"Yudhishthira said, 'Thou hast said, O grandsire, that the foundation of
all evils is covetousness. I wish, O sire, to hear of ignorance in
detail.'

"Bhishma said, 'The person who commits sin through ignorance, who does
not know that his end is at hand, and who always hates those that are of
good behaviour, soon incurs infamy in the world. In consequence of
ignorance one sinks into hell. Ignorance is the spring of misery. Through
ignorance one' suffers afflictions and incurs great danger.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'I desire, O king, to hear in detail the origin, the
place, the growth, the decay, the rise, the root, the inseparable
attribute, the course, the time, the cause, and the consequence, of
ignorance. The misery that is felt here is all born of ignorance.'This is how Nilakantha seems to explain the line, Bhishma is anxious about the effect of his instructions. He says that those instructions would bear fruit if the gods will it; otherwise, his words would go for nothing, however carefully he might speak.

"Bhishma said, 'Attachment, hate, loss of judgment, joy, sorrow, vanity,
lust, anger, pride, procrastination, idleness, desire, aversion,
jealousy, and all other sinful acts are all known by the common name of
ignorance.The commentator explains that including the first, altogether 12 questions are put by Yudhishthira. Hear now, O king, in detail, about its tendency, growth
and other features after which thou enquirest. These two viz., ignorance
and covetousness, know, O king, are the same (in substance). Both are
productive of the same fruits and same faults, O Bharata! Ignorance has
its origin in covetousness. As covetousness grows, ignorance also grows.
Ignorance exists there where covetousness exists. As covetousness
decreases, ignorance also decreases. It rises with the rise of
covetousness. Manifold again is the course that it takes. The root of
covetousness is loss of judgment. Loss of judgment, again, is its
inseparable attribute. Eternity is ignorance's course. The time when
ignorance appears is when objects of covetousness are not won. From one's
ignorance proceeds covetousness, and from the latter proceeds ignorance.
(Covetousness, therefore, is both the cause and consequence of
ignorance). Covetousness is productive of all. For these reasons, every
one should avoid covetousness. Janaka, and Yuvanaswa, and Vrishadarbhi,
and Prasenajit, and other kings acquired heaven in consequence of their
having repressed covetousness. Do thou also in the sight of all persons,
avoid covetousness by a strong resolution, O chief of the Kurus! Avoiding
covetousness thou shalt obtain happiness both here and in the next
world.'"