“Many,” said the Holy One, “are my births, and I know them; many too, are thine, but thou knowest them not.  I am born from age to age for the defence of the virtuous and the undoing of the wicked.  He who believes in my divine birth and work has no second birth, but enters me and abides with me for ever.  Know me as the creator of the cates, know me also as the Eternal one that creates nothing.  Faith brings with it knowledge, and knowledge contentment.  Without knowledge and faith the soul is lost.”

Arguna asked, “How fares it with the man who is not able to suppress his lower instincts and to undergo the discipline of Yogis?  Is he for this, to be undone for ever?”

“No,” replied the Holy One, “neither in this world nor in the next is he lost.  The virtuous man does not enter an evil state.  He reaches that heaven provided for all the good, and is born thereafter with higher moral capacities, with which, and by means of the knowledge gained in his previous existence, he rises to greater perfection; so that after many births he reaches absolute perfection and is united for ever with Brahma.  But learn thou my higher nature; what thou seest is my lower, for I am divine and human.  All the world came forth from me, and I will at the last destroy it.  Higher than I does not exist.  I am taste, light, moon, sun; I am the mystic OM; I am the mystic seed from which all things grow.  He that offers sacrifice to inferior gods goes after death to those gods, but they that worship me come to me.”

“What,” asked Arguna, “is Brahma, the supreme spirit, the supreme sacrifice?”

The Holy One answered, “He is the Supreme, the Indestructible One; I am the Supreme Sacrifice in my present body.

“Hear now, Son of Pritha,” said the Holy One.  “If thy heart be fixed on me, and thou seekest refuge in me, thou shalt know me fully, and I shall reveal to thee the perfect knowledge of God and man.  There are countless myriads of men in this world, but few there are who seek after perfection, and fewer still there are who obtain it.”

OTHER PARTS OF THE MAHABHARATA

Though the husband die unhappy on account of his wife’s ill-treatment and disobedience, yet if she consign herself to the flames after his death she is deserving of great praise.  How much more should a woman be venerated who flings herself of her own accord into the flames after the death of a husband whom she has treated with affection and submission!

Let gifts be avoided; for receiving them is a sin.  The silkworm dies of its riches.

It is not proper to rebuke or even blame wrong acts of gods or priests or seers; though no one is justified in following them in these acts.

Virtue is better than everlasting life; kingdom, sons, renown, and wealth all put together do not make up one-sixteenth part of the value of virtue.

The greatest sin that a king can commit is atoned for by sacrifices accompanied with large gifts [cows, etc.] to the priests.