मोक्षधर्म पर्व — आयु शीघ्र बीतती है — यह जानकर मनुष्य का कर्तव्य; पिता और पुत्र का संवाद

Yudhishthira said Time, which is a terror to all creatures, is rolling on. What is that source of good for which one should try? Tell me this, O grandfather.

Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the old discourse between father and son. Listen to it, 0 Yudhishthira.

Once on a time, O son of Pritha, a twiceborn person devoted to only the study of the Vedas had a very intelligent son who passed by the name of Medhavin.

Himself a master of the religion of Liberation, the son one day asked his father who was not conversant with that religion and who was engaged in following the Vedic precepts, this question.

The son said What should an intelligent men do, O father, knowing that the life of men runs speedily away? Tell me this truly and in due order, O father, so that, guided by your instruction I may undertake the acquisition of virtue.

The father said Having read the Vedas all the while following the duties of Brahmacharya, O son, one should then desire for children for the sake of rescuting one's departed manes. Having established his fire then and performing the sacrifices that are ordained, one should then retire into the forest and then become a hermit.

The son said, When the world is thus attacked on all sides, and when such irresistible things are falling on all sides, how can you speak so calinly?

The sire said How is the world attacked?-By what is it besieged? What are those irresistible things that are falling on all sides? Do you frighten me with your words?-

The world is attacked by Death. It is attacked by Decrepitude. Days and Nights are continually falling. Why do you not take care of these.

When I know that Death does not wait here for any one how can I possibly wait thus covered in a sheath of Ignorance and attending affairs?

When with every night the period of a man's existence wears away, when, indeed, one's position is similar to that of a fish a pool of shallow water, who can be happy?

Death meets one in the very midst of his affairs, before the attainment of his objects, finding one as careless as a person while plucking flowers. to my

What is kept for being done tomorrow should be done to-day; and what one thinks of doing in the afternoon should be done in the forenoon. Death does not wait for a man whether he has, or has not done his acts.

Do to-day what is for your behoof! See that Death, who is irresistible, may not overcome you. Who knows that Death will not come to one this very day.

Before a person's acts are done, Death drags one away. One should, therefore, begin to practise virtue while he is still young, for life is uncertain.

By acquiring virtue one is sure to acquire eternal happiness both in this world and in the next. Overpowered by folly one is up and doing on behalf of his sons and wives.

By performing deeds good or bad, one pleases his people. Death seizes him possessed of sons and animals, and with mind given to them, and runs away like a tiger carrying away a sleeping deer. While still engaged in acquiring various objects of desire, and while still unsatiated with their enjoyment, Death attacks him and runs away like a she-wolf seizing a sheep and running away with it.-_'This has been done,-this remain to be done this other is half done'-one may say thus, but Death, not caring for a person's desire to finish his unfinished acts, seizes and drags him away. Death seizes and carries away one who has not yet gained the fruit of what he has already done, amongst those attached to action, one busied with his field or shop or house. Death seizes and carries away the weak, the strong, the wise, the brave, the idiotic, the learned, or him who has not yet obtained the gratification of any of his desires. Death, decrepitude, disease, sorrow, and many things of a similar nature, cannot he shunned by mortals. How then O father, can you sit so at your ease? As soon as an embodied creature is born, Decrepitude and Death come and possess him for his destruction.

All forms of existence, mobile and immobile, are possessed by these two. When the soldiers, which constitute Death's army, march, nothing can resist them except that one thing, viz., the power of Truth, for in Truth alone Immortality lives. The joy which one feels of living in the midst of men is residence of Death.

The Shruti says that what is called the forest is the true fold for the deities, while the joy one feels in living in the midst of men is, as it were, the fetter for binding the dweller.

The pious cut it and escape. The sinful can not cut it. He who does not injure other creatures in thought, word, and deed, and who never injures others by taking away their means of livelihood, is never injured by any crcature. Therefore, one should practise the vow of truth, be steadfastly devoted to the vow of truth, and should wish for nothing but the truth. Governing all his senses and regarding all creatures impartially, one should defeat Death with the help of Truth. Both Immortality and Death are in the body.

Death comes from folly, and Immortality is acquired by Truth. Transcending desire and anger, abstaining from injury, I shall adopt Truth and happily acquiring what is for my behoof avoid Death like an Immortal. Engaged in the Sacrifice that is formed by Peace, and employed also in the Sacrifice of Brahma, and controlling my senses, the Sacrifices I shall perform and those of speech, mind, and deeds, when the sun enters his northerly course. How can one like me celebrate an Animal Sacrifice which is full of cruelty.

How can one like me, endued with wisdom, perform like a cruel being, a Sacrifice of destruction after the manner of what is sanctioned for the Kshatriyas,-a Sacrifice which produces only fickle rewards, In myself have I been begotten by myown self. O father, without seeking to procreate progeny, I shall rest myself on my own self!

I shall celebrate the Sacrifice of Self, I require no children to rescue me. He whose words and thoughts are always well-governed, he who has penances and Renunciation, and Yoga, is sure to acquire everything through these. There is no eye like Knowledge. There is no reward like Knowledge. There is no sorrow like attachment. There is no happiness like Renunciation.

For a Brahmana there can be no wealth like living in solitude, an impartial eye for all creatures, truthfulness of speech, steady observance of good conduct, the total abandonment of the rod (of chastisement), simplicity, and the gradual abstention from all acts.

Why do you require riches, relatives, friends, and wives? You are a Brahmana and you have death to encounter! Search you own Self which is concealed in a cave. Where have your grandfathers gone and where your father too?

Bhishma said, Hearing these words of his son, the father acted in the way that was pointed out, O king! Do you also act similarly, devoted to the religion of Truth.

Bhishma said, Hearing these words of his son, the father acted in the way that was pointed out, O king! Do you also act similarly, devoted to the religion of Truth.