जलप्रदानिक पर्व — मानिस संसारका बन्धनबाट कसरी मुक्त होस्

Dhritarashtra said “Excellent is this parable which you have described. Indeed, you are acquainted with Truth. Having listened to your nectar-like speech, I desire to hear more.'

Vidura said “Listen to me, O king, I shall once more fully describe the means an acquaintances with which enables the wise to free themselves from the fetters of the world.

As a person, O king, who has to travel a long distance, is sometimes obliged to halt for being fatigued so, O Bharata, they that are of little understanding traveling along the long way of life, have to make frequent halts in the shape of repeated births. The wise are, however, freed from that obligation.

Men well read in scriptures, describe for this life's course as a long way. The wise also describe life's way with all its difficulties as a forest.

Creatures, O Bharata-chief, whether mobile or immobile, have to repeatedly return to the world. The wise alone escape. or

The diseases, mental and physical, to which mortals are subject, whether visible invisible, are described as beasts of prey by the wise.

Men are always assailed by them, O Bharata. Again, those dreadful beasts of prey, which are their own acts in life, never cause any, anxiety to the foolish.

If any person, O king, somehow escapes from diseases, Decrepitude, that destroyer of beauty, assails him after-wards.

Plunged in a slough by the objects of senses, viz., sound, form, taste, touch and scent, man remains there without anything to save him from there.

Meanwhile, the years, the seasons, the mouths, the fortnights, the days and the nights, coming one after another, gradually deprive him of beauty and lessen the period of life.

These all are harbingers of death. The foolish do not regard them as such. The wise say that all creatures are ruled by the Ordainer through their acts.

The body of a creature is called the car. The vital principle is the driver of that car. The senses are the horses. Our acts and the understanding are the traces.

He who follows after those running horses, has to come repeatedly by rebirths.

He, however, who, being self-restrained, restrains them by his understanding, has not to return.

They, however, who are not stupefied while following this wheel of life that is revolving like a real wheel, do not come by re-births.

He that is wise should certainly prevent the coming of re-birth. One should not neglect it, for indifference may subject us to it repeatedly.

The Man, O king, who has controlled his senses and subdued anger and covetousness, who is contented, and truthful in speech, obtains peace.

This body is called the car of Yama. The foolish are stupefied by it. Such a person, O king, should obtain that which you have obtained.

The loss of kingdom of friends, and of children, O Bharata, and such other things, visit him who is still under the influence of desire.

The wise should apply the medicine of intelligence to all great sorrows. Securing the medicine of wisdom, which is truly very efficacious and is almost unattainable the selfcontrolled man would kill that serious disease called sorrow.

Neither power, nor riches, nor friends, nor well-wishers, can cure a man of his grief so successfully as the control of self. Therefore not injuring others and cherishing friendship for all creatures, be of pious behaviour, O Bharata!

Self-restraint, renunciation, and carefulness, are the three horses of Brahman. He who rides on the car of his soul, to which are yoked these horses with the help of traces furnished by good conduct, and drives it, shaking off all fear of death, goes, O king, to the regions of Brahman.

That person, O king, who gives to all creatures promise of his harmlessness goes to the best of regions, vilz., the blessed one of Vishnu.

The fruit that one reaps by giving as assurance to all creatures of his harmlessness cannot be obtained by celebrating a thousand sacrifices or by daily fasts.

Of all things there is certainly nothing dearer than self. Death is, forsooth, disliked by all creatures, O Bharata. Therefore, pity should certainly be shown to all.

Possessed by various kinds of mistakes, entangled by the net of their own intelligence, they that are wicked and are of good vision, visit repeatedly this Earth. The wise secure a union with Brahma."