Fire alone hath power to give heat. The Earth alone hath power to infuse life into the seed. The Sun alone hath power to illuminate everything. So thee guest alone hath power to command the virtuous and the wise.'"
Thus ends the eighty-eighth Section in the Sambhava of the Adi Parva.
Section LXXXIX.
( Sambhava Parva continued. )
"Yayati said, 'I am Yayati the son of Nahusha and the father of Puru. For having disregarded every creature, cast off from the region of the celestials and of Rishis crowned with success, I am falling down, my righteousness having sustained a diminution. In years I am older than ye. Therefore have I not saluted ye first. Indeed, the Brahmanas always regard him who is older in years or superior in learning or ascetic merit.'
"Ashtaka then replied, 'Thou sayest, O monarch, that he who is older in years is worthy of regard. But it is said that he is truly worthy of worship who is superior in learning and ascetic merit.'
"Yayati to this: 'It is said that sin destroyeth the merit of our virtuous acts. Vanity containeth the element of that which leadeth to hell. The virtuous never follow in the wake of the vicious. They act in such a way that their religious merit always increaseth. I myself had great religious merit, All that, however, is gone. I would scarcely be able to regain it even by my best exertions. Beholding my fate, he that is bent upon achieving his own good, will certainly suppress vanity. He who having acquired great wealth performeth meritorious sacrifices, who having acquired all kinds of learning remaineth humble, and who having studied the whole Vedas devoteth himself to asceticism with a heart withdrawn from all mundane enjoyments, goeth to heaven. None should exult for having acquired great wealth. None should feel vain on having studied the whole Vedas. In the world men are of different dispositions. Destiny is supreme. Both
34
