is stored ascetic merit; forgiveness protecteth the ascetic merit of the future; forgiveness is asceticism; forgiveness is holiness; and by forgiveness is it that the universe is held together.  Persons that are forgiving attain to the regions obtainable by those that have preformed meritorious sacrifices, or those that are well-conversant with the Vedas, or those that have high ascetic merit.  Those that perform Vedic sacrifices as also those that perform the meritorious rites of religion obtain other regions.  Men of forgiveness, however, obtain those much-adored regions that are in the world of Brahma.  Forgiveness is the might of the mighty; forgiveness is sacrifice; forgiveness is quiet of mind.  How, O Krishna, can one like us abandon forgiveness, which is such, and in which are established Brahma, and truth, and wisdom and the worlds?  The man of wisdom should ever forgive, for when he is capable of forgiving everything, he attaineth to Brahma.  The world belongeth to those that are forgiving; the other world is also theirs.  The forgiving acquire honours here, and a state of blessedness hereafter.  Those men that ever conquer their wrath by forgiveness, obtain the higher regions.  Therefore hath it been said that forgiveness is the highest virtue.’  Those are the verses sung by Kashyapa in respect of those that are everforgiving.  Having listened, O Draupadi, to these verses in respect of forgiveness, content thyself!  Give not way to thy wrath!  Our grandsire, the son of Santanu, will worship peace; Krishna, the son of Devaki, will worship peace; the preceptor (Drona) and Vidura called Kshatri will both speak of peace; Kripa and Sanjaya also will preach peace.  And Somadatta and Yuyutshu and Drona’s son and our grandsire Vyasa, every one of them speaketh always of peace.  Ever urged by these towards peace, the king (Dhritarashtra) will, I think, return us our kingdom.  If however, he yieldeth to temptation, he will meet with destruction.  O lady, a crisis hath come in the history of Bharatas for plunging them into calamity!  This hath been my certain conclusion from some time before!  Suyodhana deserveth not the kingdom.  Therefore hath he been unable to acquire forgiveness.  I, however, deserve the sovereignty and therefore is it that forgiveness hath taken possession of me.  Forgiveness and gentleness are the qualities of the self-possessed.  They represent eternal virtue.  I shall, therefore, truly adopt those qualities.”

SECTION XXX

“Draupadi said, ’I bow down unto Dhatri and Vidhatri who have thus clouded thy sense!  Regarding the burden (thou art to bear) thou thinkest differently from the ways of thy fathers and grand-fathers!  Influenced by acts men are placed in different situations of life.  Acts, therefore, produce consequences that are inevitable; emancipation is desired from mere folly.  It seemeth that man can never attain prosperity in this world by virtue, gentleness, forgiveness,