By that wealth a large number of good people can be gratified. He should
not, however, hoard that wealth in his treasury. He who makes himself an
instrument of acquisition and taking away wealth from the wicked gives
them to those that are good is said to be conversant with the whole
science of morality. A king should extend his conquests in the next world
according to the measure of his power, and as gradually as vegetable
products are seen to grow. As some ants are seen to grow from no adequate
cause, even so sacrifice spring from no adequate cause.[408] As flies and
gnats and ants are driven off from the bodies of kine and other domestic
cattle (at the time of milking them), even so should persons who are
averse to the performance of sacrifices should be similarly driven off
from the kingdom. This is consistent with morality. As the dust that lies
on the earth, if pounded between two stones, becomes finer and finer,
even so questions of morality, the more they are reflected upon and
discussed, become finer and finer.'"
SECTION CXXXVII
"Bhishma said, 'These two, viz., one that provides for the future, and
one possessed of presence of mind, always enjoy happiness. The man of
procrastination, however, is lost. In this connection, listen attentively
to the following excellent story of a procrastinating person in the
matter of settling his course of action. In a lake that was not very deep
and which abounded with fishes, there lived three Sakula fishes that were
friends and constant companions.
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