Chapter 32

Vaisampayana said, “Unto king Yudhishthira who still remained speechlessand plunged in grief, the island-born Vyasa, that great ascetic,conversant with truths of religion, spoke again.”

“Vyasa said, ‘O thou of eyes like lotus petals, the protection ofsubjects is the duty of kings. Those men that are always observant ofduty regard duty to be all powerful. Do thou, therefore, O king, walk inthe steps of thy ancestors. With. Brahmanas, penances are a duty. This isthe eternal ordinance of the Vedas. Penances, therefore, O bull ofBharata’s race, constitute the eternal duty of Brahmanas. A Kshatriya isthe protector of all persons in respect of their duties.[104] That manwho, addicted to earthly possessions, transgresses wholesome restraints,that offender against social harmony, should be chastised with a stronghand. That insensate person who seeks to transgress authority, be he anattendant, a son, or even a saint, indeed,–all men of such sinfulnature, should by every means be chastised or even killed. That king whoconducts himself otherwise incurs sin. He who does not protect moralitywhen it is being disregarded is himself a trespasser against morality.The Kauravas were trespassers against morality. They have, with theirfollowers, been slain by thee. Thou hast been observant of the duties ofthy own order. Why then, O son of Pandu, dost thou indulge in such grief?The king should slay those that deserve death, make gifts to personsdeserving of charity, and protect his subjects according to theordinance.’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘I do not doubt the words that fall from thy lips, Othou of great ascetic merit! Everything appertaining to morality and dutyis well known to thee, O foremost of all persons conversant with moralityand duty! I have, however, for the sake of kingdom, caused many personsto be slain! Those deeds, O Brahmana, are burning and consuming me!’

“Vyasa said, ‘O Bharata, is the Supreme Being the doer, or is man thedoer? Is everything the result of Chance in the world, or are the fruitsthat we enjoy or suffer, the results of (previous) action? If man, OBharata, does all acts, good or bad, being urged thereto by the SupremeBeing, then the fruits of those acts should attach to the Supreme beinghimself. If a person cuts down, with an axe, a tree in forest, it is theperson that incurs the sin and not the axe by any means. Or, if it besaid that, the axe being only the material cause, the consequence of theact (of cutting) should attach to the animate agent (and not to theinanimate tool), then the sin may be said to belong to the person thathas made the axe. This, however, can scarcely be true. If this be notreasonable, O son of Kunti, that one man should incur the consequence ofan act done by another, then, guided by this, thou shouldst throw allresponsibility upon the Supreme Being.[105] If, again, man be himself theagent of all his acts virtuous and sinful, then Supreme Director there isnone, and, therefore, whatever thou hast done cannot bring evilconsequences on thee.[106] No one, O king, can ever turn away from thatwhich is destined. If, again, Destiny be the result of the acts of formerlives, then no sin can attach to one in this life even as the sin ofcutting down a tree cannot touch the maker of the axe.[107] If thouthinkest it is chance only that acts in the world, then such an act ofdestruction could never happen nor will ever happen.[108] If it isnecessary to ascertain what is good and what is evil in the world, attendto the scriptures. In those scriptures it has been laid down that kingsshould stand with the rod of chastisement uplifted in their hands. Ithink, O Bharata, that acts, good and bad, are continually revolving hereas a wheel, and men obtain the fruits of those acts, good or bad, thatthey do. One sinful act proceeds from another. Therefore, O tiger amongkings, avoid all evil acts and do not thus set thy heart upon grief. Thoushouldst adhere, O Bharata, to the duties, even if reproachable, of thyown order. This self-destruction, O king, does not look well in thee.Expiations, O king, have been ordained for (evil) acts. He that is alivecan perform them, but he that dies fails in their performance. Therefore,O king without laying down thy life, perform those expiatory acts. Ifthou dost not perform them thou mayst have to repent in the next world.’