that everything which is supposed to be the result of destiny or chance is the result of the good or the bad acts of former lives.  It is seen, possessions are obtained from chance, as also from destiny Something being from destiny and something from chance, something is obtained by exertion.  In the acquisition of his objects, there is no fourth cause in the case of man.  Thus say those that are acquainted with truth and skilled in knowledge.  If, however, God himself were not the giver of good and bad fruits, then amongst creatures there would not be any that was miserable.  If the effect of former acts be a myth, then all purposes for which man would work should be successful.  They, therefore, that regard the three alone (mentioned above) as the doors of all success and failure in the world, (without regarding the acts of former life), are dull and inert like the body itself.  For all this, however, a person should act.  This is the conclusion of Manu himself.  The person that doth not act, certainly succumbeth, O Yudhishthira.  The man of action in this world generally meeteth with success.  The idle, however, never achieveth success.  If success, becometh impossible, then should one seek to remove the difficulties that bar his way to success.  And, O king, if a person worketh (hard), his debt (to the gods) is cancelled (whether he achieveth success or not).  The person that is idle and lieth at his length, is overcome by adversity; while he that is active and skillful is sure to reap success and enjoy prosperity.  Intelligent persons engaged in acts with confidence in themselves regard all who are diffident as doubting and unsuccessful.  The confident and faithful, however, are regarded by them as successful.  And this moment misery hath overtaken us.  If, however, thou betakest to action, that misery will certainly be removed.  If thou meetest failure, then that will furnish a proof unto thee and Vrikodara and Vivatsu and the twins (that ye are unable to snatch the kingdom from the foe).  The acts of others, it is seen, are crowned with success.  It is probable that ours also will be successful.  How can one know beforehand what the consequence will be?  Having exerted thyself thou wilt know what the fruit of thy exertion will be.  The tiller tilleth with the plough the soil and soweth the seeds thereon.  He then sitteth silent, for the clouds (after that) are the cause that would help the seeds to grow into plants.  If however, the clouds favour him not, the tiller is absolved from all blame.  He sayeth unto himself, ’What others do, I have done.  If, notwithstanding this, I meet with failure, no blame can attach to me.’  Thinking so, he containeth himself and never indulgeth in self-reproach.  O Bharata, no one should despair saying, ’Oh, I am acting, yet success is not mine!  For there are two other causes, besides exertion, towards success.  Whether there be success or failure, there should be no despair, for success in acts dependeth upon the