animals destructive of life, of disease, and Rakshasas? As acquainted thou
art with every duty, cherishest thou like a father, the blind, the dumb,
the lame, the deformed, the friendless, and ascetics that have no homes.
Hast thou banished these six evils, O monarch, viz., sleep, idleness, fear,
anger, weakness of mind, and procrastination?'"

Vaisampayana continued,--"The illustrious bull among the Kurus, having
heard these words of that best of Brahmanas, bowed down unto him and
worshipped his feet. And gratified with everything he heard, the monarch
said unto Narada of celestial form,--'I shall do all that thou hast
directed, for my knowledge hath expanded under thy advice!' Having said
this the king acted conformably to that advice, and gained in time the
whole Earth bounded by her belt of seas. Narada again spoke, saying,--
'That king who is thus employed in the protection of four orders,
Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Sudras, passeth his days here happily
and attaineth hereafter to the region of Sakra (heaven).'"


SECTION VI

Vaisampayana said,--"At the conclusion of Narada's words, king
Yudhishthira the just worshipped him duly; and commanded by him the
monarch began to reply succinctly to the questions the Rishi had asked.

"Yudhishthira said--'O holy one, the truths of religion and morality thou
hast indicated one after another, are just and proper. As regards myself,
I duly observe those ordinances to the best of my power. Indeed, the acts
that were properly performed by monarchs of yore are, without doubt, to be
regarded as bearing proper fruit, and undertaken from solid reasons for
the attainment of proper objects. O master, we desire to walk in the