towards ruts and holes, so men under the influence of desire, misled by deluding joys, run towards destruction.  What can death do to a person whose soul hath not been confounded or misled by desire?  To him, death hath no terrors, like a tiger made of straw.  Therefore, O Kshatriya, if the existence of desire, which is ignorance, is to be destroyed, no wish, not even the slightest one, is either to be thought of or pursued.  That soul, which is in thy body, associated as it is with wrath and covetousness and filled with ignorance, that is death.  Knowing that death arises in this way, he that relies on knowledge, entertaineth no fear of death.  Indeed, as the body is destroyed when brought under the influence of death, so death itself is destroyed when it comes under the influence of knowledge.’

“Dhritarashtra said, ’The Vedas declare the emancipating capacity of those highly sacred and eternal regions, that are said to be obtainable by the regenerate classes by prayers and sacrifices.  Knowing this, why should not a learned person have recourse to (religious) acts?’[3]

“Sanat-sujata said, ’Indeed, he that is without knowledge proceedeth thither by the path indicated by thee, and the Vedas also declare that thither are both bliss and emancipation.  But he that regardeth the material body to be self, if he succeeds in renouncing desire, at once attaineth emancipation (or Brahman).  If, however, one seeketh emancipation without renouncing desire, one must have to proceed along the (prescribed) route of action, taking care to destroy the chances of his retracing the routes that he hath once passed over.’[4]

“Dhritarashtra said, ’Who is it that urgeth that Unborn and Ancient One?  If, again, it is He that is all this Universe in consequence of His having entered everything (without desire as He is) what can be His action, or his happiness?  O learned sage, tell me all this truly.’[5]

“Sanat-sujata said, ’There is great objection in completely identifying (as here) the two that are different Creatures always spring from the union of Conditions (with what in its essence is without Conditions).  This view doth not detract from the supremacy of the Unborn and the Ancient One.  As for men, they also originate in the union of Conditions.  All this that appears is nothing but that everlasting Supreme Soul.  Indeed, the universe is created by the Supreme Soul itself undergoing transformations.  The Vedas to attribute this power (of self-transformation) to the Supreme Soul.  For the identity, again, of the power and its possessor, both the Vedas and others are the authority.’[6]

“Dhritarashtra said, ’In this world, some practise virtue, and some renounce action or Karma (adopting what is called Sannyasa Yoga).  (Respecting those that practise virtue) I ask, is virtue competent to destroy vice, or is it itself destroyed by vice?’