Indeed,
O king, Suka embraced in his enquiry the welfare of the monarch's
followers and officers also. Receiving Suka's permission, Janaka sat down
with all his followers. Endued with a high soul and possessed of high
birth, the monarch, with joined hands, sat down on the bare ground and
enquired after the welfare and unabated prosperity of Vyasa's son. The
monarch then asked his guest the object of his visit.
"Suka said, Blessed be thou, my sire said unto me that his Yajamana, the
ruler of the Videhas, known all over the world by the name of Janaka, is
well-versed in the religion of Emancipation. He commanded me to come to
him without delay, if I had any doubts requiring solution in the matter
of the religion of either Pravritti or Nivritti. He gave me to understand
that the king of Mithila would dispel all my doubts. I have, therefore,
come hither, at the command of my sire, for the purpose of taking lessons
from thee. It behoveth thee, O foremost of all righteous persons, to
instruct me! What are the duties of a Brahmana, and what is the essence
of those duties that have Emancipation for their object. How also is
Emancipation to be obtained? Is it obtainable by the aid of knowledge or
by that of penances?
'Janaka said, Hear what the duties are of a Brahmana from the time of his
birth. After his investiture, O son, with the sacred-thread, he should
devote his attention to the study of the Vedas. By practising penances
and dutifully serving his preceptor and observing the duties of
Brahmacharyya, O puissant one, he should pay off the debt he owes to the
deities and the Pitris, and cast off all malice.
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