le others are
gratified by gifts. Every man, according to his own nature, affects the
one or the other. Listen to me, O king, as I explain to thee the merits
of conciliation, O chief of Bharata's race, so that the most furious
creatures may be appeased by it. In this connection is cited the ancient
narrative of how a Brahmana, who had been seized in the forest by a
Rakshasa, was freed (with the aid of conciliation). A certain Brahmana,
endued with eloquence and intelligence, fell into distress, for he was
seized in a lone forest by a Rakshasa who wished to feed on him. The
Brahmana, possessed of understanding and learning, was not at all
agitated. Without suffering himself to be stupefied at the sight of that
terrible cannibal, he resolved to apply conciliation and see its effect
on the Rakshasa. The Rakshasa, respectfully saluting the Brahmana so far
as words went, asked him this question, 'Thou shalt escape, but tell me
for what reason I am pale of hue and so lean!' Reflecting for a brief
space of time, the Brahmana accepted the question of the Rakshasa and
replied in the following well-spoken words.

"'"The Brahmana said, 'Dwelling in a place that is distant from thy abode,
moving in a sphere that is not thy own, and deprived of the companionship
of thy friends and kinsmen, thou art enjoying vast affluence. It is for
this that thou art so pale and lean. Verily, O Rakshasa, thy friends,
though well-treated by thee, are still not well-disposed towards thee in
consequence of their own vicious nature. It is for this that thou art
pale and lean. Thou art endued with merit and wisdom and a well-regulated
soul. Yet it is thy lot to see others that are destitute of merit and
wisdom honoured in preference to thyself. It is for this that thou art
pale and lean. Persons possessed of wealth and affluence much greater
than thine but inferior to thee in point of accomplishments are, verily,
disregarding thee. It is for this that thou art pale and lean. Though
distressed through want of the means of support, thou art led by the
highness of thy soul to disregard such means as are open to thee for
drawing thy sustenance. It is for this that thou art pale and lean. In
consequence of thy righteousness thou hadst stinted thyself for doing
good to another. This other, O righteous Rakshasa, thinks thee deceived
and subjugated (by his superior intelligence). It is for this that thou
art pale and lean. I think, thou art grieving for those pe