l I comfort
her who is even like a cow without her calf! Alas, O son, thou hast
prematurely fled from me at a time when thou wast about to bear fruit of
greatness, although I am longing for a sight of thee. Without doubt, the
conduct of the Destroyer cannot be understood even by the wise, since
although thou hast Kesava for thy protector, thou wast yet slain, as if
thou wast perfectly helpless. O son, let that end be thine which is
theirs that perform sacrifices and theirs that are Brahmanas of purified
soul, and theirs that have practised Brahmacharya, and theirs that have
bathed in sacred waters, and theirs that are grateful and charitable and
devoted to the service of their preceptors, and theirs that have made
sacrificial presents in profusion. That end which is theirs that are
brave and unretreating while engaged in battle, or theirs that have
fallen in battle, having slain their foes, let that end be thine. That
auspicious end which is theirs that have given away a thousand kine, or
theirs that have given away in sacrifices, or theirs that give away
houses and mansions agreeable to the recipients, that end which is theirs
that give away gems and jewels to deserving Brahmanas, or theirs that are
punishers of crime, O, let that end be thine. That end which is attained
by Munis of rigid vows by Brahmacharya, or that which is attained by
those women that adhere to but one husband, O son, let that end be thine.
That eternal end which is attained by kings by means of good behaviour,
or by those persons that have cleansed themselves by leading, one after
another, all the four modes of life, and through due observance of their
duties, that end which is theirs that are compassionate to the poor and
the distressed, or theirs that equitably divide sweets amongst themselves
and their dependants, or theirs that are never addicted to deceit and
wickedness, O son, let that end be thine! That end which is theirs that
are observant of vows, or theirs that are virtuous, or theirs that are
devoted to the service of preceptors, or theirs that have never sent away
a guest unentertained, O son, let that end be thine. That end which is
theirs that succeed in distress and the most difficult straits in
preserving the equanimity of their souls, however much scorched they
might be by the fire of grief, O son, let that end be thine. O son, let
that end be thine which is theirs that are always devoted to the service
of their fathers and mothers