s vile weakness of hearts, arise, O chastiser of foes.--'

"Arjuna said,--'How, O slayer of Madhu, can I with arrows contend in
battle against Bhishma and Drona, deserving as they are, O slayer of
foes, of worship?[133] Without slaying (one's) preceptors of great glory,
it is well (for one), to live on even alms in this world. By slaying
preceptors, even if they are avaricious of wealth, I should only enjoy
pleasures that are bloodstained![134] We know not which of the two is of
greater moment to us, viz., whether we should conquer them or they should
conquer us. By slaying whom we would not like to live,--even they, the
sons of Dhritarashtra, stand before (us). My nature affected by the taint
of compassion, my mind unsettled about (my) duty, I ask thee. Tell me
what is assuredly good (for me). I am thy disciple. O, instruct me, I
seek thy aid.[135] I do not see (that) which would dispel that grief of
mine blasting my very senses, even if I obtain a prosperous kingdom on
earth without a foe or the very sovereignty of the gods.'"[136]

Sanjaya said,--"Having said this unto Hrishikesa, that chastiser of
foes--Gudakesa--(once more) addressed Govinda, saying,--'I will not
fight,'--and then remained silent.[137] Unto him overcome by despondency,
Hrishikesa, in the midst of the two armies, said:"

"The Holy One said,--'Thou mournest those that deserve not to be mourned.
Thou speakest also the words of the (so-called) wise. Those, however,
that are (really) wise, grieve neither for the dead nor for the living.
It is not that. I or you or those rulers of men never were, or that all
of us shall not hereafter be. Of an Embodied being, as childhood, youth,
and decrepitude are in this body, so (also) is the acquisition of
another body. The man, who is wise, is never deluded in this.[138] The
contacts of the senses with their (respective) objects producing
(sensations of) heat and cold, pleasure and pain, are not permanent,
having (as they do) a beginning and an end. Do thou, O Bharata, endure
them. For the man whom these afflict not, O bull among men, who is the
same in pain and pleasure and who is firm in mind, is fit for
emancipation.[139] There is no (objective) existence of anything that is
distinct from the soul; nor non-existence of anything possessing the
virtues of the soul. This conclusion in respect of both these hath been
arrived at by those that know the truths (of things).[140] Know that [the
soul] to be immortal by w