n the Bombay text) and not
Mrityuna. The Burdwan version adopts the incorrect reading.

451. The allusion is to the story of Rama having restored a dead Brahmana
boy. During Rama's righteous reign there were no premature deaths in his
kingdom. It happened, however, one day that a Brahmana father came to
Rama's court and complained of the premature death of his son. Rama
instantly began to enquire after the cause. Some sinful act in some
corner of the kingdom, it was suspected, had caused the deed. Soon enough
Rama discovered a Sudra of the name of Samvuka engaged in the heart of a
deep forest in ascetic penances. The king instantly cut off the man's
head inasmuch as a Sudra by birth had no right to do what that man was
doing. As soon as righteousness was upheld, the deceased Brahmana boy
revived. (Ramayana, Uttarakandam).

452. Literally, 'by giving up their own bodies'.

453. i.e., he is sure to come back to life.

454. The word sramana is used in Brahmanical literature to signify a
certain order of ascetics or yatis that have renounced work for
meditation. It is also frequently employed to mean a person of low life
or profession. It should be noted, however, that in Buddhistic literature
the word came to be exclusively used for Buddhist monks.

455. This is how Nilakantha seems to explain the line, Bhishma is anxious
about the effect of his instructions. He says that those instructions
would bear fruit if the gods will it; otherwise, his words would go for
nothing, however carefully he might speak.

456. The commentator explains that including the first, altogether 12
questions are put by Yudhishthira.

457. This is an answer to the first question viz., the general aspect of
ignorance.

458. The word Sreyas has a peculiar meaning. It implies, literally, the
best of all things; hence, ordinarily, in such passages, it means beatitude
or the highest happiness that one may acquire in heaven. It means also
those acts of virtue by which that happiness may be acquired. It should
never be understood as applicable to anything connected with earthly
happiness, unless, of course, the context would imply it.

459. The sense is that such a man never sets his heart upon things of
this world, and accordingly these, when acquired, can never satisfy him.
His aspirations are so great and so high above anything this world can
give him that the attainment of even the region of Brahma cannot, as the
commentator explains, gratify