rats and the snakes that are cutting off the tree are said to be days and nights that are continually lessening the periods of life of all creatures.  Those that have been described as bees are our desires.  The numerous jets that are dropping honey are the pleasures derived from the gratification of our desires and to which men are seen to be strongly addicted.  The wise know lifes course to be even such.  Through that knowledge they succeed in tearing off its bonds.”

7

“Dhritarashtra said, Excellent is this parable that thou hast recited!  Indeed, thou art acquainted with truth!  Having listened to thy nectarlike speech, I desire to hear thee more.

“Vidura said, Listen to me, O king, I shall once more discourse in detail on those means an acquaintance with which enable the wise to free themselves from the ties of the world.  As a person, O king, who has to travel a long way is sometimes obliged to halt when fatigued with toil, even so, O Bharata, they that are of little intelligence, travelling along the extended way of life, have to make frequent halts in the shape of repeated births in the womb.  They, however, that are wise are free from that obligation.  Men conversant with the scriptures, for this, describe lifes course as a long way.  The wise also call lifes round with all its difficulties a forest.  Creatures, O bull of Bharatas race, whether mobile or immobile, have to repeatedly return to the world.  The wise alone escape.  The diseases, mental and physical, to which mortals are subject, whether visible or invisible, are spoken of as beasts of prey by the wise.  Men are always afflicted and impeded by them, O Bharata!  Then again, those fierce beasts of prey, represented by their own acts in life, never cause any anxiety to them that are of little intelligence.  If any person, O monarch, somehow escapes from diseases, Decrepitude, that destroyer of beauty, overwhelmshim afterwards.  Plunged in a slough by the objects of the different senses—­sound and form and taste and touch and scent—­man remains there without anything to rescue him thence.  Meanwhile, the years, the seasons, the months, the fortnights, the days, and the nights, coming one after another, gradually despoil him of beauty and lessen the period allotted to him.  These all are messengers of death.  They, however, that are of little understanding know them not to be such.  The wise say that all creatures are governed by the Ordainer through their acts.  The body of a creature is called the car.  The living principle is the driver of (that car).  The senses are said to be steeds.  Our acts and the understanding are the traces.  He who followeth after those running steeds has to come repeatedly to this world in a round of rebirths.  He, however, who, being self-restrained restrains them by his understanding hath not to come back.  They, however, that are not stupefied while wandering in this wheel of life that is revolving like a real wheel, do not in reality