SECTION VIII

Vaisampayana said, “Like a person unwilling to forgive an insult, Arjuna of keen speech and prowess, and possessed of energy, betraying great fierceness and licking the Corners of his mouth, said these words of grave import, smiling the while:  ’Oh, how painful, how distressing!  I grieve to see this great agitation of thy heart, since having achieved such a superhuman feat, thou art bent upon forsaking this great prosperity.  Having slain thy foes, and having acquired the sovereignty of the earth which has been won through observance of the duties of thy own order, why shouldst thou abandon everything through fickleness of heart?  Where on earth hath a eunuch or a person of procrastination ever acquired sovereignty?  Why then didst thou, insensate with rage, slay all the kings of the earth?  He that would live by mendicancy, cannot, by any act of his, enjoy the good things of the earth.  Divested of prosperity and without resources, he can never win fame on earth or acquire sons and animals.  If, O king, abandoning this swelling kingdom, thou livest in the observance of the wretched mode of life led by a mendicant, what will the world say of thee?  Why dost thou say that abandoning all the good things of the earth, divested of prosperity, and reft of resources, thou wilt lead a life of mendicancy like a vulgar person?  Thou art born in this race of kings.  Having won by conquest the whole earth, wishest thou from folly to live in the woods after abandoning everything of virtue and profit?  If thou retirest into the woods, in thy absence, dishonest men will destroy sacrifices.  That sin will certainly pollute thee.  King Nahusha, having done many wicked acts in a state of poverty, cried fie on that state and said that poverty is for recluses.  Making no provision for the morrow is a practice that suits Rishis.  Thou knowest this well.  That, however, which has been called the religion of royalty depends entirely on wealth.  One who robs another of wealth, robs him of his religion as well.[9] Who amongst us, therefore, O king, would forgive an act of spoliation that is practised on us?  It is seen that a poor man, even when he stands near, is accused falsely.  Poverty is a state of sinfulness.  It behoveth thee not to applaud poverty, therefore.  The man that is fallen, O king, grieveth, as also he that is poor.  I do not see the difference between a fallen man and a poor man.  All kinds of meritorious acts flow from the possession of great wealth like a mountain.  From wealth spring all religious acts, all pleasures, and heaven itself, O king!  Without wealth, a man cannot find the very means of sustaining his life.  The acts of a person who, possessed of little intelligence, suffers himself to be divested of wealth, are all dried up like shallow streams in the summer season.  He that has wealth has friends.  He that has wealth has kinsmen.  He that has wealth is regarded as