or that now. It behoveth thee,
however not to give way to grief. The man whose eyes are directed towards
only the honey without being once directed to the fall, meets with
destruction through his covetousness for honey. Such a man is obliged to
repent even like thee. The man who indulges in grief never wins wealth.
By grieving one loses the fruits one desires. Grief is again an obstacle
to the acquisition of objects dear to us. The man who gives way to grief
loses even his salvation. The man who shrouds a burning coal within the
folds of his attire and is burnt by the fire that is kindled by it, would
be pronounced a fool if he grieves for his injuries. Thyself, with thy
son, hadst, with your words, fanned the Partha-fire, and with your
covetousness acting as clarified butter caused that fire to blaze forth,
into consuming flames. When that fire thus blazed forth thy sons fell
into it like insects. It behoveth thee not, however, to grieve for them
now that they have all been burnt in the fire of the enemy's arrow. The
tear-stained face, O king, which thou bearest now is not approved by the
scriptures or praised by the wise. These tears, like sparks of fire, burn
the dead for whom they are shed. Kill thy grief with thy intelligence,
and bear thyself up with the strength of thy own self!' Thus was the king
comforted by the high-souled Sanjaya. Vidura then, O scorcher of foes,
once again addressed the king, displaying great intelligence."

2

Vaishampayana said, "Listen, O Janamejaya, to the nectar-like words that
Vidura said unto the son of Vichitravirya and by which he gladdened that
bull among men!

"Vidura said, 'Rise, O king! Why art thou stretched on the earth? Bear
thyself up with thy own self. O king, even this is the final end of all
living creatures. Everything massed together ends in destruction;
everything that gets high is sure to fall down. Union is certain to end
in separation; life is sure to end in death. The destroyer, O Bharata,
drags both the hero and the coward. Why then, O bull amongst Kshatriyas,
should not Kshatriyas engage in battle? He that does not fight is seen to
escape with life. When, however, one's time comes, O king, one cannot
escape. As regards living creatures, they are non-existent at first. They
exist in the period that intervenes. In the end they once more become
non-existent. What matter of grief then is there in this? The man that
indulges in grief succeeds not in meeting with