again they began to drag their miserable existence in this wonderful world.  And their desires were unfulfilled, the objects unaccomplished, and their knowledge became unavailing.  And their senses were paralysed and they became apprehensive of everything and the cause of other people’s sufferings.  And they were generally marked by wicked deeds, and born in low families; they became wicked and afflicted with diseases, and the terror of others.  And they became short-lived and sinful and they reaped the fruit of their terrible deeds.  And coveting everything, they became godless and indifferent in mind, O son of Kunti!  The destiny of every creature after death is determined by his acts in this world.  Thou hast asked me where this treasure of acts of the sage and the ignorant remain, and where they enjoy the fruit of their good and evil deeds!  Do thou listen to the regulations on this subject!  Man with his subtle original body created by God lays up a great store of virtue and vice.  After death he quits his frail (outer) body and is immediately born again in another order of beings.  He never remains non-existent for a single moment.  In his new life his actions follow him invariably as shadow and, fructifying, makes his destiny happy or miserable.  The wise man, by his spiritual insight, knows all creatures to be bound to an immutable destiny by the destroyer and incapable of resisting the fruition of his actions in good or evil fortune.  This, O Yudhishthira, is the doom of all creatures steeped in spiritual ignorance.  Do thou now hear of the perfect way attained by men of high spiritual perception!  Such men are of high ascetic virtue and are versed in all profane and holy writ, diligent in performing their religious obligations and devoted to truth.  And they pay due homage to their preceptors and superiors and practise Yoga, are forgiving, continent and energetic and pious and are generally endowed with every virtue.  By the conquest of the passions, they are subdued in mind; by practising yoga they become free from disease, fear and sorrow; they are not troubled (in mind).  In course of birth, mature or immature, or while ensconced in the womb, in every condition, they with spiritual eyes recognize the relation of their soul to the supreme Spirit.  Those great-minded Rishis of positive and intuitive knowledge passing through this arena of actions, return again to the abode of the celestials.  Men, O king, attain what they have in consequence of the grace of the gods of Destiny or of their own actions.  Do thou not think otherwise.  O Yudhishthira, I regard that as the highest good which is regarded so in this world.  Some attain happiness in this world, but not in the next; others do so in the next, but not in this.  Some, again, attain happiness in this as well as in the next world; and others neither here nor in the next world.  Those that have immense wealth, shine every day with well-decorated persons.  O slayer of mighty foes, being addicted to carnal pleasures,