( Sambhava Parva continued. )
Vaisampayana said, "After the death of that deer, king Pandu with his wives was deeply afflicted and wept bitterly. And he exclaimed, 'The wicked, even if born in virtuous families, deluded by their own passions, are overwhelmed with misery as the fruit of their own deeds. I have heard that my father, though begotten by Shantanu of virtuous soul, was cut off while still a youth, only because he had become a slave of lust. In the soil of that lustful king, the illustrious Rishi Krishna-Dwaipayana himself, of truthful speech, begot me. Son though I am of such a being, with my wicked heart devoted to vice, I am yet leading a wandering life in the woods in the chase of the deer! Oh, the very gods have forsaken me! I shall seek salvation now. The great impediments to salvation are the desire to beget children, and the other concerns of the world. I shall now adopt the Brahmacharya mode of life and follow in the imperishable wake of my father! I shall certainly bring my passions under complete control by severe ascetic penances. Forsaking my wives and other relatives and shaving my head, alone shall I wander over the earth, begging for my subsistence from each of these trees standing here. Forsaking every object of affection and aversion, and covering my body with dust. I shall make the shelter of trees or deserted houses my home. I shall never yield to the influence of sorrow or joy, and I shall regard slander and eulogy in the same light. I shall not seek benedictions or bows. I shall be in peace with all, and shall not accept gifts. I shall not mock anybody or contract my brows at any one, but shall be ever cheerful and devoted to the good of all creatures. I shall not harm any of the four orders of life gifted with power of, locomtion or otherwise, viz, ovi-parous, vivi-parous, worms, and vegetables, but, on the other hand, preserve an equality of behaviour towards all as if they were my own children. Once a day I shall beg of five or ten families at the most, and if I do not succeed in obtain-
