"'Bhishma said, "In this connection is also cited the old narrative of the
discourse between him of a hundred sacrifices and the Asura Namuchi, O
Yudhishthira. When the Asura Namuchi, who was conversant with the birth
and the death of all creatures, was sitting, divested of prosperity but
untroubled at heart like the vast ocean in perfect stillness, Purandara
addressed him these words, 'Fallen off from thy place, bound with cords,
brought under the sway of thy foes, and divested of prosperity, dost
thou, O Namuchi, indulge in grief or passest thou thy days cheerfully?'
"'"Namuchi answered, 'By indulging in such sorrow as cannot be warded off
one only wastes one's body and gladdens one's foes. Then, again, no one
can lighten another's sorrow by taking any portion of it upon oneself.
For these reasons, O Sakra, I do not indulge in sorrow. All this that
thou seest hath one end.[849] Indulgence in sorrow destroys personal
comeliness, prosperity, life, and virtue itself, O chief of the deities!
Without doubt, suppressing that sorrow which comes upon oneself and which
is born of an improper disposition of the mind, one possessed of true
knowledge should reflect in one's mind of that which is productive of the
highest good and which dwells in the heart itself.[850] When one sets
one's mind upon what is for one's highest good, without doubt, the result
that takes place is that one's objects are all accomplished.[851] There
is One Ordainer, and no second. His control extends over the being that
lies within the womb. Controlled by the great Ordainer I go on as He sets
me on, like water running along a downward path. Knowing what is
existence and what is emancipation, and understanding also that the
latter is superior to the former, I do not, however, strive for attaining
to it. Doing acts that tend towards the direction of virtue and also
those that tend towards the opposite direction, I go on as He sets me on.
One gets those things that are ordained to be got. That which is to
happen actually happens. One has repeatedly to reside in such wombs in
which one is placed by the Ordainer. One has no choice in the matter.
That person is never stupefied, who when placed in any particular
condition, accepts it as that which he was ordained to be placed in. Men
are affected by pleasure and pain that come by turns in course of Time.
There is no personal agency (in the matter of pleasure or pain to any
one). In this lies sorrow, viz., that he that dislikes sorrow regards
himself as the actor.[852] Amongst Rishis, gods, great Asuras, persons
fully conversant with the three Vedas, and ascetics in the forest, who is
there whom calamities do not approach? Those, however, that are
conversant with the Soul and that which is not-Soul never fear
calamities. The person of wisdom, naturally standing immovable like
Himavat, never gives way to wrath; never suffers himself to be attached
to the objects of the senses; never languishes in sorrow or rejoices in
happiness. When overwhelmed with even great afflictions, such a person
never gives way to grief. That person is a very superior one whom even
great success cannot gladden and even dire calamities cannot afflict, and
who bears pleasure and pain, and that which is between them both, with an
unmoved heart. Into whatever condition a person may fall, he should
summon cheerfulness without yielding to sorrow. Indeed, even thus should
one drive off from one's self one's swelling grief that is born in one's
mind and that is (if not dispelled) sure to give pain. That assembly of
learned persons engaged in the discussion of duties based upon both the
Srutis and the Smritis is not a good assembly,--indeed, that does not
deserve to be called by the name of assembly,--entering which a wicked
man does not become penetrated with fear (born of his wicked deeds). That
man is the foremost of his species who having dived into and enquired
after righteousness succeeds in acting according to the conclusions to
which he arrives.[853] The acts of a wise man are not easily
comprehensible. He that is wise, is never stupefied when afflictions come
upon him. Even if he falls away from his position like Gautama in his old
age, in consequence of the direct calamity, he does not suffer himself to
be stupefied.[854] By any of these, viz., mantras, strength, energy,
wisdom, prowess, behaviour, conduct, or the affluence of wealth, can a
person acquire that which has not been ordained to be acquired by him?
What sorrow then is there for the non-acquisition of that upon which one
has set one's heart? Before I was born, they that have the matter in
their hands had ordained what I am to do and suffer. I am fulfilling what
was thus ordained for me. What then can death do to me? One obtains only
that which has been ordained to be obtained. One goes thither whither it
was ordained that one is to go. Those sorrows and joys are obtained that
are ordained to be obtained. That man who knowing this fully, does not
suffer himself to be stupefied, and who is contented under both happiness
and sorrow, is regarded as the foremost of his species.'"'"