all people bend to those gods, but not to Brahman or Dhatri or Pushan at any time.  Only a few men that are noble of disposition adore in all their acts those among the gods that are equally disposed towards all creatures and that are self-restrained and peaceful.  I do not behold the creature in this world that supports life without doing any act of injury to others.  Animals live upon animals, the stronger upon the weaker.  The mongoose devours mice; the cat devours the mongoose; the dog devours the cat; the dog again is devoured by the spotted leopard.  Behold all things again are devoured by the Destroyer when he comes!  This mobile and immobile universe is food for living creatures.  This has, been ordained by the gods.  The man of knowledge, therefore, is never stupefied at it.  It behoveth thee, O great king, to become that which thou art by birth.  Foolish (Kshatriyas) alone, restraining wrath and joy take refuge in the woods.  The very ascetics cannot support their lives without killing creatures.  In water, on earth, and fruits, there are innumerable creatures.  It is not true that one does not slaughter them.  What higher duty is there than supporting one’s life?[36] There are many creatures that are so minute that their existence can only be inferred.  With the failing of the eyelids alone, they are destroyed.  There are men who subduing wrath and pride betake themselves to ascetic courses of life and leaving village and towns repair to the woods.  Arrived there, those men may be seen to be so stupefied as to adopt the domestic mode of life once more.  Others may be seen, who (in the observance of domesticity) tilling the soil, uprooting herbs, cutting off trees and killing birds and animals, perform sacrifices and at last attain to heaven.  O son of Kunti, I have no doubt in this that the acts of all creatures become crowned with success only when the policy of chastisement is properly applied.  If chastisement were abolished from the world, creatures wood soon be destroyed.  Like fishes in the water, stronger animals prey on the weaker.  This truth was formerly spoken by Brahmana himself, viz., that chastisement, properly applied upholds creatures.  Behold, the very fires, when extinguished, blaze up again, in fright, when blown.  This is due to the fear of force or chastisement.  If there were no chastisement in the world distinguishing the good from the bad, then the whole world would have been enveloped in utter darkness and all things would have been confounded.  Even they that are breakers of rules, that are atheists and scoffers of the Vedas, afflicted by chastisement, soon become disposed to observe rules and restrictions.[37] Everyone in this world is kept straight by chastisement.  A person naturally pure and righteous is scarce.  Yielding to the fear of chastisement, man becomes disposed to observe rules and restraints.  Chastisement was ordained by the Creator himself for protecting religion and profit, for the happiness of all the