with certain death, like a fish when the water in which it liveth hath been dried up.  It is for these reasons that they that are wise are ever careful of both virtue and wealth, for a union of virtue and wealth is the essential requisite of pleasure, as fuel is the essential requisite of fire.  Pleasure hath always virtue for its root, and virtue also is united with pleasure.  Know, O monarch, that both are dependent on each other like the ocean and the clouds, the ocean causing the clouds and the clouds filling the ocean.  The joy that one feeleth in consequence of contact with objects of touch or of possession of wealth, is what is called pleasure.  It existeth in the mind, having no corporeal existence that one can see.  He that wisheth (to obtain) wealth, seeketh for a large share of virtue to crown his wish with success.  He that wisheth for pleasure, seeketh wealth, (so that his wish may be realised).  Pleasure however, yieldeth nothing in its turn.  One pleasure cannot lead to another, being its own fruit, as ashes may be had from wood, but nothing from those ashes in their turn.  And, O king, as a fowler killeth the birds we see, so doth sin slay the creatures of the world.  He, therefore, who misled by pleasure or covetousness, beholdeth not the nature of virtue, deserveth to be slain by all, and becometh wretched both here and here-after.  It is evident, O king, that thou knowest that pleasure may be derived from the possession of various objects of enjoyment.  Thou also well knowest their ordinary states, as well as the great changes they undergo.  At their loss or disappearance occasioned by decrepitude or death, ariseth what is called distress.  That distress, O king, hath now overtaken us.  The joy that ariseth from the five senses, the intellect and the heart, being directed to the objects proper to each, is called pleasure.  That pleasure, O king, is, as I think, one of the best fruits of our actions.

“Thus, O monarch, one should regard virtue, wealth and pleasure one after another.  One should not devote one self to virtue alone, nor regard wealth as the highest object of one’s wishes, nor pleasure, but should ever pursue all three.  The scriptures ordain that one should seek virtue in the morning, wealth at noon, and pleasure in the evening.  The scriptures also ordain that one should seek pleasure in the first portion of life, wealth in the second, and virtue in the last.  And, O thou foremost of speakers, they that are wise and fully conversant with proper division of time, pursue all three, virtue, wealth, and pleasure, dividing their time duly.  O son of the Kuru race, whether independence of these (three), or their possession is the better for those that desire happiness, should be settled by thee after careful thought.  And thou shouldst then, O king, unhesitatingly act either for acquiring them, or abandoning them all.  For he who liveth wavering between the two doubtingly, leadeth a wretched life.  It is well known that thy behaviour is ever regulated by