and pass many years in felicity.  Lording it over the celestials as they will, they fall, upon the expiration of the allotted period, among learned Brahmanas and Yatis.[1605] Casting off this body, those regenerate ones that follow the Sankhya system enter into the superior state of Brahma like the celestials entering into the firmament by devoting themselves wholly to that adorable system which is theirs and which is worshipped by all wise men.  Those regenerate persons that are devoted to the acquisition of that knowledge which is recommended in the Sankhya system, even if they fail to attain to eminence, are never seen to fall among intermediate creatures, or to sink into the status of sinful men.  That high-souled person who is fully conversant with the vast, high, ancient, ocean-like, and immeasurable Sankhya system that is pure and liberal and agreeable, becomes, O king, equal to Narayana.  I have now told thee, O god among men, the truth about the Sankhya system.  It is the embodiment of Narayana, of the universe as it exists from the remotest time.[1606] When the time of Creation comes, He causes the Creation to start into life, and when the time comes for destruction, He swallows up everything.  Having withdrawn everything into his own body he goes to sleep,—­that inner Soul of the universe.’"[1607]

SECTION CCCIII

“Yudhishthira said, ’What is that which is called Undeteriorating and by attaining to which no one has to come back?  What, again, is that which is called Deteriorating, and by attaining to which one has to return once more?  O slayer of foes, I ask thee the distinction that exists, O thou of mighty arms, between the Deteriorating and the Undeteriorating ones for understanding them both truly, O delighter of the Kurus, Brahmanas conversant with the Vedas speak of thee as an Ocean of knowledge.  Highly-blessed Rishis and Yatis of high souls do the same.  Thou hast very few days to live.  When the Sun turns from the southern path for entering into the northern, thou shalt attain to thy high end.  When thou shalt leave us, from whom shall we hear of all that is beneficial for us?  Thou art the lamp of Kuru’s race.  Indeed thou art always blazing with the light of knowledge.  O perpetuator of Kuru’s race, I desire, therefore to hear all this from thee.  Listening to thy discourses that are always sweet like nectar, my curiosity, without being satiated is always increasing!’

“Bhishma said, ’I shall, in this connection, relate to thee the old narrative of the discourse that took place between Vasishtha and king Karala of Janaka’s race.  Once on a time when that foremost of Rishis, viz., Vasishtha, endued with the effulgence of the Sun, was seated at his ease, king Janaka asked him about that highest knowledge which is for our supreme good.  Highly proficient in that department of knowledge which is concerned with the Soul and possessed of certain conclusions