shall then endeavour to instruct thee. O subjugator of
hostile towns, thou too hast obtained great affluence. All thy brothers
are ever obedient to thee, as also all thy friends and relatives. Thou
coverest thy limbs with the best robes. Thou eatest the richest
food.[378] Steeds of the best kind bear thee. Why then hast thou become
pale and emaciated?'

"'"Duryodhana said, 'Ten thousands of high-souled Snataka Brahmanas daily
eat at Yudhishthira's palace off plates of gold. Beholding his excellent
mansion adorned with excellent flowers and fruit, his steeds of the
Tittiri and the Kalmasha breeds, his robes of diverse kinds, indeed,
beholding that high prosperity of my enemies viz., the sons of Pandu, a
prosperity that resembles the high affluence of Vaisravana himself, I am
burning with grief, O Bharata!'

"'"Dhritarashtra said, 'If thou wishest, O sire, to win prosperity like
that of Yudhishthira or that which is even superior to it, do thou then, O
son, endeavour to be of virtuous behaviour. Without doubt, one may, by
behaviour alone, conquer the three worlds. There is nothing impossible of
attainment by persons of virtuous behaviour. Mandhatri conquered the
whole world in course of only one night, Janamejaya, in course of three,
and Nabhaga, in course of seven. All these kings were possessed of
compassion and of virtuous behaviour. For this reason the earth came to
them of their own accord, won over by their virtue.'

"'"Duryodhana said, 'I desire to hear, O Bharata, how that behaviour may be
acquired, that behaviour, viz., in consequence of which the earth was won
so speedily (by the kings named by thee).'

"'"Dhritarashtra said, 'In this connection, the following old narrative is
cited. It was formerly recited by Narada on the subject of virtuous
behaviour. In days of yore, the Daitya Prahlada, by the merit of his
behaviour, snatched from the high-souled Indra his sovereignty and
reduced the three worlds to subjection. Sukra then, with joined hands,
approached Vrihaspati. Possessed of great wisdom, the chief of the
celestials addressed the great preceptor, saying, "I desire thee to tell
me what is the source of felicity." Thus addressed, Vrihaspati said unto
him that Knowledge (leading to emancipation) is the source of the highest
felicity. Indeed, Vrihaspati indicated Knowledge to be the source of
supreme felicity. Indra, however, once more asked him as to whether there
was anything higher than that.

"'"'Vri