Bhishma said Again, laughing at Vali who was sighing like a snake, Shakra addressed him for saying something more painful than what he had said before.

Shakra said Formerly, attended by a train consisting of thousands of vehicles and kinsmen, you used to march, burning all the worlds with your splendour and disregarding us all.

You are now, however, deserted by both kinsmen and friends. Beholding this miserable condition of yours, do you or do you not indulge in grief?

Formerly all the worlds were under your sway and great was your joy. I ask, do you or you not grieve now, for this loss of your splendour?

Vali said Regarding all this as transitory,-due, indeed, to the course of time,-I do not, O Shakra, grieve. These things have an end.

These bodies of creatures, O king of the celestials, are all transitory. Therefore, 0 Shakra, I do not grieve. Nor is this form due to any fault of mine.

The animating principle and the body come into existence simultaneously for their own nature. They grow together and meet with destruction together.

Having obtained this form of birth I have not been enslaved by it for good. Since I know this, I have no cause for sorrow.

As the final place of all rivers is the ocean, so the end of all embodied creatures is death. Those persons that know this well are never stupefied, O holder of the thunder-bolt. 10. They, however, who, overwhelmed with Darkness and loss of judgement, do not know this, they whose understanding is lost, sink under the load of misfortune.

A person wins a keen understanding, succeeds in dissipating all his sins. A sinless person acquires the quality of Goodness, and having acquired it becomes cheerful.

They, however, that deviate from the quality of Goodness, and go through repeated re-births, are obliged to indulge in sorrow and grief, led on by desire and the objects of the senises,

I neither dislike nor like success or defeat, regarding the attainment of all objects of desire, life, or death, the fruits of action that are represented by pleasure or pain.

When one kills another, he kills only that other's body. That man who thinks that it is he who kills another, is himself killed. Indeed, both of then do not know the truth, viz., he who kills and he who is killed.

O Maghavat, that person, who having killed or defeated any one brags of his manliness, should know that he is not the actor, but that the act has been performed by another who is the real agent.

When it is asked that who is it that brings about the creation and destruction of things in the world, it is generally thought that some person has caused it. Know, however, that the person who is so known has a creator.

Earth, light or heat, ether, water, and wind form the fifth-from these do all creatures originate. (When I know this) what sorrow can I feel?

One who is endued with great learning, one who is not much learned, one who is strong, one who is destitute of strength, one who is beautiful, and one who is very ugly, one who is lucky, and one who is not blessed by fortune, are all carried away by Time, which is too deep to be measured by its own energy. When I know that I have been defeated by Time what sorrow can I feel.

One that burns anything burns a thing that has been already burnt. One who kills, only kills, a victim already killed. One who is destroyed, has been before destroyed. A thing that is acquired by a person is what is already arrived and intended for his acquirement.

This Time is like an ocean. There is no island in it. Its other shore is beyond reach. Its boundary cannot be seen. Thinking even deeply, I do not see the end of this continuous steam that is the great ordainer of all things and that is, forsooth celestial.

If I did not know that it is Time which destroys all creatures, then, perhaps, I would have experienced the emotions of joy, pride and anger, O husband of Shachi.

Have you come here to condemn me, having come to know that I am now assuming the form of an ass that lives upon chaff and that is now passing his days in a lonely spot remote from the dwellings of men.

If I wish, even now I can assume various dreadful forms, seeing any one of which you would immediately fly away from my presence.

It is Time that gives every thing and again takes away everything. It is Time that ordains all things. Do not, O Shakra, brag of your manliness.

Formerly, O Purandara, whenever, I used to be angry everything used to become agitated. I know, however, O Shakra, that eternal attributes of all things in the world.

Do you also know the truth. Do not allow yourself to be filled with wonder. Prosperity and its origin are not under one's control.

Your mind is like that of a child. It is the same as it was before. Open your eyes, O Maghavat and acquire an understanding which is sure and true.

In days gone by, that gods, men, the Pitris, the Gandharvas, the Nagas, and the Rakshasas, were all under my control. You know this, O Vasava.

Having their understandings overcome by ignorance, all creatures used to flatter me, saying,-Salutations to that cardinal point where Virochana's son Vali may now be living, O husband of Sachi, I do not at all grieve when I think of that honour. I am not sorry for this fall of mine. My understanding is very strong here, viz., that I will abide by the sway of the Ordainer.

It is seen that some one of nobly born highly beautiful and powerful, lives in misery, with all his counsellors and friends. This happens because it has been so ordained.

Likewise, some one born in an ignoble race, devoid of knowledge, and with even a stain on his birth, is seen, O Shakra, to live happily with all his counsellors and friends. This also happens because it has been so oridained.

An auspicious and beautiful woman, O Shakra, is seen to pass her life miserably. Likewise, ugly woman with every inauspicious mark is seen to live in great happiness.

That we have now become so is not owing to any act of ours, O Shakra. That you are now so is not owing, O holder of the thunderbolt, to any act of yours?

You have not done anything, O you of a hundred sacrifices, for which you are now an enjoying this prosperity. Nor have I done anything for which I have now been shorn of prosperity. Prosperity and adversity come in succession.

I now see you blazing with splendour, endued with prosperity, possessed of beauty, placed at the head of all the gods, and thus roaring at me.

This would never be but for the Time standing near after having attacked me. Indeed, if Time had not attacked me I would have today slain you with only a blow of my fists albeit you are armed with the thunder.

This, however, is not the time for displaying my prowess. On the other hand, the time that has come when I should conduct myself with peace and tranquillity. It is Time which establishes all things. Time acts upon all things and brings about their final consummation.

I was the adored king of the Danavas. Consuming all with my energy, I used to roar in strength and pride. When Time has attacked even myself, who is there whom he will not attack.

Formerly, O king of the gods, singly I bore the energy of all the twelve illustrious Adityas with yourself amongst them.

It was I that used to bear up water and then to shower it as rain. O Vasava! It was I who used to give both light and heat to the three worlds.

It was I who used to protect and it was I that used to destroy. It was I who gave and it was I who took. It was I who used to bind and it was I who used to unbind. In all the worlds I was the one powerful master.

That sovereign control which I had, O king of the gods, is now gone. I am now attacked by the foreces of Time. Those things, therefore, are no longer seen to shine in me.

I am not the actor. You are not the actor. None else, O husband of Sachi, is the doer. It is Time, O Shakra, that protects or destroys all things.

Persons well-read in the Vedas say that me is Brahma. The fortnights and months are his body. That body is clothed with days and nights as its dresses. The seasons are his senses. The year is his mouth.

Some people, on account of their superior intelligence, say that the entire universe should be conceived as Brahma. The Vedas, however, teach, that the five sacs that cover the Soul should be known as Brahma.

Brahma is deep and inaccessible like a deep ocean. It is said that it has neither beginning nor end, and that it is both indestructible and destructible.

Though it is by nature without attributes yet it enters all existent objects and as such is clothed with attributes. Those persons who know truth consider Brahma as eternal.

Through the force of Ignorance, Brahma makes the attribute of materiality to invest the Chit or Soul which is immaterial spirit. Materiality, however, is not the true attribute of the Soul.

Brahma in the form of Time is the refuge of all creatures. Where can you go transcending that Time? Time or Brahma, indeed, cannot be shunned by running nor by standing still.

All the five senses cannot perceive Brahma. Some have said that Brahma is Fire ; some that he is Prajapati, some that he is the Seasons; some that he is the Month; some that he is the Fortnight; some that he is the Days; some that he is the Hours; some that he is the Morning; some that he is the Noon; some that he is the Evening, and some that he is the Moment. Thus various people speak variously of him, who is one. Know that he is Eternity, under whose control exist all things.

Many thousands of Indras have gone away, O Vasava, cach of whom was endued with great strength and prowess. Similarly you also, O lord of Shachi, shall have to pass away.

The omnipotent Time will destroy you too, O Shakra, who are endued with swelling might and that are the chief of the deities, when your hour comes.

Time carries away all things. Therefore, O Indra, do not brag! Time cannot be quieted by either you or me or by those gone before us.

This kingly prosperity which you have acquired and which you consider incomparable, had formerly been possessed by me. It is unsubstantial and unreal. She does not live long in one place.

Indeed, she had lived in thousands of Indras before you, all of whom, again, were, very much superior to you! Unstable as she is, leaving me she has now approached you, O king of the gods.

Do not, O Shakra, brag again! You should become tranquil! Knowing you to be full of vanity, she will very soon leave you.'