s most virtue. The virtuous man acts thus and his mind is
calmed. He is pleased with his friends in this world and he also attains
happiness hereafter. Virtuous people, O good man, acquire dominion over
all and the pleasure of beauty, flavour, sound and touch according to
their desire. These are known to be the rewards of virtue. But the man of
enlightened vision, O great Brahmana, is not satisfied with reaping the
fruits of righteousness. Not content with that, he with the light of
spiritual wisdom that is in him, becomes indifferent to pain and pleasure
and the vice of the world influenceth him not. Of his own free will he
becometh indifferent to worldly pursuits but he forsaketh not virtue.
Observing that everything worldly is evanescent, he trieth to renounce
everything and counting on more chance he deviseth means for the
attainment of salvation. Thus doth he renounce the pursuits of the world,
shuneth the ways of sin, becometh virtuous and at last attaineth
salvation. Spiritual wisdom is the prime requisite of men for salvation,
resignation and forbearance are its roots. By this means he attaineth all
the objects of this desire. But subduing the senses and by means of
truthfulness and forbearance, he attaineth, O good Brahmana, the supreme
asylum of Brahma.' The Brahmana again enquired, 'O thou most eminent in
virtue and constant in the performance of the religious obligations, you
talk of senses; what are they; how may they be subdued; and what is the
good of subduing them; and how doth a creature reap the fruits thereof? O
pious man, I beg to acquaint myself with the truth of this matter."

SECTION CCIX

"Markandeya continued, 'Hear, O king Yudhishthira what the virtuous
fowler, thus interrogated by that Brahmana, said to him in reply. The
fowler said, 'Men's minds are at first bent on the acquisition of
knowledge. That acquired, O good Brahmana, they indulge in their passions
and desires, and for that end, they labour and set about tasks of great
magnitude and indulge in much-desired pleasures of beauty, flavour, &c.
Then follows fondness, then envy, then avarice and then extinction of all
spiritual light. And when men are thus influenced by avarice, and
overcome by envy and fondness, their intellect ceases to be guided by
righteousness and they practise the very mockery of virtue. Practising
virtue with hypocrisy, they are content to acquire wealth by
dishonourable means with the wealth thus acquired the i