“Bhishma continued, ’Having heard these words of Vrihaspati, Purandara, employed in subduing his foes, acted strictly according to them.  Bent upon victory, that slayer of foes, when the opportunity came, obeyed these instructions and reduced all his enemies to subjection.’”

SECTION CIV

“Yudhishthira said, ’How should a righteous king, who is opposed by his own officers, whose treasury and army are no longer under his control, and who has no wealth, conduct himself for acquiring happiness?’

“Bhishma said, ’In this connection, the story of Kshemadarsin is often recited.  I shall narrate that story to thee.  Listen to it, O Yudhishthira!  It has been heard by us that in days of old, when prince Kshemadarsin became weak in strength and fell into great distress, he repaired to the sage Kalakavrikshiya, and saluting him humbly, said unto him these words.’[317]

“The king said, ’What should a person like me who deserves wealth but who has, after repeated efforts, failed to recover his kingdom, do, O Brahmana, excepting suicide, thieving and robbery, acceptance of refuge with others, and other acts of meanness of a similar kind?  O best of men, tell me this.  One like thee that is conversant with morality and full of gratefulness is the refuge of a person afflicted by disease either mental or physical.  Man should cast off his desires.  By acting in that way, by abandoning joy and sorrow, and earning the wealth of knowledge, he succeeds in obtaining felicity.[318] I grieve for them that adhere to worldly happiness as dependent on wealth.  All that, however, vanishes like a dream.  They that can abandon vast wealth achieve a very difficult feat.  As regards ourselves we are unable to abandon that wealth which is even no longer existent.[319] I am divested of prosperity and have fallen into a miserable and joyless plight.  Instruct me, O Brahmana, what happiness I may yet strive for.’  Thus addressed by the intelligent prince of Kosala, the sage Kalakavrikshiya of great splendour made the following answer.’

“The sage said, ’Thou hast, it seems, already understood it.  Possessed of knowledge as thou art, thou shouldst act as thou thinkest.  Thy belief is right, viz., All this that I see is unstable, myself as also everything that I have.  Know, O prince, that those things which thou regardest as existing are in reality non-existent.  The man of wisdom knows this, and accordingly is never pained whatever the distress that may overwhelm him.  Whatever has taken place and whatever will take place are all unreal.  When thou wilt know this which should be known by all, thou shalt be freed from unrighteousness.  Whatever things had been earned and acquired by those that came before, and whatever was earned and acquired by those that succeeded them, have all perished.  Reflecting on this, who is there that will yield to grief?  Things that were, are no more.  Things