SECTION XXXI
"The Brahmana said, 'There are three foes in the world. They are said to
be ninefold, agreeably to their qualities. Exultation, satisfaction, and
joy,--these three qualities appertain to Goodness.[84] Cupidity, wrath,
and hatred, these three qualities are said to appertain to Passion.
Lassitude, procrastination, and delusion, these three qualities appertain
to darkness. Cutting these with showers of arrows, the man of
intelligence, free from procrastination, possessed of a tranquil soul,
and with his senses under subjection, ventures to vanquish others.[85] In
this connection, persons conversant with (the occurrence of) ancient
cycles recite some verses which were sung in days of old by king
Amvarisha who had acquired a tranquil soul. When diverse kinds of faults
were in the ascendant and when the righteous were afflicted, Amvarisha of
great fame put forth his strength for assuming sovereignty.[86] Subduing
his own faults and worshipping the righteous, he attained to great
success and sang these verses.--I have subdued many faults. I have killed
all foes. But there is one, the greatest, vice which deserves to be
destroyed but which has not been destroyed by me! Urged by that fault,
this Jiva fails to attain to freedom from desire. Afflicted by desire,
one runs into ditches without knowing it. Urged by that fault, one
indulges in acts that are forbidden. Do thou cut off, cut off, that
cupidity with sharp-edged swords. From cupidity arise desires. From
desire flows anxiety. The man who yields to desire acquires many
qualities that appertain to passion. When these have been acquired, he
gets many qualities that appertain to Darkness. In consequence of those
qualities, he repeatedly takes birth, with the bonds of body united, and
is impelled to action. Upon the expiration of life, with body becoming
dismembered and scattered, he once meets with death which is due to birth
itself.[87] Hence, duly understanding this, and subduing cupidity by
intelligence, one should desire for sovereignty in one's soul. This is
(true) sovereignty. There is no other sovereignty here. The soul,
properly understood, is the king. Even these were the verses sung by king
Ambarisha of great celebrity, on the subject of sovereignty which he kept
before him,--that king who had cut off the one foremost fault viz.,
cupidity.'"
