The two parents, the sacred
fire, the soul and the spiritual preceptor, these five, O good Brahmana,
are worthy of the highest reverence from a person who seeks prosperity.
By serving them properly, one acquires the merit of perpetually keeping
up the sacred fire. And it is the eternal and invariable duty of all
householders."'"
SECTION CCXIV
"Markandeya continued, 'The virtuous fowler, having introduced his
(both) parents to that Brahmana as his highest _gurus_, again spoke to
him as follows, "Mark thou the power of this virtue of mine, by which my
inner spiritual vision is extended. For this, thou wast told by that
self-restrained, truthful lady, devoted to her husband, 'Hie thee to
Mithila; for there lives a fowler who will explain to thee, the
mysteries of religion.'" The Brahmana said, "O pious man, so constant in
fulfilling thy religious obligations, bethinking myself of what that
truthful good-natured lady so true to her husband, hath said, I am
convinced that thou art really endowed with every high quality." The
fowler replied, "I have no doubt, my lord, that what that lady, so
faithful to her husband, said to thee about me, was said with full
knowledge of the facts. I have, O Brahmana, explained to thee all this
as a matter of favour. And now, good sir, listen to me. I shall explain
what is good for thee. O good Brahmana, of irreproachable character,
thou hast wronged thy father and thy mother, for thou hast left home
without their permission, for the purpose of learning the _Vedas_.
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