Therefore, O king, the man who wishes to
win the way of heaven, should under all conditions, make gifts unto
Brahmanas of everything that he wishes to give away.'
[12] A man is said to sell the Vedas who lectures on the Vedas
taking fees from the hearers.
"Yudhishthira said, 'By what means do Brahmanas, who accept gifts from
all the four orders, save others as well as themselves?"
"Markandeya said, 'By _Japa_,[13] and _Mantras_,[14] and _Homa_[15] and
the study of the _Vedas_, the Brahmanas construct a _Vedic_ boat[16]
wherewith they save both others and themselves. The gods themselves are
pleased with that man who gratifieth the Brahmanas. Indeed, a man may
attain heaven at the command of a Brahmana. Thou wilt, O king, without
doubt ascend to regions of everlasting bliss, in consequence of thy
worship of the _Pitris_ and the gods, and thy reverence for the
Brahmanas, even though thy body is filled with phlegmatic humours and
withal so dull and inert! He that desires virtue and heaven should adore
the Brahmanas. One should feed Brahmanas with care on occasions of
_Sraddhas_, although those among them that are cursed or fallen should
be excluded. They also should be carefully excluded that are either
excessively fair or excessively black, that have diseased nails, that
are lepers, that are deceitful, that are born in bastardy of widows or
of women having husbands alive; and they also that support themselves by
the profession of arms.
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