or divine nature.’  The third question is.—­Who lead the soul to its place (state) of rest?  The answer is, ’Dharma, i.e., rectitude, morality, and religious observances.’  It is often asserted that one must pass through the observances (Karma) before attaining to a state of Rest or Truth or Pure Knowledge.  The last question is,—­’On what is the soul established!’ The answer, according to all that has been previously said, is ‘Truth or Pure Knowledge.’  For the soul that is emancipated from and raised above all carnal connections, is no longer in need of observances and acts (Karma) but stays unmoved in True Knowledge (Janana).

[69] Nilakantha explains both Dhriti and Dwitiya in a spiritual sense.  There is no need, however, of a spiritual explanation here.  By Dhriti is meant steadiness of intelligence; by Dwitiya lit, a second.  What Yudhishthira says is that a steady intelligence serves the purposes of a helpful companion.

[70] Nilakantha explains this correctly, as I imagine, by supposing that by ‘sacrifice’ is meant the spiritual sacrifice for the acquisition of pure knowledge.  In the objective sacrifice which one celebrates, the Sama, the Yajus, and the Rik mantras are all necessary.  In the subjective sacrifice the acquisition of true knowledge, life and mind are as necessary as the mantras from the Sama and the Yajur Vedas in an objective one.  And as no objective sacrifice can do without the Riks, being principally dependent on them, so the subjective sacrifices for acquiring true knowledge can never do without prayerfulness, which, I imagine, is represented as the Riks.  To understand this passage thoroughly would require an intimate acquaintance with the ritual of a sacrifice like the Agnishtoma or any other of that kind.

[71] Some texts read apatatam for uvapatam.  If the former be the correct reading, the meaning would be—­’What is the best of things that fall?’ Nilakantha explains both avapatam nivapatam in a spiritual sense.  By the first he understands—­’They that offer oblation to the gods,’ and by the second, ’They that offer oblations to the Pitris.’  The necessity of a spiritual interpretation, however, is not very apparent.

    [72] Yudhishthira has the authority of the Srutis for saying
    that the one pervading element of the universe is air.

[73] The word used in the question is dik, literally, direction.  Obviously, of course, it means in this connection way.  Yudhishthira answers that the way which one is to tread along is that of the good.

    [74] The Srutis actually speak of space as water.  These are
    questions to test Yudhishthira’s knowledge of the Vedic
    cosmogony.