Chapter 9

“Yudhishthira said, ‘For a little while, O Arjuna, concentrate thyattention and fix thy mind and hearing on thy inner soul. If thoulistenest to my words in such a frame of mind, they will meet with thyapprobation. Abandoning all worldly pleasures, I shall betake myself tothat path which is trod by the righteous. I shall not, for thy sake,tread along the path thou recommendest. If thou askest me what path isauspicious that one should tread alone, I shall tell thee. If thou dostnot desire to ask me, I shall yet, unasked by thee, tell thee of it.Abandoning the pleasures and observance of men of the world, engaged inperforming the austerest of penances, I shall wander in the forest, withthe animals that have their home there, living on fruit and roots.Pouring libations on the: fire at due hours, and performing ablutions atmorn and eve, I shall thin myself by reduced diet, and covering myselfwith skins, bear matted locks on my head. Enduring cold, wind, and heatas also hunger and thirst and toil, I shall emaciate my body by penancesas laid down in the ordinance. Charming to the heart and the ear, I shalldaily listen to the clear strains of, cheerful birds and animals residingin the woods. I shall enjoy the fragrance of flower-burthened trees andcreepers, and see diverse kinds of charming products that grow in theforest. I shall also see many excellent recluses of the forest. I shallnot do the slightest injury to any creature, what need be said then ofthose that dwell in villages and towns?[10] Leading a retired life anddevoting myself to contemplation, I shall live upon ripe and unripefruits and gratify the Pitris and the deities with offerings of wildfruits and spring water and grateful hymns. Observing in this way theaustere regulations of a forest life, I shall pass my days, calmlyawaiting the dissolution of my body. Or, living alone and observing thevow of taciturnity, with my head shaved clean, I shall derive mysustenance by begging each day of only one tree.[11] Smearing my bodywith ashes, and availing of the shelter of abandoned houses, or lying atthe foot of trees, I shall live, casting off all things dear or hateful.Without indulging in grief or joy, and regarding censure and applause,hope and affliction, equally, and prevailing over every couple ofopposites, I shall live casting off all the things of the world. Withoutconversing with anybody, I shall assume the outward form of a blind anddeaf idiot, while living in contentment and deriving happiness from myown soul. Without doing the least injury to the four kinds of movable andimmovable creatures, I shall behave equally towards all creatures whethermindful of their duties or following only the dictates of the senses. Ishall not jeer at any one, nor shall I frown at anybody. Restraining allmy senses, I shall always be of a cheerful face. Without asking anybodyabout the way, proceeding along any route that I may happen to meet with,I shall go on, without taking note of the country or the point of thecompass to which or towards which I may go. Regardless of whither I mayproceed, I shall not look behind. Divesting myself of desire and wrath,and turning my gaze inwards, I shall go on, casting off pride of soul andbody. Nature always walks ahead; hence, food and drink will somehow beaccomplished. I shall not think of those pairs of opposites that stand inthe way of such a life. If pure food in even a small measure be notobtainable in the first house (to which I may go), I shalt get it bygoing to other houses. If I fail to procure it by even such a round, Ishall proceed to seven houses in succession and fill my craving. When thesmoke of houses will cease, their hearth-fires having been extinguished,when husking-rods will be kept aside, and all the inmates will have takentheir food, when mendicants and guests Will cease to wander, I shallselect a moment for my round of mendicancy and solicit alms at two,three, or five houses at the most. I shall wander over the earth, afterbreaking the bonds of desire. Preserving equability in success andfailure, I shall earn great ascetic merit. I shall behave neither likeone that is fond of life nor like one that is about to die. I shall notmanifest any liking for life or dislike for death. If one strikes off onearm of mine and another smears the other arm with sandal-paste, I shallnot wish evil to the one or good to the other. Discarding all those actsconducive to prosperity that one can do in life, the only acts I shallperform will be to open and shut my eyes and take as much food and drinkas will barely keep up life. Without ever being attached to action, andalways restraining the functions of the senses, I shall give up alldesires and purify the soul of all impurities. Freed from all attachmentsand tearing off all bonds and ties, I shall live free as the wind. Livingin such freedom from affections, everlasting contentment will be mine.Through desire, I have, from ignorance, committed great sins. A certainclass of men, doing both auspicious and inauspicious acts here, maintaintheir wives, children, and kinsmen, all bound to them in relations ofcause and effect.[12] When the period of their life runs out, casting offtheir weakened bodies, they take upon themselves all the effects of theirsinful acts, for none but the actor is burdened with the consequences ofhis acts.[13] Even thus, endued with actions, creatures come into thiswheel of life that is continually turning like the wheel of a car, andeven thus, coming thither, they meet with their fellow-creatures. He,however, who abandons the worldly course of life, which is really afleeting illusion although it looks eternal, and which is afflicted bybirth, death, decrepitude, disease, and pain, is sure to obtainhappiness. When again, the very gods fall down from heaven and greatRishis from their respective positions of eminence who, that isacquainted with truths of causes (and effects) would wish to have evenheavenly prosperity?[14] Insignificant kings, having performed diverseacts relating to the diverse means of kingcraft (known by the means ofconciliation, gift, &c.) often slay a king through some contrivance.Reflecting on these circumstances, this nectar of wisdom hath come to me.Having attained it, I desire to get a permanent, eternal, andunchangeable place (for myself). Always (conducting myself) with suchwisdom and acting in this way, I shall, by betaking myself to thatfearless path of life, terminate this physical frame that is subject tobirth, death, decrepitude, disease, and pain.'”