in tears, 'O
mighty-armed Yudhishthira, O thou best of virtuous persons, those men
that do not perform ascetic austerities never attain great happiness in
this world. People experience happiness and misery by turns; for surely,
O bull among men, no man ever enjoyeth unbroken happiness. A wise man
endued with high wisdom, knowing that life hath its ups and downs, is
neither filled with joy nor with grief. When happiness cometh, one
should enjoy it; when misery cometh, one should bear it, as a sower of
crops must bide his season. Nothing is superior to asceticism: by
asceticism one acquireth mighty fruit. Do thou know, O Bharata, that
there is nothing that asceticism cannot achieve. Truth, sincerity,
freedom from anger, justice, self-control, restraint of the faculties,
immunity from malice, guilelessness, sanctity, and mortification of the
senses, these, O mighty monarch, purify a person of meritorious acts.
Foolish persons addicted to vice and bestial ways, attain to brutish
births in after life and never enjoy happiness. The fruit of acts done
in this world is reaped in the next. Therefore should one restrain his
body by asceticism and the observance of vows. And, O king, free from
guile and with a cheerful spirit, one should, according to his power,
bestow gifts, after going down to the recipient and paying him homage. A
truth-telling person attaineth a life devoid of trouble. A person void
of anger attaineth sincerity, and one free from malice acquireth supreme
contentment. A person who hath subdued his senses and his inner
faculties, never knoweth tribulation; nor is a person of subdued senses
affected by sorrow at the height of other's prosperity. A man who giveth
everyone his due, and the bestower of boons, attain happiness, and come
by every object of enjoyment; while a man free from envy reapeth perfect
ease. He that honoureth those to whom honour is due, attaineth birth in
an illustrious line; and he that hath subdued his senses, never cometh
by misfortune. A man whose mind followeth good, after having paid his
debt to nature, is on this account, born again endued with a righteous
mind.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'O eminently virtuous one, O mighty sage, of the
bestowal of gifts and the observance of asceticism, which is of greater
efficacy in the next world, and which, harder of practice?'

"Vyasa said, 'There is nothing, O child, in this world harder to
practise than charity. Men greatly thirst after wealth, and