as they see a man of handsome and charming features, unfailing signs of desire appear on their persons.  They never show sufficient regard for even such husbands as accomplish all their wishes, as always do what is agreeable to them and as protect them from want and danger.  Women never regard so highly even articles of enjoyment in abundance or ornaments or other possessions of an agreeable kind as they do the companionship of persons of the opposite sex.  The destroyer, the deity of wind, death, the nether legions, the equine mouth that roves through the ocean, vomiting ceaseless flames of fire, the sharpness of the razor, virulent poison, the snake, and Fire—­all these exist in a state of union in women.  That eternal Brahman whence the five great elements have sprung into existence, whence the Creator Brahma hath ordained the universe, and whence, indeed, men have sprung, verily from the same eternal source have women sprung into existence.  At that time, again, O Narada, when women were created, these faults that I have enumerated were planted in them!’”

SECTION XXXIX

“Yudhishthira said, ’All men, O king, in this world, are seen to attach themselves to women, overcome by the illusion that is created by the divine Being.  Similarly, women too are seen to attach themselves to men.  All this is seen taking place everywhere in the world.  On this subject a doubt exists in my mind.  Why, O delighter of the Kurus, do men (when women are stained with so many faults) still attach themselves to women?  Who, again, are those men with whom women are highly pleased and who are they with whom they are displeased?  It behoveth thee, O chief of men, to explain to me how men are capable of protecting women?  While men take pleasure in women and sport with them, women, it seems, are engaged in deceiving men.  Then, again, if a man once falls into their hands, it is difficult for him to escape from them.  Like kine ever seeking pastures new women seek new men one after another.  That illusion which the Asura Samvara possessed, that illusion which the Asura Namuchi possessed, that illusion which Vali or Kumbbinasi had, the sum total thereof is possessed by women.  If man laughs, women laugh.  If man weeps, they weep.  If the opportunity requires, they receive the man that is disagreeable to them with agreeable words.  That science of policy which the preceptor of the Asuras knew, that science of policy which the preceptor of the celestials, Vrihaspati, knew, cannot be regarded to be deeper or more distinguished for subtility than what woman’s intelligence naturally brings forth.  Verily how can women, therefore, be restrained by men?  They make a lie appear as truth, and a truth appear as a lie.  They who can do this,—­I ask, O hero,—­how can they be ruled by persons of the opposite sex?  It seems to me that Vrihaspati and other great thinkers, O slayer of foes, evolved the science of policy from observation of the understandings