destruction is due), give way to grief.  As the senses of all creatures disappear when the latter become plunged into dreamless sleep and return once more when they awake, after the same manner all human beings, upon the dissolution of their bodies, have to go into the other world and return thence to this, O lion among kings!  The element called wind, that is endued with terrible energy and mighty prowess and deafening roars, operates as the life in all living creatures.  That wind, when the bodies of living creatures are destroyed, escaping from the old becomes engaged in diverse functions in diverse new bodies.  For this reason, the wind is called the lord of the senses and is distinguished above the other elements constituting the gross body.  The gods, without exception, (when their merits cease), have to take birth as mortal creatures on earth.  Similarly, all mortal creatures also (when they acquire sufficient merit), succeed in attaining to the status of gods.  Therefore, O lion among kings, do not grieve for thy son.  Thy son has attained to heaven and is enjoying great happiness there!  It was thus, O monarch, that Death was created by the Self-born and it is in this way that she cuts off duly all living creatures when their hours come.  The tears she had shed become diseases, which, when their last hours come, snatch away all beings endued with life.’”

SECTION CCLIX

“Yudhishthira said, ’All men that inhabit this earth are filled with doubts in respect of the nature of righteousness.  Who is this that is called Righteousness?  Whence also does Righteousness come?  Tell me this, O Grandsire!  Is Righteousness for service in this world or is it for service in the next world?  Or, is it for service both here and hereafter?  Tell me this, O grandsire!’

“Bhishma said, ’The practices of the good, the Smritis, and the Vedas, are the three indications (sources) of righteousness.  Besides these, the learned have declared that the purpose (for which an act is accomplished) is the fourth indication of righteousness.[1116] The Rishis of old have declared what acts are righteous and also classified them as superior or inferior in point of merit.  The rules of righteousness have been laid down for the conduct of the affairs of the world.  In both the worlds, that is, here and hereafter, righteousness produces happiness as its fruits.  A sinful person unable to acquire merit by subtile ways, becomes stained with sin only.  Some are of opinion that sinful persons can never be cleansed of their sins.  In seasons of distress, a person by even speaking an untruth acquires the merit of speaking the truth, even as a person who accomplishes an unrighteous act acquires by that very means the merit of having done a righteous act.  Conduct is the refuge of righteousness.  Thou shouldst know what righteousness is, aided by conduct.[1117] (It is the nature of man that he neither sees nor