"Vaisampayana said, 'Vyasa then dispelled the grief of the eldest son of
Pandu, who, burning with sorrow on account of the slaughter of his
kinsmen, had resolved to make an end of himself.
"'Vyasa said, "In this connection is cited the old story, O tiger among
men, that is known by the name of Asma's discourse. Listen to it, O
Yudhishthira! Janaka the ruler of the Videhas, O king, filled with sorrow
and grief, questioned a wise Brahmana of the name of Asma for the
resolution of his doubts.
"'"Janaka said, 'How should a man desirous of his own good behave upon
occasions of the accession and the destruction of both kinsmen and
wealth?'
"'"Asma said, 'Immediately after the formation of a man's body, joys and
griefs attach themselves to it. Although there is a possibility of either
of the two overtaking the person, yet whichever actually overtakes him
quickly robs him of his reason like the wind driving away gathering
clouds. (In times of prosperity) one thinks in this strain, viz., "I am
of high birth! I can do whatever I like!--I am not an ordinary man!" His
mind becomes soaked with such triple vanity. Addicted to all earthly
enjoyments, he begins to waste the wealth hoarded by his ancestors.
Impoverished in course of time, he regards the appropriation of what
belongs to others as even laudable. Like a hunter piercing a deer with
his shafts, the king then punishes that wicked wight, that robber of other
people's possessions, that transgressor of law and rule. Without
attaining to a hundred years (the usual period of human life), such men
scarcely live beyond twenty or thirty years. Carefully observing the
behaviour of all creatures, a king should, by the exercise of his
intelligence, apply remedies for alleviating the great sorrows of his
subjects. The causes of all mental sorrow are two, viz., delusion of the
mind and the accession of distress. No third cause exists. All these
diverse kinds of woe as also those arising from attachment to earthly
enjoyments, that overtake man, are even such.[79] Decrepitude and Death,
like a pair of wolves, devour all creatures, strong or weak, short or
tall. No man can escape decrepitude and death, not even the subjugator of
the whole earth girt by the sea. Be it happiness or be it sorrow that
comes upon creatures, it should be enjoyed or borne without elation or
depression. There is no method of escape from them. The evils of life, O
king, overtake one in early or middle or old age. They can never be
avoided, while those (sources of bliss) that are coveted never come.[80]
The absence of what is agreeable, the presence of what is disagreeable,
good and evil, bliss and woe, follow Destiny. Similarly, the birth of
creatures and their death, and the accessions of gain and loss, are all
pre-ordained. Even as scent, colour, taste, and touch spring naturally,
happiness and misery arise from what has been pre-ordained. Seats and
beds and vehicles, prosperity and drink and food, ever approach, leaving
creatures according to Time's course.[81] Physicians even get ill. The
strong become weak. They that are in the enjoyment of prosperity lose all
and become indigent. The course of Time is very wonderful. High birth,
health, beauty, prosperity, and objects of enjoyment, are all won through
Destiny. The indigent, although they may not desire it, have many
children. The affluent again are seen to be childless. Wonderful is the
course of Destiny. The evils caused by disease, fire, water, weapons,
hunger, poison, fever, and death, and falls from high places, overtake a
man according to the Destiny under which he is born. It is seen in this
world that somebody without sinning, suffers diverse ills, while another,
having sinned, is not borne down by the weight of calamity. It is seen
that somebody in the enjoyment of wealth perishes in youth; while some
one that is poor drags on his existence, borne down by decrepitude, for a
hundred years. One borne in an ignoble race may have a very long life,
while one sprung from a noble line perishes soon like an insect. In this
world, it is very common that persons in affluent circumstances have no
appetite, while they that are indigent can digest chips of wood. Impelled
by destiny, whatever sins the man of wicked soul, discontented with his
condition, commits, saying, "I am the doer," he regards to be all for his
good. Hunting, dice, women, wine, brawls, these are censured by the wise.
Many persons, however, possessed of even extensive knowledge of the
scriptures are seen to be addicted to them. Objects, whether coveted or
otherwise, come upon creatures in consequence of Time's course. No other
cause can be traced. Air, space, fire, moon, sun, day, night, the
luminous bodies (in the firmament), rivers, and mountains,--who makes
them and who supports them? Cold, and heat, and rain, come one after
another in consequence of Time's course. It is even so, O bull among men,
with the happiness and the misery of mankind. Neither medicines, nor
incantations, can rescue the man assailed by decrepitude or overtaken by
death. As two logs of wood floating on the great ocean, come together and
are again (when the time comes) separated, even so creatures come
together and are again (when the time comes) separated. Time acts equally
towards those men that (are in affluent circumstances and that) enjoy the
pleasures of song and dance in the company of women and those helpless
men that live upon the food that others supply. In this world a thousand
kinds of relationship are contracted, such as mother and father and son
and wife. In reality, however, whose are they and whose are we? No one
can become anyone's own, nor can anyone become anybody else's own. Our
union here with wives and kinsfolk and well-wishers is like that of
travellers at a road-side inn. Where am I? Where shall go? Who am I? How
come I here? What for and whom I grieve? Reflecting on these questions
one obtains tranquillity. Life and its environments are constantly
revolving like a wheel, and the companionship of those that are dear is
transitory. The union with brother, mother, father, and friend is like
that of travellers in an inn. Men of knowledge behold, as if with
corporeal eyes, the next world that is unseen. Without disregarding the
scriptures, one desirous of knowledge should have faith. One possessed of
knowledge should perform the rites laid down in respect of the Pitris and
the gods, practise all religious duties, perform sacrifices, judiciously
pursue virtue, profit, and pleasure. Alas, no one understands that the
world is sinking on the ocean of Time that is so very deep and that is
infested with those huge crocodiles called decrepitude and death. Many
physicians may be seen afflicted with all the members of their families,
although they have carefully studied the science of Medicine.[82] Taking
bitters and diverse kinds of oily drugs, these succeed not in escaping
death, like ocean in transcending its continents. Men well-versed in
chemistry, notwithstanding chemical compounds applied judiciously, are
seen to be broken down by decrepitude like trees broken down by
elephants. Similarly, persons possessed of ascetic merit, devoted to
study of the Vedas, practising charity, and frequently performing
sacrifices, succeed not in escaping decrepitude and death. As regards all
creatures that have taken birth, neither years, nor months, nor
fortnights, nor days, nor nights, that have once passed, do ever return.
Man, whose existence is so transitory, is forced, in course of Time,
whether he will or not, to come upon this inevitable and broad path that
has to be trodden by every creature.[83] Whether the body springs from
the creature or the creature springs from the body, one's union however,
with wives and other friends is like that of travellers in an inn.[84]
One cannot obtain a lasting companionship with anyone. One cannot obtain
such companionship with one's own body. How then it can be had with
anyone else? Where, O king, is thy sire today and where thy grandsire?
Thou beholdst them not today and they do not behold thee. O sinless one!
No person can see either heaven or hell. The scriptures, however, are the
eyes of the virtuous. O king, frame thy conduct according to the
scriptures. With pure heart, one should practise first the vow of
Brahmacharya and then beget children and then perform sacrifices, for
paying off the debt one owes to the Pitris, the gods, and men. Performing
sacrifices and engaged in procreating (children), after having first
observed the vow of Brahmacharya, one who hath wisdom for his eyes,
casting off all anxiety of heart, should pay court to heaven, this world,
and his own soul.[85] That king bent upon the practice of virtue who
strives judiciously for acquiring Heaven and Earth and who takes of
earthly goods just what is ordained (as the king's share) in the
scriptures, wins a reputation that spread over all the worlds and among
all creatures, mobile and immobile.' The ruler of the Videhas, of clear
understanding, having heard these words full of reason, become freed from
grief, and taking Asma's leave proceeded towards his abode. O thou of
unfading glory, cast off thy grief and rise up. Thou art equal to Sakra
himself. Suffer thy soul to be gladdened. The earth has been won by thee
in the exercise of Kshatriya duties. Enjoy her, O son of Kunti, and do
not disregard my words."'"