Yudhishthira said Many persons here, who do not in reality, possess of tranquil souls, appear external as men of tranquil souls. There are again others, who are really of tranquil souls but that appear otherwise. How, O sire, shall we succeed in knowing these people.

Regarding it is recited the old story of the discourse between a tiger and a jackal. Listen to it, О Yudhishthira.

In days of yore, in a wealthy city called Paurika, there was a king named Paurika. That worst of beings was highly truthless and took pleasure in injuring others.

When the lease of his life ran out he obtained an undesirable end. In fact, sullied by the evil deeds of his human life, he was born again as a jackal.

Remembering his pristine prosperity, he was filled with grief and abstained from meat even when brought before him by others,

And he felt mercy for all creatures, and was truthful in speech, and firm in the observance of austere vows. At the appointed hour he took food which consisted of fruit which had dropped from the trees.

That jackal lived in a vast crematorium and liked to live there. And as it was his birth place, he never desired to change it for a better one.

Unable to bear the purity of his conduct, the other jackals tries to make him change his resolution by addressing him in the following humble words

Through living in this dreadful crematorium, you desire yet to live such a pure life. Is not this owing to your perverse understanding, since you are by nature an eater of carrion?

Be you like us! All of us will give you food, Eat that which ought always to be your food, leaving of such purity of conduct!

Hearing these words of theirs the jackal replied to them, with rapt attention, in these sweet and reasonable words, inculcating harmlessness to all-

My birth has been low. It is conduct, however, which determines the birth. I wish to act in such a way that my fame may spread.

Although I live in this crematorium, yet listen to my vows regarding my conduct. One's own self is the root of one's acts. The mode of life which one may adopt is not the root of one's religious acts.

If one, while following a particular mode of life, kills a Brahmana, will not the sin of Brahmanicide assail him? If, on the other hand, one gives away a cow, while not even following any particular mode of life, will that pious gift yields on merit?

Actuated by the desire of getting what is agreeable, you are only busy with filling your stomachs. Overcome by folly, you are blind to the three faults which are in the end.

I do not like to follow the life which you lead, which yields evil both in this world and in the next, and which is characterised by loss of virtue brought about by discontentment and temptation!

A tiger, well known for prowess, happened to overhear this conversation, and accordingly, taking the jackal for a learned person of pure conduct, offered him such respectful worship as became his own self and then expressed a desire for appointing him his minister.

The tiger said O righteous person, I know what you are! Do your look after the duties of government with myself! Do you look after the duties of government with myself! Enjoy whatever articles you may wish to have, leaving off whatever you may not have a liking for.

As regards ourselves, we are known to be of a fierce nature. We inforın you beforehand of this. If you act with mildness, you will be benefited and reap advantages for yourself.

Honouring these words of that great lord of all animals, jackal, bending low his head a little, said these humble words.

The jackal said O king of beasts, these words of yours about myself are such as become you. It is also becoming of you that you should cock for ministers of pure conduct and who conversant with duties and worldly affairs,

You cannot maintain your great power without a pious minister, O hero, or with a wicked minister who always tries to put an end to your very life. You should, O highly blessed one, honour those of your ministers who are devoted to you, who are conversant with policy, and who are independent of one another, desirous of securing victory for you, unstained by covetousness, free from deceit, wise, ever engaged in your well-being, and gifted with great mental vigour, even as you should honour your preceptor or parents.

But, o king of beasts, as I am perfectly contented with my present situation, I do not like to change it for anything else. I do not hanker after luxuries or the happiness that originates from them.

My conduct, again, my not be like that your old servants. If they be of wicked conduct, they will create disunion between you and me.

Dependence upon another, even if he be a bright person, is not desirable nor praiseworthy. I am of pure soul I am highly blessed. I cannot treat even sinners severely. I am gifted with great foresight. I have capacity for great exertion. I do not mind small things. I am endued with great strength. I am successful in acts, never uselessly. I have every object of enjoyment.

I am never satisfied with a little. I have never served another. I am, future more, unskilled in serving. I live according to my pleasure in the forest.

All who live in court have to suffer great pain for evil speeches against themselves. Those, however, who live in the forest, spend their days, fearlessly and without anxiety, observing vows.

The fear, which possesses the heart of a person, who is summoned by the king is unknown to persons passing their days happily in the forest, living upon fruits and roots.

Simple food and drink got without effort, and rich food procured with fear, widely differ from each other. Thinking of these two, I hold that there is happiness where there is not anxiety.

A few only of the servants of kings are justly punished for their offences. A great number of them, however, meet with death under false charges.

If, notwithstanding all this, you appoint me, O king of beasts, as your minister, I wish to make an agreement with you regarding your treatment towards men.

Those words that I shall speak for your well being should be listened to, and honoured by you. The provision which you will make for me you will never interface with.

I shall never consult with your other ministers. If I do, for they always seek superiority, they will then impute various kinds of faults to me.

Meeting with you alone and in secret I shall say what is for your well-being. About you kinsmen, you will not ask me what is for your behoof or what is otherwise,

Having consulted with me you shall not punish your other ministers afterwards. Getting enraged you will not punish my followers and dependents.

Thus addressed by the jackal, the king of beasts answered him,-Let it be so!-and showed him every honour. The jackal then accepted the ministership of the tiger.

Seeing the jackal treated with respect and supported in all his deeds, the old servants of the king, uniting together, began continually to show their hatred towards him.

Those wicked persons at first tried to please and win him over with friendly conduct and make him put up with the various abuses which existed in the state.

Robbing other people's property, they had long enjoyed their sports. Now, however, being governed by the jackal, they were unable to take anything belonging to others.

Seeking aggrandisement and prosperity, they began to tempt him with sweet words. Indeed, large bribes even were offered to tempt his heart. Highly wise, the jackal showed no signs of yielding to those temptations.

Then some amongst them making an agreement amongst themselves for bringing about his destruction, snatched away the welldressed meat that was intended for, and much desired by the king of beasts, and kept it secretly in the house of the jackal.

The jackal knew who had taken away the meat and the party who were connected with the act. But though he knew everything, he bore it for a particular object.

He had made an agreement with the king at the time of his becoming the minister, saying,-You seek my friendship, but you will not, O king, mistrust me without cause.

Bhishma said Feeling hungry, when the king of beasts came to eat, he did not found the meat which should have been kept ready for his dinner. The king then ordered,-Let the thief be detected!

His deceitful ministers represented to him that the meat kept for him had been taken away by his learned minister, the jackal, that was so proud of his own wisdom.

Hearing of this unwise act of the jackal, the tiger was insensate with rage. Indeed, the king, yielding to wrath, ordered his minister to be killed.

Finding the opportunity, the former ministers said to the king,-The jackal is always ready to take away from all of us the means of sustenance.

Having said so, they once more spoke of the jackal's act of robbing the king of his food. And they said,-Such then is his conduct! What is there which he would not venture to do?

He is not as you had heard. He is righteous in words, but he is really sinful by nature.

At heart a wretch, he has disguised himself by assuming the grab of virtue. His conduct is really vicious. For serving his own purpose he had practised austerities in matters of diet and vows.

If you disbelieve this, we will give you proof!-Having said so, they immediately caused that meat to be found out by entering the jackal's house.

Determining that the meat was brought back from the jackal's house and hearing all those representations of his old servants, the king ordered, saying,-Let the jackal be killed.

Hearing these words of the tiger, his mother came there for awakening her son's good sense with wholesome advice.

The venerabie dame said,-O son, you should not believe this deceitful charge. Actuated by envy and rivalry, wicked men impute faults to even an honest person.

Enemies desirous of a quarrel cannot bear the elevation of an enemy engendered by his great deeds. Faults are attributed to even a person soul performing penances. of pure

Even for an ascetic living in the forest and engaged in his own acts, there are three parties, viz., friends, neutrals, and foes.

The rapacious hate the pure. The idle hate the active. The ignorant hate the learned. The poor hate the rich. The unrighteous hate the righteous. The ugly hate the beautiful.

Many of the learned, the ignorant, the rapacious, and the deceitful, would falsely accuse an innocent person even if the latter is endued with the virtues and intelligence of Brihaspati himself.

If meat had really been stolen from your house in your absence, remember the jackal refuses to take any meat that is even given to him. Let sufficient attention be paid to his fact.

Wicked persons sometimes pass for the virtues, and the virtues are sometimes taken for the wicked. There are various aspects in creatures. It is, therefore, necessary to examine which is which.

The sky seems to be like the solid base of a vessel. The fire-fly appears like the actual spark of fire. In sooth, however, the sky has no base and there is no fire in the fire-fly.

You should there scrutinise even things which you see with your own eyes. If a person determines everything after scrutiny, he never regrets afterwards.

It is not at all difficult, O son, for a master to put his servant to death. Forgiveness, however, in persons endued with power, is always praiseworthy and yields fame.

You had made the jackal your first minister. For that act, you had acquired great fame among all the neighbouring chiefs. A good minister cannot be secured easily. The jackal is your well wisher. Let him, therefore, be supported.

That king, who considers a really innocent person falsely accused by his enemies to be guilty, is soon ruined by the wicked ministers who create that conviction in him!

After the tiger's mother had her say, a righteous agent of the jackal, coming out of that array of his enemies, disclosed everything about the way in which that false accusation had been made.

The jackal's innocence being proved, he was acquitted and respected by his master. The king of beasts embraced him affectionately again and again.

Burning with grief, the jackal, however, who was master of the science of policy, salutated the king of beasts and solicited his permission for sacrificing his life by observing the Praya vow.

Looking upon the virtuous jackal with affection and honouring him with reverential worship, the tiger, tried to dissuade him from fulfilling his wishes.

Seeing his master moved with affection, the jackal bowed down to him, and, in a voice suppressed with tears, said

Honoured by you first, I have afterwards been insulted by you. Your conduct towards me is calculated to make me an enemy of yours. It is not meet, therefore, that I should any longer live with you.

Servants who are discontented, who have been dismissed from their offices, or who have been degraded from honourable situations, who have brought destitution upon themselves, or who have been ruined by their enemies, who have been weakened, who are rapacious, or enraged, or alarmed, or deceived, who have suffered confiscation, who are proud and willing to perform great feats but who are deprived of the means of acquiring wealth, and who burn with grief or anger for any injury done to them,-always wait for misfortunes to befall their masters. Being deceived, they forsake their masters and become powerful instruments in the hands of his enemies.

I have been insulted by you and degraded from my place. How will you trust me again? How shall I continue to live with you?

Knowing me to be competent you appointed me, and having examined me you had placed me in office. Violating the agreement then made (between us) you have insulted me.

If one speaks of a particular person before others of righteous conduct, one should not, if desirous of keeping one's consistency, afterwards describe the same person as wicked.

I, who have thus been dishonoured by you, cannot any longer enjoy your confidence. On my part, when I shall find you withdraw your confidence from me, I shall be stricken with alarm and anxiety.

You entertaining suspicion and myself entertaining fear, our enemies will always try to find out opportunities for injuring us. Your subjects will, as a matter of fact, become anxious and discontented. Such a state of things has many shortcomings.

It is difficult to unite again two who have been separated, as it is difficult to separate two that are united. If persons, reunited after separation, meet one another again, their conduct cannot be affectionate.

No servant is to be seen who always wishes to do good to his master. People work with the desire of doing good to his master as also to one's own self. All works are undertaken from selfish desires. Unselfish works or motives are very rare.

Those kings, whose hearts are restless and unquiet; cannot gain a true knowledge of men. Only one in a hundred can be found who is either capable or undaunted.

The prosperity of men, as also their downfall, originates of itself. Prosperity and adversity, and greatness, all originate from weakness of understanding.

Bhishma said Having said these conciliatory words pregnant with virtue, pleasure and profit, and having pleased the king, the jackal retired to the forest.

Without heeding the entreaties of the king of beasts, the intelligent jackal renounced his body by sitting in Praya and went to heaven.