cried, 'that
is so,' and the other, 'it is not so'; one cried, 'and that is so,'
and the other, 'it must be so'; and some by arguments made weak
arguments strong, and strong weak; while some wise ones were always
swooping down on their opponent's arguments, like hawks on meat."[81]
In III. 2. 15, the type of clever priest is 'skilled in Yoga and
S[=a][.n]khya,' who inculcates renunciation. This sage teaches that
mental diseases are cured by Yoga; bodily, by medicine; and that
desire is the root of ill.

But by far the most interesting theological discussion in the epic, if
one except the Divine Song, is the conversation of the hero and
heroine in regard to the cause of earthly happiness. This discussion
is an old passage of the epic. The very fact that a woman is the
disputant gives an archaic effect to the narration, and reminds one of
the scenes in the Upanishads, where learned women cope successfully
with men in displays of theological acumen. Furthermore, the
theological position taken, the absence of Vishnuism, the appeal to
the 'Creator' as the highest Power, take one back to a former age. The
doctrine of special grace, which crops out in the Upanishads,[82] here
receives its exposure by a sudden claim that the converse of the
theory must also be true, viz., that to those not saved by grace and
election God is as cruel as He is kind to the elect. The situation is
as follows: The king and queen have been basely robbed of their
kingdom, and are in exile. The queen urges the king to break the vow
of exile that has been forced from him, and to take vengeance on their
oppressors. The king, in reply, sings a song of forgiveness:
"Forgiveness is virtue, sacrifice, Veda; forgiveness is holiness and
truth; in the world of Brahm[=a] are the mansions of them that
forgive." This song (III. 29. 36 ff.) only irritates the queen, who at
once launches into the following interesting tirade (30. 1 ff.):
"Reverence to the Creator and Disposer[83] who have confused thy mind!
Hast thou not worshipped with salutation and honored the priests,
gods, and manes? Hast thou not made horse-sacrifices, the
_r[=a]jas[=u]ya_-sacrifice, sacrifices of every sort
(_pu[n.][d.]arika,[84] gosava_)? Yet art thou in this miserable
plight! Verily is it an old story (_itih[=a]sa_) that 'the worlds
stand under the Lord's will.' Following the seed God gives good or ill
in the case of all beings. Men are all moved by the divinity. Like a
wooden doll, movi