wander in a round of rebirths.  He that is wise should certainly take care to prevent the obligation of rebirth.  One should not be indifferent to this, for indifference may subject us to it repeatedly.  The man, O king, who has restrained his senses and subdued wrath and covetousness, who is contented, and truthful in speech, succeeds in obtaining peace.  This body is called the car of Yama.  Then those that are of little intelligence are stupefied by it.  Such a person, O king, would obtain that which thou hast obtained.  The loss of kingdom, of friends, and of children, O Bharata, and such as these, overtake him who is still under the influence of desire.  He that is wise should apply the medicine of intelligence to all great griefs.  Indeed, obtaining the medicine of wisdom, which is truly very efficacious and is almost unattainable, the man of restrained soul would kill that serious disease called sorrow.  Neither prowess, nor wealth, nor friend, nor well-wishers can cure a man of his grief so effectually as the self-restrained soul.  Therefore, observant of the great duty of abstention from all injuries, or friendship for all creatures, be of pious behaviour, O Bharata!  Self-restraint, renunciation, and heedfulness are the three steeds of Brahman.  He who rides on the car of his soul, unto which are yoked these steeds with the aid of traces furnished by good conduct, and drives it, casting off all fear of death, proceedeth, O king, to the regions of Brahman.  That person, O monarch, who gives unto all creatures an assurance of his harmlessness, goes to the highest of regions, the blessed realm of Vishnu.  The fruit that one obtains by an assurance unto all creatures of his harmlessness cannot be obtained by a 1,000 sacrifices or by daily fasts.  Amongst all things there is certainly nothing dearer than self.  Death is certainly disliked by all creatures, O Bharata!  Therefore, compassion should certainly be shown unto all.  Endued with diverse kinds of errors entangled by the net of their own intelligence, they that are wicked and are of good vision, wander repeatedly on the earth.  They however, that are wise and endued with subtle sight, attain to a union with Brahman.”

8

Vaishampayana said, “Even after hearing the words of Vidura, the chief of the Kurus, afflicted with grief on account of the death of his sons, fell down senseless on the Earth.  Beholding him fall down in that state, his friends, as also the island-born Vyasa, and Vidura, and Sanjaya, and other well-wishers, and the attendants who used to wait at the gates and who enjoyed his confidence, sprinkled cool water over his body, and fanned him with palm leaves, and gently rubbed him with their hands.  For a long while they comforted the king while in that condition.  The monarch, recovering his senses after a long time, wept for a long while, overwhelmed with grief on account of the death of his sons.  He said, Fie on the state of humanity!  Fie on the human body!