, of the ordinances about conduct.'
"Bhishma said, 'They that are of bad conduct, of bad acts, of wicked
understanding, and excessive rashness, are called evil or wicked men.
They, however, that are called good are distinguished by purity of
conduct and practices. They are good men who never answer calls of nature
on the high roads, in cow-pens, or in fields overgrown with paddy. Having
finished the necessary acts one should perform his ablutions in
river-water and gratify the deities with oblations of water. This is said
to be the duty of all men. Surya should be always worshipped. One should
not sleep after sunrise. Morning and evening the prayers (ordained in the
scriptures) should be said, sitting with face turned towards the east and
towards the west respectively. Washing the five limbs,[589] one should
eat silently with face turned towards the east. One should never
disparage the food which one is to eat. One should eat food that is good
to the taste. After eating one should wash one's hands and rise.[590] One
should never go to sleep at night with wet feet. The celestial Rishi
Narada said that these are indications of good conduct. One should every
day circumambulate a sacred spot, a bull, a sacred image, a cow-pen, a
place where four roads meet, a pious Brahmana, and sacred tree. One
should not make distinctions between one's guests and attendants and
kinsmen in matters of food. Equality (in this respect) with servants is
applauded.
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