"'Yudhishthira said, "I wish, O sire, to hear the settled conclusions on
the subject of Virtue, Wealth, and Pleasure. Depending upon which of
these does the course of life proceed? What are the respective roots of
Virtue, Wealth, and Pleasure? What are again the results of those three?
They are sometimes seen to mingle with one another, and sometimes to
exist separately and independently of one another."
"'Bhishma said, "When men in this world endeavour with good hearts to
achieve Wealth with the aid of Virtue, then those three, viz., Virtue,
Wealth, and Pleasure, may be seen to co-exist in a state of union in
respect of time, cause, and action.[374] Wealth has its root in Virtue,
and Pleasure is said to be the fruit of Wealth. All the three again have
their root in Will. Will is concerned with objects. All objects, again,
in their entirety, exist for gratifying the desire of enjoyment. Upon
these then does the aggregate of three depend. Entire abstraction from
all objects is Emancipation. It is said that Virtue is sought for the
protection of the body, and Wealth is for the acquisition of Virtue.
Pleasure is only the gratification of the senses. All the three have,
therefore, the quality of Passion.[375] Virtue, Wealth, and Pleasure,
when sought for the sake of heaven or such other rewards, are said to be
remote because the rewards themselves are remote. When sought, however,
for the sake of Knowledge of Self, they are said to be proximate. One
should seek them when they are of such a character.[376] One should not
cast them off even mentally. If Virtue, Wealth, and Pleasure are to be
abandoned, one should abandon them when one has freed one's self by
ascetic penances.[377] The aim of the triple aggregate is towards
emancipation. Would that man could obtain it! One's acts, undertaken and
completed with even the aid of intelligence may or may not lead to the
expected results. Virtue is not always the root of Wealth, for other
things than Virtue lead to Wealth (such as service, agriculture, &c).
There is again a contrary opinion (for some say that Wealth is earned
through chance or birth or like causes). In some instances, Wealth
acquired has been productive of evil. Other things again than Wealth
(such as fasts and vows) have led to the acquisition of Virtue. As
regards this topic, therefore, a dullard whose understanding has been
debased by ignorance, never succeeds in acquiring the highest aim of
Virtue and Wealth, viz., Emancipation. Virtue's dross consists in the
desire of reward; the dross of Wealth consists in hoarding it; when
purged of these impurities, they are productive of great results. In this
connection is cited the narrative of the discourse that look place in
days of old between Kamandaka and Angaristha. One day, king Angaristha,
having waited for the opportunity, saluted the Rishi Kamandaka as he was
seated at his ease and asked him the following questions, 'If a king,
forced by lust and folly, commits sin for which he afterwards repents, by
what acts, O Rishi, can those sins be destroyed? If again a man impelled
by ignorance, does what is sinful in the belief that he is acting
righteously, how shall the king put a stop to that sin come into vogue
among men?'
"'"Kamandaka said, 'That man who, abandoning Virtue and Wealth pursues only
Pleasure, reaps as the consequence of such conduct the destruction of his
intelligence. The destruction of intelligence is followed by heedlessness
that is at once destructive of both Virtue and Wealth. From such
heedlessness proceed dire atheism and systematic wickedness of conduct.
If the king does not restrain those wicked men of sinful conduct, all
good subjects then live in fear of him like the inmate of a room within
which a snake has concealed itself. The subjects do not follow such a
king. Brahmanas and all pious persons also act in the same way. As a
consequence the king incurs great danger, and ultimately the risk of
destruction itself. Overtaken by infamy and insult, he has to drag on a
miserable existence. A life of infamy, however, is equal to death. Men
learned in the scriptures have indicated the following means for checking
sin. The king should always devote himself to the study of the three
Vedas. He should respect the Brahmanas and do good offices unto them. He
should be devoted to righteousness. He should make alliance (of marriage)
with high families. He should wait upon high-minded Brahmanas adorned
with the virtue of forgiveness. He should perform ablutions and recite
sacred mantras and thus pass his time happily. Banishing all wicked
subjects from himself and his kingdom, he should seek the companionship
of virtuous men. He should gratify all persons by speeches or good acts.
He should say unto all--"I am yours,"--proclaim the virtues of even his
foes. By pursuing such conduct he may soon cleanse himself of his sins
and win the high regard of all. Without doubt, by conduct such as this
all his sins will be destroyed. Thou shouldst accomplish all those high
duties which thy seniors and preceptors would indicate. Thou art sure to
obtain great blessing through the grace of thy seniors and preceptors.'"'"