Yudhishthira said : O foremost of celestials Rishis, I do not think that I am not endued with some merit. But I am still afflicted with so much sorrow that (I believe) there is no other king like me.

O Lomasha, I think my enemies have no merit and no virtuous tendencies. Why then do they proper in this world?

Lomasha said : O king, O Partha, never grieve that sinful men should prosper in consequence of the sins they commit.

A man may be seen to prosper by his sins, obtain good fruits or vanquish his enemies, but he is finally destroyed to the root.

O ruler of earth, I have seen many Daityas and Danavas prosper by sin, but I have also seen that destruction has again ever taken them.

O lord, I have seen all this formerly in the Deva Yuga. The celestials practised virtue whereas the Asuras practised sin.

O descendant of Bharata, the celestials visited the Tirthas whereas the Asuras did not visit them. Those sinful ones were first filled with pride.

Pride begot vanity and vanity begot wealth. From wealth arose every king of evil propensity and from evil propensities arose shamelessness.

From shamelessness good behaviour disappeared from among them. From their shamelessness, from their evil propensities, from their want of good conduct and virtuous vows, forgiveness, propensity and morality all forsook them.

O king, Lakshmi (the goddess of prosperity) then sought the celestials while a Lakshmi (goddess of adversity) sought the Asuras. When they were possessed by adversity they became senseless out of pride.

Then Kali possessed the Daityas and the Danavas. Being thus possessed by adversity, the Danavas were destroyed by Kali.

O son of Kunti, as they were filled with pride they became destitute of rites and sacrifices, devoid of reason, overwhelmed with vanity and they soon met with their destruction.

Covered with infamy the Daityas were soon destroyed. O son of Pandu, the celestials, however, who were all of virtuous character, going to the seas, rivers and lakes and other sacred places, cleansed themselves of all their sins by means of asceticism and sacrifices, by gifts and blessings; and O Pandava, they obtained great prosperity. Because they thus abandoned all evil deeds and practised all good deeds,

And visited all the Tirthas, they obtained great good fortune. O king of kings, you will too therefore, bathing with your younger brothers in the Tirthas, obtain again great good fortune. This is the eternal road.

As kings, Nriga, Shibi, Ushinara, Bhagiratha, Vasumana, Gaya, Puru and Pururava, by always practising austerities and touching the sacred waters and visiting the Tirthas and seeing the illustrious holy men, O king, obtained fame, virtue and great wealth.

So will you obtain by acquiring exceedingly great prosperity. As Ikshvaku with his sons, friends and followers, Muchukunda, Mandhata and king Maruta, as the celestials through their power of asceticism, as the celestials Rishis also have obtained fame, so will you also obtain great fame. The sons of Dhritarashtra, enslaved as they are by sin and ignorance, will certainly be destroyed like Daityas. as