Yudhishthira said It is seen that if a person happens to be unfortunate, he fails to acquire riches how greatsoever his strength. On the other hand, if he happens to be fortunate, he amasses riches, even if he be a weak or a foolish wight.

When, again, the time does not come for acquisition, one cannot make an acquisition, even if he tries his best. When, however, the time comes for acquisition, one acquires great wealth without any exertion.

Hundreds of men may be seen who gain no result even when they try their best. Many persons, again, are seen to make acquisitions without any exertion.

If riches were the result of exertion, then one could, with exertion, acquire it forthwith. Among men, that which is not to be attained, O chief of the Bharatas, is never attained. Men are seen to fail in gaining results even if they try their best.

One may be seen to seek riches by hundreds of means (and yet failing to acquire it); while another, without at all seeking it, gets it. Men may be seen doing evil deeds continually (for wealth) and yet they do not gain it.

Others get wealth without doing any evil act whatever. Others, again, who follow the duties assigned to them by the scripture, are without wealth. One may be seen to be without any knowledge of the science of ethics and polity even after he has studied all the treatises on that science.

One, again, may be seen appointed as the prime minister of a king without having at all studied the moral and political sciences. A learned man may be seen who has wealth. An ignorant man may be seen having wealth. Both kinds of men, again, may be seen who has wealth.

If by the acquisition of learning one could acquire the happiness of riches then no man of learning could be found living, for the very means of his livelihood, under the protection of one shorn of learning.

Indeed, if one could obtain, by the acquisition of learning, all desirable objects like a thirsty individual having his thirst satisfied upon getting water, then none in this world would have shown idleness in acquiring learning.

If one's time has not come, one does not die even if cut with hundreds of shafts. On the other hand, one dies if his hour has come, even if it be a blade of grass with which he is struck.

Bhishma said If one, by performing arduous works, fails to acquire wealth, he should then practise severe austeritics. Unless seeds be sown, no crops appear.

It is by making gifts that one gets numerous objects of enjoyment; one becomes endued with intelligence and wisdom by waiting upon the elders. The wise have said that one becomes longlived by practising the duty of abstention from cruelty to all creatures.

Hence, one should make gifts and not solicit and one should adore individuals. Indeed one should be sweet-speeched towards all, and always do what is agreeable to others. One should seek to attain to purity; one should always abstain from doing injury 10 any crcature,

It is but proper, O Yudhishthira, that you should be possessed by peaceful sentiments, since their deeds and Nature are the ruling causes of happiness and misery to even insects and ants.