131. At midday and at
midnight, after partaking of meat at a funeral dinner, and in the two twilights let him not stay long
on a cross road.
132. Let him not step intentionally on things used for cleansing the body, on
water used for a bath, on urine or ordure, on blood, on mucus, and on anything spat out or
vomited.
133.Let him not show particular attention to an enemy, to the friend of an enemy, to a
wicked man,
to a thief, or to the wife of another man.
134. For in this world there is nothing so detrimental to
long life as criminal conversation with another man's wife.
135. Let him who desires prosperity,
indeed, never despise a Kshatriya, a snake, and a learned Brahmana, be they ever so feeble.
136. Because these three, when treated with disrespect, may utterly destroy him; hence a wise
man must never despise them.
137. Let him not despise himself on account of former failures;
until death let him seek fortune, nor despair of gaining it.
138. Let him say what is true, let him
say what is pleasing, let him utter no disagreeable truth, and let him utter no agreeable falsehood;
that is the eternal law.
139. (What is) well, let him call well, or let him say 'well' only; let him not
engage in a useless enmity or dispute with anybody.
140. Let him not journey too early in the
morning, nor too late in the evening, nor just during the midday (heat), nor with an unknown
(companion), nor alone, nor with Sudras.
|