Chapter 163

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Tell me, O thou of great wisdom, everything aboutthat from which spring wrath and lust, O bull of Bharata’s race, andsorrow and loss of judgment, and inclination to do (evil to others), andjealousy and malice and pride, and envy, and slander, and incapacity tobear the good of others, and unkindness, and fear. Tell me everythingtruly and in detail about all these.’

“Bhishma said, ‘These thirteen vices are regarded as very powerful foesof all creatures. These, O Monarch, approach and tempt men from everyside. They goad and afflict a heedless man or one that is insensate.Indeed, as soon as they see a person, they assail him powerfully likewolves jumping upon their prey. From these proceed all kinds of grief.From these proceed all kinds of sin. Every mortal, O foremost of men,should always know this. I shall now speak to thee of their origin, ofthe objects upon which they rest, and of the means of their destruction,O lord of the earth! Listen, first, O king, with undivided attention, tothe origin of wrath truly and in detail. Anger springs from covetousness.It is strengthened by the faults of others. Through forgiveness itremains dormant, and through forgiveness it disappears. As regards lust,it springs from resolution. Indulgence strengthens it. When the man ofwisdom resolutely turns away from it, it disappears and dies. Envy ofothers proceeds from between wrath and covetousness. It disappears inconsequence of compassion and knowledge of self. In consequence ofcompassion for all creatures, and of that disregard for all worldlyobjects (that knowledge brings in its train), it disappears. It alsoarises from seeing the faults of other people. But in men of intelligenceit quickly disappears in consequence of true knowledge.[465] Loss ofjudgment has its origin in ignorance and proceeds from sinfulness ofhabit. When the man whom this fault assails begins to take delight in(the company and counsels of) wise men, the vice at once and immediatelyhides its head. Men, O thou of Kuru’s race, see conflicting scriptures.From that circumstance springs the desire for diverse kinds of action.When true Knowledge has been gained, that desire is allayed. The grief ofan embodied creature proceeds from affection which is awakened byseparation. When, however, one learns that the dead do not return(whatever the grief one may feel for them), it subsides. Incapacity tobear other people’s good proceeds from wrath and covetousness. Throughcompassion for every creature and in consequence of a disregard for allearthly objects, it is extinguished. Malice proceeds from the abandonmentof truth and indulgence in wickedness. This vice, O child, disappears inconsequence of one’s waiting upon the wise and good. Pride, in men,springs from birth, learning, and prosperity. When those three, however,are truly known, that vice instantly disappears. Jealousy springs fromlust and delight in low and vulgar people. In consequence of wisdom it isdestroyed. From errors (of conduct) inconsistent with the ordinary courseof men, and through disagreeable speeches expressive of aversion, slandertakes its rise. It disappears, O king, upon a survey of the whole world.When the person that injures is powerful and the injured one is unable toavenge the injury, hate shows itself. It subsides, however, throughkindliness. Compassion proceeds from a sight of the helpless andmiserable persons with whom the world abounds. That sentiment disappearswhen one understands the strength of virtue.[466] Covetousness in allcreatures spring from ignorance. Beholding the instability of all objectsof enjoyment, it suffers destruction. It has been said that tranquillityof soul can alone subdue all these thirteen faults. All these thirteenfaults stained the sons of Dhritarashtra. Thyself, always desirous oftruth, hast conquered all of those vices in consequence of thy regard forseniors.'”