“Pujani said, ’Animosity (springing from mutual injuries) can never die.  The person injured should never trust his foes, thinking, ’O, I have been soothed with assurances of goodwill.’  In this world, men frequently meet with destruction in consequence of (misplaced) confidence.  For this reason it is necessary that we should no longer meet each other.  They who cannot be reduced to subjection by the application of even force and sharp weapons, can be conquered by (insincere) conciliation like (wild) elephants through a (tame) she-elephant.’

“Brahmadatta said, ’From the fact of two persons residing together, even if one inflicts upon the other deadly injury, an affection arises naturally between them, as also mutual trust as in the case, of the Chandala and the dog.  Amongst persons that have injured one another, co-residence blunts the keenness of animosity.  Indeed, that animosity does not last long, but disappears quickly like water poured upon the leaf of a lotus.’

“Pujani said, ’Hostility springs from five causes.  Persons possessed of learning know it.  Those five causes are woman, land, harsh words, natural incompatibility, and injury.[414] When the person with whom hostility occurs happens to be a man of liberality, he should never be slain, particularly by a Kshatriya, openly or by covert means.  In such a case, the man’s fault should be properly weighed.[415] When hostility has arisen with even a friend, no further confidence should be reposed upon him.  Feelings of animosity lie hid like fire in wood.  Like the Aurvya fire within the waters of the ocean, the fire of animosity can never be extinguished by gifts of wealth, by display of prowess, by conciliation, or by scriptural learning.  The fire of animosity, once ignited, the result of an injury once inflicted, is never extinguished, O king, without consuming out the right one of the parties.  One, having injured a person, should never trust him again as one’s friend, even though one might have (after the infliction of the injury) worshipped him with wealth and honours.  The fact of the injury inflicted fills the injurer with fear.  I never injured thee.  Thou also didst never do me an injury.  For this reason I dwelt in thy abode.  All that is changed, and at present I cannot trust thee.’

“Brahmadatta said, ’It is Time that does every act, Acts are of diverse kinds, and all of them proceed from Time.  Who, therefore, injures whom?[416] Birth and Death happen in the same way.  Creatures act (i.e., take birth and live) in consequence of Time, and it is in consequence also of Time that they cease to live.  Some are seen to die at once.  Some die one at a time.  Some are seen to live for long periods.  Like fire consuming the fuel, Time consumes all creatures.  O blessed lady, I am, therefore, not the cause of your sorrow, nor art thou the cause of mine.  It is Time that always ordains the weal and woe of embodied creatures.  Do thou then continue to dwell here according to thy pleasure, with affection for me and without fear of any injury from me.  What thou hast done has been forgiven by me.  Do thou also forgive me, O Pujani!’