SECTION CXXIV
"Yudhishthira said, 'Which is of superior efficacy, Conciliation or
Gifts? Tell me, O chief of Bharata's race, which of these two is superior
in point of efficacy.'
'Bhishma said, 'Some become gratified by conciliation, while others are
gratified by gifts. Every man, according to his own nature, affects the
one or the other. Listen to me, O king, as I explain to thee the merits
of conciliation, O chief of Bharata's race, so that the most furious
creatures may be appeased by it. In this connection is cited the ancient
narrative of how a Brahmana, who had been seized in the forest by a
Rakshasa, was freed (with the aid of conciliation). A certain Brahmana,
endued with eloquence and intelligence, fell into distress, for he was
seized in a lone forest by a Rakshasa who wished to feed on him. The
Brahmana, possessed of understanding and learning, was not at all
agitated.' Without suffering himself to be stupefied at the sight of that
terrible cannibal, he resolved to apply conciliation and see its effect
on the Rakshasa. The Rakshasa, respectfully saluting the Brahmana so far
as words went, asked him this question, 'Thou shalt escape, but tell me
for what reason I am pale of hue and so lean!' Reflecting for a brief
space of time, the Brahmana accepted the question of the Rakshasa and
replied in the following well-spoken words'.
"The Brahmana said, 'Dwelling in a place that is distant from thy abode,
moving in a sphere that is not thy own, and deprived of the companionship
of thy friends and kinsmen, thou art enjoying vast affluence. It is for
this that thou art so pale and lean. Verily, O Rakshasa, thy friends,
though well-treated by thee, are still not well-disposed towards thee in
consequence of their own vicious nature. It is for this that thou art
pale and lean. Thou art endued with merit and wisdom and a well-regulated
soul. Yet it is thy lot to see others that are destitute of merit and
wisdom honoured in preference to thyself. It is for this that thou art
pale and lean. Persons possessed of wealth and affluence much greater
than thine but inferior to thee in point of accomplishments are, verily,
disregarding thee. It is for this that thou art pale and lean. Though
distressed through want of the means of support, thou art led by the
highness of thy soul to disregard such means as are open to thee for
drawing thy sustenance. It is for this that thou art pale and lean. In
consequence of thy righteousness thou hadst stinted thyself for doing
good to another, This other, O righteous Rakshasa, thinks thee deceived
and subjugated (by his superior intelligence). It is for this that thou
art pale and lean. I think, thou art grieving for those persons who with
souls overwhelmed by the lust and wrath are suffering misery in this
world. It is for this that thou art pale and lean. Though graced with the
possession of wisdom, thou art ridiculed by others who are entirely
destitute of it. Verily, persons of wicked conduct are condemning thee.
It is for this that thou art pale and lean. Verily, some enemy of thine,
with a friendly tongue, coming to thee behaved at first like a righteous
person and then has left thee, beguiling thee like a knave. It is for
this that thou art pale and lean. Thou art well-conversant with the
course of world's affairs. Thou art well-skilled in all mysteries. Thou
art endued with capacity. Those who know thee to be such do not yet
respect and praise thee. It is for this that thou art pale and lean.
Staying in the midst of bad men engaged together in some enterprise, thou
hadst discoursed to them, dispelling their doubts. For all that they did
not admit thy superior merits. It is for this that thou art pale and
lean. Verily, though destitute of wealth and intelligence and Vedic lore,
thou desirest yet, with the aid of thy energy alone, to accomplish
something great. It is for this that thou art pale and lean. It seems
that although thou art resolved to undergo severe austerities by retiring
into the forest, yet thy kinsmen art not favourably inclined towards this
project of thine. It is this for that thou art pale and lean. Some
neighbour of thine, possessed of great wealth and endued with youth and
handsome features, verily, covets thy dear spouse. It is for this that
thou art pale and lean. The words spoken by thee, even when excellent, in
the midst of wealthy men, are not regarded by them as wise or well-timed.
It is for this that thou art pale and lean. Some dear kinsman of thine,
destitute of intelligence though repeatedly instructed in the scriptures,
has become angry. Thou hast not succeeded in pacifying him. It is for
this that thou art pale and lean. Verily, some-body, having first set
thee to the accomplishment of some object desirable to thee is now
seeking to snatch the fruit thereof from thy grasp. It is for this that
thou art pale and lean. Verily, though possessed of excellent
accomplishments and worshipped by all on that account, thou art yet
regarded by thy kinsmen as worshipped for their sake and not for thy own.
It is for this that thou art pale and lean. Verily, through shame thou
art unable to give out some purpose in thy heart, moved also by the
inevitable delay that will occur in its accomplishment. It is for this
that thou art pale and lean. Verily, thou desirest, with the aid of thy
intelligence, to bring under thy influence, diverse persons with diverse
kinds of understandings and inclinations. It is for this that thou art
pale and lean.[537] Destitute of learning, without courage, and without
much wealth, thou seekest such fame as is won by knowledge and prowess
and gifts. Verily, it is for this that thou hast been pale and lean. Thou
hast not been able to acquire something upon which thou hast set thy
heart for a long time. Or, that which thou seekest to do is sought to be
undone by somebody else. It is for this that thou art pale and lean.
Verily, without being able to see any fault on thy part, thou hast been
cursed by somebody. It is for this that thou art pale and lean.[538]
Destitute of both wealth and accomplishments thou seekest in vain to
dispel the grief of thy friends and the sorrows of sorrowing men. It is
for this that thou art pale and lean. Beholding righteous persons the
domestic mode of life, unrighteous persons living according to the forest
mode, and emancipated persons attached to domesticity and fixed abodes,
thou hast become pale and lean. Verily, thy acts connected with
Righteousness, with Wealth, and with Pleasure, as also the well-timed
words spoken by thee, do not bear fruit. It is for this that thou art
pale and lean. Though endued with wisdom, yet desirous of living, thou
livest with wealth obtained by thee in gift from somebody of evil
conduct. It is for this that thou art pale and lean. Beholding
unrighteousness increasing on every side and righteousness languishing,
thou art filled with grief. It is for this that thou art pale and lean.
Urged by time thou seekest to please all thy friends even when they are
disputing and ranged on sides opposite to one another. It is for this
that thou art pale and lean. Beholding persons possessed of Vedic lore
engaged in improper acts, and persons of learning unable to keep their
senses under control, thou art filled with grief. It is for this that
thou art pale and lean.' Thus praised, the Rakshasa worshipped that
learned Brahmana in return, and making him his friend and bestowing
sufficient wealth upon him in gift, let him off (without devouring him).'"
