regarded as superior, O amiable one, if I had been even a vulgar
Brahmana, I would have regarded myself as very great, not to speak of one
born in a good Brahmana family endued with righteousness of conduct, and
devoted to penances and learning. There is no one, O son of Pandu, in
this world that is dearer to me than thou, O chief of Bharata's race but
dearer to me than thou are the Brahmanas. And since, O best of the Kurus,
the Brahmanas are very much dearer to me than thou, it is by that truth
that I hope to go to all those regions of felicity which have been
acquired by my sire Santanu. Neither my sire, nor my sire's sire, nor any
one else connected with me by blood, is dearer to me than the Brahmanas.
I do not expect any fruit, small or great, from my worship of the
Brahmanas (for I worship them as deities because they are deserving of
such worship).[12] In consequence of what I have done to the Brahmanas in
thought, word, and deed, I do not feel any pain now (even though I am
lying on a bed of arrows). People used to call me as one devoted to the
Brahmanas. This style of address always pleased me highly. To do good to
the Brahmanas is the most sacred of all sacred acts. I behold many
regions of beautitude waiting for me that have reverentially walked
behind the Brahmanas. Very soon shall I repair to those regions for
everlasting time, O son. In this world, O Yudhishthira, the duties of
women have reference to and depend upon their husbands. To a woman,
verily, the husband is the deity and he is the highest end after which
she should strive. As the husband is to the wife, even so are the
Brahmanas unto Kshatriyas. If there be a Kshatriya of full hundred years
of age and a good Brahmana child of only ten years, the latter should be
regarded as a father and the former as a son, for among the two, verily,
the Brahmana is superior. A woman in the absence of her husband, takes
his younger brother for her lord; even so the Earth, not having obtained
the: Brahmana, made the Kshatriya her lord. The Brahmanas should be
protected like sons and worshipped like sires or preceptors. Indeed, O