The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section LXXXIX
Section LXXXIX.
( Sambhava Parva continued. )
"Yayati said, 'I am Yayati the son of Nahusha and the father of Puru. For having disregarded every creature, cast off from the region of the celestials and of Rishis crowned with success, I am falling down, my righteousness having sustained a diminution. In years I am older than ye. Therefore have I not saluted ye first. Indeed, the Brahmanas always regard him who is older in years or superior in learning or ascetic merit.'
"Ashtaka then replied, 'Thou sayest, O monarch, that he who is older in years is worthy of regard. But it is said that he is truly worthy of worship who is superior in learning and ascetic merit.'
"Yayati to this: 'It is said that sin destroyeth the merit of our virtuous acts. Vanity containeth the element of that which leadeth to hell. The virtuous never follow in the wake of the vicious. They act in such a way that their religious merit always increaseth. I myself had great religious merit, All that, however, is gone. I would scarcely be able to regain it even by my best exertions. Beholding my fate, he that is bent upon achieving his own good, will certainly suppress vanity. He who having acquired great wealth performeth meritorious sacrifices, who having acquired all kinds of learning remaineth humble, and who having studied the whole Vedas devoteth himself to asceticism with a heart withdrawn from all mundane enjoyments, goeth to heaven. None should exult for having acquired great wealth. None should feel vain on having studied the whole Vedas. In the world men are of different dispositions. Destiny is supreme. Both power and exertion are fruitless. Knowing destiny to be all-powerful, the wise, whatever their portion, should neither exult nor grieve. When creatures know that both weal and woe are dependent on destiny and not on their own exertion or power, they should neither grieve nor exult remembering that destiny is all powerful. The wise should ever live contented, neither grieving at woe nor exulting at weal. When destiny is supreme, both grief and exultation are both unbecoming. O Ashtaka, I never suffer myself to be overcome by fear, nor do I ever entertain grief, knowing for certain that I shall be in the world what the great disposer of all hath ordained. Insects and worms, all oviparous creatures, vegetable existences, all crawling animals, vermin, the fish in water, stones, grass, wood, in fact, all created things, when they are freed from the effects of their acts, are united with the supreme Soul. Happiness and misery are both transient. Therfore, O Ashtaka, why should I grieve? We can never know how are we to act in order to avoid misery. Therefore none should grieve at misery.'
"Possessed of every virtue king Yayati who was the maternal grand-father of Ashtaka, while staying in the firmament, at the conclusion of his speech was again questioned by Ashtaka. The latter said, 'O king of kings, tell me in detail of all those regions that thou hast visited and enjoyed, as well as the periods for which thou hast enjoyed each. Thou speakest of the precepts of religion even like the clever masters acquainted with the acts and sayings of great beings!' Yayati then replied, 'I was a great king on earth owning the whole world for my dominion. Leaving it I acquired by force of religious merit many high regions. There I dwelt for a full thousand years, and then I attained to a very high region which is the abode of Indra, of extraordinary beauty, having a thousand gates, and extending a hundred yojanas all around. There too I dwelt for a full thousand years and then attained to a higher region still. That is the region of perfect beatitude where decay is never,—the region, viz, of the creator and the lord of the earth, so difficult of attainment! There also I dwelt for a full thousand years, and then attained to another very high region, viz, that of the god of gods (Vishnu) where too I have lived in happiness. Indeed, I have dwelt in various regions, adored by all the celestials, and possessed of prowess and splendour equal unto those of the celestials themselves. Capable of assuming any form at will, I have lived for a hundred Ayutas of years in the gardens of Nandana, sporting with the Apsaras and even beholding, numberless beautiful trees clad in flowery vestments and shedding delicious perfumes all around. And after many many years had elapsed, while still residing there in the enjoyment of perfect beatitude, the celestial messenger of grim visage one day, in a loud and deep voice, thrice shouted to me, Ruined, Ruined, Ruined. O thou lion among kings, this much I remember. I have then fallen from Nandana, my religious merits gone! I heard in the skies, O king, the voices of the celestials exclaiming in grief,—"Alas! What misfortune! Yayati, with his religious merits destroyed, though virtuous and of sacred deeds, is falling!"—And as I was falling, I asked them loudly, "Where, ye clestials, where are those wise amongst whom I am to fall?" They then pointed out to me this sacred sacrificial region belonging to ye. And beholding the curls of smoke blackening the atmosphere and scenting the perfume of clarified butter poured incessantly into the fire, and guided thereby, I am approaching this region of yours, glad at heart that I come amongst ye.'"
And so ends the eight-ninth Section of the Sambhava in the Adi Parva.