12.173
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
O grandsire, among relatives, action, wealth, or wisdom, which is the true foundation of a man? Please tell me, as I ask this.
Bhīṣma said.
Wisdom is the foundation of all beings; wisdom is considered the highest gain; in the world, wisdom leads to the highest good; for the virtuous, wisdom is regarded as heaven.
By wisdom, one attains the goal: Bali at the loss of his wealth, Prahlada, Namuci, and Manki—what is higher than that wisdom?
Here too, an ancient story is cited: the conversation between Indra and Kāśyapa. Listen to that, O Yudhiṣṭhira.
O dear, a certain prosperous and arrogant merchant struck down the ascetic sage Kashyapa, who was firm in his vows, with his chariot.
Afflicted and fallen, in anger, he abandoned himself and then said: "I shall die; for one who is poor here, there is no purpose in living."
Thus, as he sat there, wishing for death, silent and unconscious, Indra, taking the form of a jackal, spoke to him with anger in his heart.
All beings desire to be born as humans in every way; and among humans, everyone rejoices in being a Brāhmaṇa.
O Kāśyapa, you are a human, a brāhmaṇa, and a Vedic scholar. Having attained this rare and faultless state, do you wish to die?
It is truly said that all gains come with pride. You are content by nature, but whatever you desire comes from greed.
How fortunate are those who have hands! For those with hands, our longing is just like your longing for wealth.
There is no gain greater than the gain of hands; O Brahman, because we are without hands, we cannot remove the thorns.
Now, again, those whose hands called Devadatta, with ten fingers, lift worms from the body and scrape tenfold.
They create protections against snow, rain, and heat, and enjoy clothing, food, comfort, a bed, and shelter from the wind.
Having established the cow in the world, they enjoy her and have her driven; by many means, they make those under control subject to themselves.
Those who are truly tongueless, miserable, short-lived, and without hands endure such sufferings; by good fortune, you do not suffer in that way, O sage.
Fortunately, you are not a jackal, nor a worm, nor a mouse; you are not a serpent, nor a frog, nor any other creature born from a sinful womb.
O Kāśyapa, you ought to be satisfied even with this much gain. What then, when you are the best among all Brāhmaṇas and all beings?
These worms are eating me; I have no power to save them because I have no hands; see my condition.
I do not abandon myself thinking 'this is not to be done.' Nor would I fall from here into another, more sinful birth.
I have entered the night among the sinful wombs of jackals; there are many other wombs, even more sinful than this.
Some people are happier by birth, while others are greatly afflicted with sorrow; I do not see absolute happiness anywhere here for anyone.
Humans, upon gaining wealth, next desire a kingdom; after attaining a kingdom, they wish for divinity; and from divinity, they even aspire to the status of Indra.
Even if you become wealthy, though you are not a king nor a divinity, even after attaining divinity and the status of Indra, you would still not be satisfied in such a condition.
There is no satisfaction in gaining what is dear; desire is not quenched by water; it flares up again like fire with fuel-sticks.
Indeed, in you exist both sorrow and joy, as well as pleasure and pain; so what is the use of lamentation there?
Having cut off desires and the root of all actions, restrain the group of senses just as birds are confined in a cage.
Desire does not arise anywhere, even for one who knows rasa. It arises from contact, from seeing, or even from hearing.
You do not remember Varuṇī, the Laṭvāka birds, or the other birds; there is nothing more edible or superior to those two anywhere.
O Kāśyapa, as for those other edibles and foods in distant places, which have not been previously eaten by them, for them, only the memory (remains).
I believe that for a man, the rule of not eating, not touching, and not seeing is indeed best; there is no doubt about it.
There is no doubt that even those who have hands, are endowed with wealth, and are strong, humans are made into servants by other humans.
Though they are repeatedly tormented by the sufferings of killing and binding, yet they still find pleasure, rejoice, and laugh.
Some others, though strong, learned, and noble-minded, pursue a despicable, pitiable, and sinful way of life.
They may be able to pursue another livelihood, but one must perform one's own prescribed duty; that is the proper way.
Even a Pulkasa or a Caṇḍāla does not wish to abandon himself. Dissatisfied with one's own origin, behold the illusion of such a condition.
O Kāśyapa, having seen the deformed and wing-broken, unmoving among men, you are now well fulfilled by your own origin and have attained your gain.
If, O brāhmaṇa, your body is healthy, your limbs are whole, and you are not condemned by people in the world.
Do not abandon yourself for any rumor, even if it is true, or because of a thief; arise for the sake of dharma, O best of Brāhmaṇas.
If, O Brāhmaṇa, you listen to this and have faith in my words, you will attain the chief fruit of the dharma as prescribed in the Veda.
Be vigilant in observing self-study and fire-rituals. Practice truth, self-restraint, and charity, and do not compete with anyone.
How could those who have attained self-study and the performance and officiating of sacrifices ever grieve or even contemplate anything unworthy?
May they, desiring enjoyment, obtain great happiness. And may those born under an auspicious star, at a good pilgrimage, and at an auspicious moment, be blessed.
Others, born in evil fords and inauspicious times among the stars and demons, fall into a demonic womb, bereft of sacrificial origin.
I was a scholar and logician, a critic of the Vedas, devoted to philosophy and logic, which are ultimately useless.
He who declares those who speak with reasoning, who is a speaker with reason in assemblies, who rebukes and speaks out, is indeed the twice-born in the Brahma-yajñas.
O twice-born, the atheist, the one who doubts everything, the fool, and the one who pretends to be a scholar—this is his result: becoming a jackal, O my dear.
Even if it takes hundreds of days and nights, may it be so, that I, a jackal, might again obtain a human birth.
May I be content, vigilant, and devoted to sacrifice, charity, and austerity; may I be both the knower and the known, and may I always avoid what is to be avoided.
Then the sage Kāśyapa rose and, astonished, said to him: "Oh! Indeed, you are skilled and intelligent."
The sage, with his far-reaching knowledge, observed and recognized him as Indra, the lord of the gods and husband of Śacī.
Then Kashyapa worshipped Hari-vāhana. After receiving permission from him, he entered his own hermitage.
