andeya, expressed his assent to the arrangement. And he, the
deathless, knowing what would be opportune, said smilingly, 'O saint of
the Brahmana caste, speak what you were about to say unto the sons of
Pandu!' Thus addressed, Markandeya, devoted to great austerities,
replied, 'Wait a moment. A great deal will be narrated.' Thus addressed,
the sons of Pandu, together with those twice-born ones, waited a moment,
looking at that great saint, (bright) as the mid-day sun."

Vaisampayana continued, "Pandu's son, the king of the Kuru tribe, having
observed that the great saint as willing to speak, questioned him with a
view to suggesting topics to speak upon, saying, 'You who are ancient (in
years), know the deeds of gods and demons, and illustrious saints, and of
all the royal ones. We consider you as worthy of being worshipped and
honoured; and we have long yearned after your company. And here is this
son of Devaki, Krishna, who has come to us on a visit. Verily, when I
look at myself, fallen away from happiness, and when I contemplate the
sons of Dhritarashtra, of evil life, flourishing in every way, the idea
arises in me that it is man who does all acts, good or bad, and that it
is he that enjoys the fruit the acts bring forth. How then is god the
agent? And, O best of those that are proficient in the knowledge of God,
how is it that men's actions follow them? Is it in this world? Or is it
in some subsequent existence? And, O best of righteous men among the
twice-born, in what way is an embodied animated being joined by his good
and evil deeds that seek him out? Is it after death? Or is it in this
world? And, O descendant of Bhrigu, is what we experience in this world
the result of the acts of this very life? Or will the acts of this life
bear fruit in the world to come? And where do the actions of an animated
being who is dead find their resting place?"

"Markandeya said, 'O best of those that can speak, this question befits
thee, and is just what it should be? Thou knowest all that there is to
know. But thou art asking this question, simply for the sake of form.
Here I shall answer thee: listen to me with an attentive mind, as to how
in this world and in that to come, a man experienceth happiness and
misery. The lord of born beings, himself sprung first of all, created,
for all embodied beings, bodies which were stainless, pure, and obedient
to virtuous impulses, O wisest of the descendants of Kuru! The ancient
men had