a sinful act committed only once, one may cleanse one's self by repenting
of it. From a sinful act committed twice, one may cleanse one's self by
vowing never to commit it again. From such an act committed thrice, one
may cleanse one's self by the resolution to bear one's self righteously
ever afterwards. By committing such an act repeatedly, one may cleanse
one's self by a trip to sacred places. One who is desirous of obtaining
prosperity should do all that results in blessedness. They who live
amidst fragrant odours themselves become fragrant in consequence. They,
on the other hand, who live in the midst of foul stench themselves become
foul. One devoted to the practice of ascetic penances is soon cleansed of
all one's sins. By worshipping the (homa) fire for a year, one stained by
diverse sins becomes purified. One guilty of foeticide is cleansed by
worshipping the fire for three years. One guilty of foeticide becomes
cleansed at even a hundred Yojanas from Mahasaras, or the tirthas called
Pushkara, or Prabhasa, or Manasa on the north, if only one gets out for
any of them.[446] A slayer of creatures is cleansed of his sins by saying
from imminent peril as many creatures of that particular species as have
been slain by him. Manu has said that by diving in water after thrice
reciting the Aghamarshana mantras, one reaps the fruits of the final bath
in a Horse-sacrifice.[447] Such an act very soon cleanses one of all
one's sins, and one regains in consequence the esteem of the world. All
creatures become obedient to such a person like helpless idiots (obedient
to those that surround them). The gods and Asuras, in days of yore,
approaching the celestial preceptor Vrihaspati, O king, humbly enquired
of him, saying, 'Thou knowest, O great Rishi, the fruits of virtue, as
also the fruits of those other acts that lead to hell in the next world.
Does not that person succeed in liberating himself from both merit and
sin with whom the two (weal and woe) are equal? Tell us, O great Rishi,
what the fruits of righteousness are, and how does a righteous person
dispels his sins.'
"Vrihaspati answered, 'If having committed sin through folly, one does
meritorious acts understanding their nature, one succeeds, by such
righteousness, in cleansing one's self from sin even as a piece of dirty
cloth is washed clean by means of some saline substance. One should not
boast after having committed sin. By having recourse to faith and by
freeing one's self from malice, one succeeds in obtaining blessedness.
That person who covers the faults, even when exposed, of good men,
obtains blessedness even after committing faults. As the sun rising at
morn dispels darkness, one dispels all ones sins by acting righteously.'
"Bhishma continued, 'Indrota, the son of Sunaka, having said these words
unto king Janamejaya, assisted him, by his ministrations, in the
performance of the horse-sacrifice. The king, cleansed of his sins and
regaining blessedness, shone with splendour like a blazing fire, and that
slayer of foes then entered his kingdom like Soma in his full form
entering heaven.'"
SECTION CLIII
"Yudhishthira said, 'Hast thou, O grandsire, ever seen or heard of any
mortal restored to life after having succumbed to death?'
"Bhishma said, 'Listen, O king, to this story of the discourse between a
vulture and a jackal as happened of old. Indeed, the occurrence took
place in the forest of Naimisha. Once upon a time a Brahmana had, after
great difficulties, obtained a son of large expansive eyes. The child
died of infantile convulsions. Some (amongst his kinsmen), exceedingly
agitated by grief and indulging in loud lamentations, took up the boy of
tender years, that sole wealth of his family. Taking the deceased child
they proceeded in the direction of the crematorium, Arrived there, they
began to take the child from one another's breast and cry more bitterly
in grief. Recollecting with heavy hearts the former speeches of their
darling again and again, they were unable to return home casting the body
on the bare ground. Summoned by their cries, a vulture came there and
said these words: 'Go ye away and do not tarry, ye that have to cast off
but one child. Kinsmen always go away leaving on this spot thousands of
men and thousands of women brought here in course of time. Behold, the
whole universe is subject to weal and woe. Union and disunion may be seen
in turns. They that have come to the crematorium bringing with them the
dead bodies of kinsmen, and they that sit by those bodies (from
affection), themselves disappear from the world in consequence of their
own acts when the allotted periods of their own lives run out. There is
no need of your lingering in the crematorium, this horrible place, that
is full of vultures and jackals and that abounds with skeletons and
inspires every creature with dread. Whether friend or foe, no one ever
comes back to life having once succumbed to the power of Time. Such,
indeed, is the fate of all creatures, In this world of mortals, every one
that is born is sure to die. Who shalt restore to life one that is dead
and gone on the way ordained by the Destroyer? At this hour when men are
about to close their daily toil, the Sun is retiring to the Asta hills.
Go ye to your homes, casting off this affection for the child.' Hearing
these words of the vulture, the grief of the kinsmen seemed to abate, and
placing the child on the bare ground they prepared to go away. Assuring
themselves of the fact that the child had died and despairing of seeing
him again, they began to retrace their steps, indulging in loud
lamentations. Assured beyond doubt, and despairing of restoring the dead
to life, they cast off that offspring of their race, and prepared to turn
back from that spot. At this time a jackal, black as a raven, issued out
of his hole and addressed those departing kinsmen, saying, 'Surely, ye
that are kinsmen of that deceased child have no affection. There the sun
still shineth in the sky, ye fools! Indulge your feelings, without fear.
Multifarious are the virtue of the hour. This one may come back to life!
Spreading a few blades of Kusa grass on the ground and abandoning that
dear child on the crematorium, why do ye go away with hearts of steel and
casting off every affection for the darling? Surely, ye have no affection
for that sweet-speeched child of tender years, whose words, as soon as
they left his lips, used to gladden you greatly. Behold the affection
that even birds and beasts bear towards their offspring. Theirs is no
return for bringing up their young ones. Like the sacrifices of the
Rishis (that are never undertaken from desire of fruit or rewards) the
affection of quadrupeds of birds and insects, bears no reward in heaven.
Though delighting in their children, they are never seen to derive any
benefit from the latter either here or hereafter. 'Yet they cherish their
young ones with affection. Their children, growing up, never cherish them
in age. Yet are not they grieved when they do not behold their little
ones? Where, indeed, is affection to be seen in human beings that they
would own the influence of grief?[448] Where would you go leaving here
this child who is the perpetuator of his race? Do you shed tears for him
for some time, and do you look at him a little longer with affection?
Objects so dear are, indeed, difficult to abandon. It is friends and not
others that wait by the side of him that is weak, of him that is
prosecuted in a court of law, of him that is borne towards the
crematorium. Life-breaths are dear unto all, and all feel the influence
of affection. Behold the affection that is cherished by even those that
belong to the intermediate species![449] How, indeed, can you go away,
casting off this boy of eyes large as the petals of the lotus, and
handsome as a newly-married youth washed clean and adorned with floral
garlands?' Hearing these words of the jackal that had been indulging in
such expressions of touching grief, the men turned back for the sake of
the corpse.'
"The vulture said, 'Alas, ye men destitute of strength of mind, why do ye
turn back at the bidding of a cruel and mean jackal of little
intelligence? Why do you mourn for that compound of five elements
deserted by their presiding deities, no longer tenanted (by the soul),
motionless, and stiff as a piece of wood? Why do you not grieve for your
own selves? Do you practise austere penances by which you will succeed in
cleansing yourselves from sin? Everything may be had by means of
penances. What will lamentations do? ill-luck is born with the body.[450]
It is in consequence of that ill-luck that this boy has departed,
plunging you into infinite grief. Wealth, kine, gold, precious gems,
children, all have their root in penances. Penances again are the results
of yoga (union of the soul with Godhead). Amongst creatures, the measure
of weal or woe is dependent on the acts of a previous life. Indeed, every
creature comes into the world taking with him his own measure of weal and
woe. The son is not bound by the acts of the sire, or the sire by those
of the son. Bound by their own acts, good and bad, all have to travel by
this common road. Duly practise all the duties, and abstain from acts of
unrighteousness. Reverentially wait, according to the directions of the
scriptures, upon the gods and the Brahmanas. Cast off sorrow and
cheerlessness, and abstain from parental affection. Leave the child on
this exposed ground, and go ye away without delay. The actor alone enjoys
the fruit of acts, good or bad, that he does. What concern have kinsmen
with them? Casting off a (deceased) kinsman, however dear, kinsmen leave
this spot. With eyes bathed in tears, they go away, ceasing to display
affection for the dead. Wise or ignorant, rich or poor, every one
succumbs to Time, endued with acts, good and bad. What will you do by
mourning? Why do you grieve for one that is dead? Time is the lord of
all, and in obedience to his very nature he casts an equal eye on all
things. In pride of youth or in helpless infancy bearing the weight of
years or lying in the mother's womb, every one is subject to be assailed
by Death. Such indeed, is the course of the world.'
"The jackal said, 'Alas, the affection cherished by your weeping selves
that are overwhelmed with grief for your deceased child has been lessened
by that light-brained vulture. Even this must be the case, since in
consequence of his well-applied words fraught with tranquillity and
capable of producing conviction, there that one goes back to the town,
casting off affection that is so difficult to abandon. Alas, I had
supposed that great is the grief felt by men indulging in loud
lamentations for the death of a child and for the corpse on a
crematorium, like that of kine bereft of calves. Today, however, I
understand what the measure of grief is of human beings on earth.
Witnessing their great affection I had shed tears myself. (It seems
however, that their affection is not strong)! One should always exert
oneself. Thence does one succeed through destiny. Exertion and destiny,
joining together, produce fruit. One should always exert oneself with
hopefulness. How can happiness be had from despondency? Objects of desire
may be won by resolution. Why then do you go back so heartlessly? Where
do you go, abandoning in the wilderness this son of your own loins, this
perpetuator of the race of his sires? Stay here till the sun sets and the
evening twilight comes. You may then take away this boy with yourselves
or stay with him.'
"The vulture said, 'I am, ye men, a full thousand years of age today, but
I have never seen a dead creature, male or female or of ambiguous sex,
revive after death. Some die in the womb; some die soon after birth; some
die (in infancy) while crawling (on all fours); some die in youth; and
some in old age. The fortunes of all creatures, including even beasts and
birds, are unstable. The periods of life of all mobile and immobile
creatures are fixed beforehand. Bereaved of spouses and dear ones and
filled with sorrow for (the death of) children, men leave this spot every
day with agonised hearts for returning home. Leaving on this spot both
friends and foes numbering by thousands, kinsmen afflicted with grief go
back to their homes. Cast off this lifeless body with no longer any
animal heat in it and which is as stiff as a piece of wood! Why then do
you not go away, leaving the body of this child which has become like a
piece of wood and whose life has entered a new body? This affection
(which ye are displaying) is unmeaning and this hugging of the child is
fruitless. He does not see with his eyes or hear with his ears. Leaving
him here, go ye away without delay. Thus addressed by me in words which
are apparently cruel but which in reality are fraught with reason and
have a direct bearing with the high religion of emancipation, go ye back
to your respective homes.' Addressed thus by the vulture endued with
wisdom and knowledge and capable of imparting intelligence and awakening
the understanding, those men prepared themselves to turn their backs upon
the crematorium. Grief, indeed, increaseth to twice its measure at sight
of its object and at the remembrance of the acts of that object (in
life). Having heard these words of the vulture, the men resolved to leave
the spot. Just at that time the jackal, coming thither with quick steps,
cast his eyes on the child lying in the sleep of death.'
"The jackal said, 'Why, indeed, do you leave, at the vulture's bidding,
this child of golden complexion, adorned with ornaments, and capable of
giving the obsequial cake to his ancestors? If you abandon him, your
affection will not come to an end, nor these piteous lamentations. On the
other hand, your grief will certainly be greater. It is heard that a
Sudra named Samvuka having been slain and righteousness having been
upheld by Rama of true prowess, a (dead) Brahmana child was restored to
life.[451] Similarly, the son of the royal sage Sweta died (prematurely).
But the monarch, devoted to virtue, succeeded in reviving his dead child.
After the same manner, in your case also, some sage or deity may be
willing to grant your desire and show compassion to you that are crying
so piteously.' Thus addressed by the jackal, the men, afflicted with
grief and full of affection for the child, retraced their steps, and
placing the child's head on their laps one after another, began to
indulge in copious lamentations. Summoned by their cries, the vulture,
coming to that spot, spoke unto them as follows.'
"The vulture said, 'Why are you bathing this child with your tears? Why
are you pressing him in this fashion with the touch of your palms? At the
command of the grim king of justice the child has been sent to that sleep
which knows no waking. Those that are endued with the merit of penances,
those that are possessed of wealth, those that have great intelligence,
in fact, all succumb to death. Even this is the place intended for the
dead. It is always to be seen that kinsmen casting off thousands of
kinsmen young and old, pass their nights and days in grief, rolling on
the bare ground. Cease this ardour in putting on the trappings of woe.
That this child would come back to life is what passes belief. He will
not get back his life at the bidding of the jackal. If a person once dies
and takes leave of his body, his body never regains animation. Hundreds
of jackals, by laying down their own lives,[452] will not succeed in
reviving this child in hundreds of years. If, however, Rudra, or Kumara,
or Brahman, or Vishnu, grant him a boon, then only may this child come
back to life. Neither the shedding of tears, nor the drawing of long
sighs, nor copious lamentations, will bring back this one to life.
Myself, the jackal, you all, and all the kinsmen of this one, with all
our merits and sins, are on the same road (that this one has taken). For
this reason one possessed of wisdom should, from a distance, avoid
behaviour that displeases others, harsh speeches, the infliction of
injury on others, the enjoyment of other people's wives, and sin and
falsehood. Carefully seek righteousness, truth, the good of others,
justice, compassion for all creatures, sincerity, and honesty. They,
incur sin who, while living, do not cast their eyes upon their mothers
and fathers and kinsmen and friends. What will you do, by crying, for him
after death, that sees not with his eyes and that stirs not in the
least?' Thus addressed, the men, overwhelmed with sorrow and burning with
grief on account of their affection for the child, departed for their
homes, leaving the body (on the crematorium).
"The jackal said, 'Alas, terrible is the world of mortals! Here no
creature can escape. Every creature's period of life, again, is short.
Beloved friends are always departing. It abounds with vanities and
falsehoods, with accusations and evil reports. Beholding again this
incident that enhances pain and grief, I do not for a moment like this
world of men. Alas, fie on you, ye men, that thus turn back, like foolish
persons, at the vulture's bidding, though you are burning with grief on
account of the death of this child. Ye cruel wights, how can you go away,
casting off parental affection upon hearing the words of a sinful vulture
of uncleansed soul? Happiness is followed by misery, and misery by
happiness. In this world which is enveloped by both happiness and misery,
none of these two exists uninterruptedly. Ye men of little understanding,
whither would ye go, casting off on the bare ground this child of so much
beauty, this son that is an ornament of your race. Verily, I cannot
dispel the idea from my mind that this child endued with comeliness and
youth and blazing with beauty is alive. It is not meet that he should
die.[453] It seems that ye are sure to obtain happiness. Ye that are
afflicted with grief on account of the death of this child will surely
have good luck today. Anticipating the probability of inconvenience and
pain (if you remain here for the night) and fixing your hearts on your
own comfort, whither would you, like persons of little intelligence, go,
leaving this darling?'
"Bhishma continued, 'Even thus, O king, the kinsmen of the deceased
child, unable to decide upon what they should do, were, for
accomplishment of his own purpose, induced by that sinful jackal who
uttered agreeable falsehoods, that denizens of the crematorium who
wandered every night in quest of food, to stay in that place.'
"The vulture said, 'Dreadful is this spot, this wilderness, that resounds
with the screech of owls and teems with spirits and Yakshas and
Rakshasas. Terrible and awful, its aspect is like that of a mass of blue
clouds. Casting off the dead body, finish the funeral rites. Indeed,
throwing away the body, accomplish those rites before the sun sets and
before the points of the horizon become enveloped in gloom. The hawks are
uttering their harsh cries. Jackals are howling fiercely. Lions are
roaring. The sun is setting. The trees on the crematorium are assuming a
dark hue in consequence of the blue smoke of the funeral pyres. The
carnivorous denizens of this place, afflicted with hunger, are yelling in
rage. All those creatures of horrible forms that live in this frightful
place, all those carnivorous animals of grim features that haunt this
desert, will soon assail you. This wilderness is certainly frightful.
Danger will overtake you. Indeed, if you listen to these false and
fruitless words of the jackal against your own good sense, verily, all of
you are sure to be destroyed.'
"The jackal said, 'Stay where you are! There is no fear even in this
desert as long as the sun shines. Till the god of day sets, do ye remain
here hopefully, induced by parental affection. Without any fear,
indulging in lamentations as ye please, continue to look at this child
with eyes of affection. Frightful though this wilderness be, no danger
will overtake you. In reality this wilderness presents an aspect of quiet
and peace. It is here that the Pitris by thousands took leave of the
world. Wait as long as the sun shines. What are this vulture's words to
you? If with stupefied understandings ye accept the cruel and harsh
speeches of the vulture, then your child will never come back to life!'
"Bhishma continued, 'The vulture then addressed those men, saying that
the sun had set. The jackal said that it was not so. Both the vulture and
the jackal felt the pangs of hunger and thus addressed the kinsmen of the
dead child. Both of them had girded up their loins for accomplishing
their respective purposes. Exhausted with hunger and thirst, they thus
disputed, having recourse to the scriptures. Moved (alternately) by these
words, sweet as nectar, of those two creatures, viz., the bird and the
beast, both of whom were endued with the wisdom of knowledge, the kinsmen
at one time wished to go away and at another to stay there. At last,
moved by grief and cheerlessness, they waited there, indulging in bitter
lamentations. They did not know that the boast and the bird, skilled in
accomplishing their own purposes, had only stupefied them (by their
addresses). While the bird and the beast, both possessed of wisdom.. were
thus disputing and while the kinsmen of the deceased child sat listening
to them, the great god Sankara, urged by his divine spouse (Uma), came
there with eyes bathed in tears of compassion. Addressing the kinsmen of
the deceased child, the god said, 'I am Sankara the giver of boons.' With
hearts heavy with grief, those men prostrated themselves before the great
deity and said unto him in reply, 'Bereft of this one who was our only
child, all of us are at the point of death. It behoveth thee to grant us
life by granting life to this our son.' Thus solicited, the illustrious
deity, taking up a quantity of water in his hands granted unto that dead
child life extending for a hundred years. Ever employed in the good of
all creatures, the illustrious wielder of Pinaka granted a boon unto both
the jackal and the vulture in consequence of which their hunger was
appeased. Filled with delight and having achieved great prosperity, the
men bowed unto the god. Crowned with success, they then, O king, left
that spot in great joy. Through persistent hopefulness and firm
resolution and the grace of the great god, the fruits of one's acts are
obtained without delay. Behold, the combination of circumstances and the
resolution of those kinsmen. While they were crying with agonised hearts,
their tears were wiped and dried up. Behold, how within only a short
time, through their steadiness of resolution, they obtained the grace of
Sankara, and their afflictions dispelled, they were made happy. Indeed,
through Sankara's grace, O chief of the Bharatas, those sorrowing kinsmen
were filled with amazement and delight at the restoration of their child
to life. Then, O king, casting off that grief of which their child had
been the cause, those Brahmanas, filled with delight, quickly went back
to their town taking the restored child with them. Behaviour like this
has been laid down for all the four orders. By frequently listening to
this auspicious story fraught with virtue, profit, and salvation, a man
obtains happiness both here and hereafter.'"
SECTION CLIV
"Yudhishthira said, "If a person, weak, worthless, and light-hearted, O
grand sire, doth from folly provoke, by means of unbecoming and boastful
speeches, a powerful foe always residing in his vicinity, competent to do
good (when pleased) and chastise (when displeased), and always ready for
action, how should the former, relying on his own strength, act when the
latter advances against him in anger and from desire of exterminating
him?'
"Bhishma said, 'In this connection is cited, O chief of the Bharatas, the
old story of the discourse between Salmali and Pavana. There was a lordly
(Salmali) tree on one of the heights of Himavat. Having grown for many
centuries, he had spread out his branches wide around. His trunk also was
huge and his twigs and leaves were innumerable. Under his shade toil-worn
elephants in rut, bathed in sweat, used to rest, and many animals of
other species also. The girth of his trunk was four hundred cubits, and
dense was the shade of his branches and leaves. Loaded with flowers and
fruits, it was the abode of innumerable parrots, male and female. In
travelling along their routes, caravans of merchants and traders, and
ascetics, residing in the woods, used to rest under the shade of that
delightful monarch of the forest. One day, the sage Narada, O bull of
Bharata's race, seeing the wide-extending and innumerable branches of
that tree and the circumference of his trunk, approached and addressed
him, saying, 'O thou art delightful! O thou art charming! O foremost of
trees, O Salmali, I am always delighted at thy sight! O charming tree,
delightful birds of diverse kinds, and elephants and other animals,
cheerfully live; on thy branches and under their shade. Thy branches, O
wide-branched monarch of the forest, and thy trunk are gigantic. I never
see any of them broken by the god of the wind. Is it, O child, the case
that Pavana is pleased with thee and is thy friend so that he protects
thee always in these woods? The illustrious Pavana possessed of great
speed and force moveth from their sites the tallest and strongest trees,
and even mountain summits. That sacred bearer of perfumes, blowing (when
he wills) drieth up rivers and takes and seas, including the very nether
region. Without doubt, Pavana protects thee through friendship. It is for
this reason that, though possessed of innumerable branches, thou art
still graced with leaves and flowers. O monarch of the forest, this thy
verdure is delightful since these winged creatures, O child, filled with
joy, sport on thy twigs and branches. During the season when thou puttest
forth thy blossoms, the sweet notes of all these denizens of thy branches
are heard separately when they indulge in their melodious songs. Then,
again, O Salmali, these elephants that are the ornaments of their
species, bathed in sweat and indulging in cries (of delight), approach
thee and find happiness here. Similarly, diverse other species of animals
inhabiting the woods, contribute to adorn thee. Indeed, O tree, thou
lookest beautiful even like the mountains of Meru peopled by creatures of
every kind. Resorted to also by Brahmanas crowned with ascetic success,
by others engaged in penances, and by Yatis devoted to
contemplation,[454] this thy region, I think, resembles heaven itself.'"
SECTION CLV
"Narada said, 'Without doubt, O Salmali, the terrible and irresistible
god of the wind always protects thee from friendliness or amity. It
seems, O Salmali, that a close intimacy has come to subsist between thee
and the Wind. It seems thou hast said unto him these words, viz., 'I am
thine,' and it is for this reason that the Wind-god protects thee. I do
not see the tree or mountain or mansion in this world that may not, I
think, be broken by the Wind. Without doubt thou standest here with all
thy branches and twigs and leaves, simply because, O Salmali, thou art
protected by the Wind for some reason or reasons (unknown to us).'
"The Salmali said, 'The Wind, O regenerate one, is neither my friend nor
mate nor well-wisher. Indeed, he is neither my great Ordainer that he
should protect me. My fierce energy and might, O Narada, are greater than
the Wind's. In truth, the strength of the Wind comes up to about only an
eighteenth part of mine. When the Wind comes in rage, tearing up trees
and mountains and other things, I curb his strength by putting forth
mine. Indeed, the Wind that breaks many things has himself been
repeatedly broken by me. For this reason, O Celestial Rishi, I am not
afraid of him even when he comes in wrath.'
"Narada said, 'O Salmali, thy protection seems to be thoroughly perverse.
There is no doubt in this. There is no created thing which is equal to
the Wind in strength. Even Indra, or Yama, or Vaisravana, the lord of the
waters, is not equal to the god of the wind in might. What need,
therefore, be said of thee that art only a tree? Whatever creature in
this world, O Salmali, does whatever act, the illustrious Wind-god it is
that is at all times the cause of that act, since it is he that is the
giver of life. When that god exerts himself with propriety, he makes all
living creatures live at their ease. When, however, he exerts improperly,
calamities overtake the creatures of the world. What else can it be than
weakness of understanding which induces thee to thus withhold thy worship
from the god of wind, that foremost of creatures in the universe, that
being deserving of worship? Thou art worthless and of a wicked
understanding. Indeed, thou indulgest only in unmeaning brag. Thy
intelligence being confounded by wrath and other evil passions, thou
speakest only untruths, O Salmali! I am certainly angry with thee for thy
indulging in such speeches. I shall myself report to the god of the wind
all these derogatory words of thine. Chandanas, and Syandanas, and Salas,
and Saralas and Devadarus and Vetavas and Dhanwanas and other trees of
good souls that are far stronger than thou art, have never, O thou of
wicked understanding, uttered such invectives against the Wind. All of
them know the might of the Wind as also the might that is possessed by
each of them. For these reasons those foremost of trees bow down their
heads in respect to that deity. Thou, however, through folly, knowest not
the infinite might of the Wind. I shall, therefore, repair to the
presence of that god (for apprising him of thy contempt for him).'"
SECTION CLVI
"Bhishma continued, 'Having said these words unto the Salmali. that
foremost of all persons conversant with Brahma, viz., Narada, represented
unto the god of the wind all that the Salmali had said about him.'
"Narada said, 'There is a certain Salmali on the breast of Himavat,
adorned with branches and leaves. His roots extend deep into the earth
and his branches spread wide around. That tree, O god of the wind
disregards thee. He spoke many words fraught with abuse of thyself. It is
not proper, O Wind, that I should repeat them in thy hearing. I know, O
Wind, that thou art the foremost of all created things. I know too that
thou art a very superior and very mighty being, and that in wrath thou
resemblest the Destroyer himself.'
"Bhishma continued, 'Hearing these words of Narada, the god of wind,
wending to that Salmali, addressed him in rage and said as follows.'
"The Wind-god said, 'O Salmali, thou hast spoken in derogation of me
before Narada. Know that I am the god of the wind. I shall certainly show
thee my power and might. I know thee well. Thou art no stranger to me.
The puissant Grandsire, while engaged in creating the world, had for a
time rested under thee. It is in consequence of this incident that I have
hitherto shown thee grace. O worst of trees, it is for this that thou
standest unharmed, and not in consequence of thy own might. Thou
regardest me lightly as if I were a vulgar thing. I shall show myself
unto thee in such a way that thou mayst not again disregard me.'
"Bhishma continued, 'Thus addressed, the Salmali laughed in derision and
replied, saying, 'O god of the wind, thou art angry with me. Do not
forbear showing the extent of thy might. Do thou vomit all thy wrath upon
me. By giving way to thy wrath, what wilt thou do to me? Even if thy
might had, been thy own (instead of being derived), I would not still
have been afraid of thee. I am superior to thee in might. I should not be
afraid of thee. They are really strong in understanding. They, on the
other hand, are not to be regarded strong that are possessed of only
physical strength.' Thus addressed, the Wind-god said, 'Tomorrow I shall
test thy strength.' After this, night came. The Salmali, concluding
mentally what the extent is of the Wind's might and beholding his own
self to be inferior to the god, began to say to himself, 'All that I said
to Narada is false. I am certainly inferior in might to the Wind. Verity,
he is strong in his strength. The Wind, as Narada said, is always mighty.
Without doubt, I am weaker than other trees. But in intelligence no tree
is my equal. Therefore, relying upon my intelligence I shall look at this
fear that arises from the Wind. If the other trees in the forest all rely
upon the same kind of intelligence, then, verily, no injury can result to
them from the god of the Wind when he becomes angry. All of them.
however, are destitute of understanding, and, therefore, they do not
know, as I know, why or how the Wind succeeds in shaking and tearing them
up.'"
SECTION CLVII
"Bhishma said, 'Having settled this in his mind, the Salmali. in sorrow,
himself caused all his branches, principal and subsidiary, to be cut off.
Casting off his branches and leaves and flowers, at morn the tree looked
steadily at the Wind, as he came towards him. Filled with rage and
breathing hard, the Wind advanced, felling large trees, towards that spot
where the Salmali stood. Beholding him divested of top and branches and
leaves and flowers, the Wind, filled with joy, smilingly addressed that
lord of the forest which had before such a gigantic appearance, these
words.'
"The Wind said, 'Filled with rage, O Salmali, I would have done to thee
precisely what thou hast done to thyself by lopping off all thy branches.
Thou art now divested of thy proud top and flowers, and thou art now
without thy shoots and leaves. In consequence of thy own evil counsels,
thou hast been brought under my power.'
"Bhishma continued, 'Hearing these words of the Wind, the Salmali felt
great shame. Remembering also the words that Narada had said, he began to
repent greatly for his folly. Even in this way, O tiger among kings, a
weak and foolish person, by provoking the enmity of a powerful one, is at
last obliged to repent like the Salmali in fable. Even when possessed of
equal might, people do not suddenly wage hostilities with those that have
injured them. On the other hand, they display their might gradually, O
king! A person of foolish understanding should never provoke the
hostility of one that is possessed of intelligence. In such cases the
intelligence of the intelligent man penetrates (the subject upon which it
is employed) like fire penetrating a heap of dry grass. Intelligence is
the most precious possession that a person call have. Similarly, O king,
a man can have nothing here more valuable than might. One should,
therefore, overlook the wrongs inflicted by a person possessed of
superior strength, even as one should overlook (from compassion) the acts
of a child, and idiot, or one that is blind or deaf. The wisdom of this
saying is witnessed in thy case, O slayer of foes. The eleven Akshauhinis
(of Duryodhana), O thou of great splendour, and the seven (collected by
thyself), were not, in might equal to the single-handed Arjuna of high
soul. All the troops (of Duryodhana), therefore, were routed and slain by
that illustrious Pandava, that son of Paka's chastiser, as he coursed on
the field of battle, relying on his own strength. I have. O Bharata,
discoursed to thee of the duties of kings and the morality of duties in
detail. What else. O king, dost thou wish to hear!'"
SECTION CLVIII
"Yudhishthira said, 'I desire, O bull of Bharata's race, to hear in
detail the source from which sin proceeds and the foundation upon which
it rests.'
"Bhishma said, 'Hear, O King, what the foundation is of sin. Covetousness
alone is a great destroyer (of merit and goodness). From covetousness
proceeds sin. It is from this source that sin and irreligiousness flow,
together with great misery. This covetousness is the spring of also all
the cunning and hypocrisy in the world. It is covetousness that makes men
commit sin. From covetousness proceeds wrath; from covetousness flows
lust, and it is from covetousness that loss of judgment, deception,
pride, arrogance, and malice, as also vindictiveness, shamelessness, loss
of prosperity, loss of virtue, anxiety, and infamy spring, miserliness,
cupidity, desire for every kind of improper act, pride of birth, pride of
learning, pride of beauty, pride of wealth, pitilessness for all
creatures, malevolence towards all, mistrust in respect of all,
insincerity towards all, appropriation of other people's wealth,
ravishment of other people's wives, harshness of speech, anxiety,
propensity to speak ill of others, violent craving for the indulgence of
lust, gluttony, liability to premature death, violent propensity towards
malice, irresistible liking for falsehood, unconquerable appetite for
indulging in the passions, insatiable desire for indulging the ear,
evil-speaking, boastfulness, arrogance, non-doing of duties, rashness,
and perpetration of every kind of evil act, - all these proceed from
covetousness. In life, men are unable, whether infants or youth or
adults, to abandon covetousness. Such is the nature of covetousness that
it never decays even with the decay of life. Like the ocean that can
never be filled by the constant discharge of even innumerable rivers of
immeasurable depths, covetousness is incapable of being gratified by
acquisitions to any extent. The covetousness, however, which is never
gratified by acquisitions and satiated by the accomplishment of desires,
that which is not known in its real nature by the gods, the Gandharvas,
the Asuras, the great snakes, and, in fact, by all classes of beings,
that irresistible passion, along with that folly which invites the heart
to the unrealities of the world, should ever be conquered by a person of
cleansed soul. Pride, malice, slander, crookedness, and incapacity to
hear other people's good, are vices, O descendant of Kuru, that are to be
seen in persons of uncleansed soul under the domination of covetousness.
Even persons of great learning who bear in their minds all the voluminous
scriptures, and who are competent to dispel the doubts of others, show
themselves in this respect to be of weak understanding and feel great
misery in consequence of this passion. Covetous men are wedded to envy
and anger. They are outside the pale of good behaviour. Of crooked
hearts, the speeches they utter are sweet. They resemble, therefore, dark
pits whose mouths are covered with grass. They attire themselves in the
hypocritical cloak of religion. Of low minds, they rob the world, setting
up (if need be) the standard of religion and virtue. Relying upon the
strength of apparent reasons, they create diverse kinds of schisms in
religion. Intent upon accomplishing the purposes of cupidity, they
destroy the ways of righteousness. When wicked-souled persons under the
domination of covetousness apparently practise the duties of
righteousness, the consequence that results is that the desecrations
committed by them soon become current among men. Pride, anger, arrogance,
insensibility, paroxysms of joy and sorrow, and self-importance, all
these, O descendant of Kuru, are to be seen in persons swayed by
covetousness. Know that they who are always under the influence of
covetousness are wicked. I shall now tell thee of those about whom thou
askest, viz., those who are called good and whose practices are pure.