life, that seek the companionship of women for the sake only of offspring and that open their lips for only speaking what is true, succeed in overcoming all difficulties.  They that worship with devotion the god Narayana, that Supreme Lord of all creatures, that origin and destruction of the universe, succeed in overcoming all difficulties.  This Krishna here, of eyes red as the lotus, clad in yellow robes, endued with mighty arms,—­this Krishna who is our well-wisher, brother, friend, and relative,—­is Narayana of unfading glory.  He covers all the worlds like a leathern case, at his own pleasure.  He is the puissant Lord, of inconceivable soul.  He is Govinda, the foremost of all beings.  This Krishna who is ever engaged in doing what is agreeable and beneficial to Jishnu, as also to thee, O king, is that foremost of all beings, that irresistible one, that abode of eternal felicity.  They that with devotion seek the refuge of this Narayana, called also Hari, succeed in overcoming all difficulties.  They that read these verses about the overcoming of difficulties, that recite them to others, and that speak of them unto Brahmanas, succeed in overcoming all difficulties.  I have now, O sinless one, told thee all those acts by which men may overcome all difficulties both here and hereafter.’”

SECTION CXI

“Yudhishthira said, ’Many persons here that are not really of tranquil souls appear in outward form as men of tranquil souls.  There are again others that are really of tranquil souls but that appear to be otherwise.  How, O sire, shall we succeed in knowing these people?’

“Bhishma said, ’In this connection is recited the old story of the discourse between a tiger and a jackal.  Listen to it, O Yudhishthira!  In ancient times, in a city called Purika, full of affluence, there was a king named Paurika.  That worst of beings was exceedingly cruel and took delight in injuring others.  On the expiry of the period of his life he obtained an undesirable end.  In fact, stained by the evil acts of his human life, he was reborn as a jackal.  Remembering his former prosperity, he became filled with grief and abstained from meat even when brought before him by others.  And he became compassionate unto all creatures, and truthful in speech, and firm in the observance of austere vows.  At the appointed time he took food which consisted of fruit that had dropped from the trees.  That jackal dwelt in a vast crematorium and liked to dwell there.  And as it was his birth place, he never wished to change it for a finer locality.  Unable to endure the purity of his behaviour, the other members of his species, endeavoured to make him alter his resolve by addressing him in the following words fraught with humility:  ’Though residing in this terrible crematorium, thou desirest yet to live in such purity of behaviour.  Is not this a perversity of understanding on thy part, since thou art by nature an cater of carrion?  Be thou our