03297058a mRtaH kathaM syAt puruSaH kathaM rASTraM mRtaM bhavet The yakSa asked,--'For what may one be considered as dead? For what may a kingdom be considered as dead?
03297058c zrAddhamM mRtaGM kathaJM ca syAt kathaM yajJo mRto bhavet For what may a Sraddha be considered as dead? And for what, a sacrifice?'
03297059a mRto daridraH puruSo mRtaM rASTram arAjakam 'For want of wealth may a man be regarded as dead. A kingdom for want of a king may be regarded as dead.
03297059c mRtam azrotriyaM zrAddhamM mRto yajJas tv adakSiNaH A Sraddha that is performed with the aid of a priest that hath no learning may be regarded as dead. And a sacrifice in which there are no gifts to brAhmaNas is dead.'
03297060 yakSa uvAca The yakSa asked,--
03297060a kA dik kim udakamM proktaGM kim annamM pArtha kiM viSam 'What constitutes the way? What, hath been spoken of as water? What, as food? And what, as poison?
03297060c zrAddhasya kAlam AkhyAhi tataH piba harasva ca Tell us also what is the proper time of a Sraddha, and then drink and take away as much as thou likest!'
03297061a santo dig jalam AkAzaGM gaur annamM prArthanA viSam 'They that are good constitute the way. 1 Space hath been spoken of as water. 2 The cow is food. 3 A request is poison.
03297061c zrAddhasya brAhmaNaH kAlaH kathaM vA yakSa manyase And a brAhmaNa is regarded as the proper time of a Sraddha. 4 I do not know what thou mayst think of all this, O yakSa?' The yakSa asked,--'What hath been said to be the sign of asceticism? And what is true restraint? What constitutes forgiveness. And what is shame?' yudhiSThira answered,--'Staying in one's own religion is asceticism: the restraint of the mind is of all restraints the true one: forgiveness consists in enduring enmity; and shame, in withdrawing from all unworthy acts.
