fortnight or of a month, some on the expiration of a year or of two years, some in youth, some in middle age, and some when old.  Creatures are born or destroyed according to their acts in previous lives.  When such is the course of the world, why do you then indulge in grief?  As men, while swimming in sport on the water, sometimes dive and sometimes emerge, O king, even so creatures sink and emerge in lifes stream.  They that are of little wisdom suffer or meet with destruction as the result of their own acts.  They, however, that are wise, observant of virtue, and desirous of doing good unto all living creatures, they, acquainted with the real nature of the appearance of creatures in this world, attain at last to the highest end.”

4

“Dhritarashtra said, O foremost speakers, how may the wilderness of this world be known?  I desire to hear this.  Asked by me, tell me this.

“Vidura said, I will describe to thee all the acts of creatures from their first conception.  At the outset it lives in the admixture of blood and the vital fluid.  Then it grows little by little.  Then on the expiry of the fifth month it assumes shape.  It next becomes a foetus with all its limbs completed, and lives in a very impure place, covered with flesh and blood.  Then, through the action of the wind, its lower limbs are turned upwards and the head comes downwards.  Arriving in this posture at the mouth of the uterus, it suffers manifold woes.  In consequence of the contractions of the uterus, the creature then comes out of it, endued with the results of all his previous acts.  He then encounters in this world other evils that rush towards him.  Calamities proceed towards him like dogs at the scent of meat.  Next diverse diseases approach him while he is enchained by his previous acts.  Bound by the chains of the senses and women and wealth and other sweet things of life, diverse evil practices also approach him then, O king!  Seized by these, he never obtains happiness.  At that season he succeeds not in obtaining the fruit of his acts, right or wrong.  They, however, that set their hearts on reflection, succeed in protecting their souls.  The person governed by his senses does not know that death has come at his door.  At last, dragged by the messengers of the Destroyer, he meets with destruction at the appointed time.  Agitated by his senses, for whatever good and evil has been done at the outset and having enjoyed or suffered the fruits of these, he once more becomes indifferent to his acts of self-slaughter.  Alas, the world is deceived, and covetousness brings it under its dominion.  Deprived of understanding by covetousness, wrath, and fear, one knows not ones own self.  Filled with joy at ones own respectability of birth, one is seen to traduce those that are not high-born.  Swelled also with pride of wealth, one is seen to contemn the poor.  One regards others to be ignorant fools, but seldom takes a survey of ones own self.  One attributes faults to others