Chapter 320

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Having acquired great power and great wealth, andhaving obtained a long period of life, how may one succeed in avoidingdeath? By which of these means, viz., penances, or the accomplishment ofthe diverse acts (laid down in the Vedas), or by knowledge of the Srutis,or the application of medicines, can one succeed in avoiding decrepitudeand death?’

“Bhishma said, ‘In this connection is cited the old narrative ofPanchasikha who was a Bhikshu in his practices and Janaka. Once on a timeJanaka, the ruler of the Videhas, questioned the great Rishi Panchasikha,who was the foremost of all persons conversant with the Vedas and who hadall his doubts removed in respect of the purpose and import of allduties. The King said,–By what conduct, O holy one may one transcenddecrepitude and death? It is by penances, or by the understanding, or byreligious acts (like sacrifices, and vows), or by study and knowledge ofthe scriptures?–Thus addressed by the ruler of the Vedas the learnedPanchasikha, conversant with all invisible things, answered,saying,–There is no prevention of these two (viz., decrepitude anddeath); nor is it true that cannot be prevented under any circumstances.Neither days, nor nights, nor months, cease to go on. Only that man, who,though transitory, betakes himself to the eternal path (of the religionof Nivritti or abstention from all acts) succeeds in avoiding birth anddeath. Destruction overtakes, all creatures. All creatures seem to beceaselessly borne along the infinite current of time. Those that areborne along the infinite current of time which is without a raft (torescue) and which is infested by those two mighty alligators, viz.,decrepitude and death, sink down without anybody coming to theirassistance. As one is swept along that current, one fails to find anyfriend for help and one fails to be inspired with interest for any oneelse. One meets with spouses and other friends only on one’s road. Onehad never before enjoyed this kind of companionship with any one for anylength of time. Creatures, as they are borne along the current of time,become repeatedly attracted towards one another like masses of cloudsmoved by the wind meeting one another with loud sound. Decrepitude anddeath are devourers of all creatures, like wolves. Indeed, they devourthe strong and the weak, the short and the tall. Among creatures,therefore, which are all so transitory, only the Soul exists eternally.Why should he, then, rejoice when creatures are born and why should hegrieve when they die? Whence have I come. Who am I? Whither shall I go?Whose am I? Before what do I rest? What shall I be? For what reason thendost thou grieve for what? Who else then thou wilt behold heaven or hell(for what thou doest)? Hence, without throwing aside the scriptures, oneshould make gifts and perform sacrifices!–“