nimosity,
with thy heart set upon tranquillity, beholding thee thus, my heart is
inclined to compassion towards thee. I do not desire to afflict an
enlightened person like thee by keeping him in an enchained condition.
Abstention from injury is the highest religion. I feel compassion towards
thee. These nooses of Varuna, with which thou hast been bound, will
loosen Time's course in consequence of the misconduct of men. Blessed be
thou, O great Asura! When the daughter-in-law will set the aged
mother-in-law to work, when the son, through delusion, will command the
sire to work for him, when Sudras will have their feet washed by
Brahmanas and have sexual congress fearlessly with women of regenerate
families, when men will discharge the vital seed into forbidden wombs,
when the refuse of houses will begin to be carried upon plates and
vessels made of white brass, and when sacrificial offerings intended for
the deities will begin to be borne upon forbidden vessels, when all the
four orders will transgress all restraints, then these bonds of thine
will begin one by one, to loosen. From us thou hast no fear. Wait
quietly. Be happy. Be divested of all sorrow. Let thy heart be cheerful.
Let no illness be thine.' Having said these words unto him, the divine
Indra, having the prince of elephants for his vehicle, left that spot.
Having vanquished all the Asuras, the chief of the deities rejoiced in
gladness and became the one sole lord of all the worlds. The great Rishis
hymned the praises of that lord of all mobile and immobile creatures. The
deity of fire once more began to bear the libations of clarified butter
that were poured (by all) into his visible form, and the great god took
charge of the nectar that was committed to his care. His praises hymned
by the foremost of Brahmanas engaged in sacrifices, the lord Indra,
blazing with splendour, his wrath pacified, and his heart tranquillised,
became gladdened, and returning to his own abode in heaven, began to pass
his days in great happiness."'"[857]

SECTION CCXXVIII

"'Yudhishthira said, "Tell me, O grandsire, the indications of future
greatness and future fall in respect of a person."

"'Bhishma said, "The mind itself, blessed be thou, indicates the
premonitory symptoms of one's future prosperity and future fall. In this
connection is cited the old story of the discourse between Sree and
Sakra. Listen to it, O Yudhishthira! The great ascetic Narada, of energy
whose eff