Yudhisthira said By what nature, what course of duties, what knowledge, and what energy, does one succeed in attaining to Brahma which is immutable and is beyond the reach of nature.

Bhishma said One who practises the religion of renunciation, who eats sparingly, and who has his senses under complete control, can attain to Brahma which is immutable and which is above nature.

Regarding it is cited the old discourse between Jaigishavya and Asita, O Bharata.

Once on a time Asita-Devala addressed Jaigishavya who was endued with great wisdom and fully acquainted with the truths of duty and morality.

Devala said You are not pleased when lauded, you do not give way to anger when blamed or censured. What, indeed, is your wisdom? whence have you got it? And what, indeed, is the refuge of that wisdom?

Bhishma said Thus accosted by Devala, the pure Jaigishavya of austere penances, said those words of great import, fraught with full faith, and deep significance.

Jaigishavya said.. O foremost of Rishis, I shall tell you of what is the highest end, that which is the supreme goal, that which is tranquility, as regarded by all pious persons.

They, O Devala, who treat equally those who praise them and those who blame them, they who conceal their own vows and good acts, they who never indulge in vilifications, they who never say even what is good when it is calculated to injure (instead of producing any benefit), they who do not desire to retaliate injury are said to be wise men.

They never grieve for what is yet to come. They are concerned with only what is present and act as they should. They never grieve for the past or even recollect it.

Endued with power and controlled minds, they do at their pleasure, in the way in which it should be done, what they should do, O Devala, if solicited respectfully thereto.

Of mature knowledge, of great wisdom, with anger under complete control, and with their passions subjugated, they never commit an injury to any one in thought, word, or deed.

Shorn of envy, they never injure others, and gifted with self-control, ihey are never pained on seeing other people's prosperity.

Such men never indulge in exaggerated speeches, or laud others, or speak ill of them. They are again never influenced by praise and censure showered on them.

They are tranquil regarding all their desires, and are engaged in the well being of the creatures. They never give way to anger to indulge in joy, or injure any creature.

Loosening all the knots of their hearts, they pass on very happily. They have no friends nor are they the friends of others.

They have no enemies nor are they the enemies of other creatures. Indeed men who can live in this way can pass their days in perpetual happiness.

O foremost of twice-born ones, they who acquire a knowledge of the rules of morality and righteousness, and who observe those rules in practice, acquire joy, while they who deviate from the path or righteousness are afflicted by anxieties and sorrow.

I now follow the path of righteousness. Decried by others, why shall I be annoyed with them, or lauded by others, why shall I be pleased?

Let men get whatsoever objects they please from whatsoever callings they pursue. Praise and censure cannot secure my advancement or the reverse.

He who has understood the truths of things, becomes pleased with even disregard as if it were nectar. The wise man is indeed annoyed with regard as if it were poison.

He who is freed from all shortcomings sleeps fearlessly both here and hereafter even if insulted by others, On the other hand, he who insults him, meets with destruction.

The wise men who seek to attain to the highest end, succeed in obtaining it following such a conduct.

The man who has controlled all his senses is considered to have performed all the sacrifices. Such a person attains to Brahma, which is eternal and which is above the reach of nature.

The very gods, the Gandharvas, the Pishachas, and the Rakshasas, cannot attain to the end of one who has attained to the hightest end.