n doing what is agreeable and beneficial to
Jishnu, as also to thee, O king, is that foremost of all beings, that
irresistible one, that abode of eternal felicity. They that with devotion
seek the refuge of this Narayana, called also Hari, succeed in overcoming
all difficulties. They that read these verses about the overcoming of
difficulties, that recite them to others, and that speak of them unto
Brahmanas, succeed in overcoming all difficulties. I have now, O sinless
one, told thee all those acts by which men may overcome all difficulties
both here and hereafter."'"

SECTION CXI

"'Yudhishthira said, "Many persons here that are not really of tranquil
souls appear in outward form as men of tranquil souls. There are again
others that are really of tranquil souls but that appear to be otherwise.
How, O sire, shall we succeed in knowing these people?"

"'Bhishma said, "In this connection is recited the old story of the
discourse between a tiger and a jackal. Listen to it, O Yudhishthira! In
ancient times, in a city called Purika, full of affluence, there was a
king named Paurika. That worst of beings was exceedingly cruel and took
delight in injuring others. On the expiry of the period of his life he
obtained an undesirable end. In fact, stained by the evil acts of his
human life, he was reborn as a jackal. Remembering his former prosperity,
he became filled with grief and abstained from meat even when brought
before him by others. And he became compassionate unto all creatures, and
truthful in speech, and firm in the observance of austere vows. At the
appointed time he took food which consisted of fruit that had dropped
from the trees. That jackal dwelt in a vast crematorium and liked to
dwell there. And as it was his birth place, he never wished to change it
for a finer locality. Unable to endure the purity of his behaviour, the
other members of his species, endeavoured to make him alter his resolve
by addressing him in the following words fraught with humility: 'Though
residing in this terrible crematorium, thou desirest yet to live in such
purity of behaviour. Is not this a perversity of understanding on thy
part, since thou art by nature an eater of carrion? Be thou our like. All
of us will give thee food. Eat that which ought always to be thy food,
abandoning such purity of conduct.' Hearing these words of theirs, the
jackal replied unto them, with rapt attention, in these sweet words
fraught with reason and