ted
from a mass and dashed by the winds. Thou shalt then fall off from both
worlds and have to take thy birth in the Pisacha order.[28] A person
becomes a true renouncer by casting off every internal and external
attachment, and not simply by abandoning home for dwelling in the woods.
A Brahmana that lives in the observance of these ordinances in which
there are no impediments, does not fall off from this or the other world.
Observant of the duties of one's own order,--duties respected by the
ancients and practised by the best of men, who is there, O Partha, that
would grieve, O king, for having in a trice stain in battle his foes that
swelled with prosperity, like Sakra slaying the forces of the Daityas?
Having in the observance of Kshatriya duties subjugated the world by the
aid of thy prowess, and having made presents unto persons conversant with
the Vedas, thou canst, O monarch, go to regions higher than heaven. It
behoves thee not, O Partha, to indulge in grief."'"

SECTION XIII

"'Sahadeva said, "By casting off all external objects only, O Bharata, one
does not attain to success. By casting off even mental attachments, the
attainment of success is doubtful.[29] Let that religious merit and that
happiness which are his who has cast off external objects but whose mind
still internally covets them, be the portion of our foes! On the other
hand, let that religious merit and that happiness which are his who
governs the earth, having cast off all internal attachments also, be the
portion of our friends. The word mama (mine), consisting of two letters,
is Death's self; while the opposite word na-mama (not mine), consisting
of three letters, is eternal Brahma.[30] Brahma and death, O king,
entering invisibly into every soul, without doubt, cause all creatures to
act. If this being, O Bharata, that is called Soul, be not ever subject
to destruction, then by destroying the bodies of creatures one cannot be
guilty of slaughter. If, on the other hand, the soul and the body of a
being are born or destroyed together, so that when the body is destroyed
the soul also is destroyed, then the way (prescribed in the scriptures)
of rites and acts would be futile. Therefore, driving away all doubts
about the immortality of the soul, the man of intelligence should adopt
that path which has been trodden by the righteous of old and older times.
The life of that king is certainly fruitless who having acquired the
entire earth with her