of others, O ruler of men, has been ordained for Kshatriyas.  Thou art acquainted with all duties, and thou art of righteous soul, O bull of Bharata’s race!  Thou art a wise king, skilled in all acts.  Thou canst distinguish what is right in this world from what is wrong.  Casting off this cheerlessness by repentance, address thyself with a strong will to action.  The heart of a Kshatriya especially is hard as thunder.  Having by the exercise of Kshatriya duties vanquished thy foes and acquired empire without a thorn in its side, conquer thy soul, O ruler of men, and be engaged in the performance of sacrifices and the practice of charity.  Indra himself, though a Brahmana, became a Kshatriya in his acts, and battled with his sinful kinsfolk for eight hundred and ten times.  Those acts of his, O monarch, are adorable and worthy of praise.  Through them he obtained, as we have heard, the chiefship of the gods.  Do thou, therefore, O monarch, perform sacrifices with profuse presents even as Indra did, O ruler of men, and thereby free thyself from thy fever.  Do not, O bull among Kshatriyas, grieve thus for what is past.  They that have been slain have attained to the highest end, sanctified by weapons and agreeably to the ordinances of the Kshatriya religion.  That which has happened was ordained to happen.  Destiny, O tiger among kings, is incapable of being resisted.’”

SECTION XXIII

Vaisampayana said, “Thus addressed by Arjuna of curly hair, the Kuru king born of Kunti remained speechless.  Then the island-born (Vyasa) said these words.

“Vyasa said, ’The words of Arjuna, O amiable Yudhishthira, are true.  The highest religion, as declared by the scriptures, depends on the duties of domesticity.  Thou art acquainted with all duties.  Do thou then duly practise the duties prescribed for thee (viz., the duties of domesticity).  A life of retirement in the woods, casting off the duties of domesticity, has not been laid down for thee.  The gods, Pitris, guests, and servants, all depend (for their sustenance) upon the person leading a life of domesticity.  Do thou then support all these, O lord of the earth!  Birds and animals and various other creatures, O ruler of men, are supported by men leading domestic lives.  He, therefore, that belongs to that mode of life is superior (to all others).  A life of domesticity is the most difficult of all the four modes of life.  Do thou practise that mode of life then, O Partha, which is difficult of being practised by persons of unrestrained sense.  Thou hast a good knowledge of all the Vedas.  Thou hast earned great ascetic merit.  It behoveth thee, therefore, to bear like an ox the burthen of thy ancestral kingdom.  Penances, sacrifices, forgiveness, learning, mendicancy, keeping the senses under control, contemplation, living in solitude, contentment, and knowledge (of Brahma), should, O king, be striven after by Brahmanas to the best of