mind, O Krishna, the circumstances of thy own
birth as thou that heard of them, and recall also the manner in which
Dhrishtadyumna of great prowess was born! These, O thou of sweet smiles,
are the best proofs (of the fruits of virtue)! They that have their minds
under control, reap the fruits of their acts and are content with little.
Ignorant fools are not content with even that much they get (here),
because they have no happiness born of virtue to acquire to in the world
hereafter. The fruitlessness of virtuous acts ordained in the Vedas, as
also of all transgressions, the origin and destruction of acts are, O
beautiful one, mysterious even to the gods. These are not known to any
body and everybody. Ordinary men are ignorant in respect of these. The
gods keep up the mystery, for the illusion covering the conduct of the
gods is unintelligible. Those regenerate ones that have destroyed all
aspirations, that have built all their hopes on vows and asceticism, that
have burnt all their sins and have acquired minds where quest and peace
and holiness dwell, understand all these. Therefore, though you mayst not
see the fruits of virtue, thou shouldst not yet doubt religion or gods.
Thou must perform sacrifices with a will, and practise charity without
insolence. Acts in this world have their fruits, and virtue also is
eternal. Brahma himself told this unto his (spiritual) sons, as testified
to by Kashyapa. Let thy doubt, therefore, O Krishna, be dispelled like
mist. Reflecting upon all this, let thy scepticism give way to faith.
Slander not God, who is the lord of all creatures. Learn how to know him.
Bow down unto him. Let not thy mind be such. And, O Krishna, never
disregard that Supreme Being through whose grace mortal man, by piety,
acquireth immortality!'"

SECTION XXXII

"Draupadi said, 'I do not ever disregard or slander religion, O son of
Pritha! Why should I disregard God, the lord of all creatures? Afflicted
with woe, know me, O Bharata, to be only raving I will once more indulge
in lamentations; listen to me with attention O persecutor of all enemies,
every conscious creature should certainly act in this world. It is only
the immobile, and not other creatures, that may live without acting. The
calf, immediately after its birth, sucketh the mothers' teat. Persons
feel pain in consequence of incantations performed with their statues. It
seemeth, therefore, O Yudhishthira, that creatures derive the character
of t