ns
in respect of the body are called earthly vows, while efforts to purify
the heart, so that it may be free from evil thoughts, are called
spiritual vows. O king, the mind that is free from all evil thoughts is
highly pure. Purifying yourselves, therefore, harbouring only friendly
feelings for all, behold ye the tirthas. Observing earthly vows in
respect of your bodies and purifying your minds by spiritual vows, obtain
ye the fruits as recited, of pilgrimages."

"Saying, 'So be it,' the Pandavas with Krishna, caused those celestial
and human Rishis to perform the usual propitiatory ceremonies. And those
heroes, having worshipped the feet of Lomasa and Dwaipayana and Narada
and the celestial Rishi Parvata, O king, and accompanied by Dhaumya as
also the ascetics that had been residing with them in the woods, set out
on the day following the full moon of Agrahayana in which the
constellation Pushya was ascendant. Dressed in barks and hides, and with
matted lock on head, they were all cased in impenetrable mail and armed
with swords. And O Janamejaya, the heroic sons of Pandu with quivers and
arrows and scimitars and other weapons, and accompanied by Indrasena and
other attendants with fourteen and one cars, a number of cooks and
servants of other classes, set out with faces turned towards the east!"

SECTION XCIV

"Yudhishthira said, 'O best of celestial Rishis, I do not think that I am
without merits. Yet am I afflicted with so much sorrow that there never
was a king like me. I think, however, that my enemies are destitute of
good qualities and even destitute of morality. Yet why, O Lomasa, do they
prosper in this world?"

"Lomasa said, 'Grieve not ever, O king, O son of Pritha, that sinful men
should often prosper in consequence of the sins they commit. A man may be
seen to prosper by his sins, obtain good therefrom and vanquish his foes.
Destruction, however, overtakes him to the roots. O king, I have seen
many Daityas and Danavas prosper by sin but I have also seen destruction
overtake them. O exalted one, I have seen all this in the righteous age
of yore. The gods practised virtue, while the Asuras abandoned it. The
gods visited the tirthas, while the Asuras did not visit them. And at
first the sinful Asuras were possessed with pride. And pride begat vanity
and vanity begat wrath. And from wrath arose every kind of evil
propensities, and from these latter sprang shamelessness. And in
consequence of shamelessn