That
man is the foremost of his species who having dived into and enquired
after righteousness succeeds in acting according to the conclusions to
which he arrives.[853] The acts of a wise man are not easily
comprehensible. He that is wise, is never Stupefied when afflictions come
upon him. Even if he falls away from his position like Gautama in his old
age, in consequence of the direct calamity, he does not suffer himself to
be stupefied.[854] By any of these, viz., mantras, strength, energy,
wisdom, prowess, behaviour, conduct, or the affluence of wealth, can a
person acquire that which has not been ordained to be acquired by him?
What sorrow then is there for the non-acquisition of that upon which one
has set one's heart? Before I was born, they that have the matter in
their hands had ordained what I am to do and suffer. I am fulfilling what
was thus ordained for me. What then can death do to me? One obtains only
that which has been ordained to be obtained. One goes thither whither it
was ordained that one is to go. Those sorrows and joys are obtained that
are ordained to be obtained. That man who knowing this fully, does not
suffer himself to be stupefied, and who is contented under both happiness
and sorrow, is regarded as the foremost of his species.'"
SECTION CCXXVII
"Yudhishthira said, 'What, indeed, is good for a man that is sunk in dire
distress, when loss of friends or loss of kingdom, O monarch has
occurred? In this world, O bull of Bharata's race, thou art the foremost
of our instructors.
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