These, O chief, and other Rajas, we hear enumerated by
hundreds and by thousands, and still others by millions, princes of great
power and wisdom, quitting very abundant enjoyments met death as thy sons
have done! Their heavenly deeds, valour, and generosity, their magnanimity,
faith, truth, purity, simplicity and mercy, are published to the world in
the records of former times by sacred bards of great learning. Though
endued with every noble virtue, these have yielded up their lives. Thy
sons were malevolent, inflamed with passion, avaricious, and of very evil-
disposition. Thou art versed in the Sastras, O Bharata, and art
intelligent and wise; they never sink under misfortunes whose
understandings are guided by the Sastras. Thou art acquainted, O prince,
with the lenity and severity of fate; this anxiety therefore for the
safety of thy children is unbecoming. Moreover, it behoveth thee not to
grieve for that which must happen: for who can avert, by his wisdom, the
decrees of fate? No one can leave the way marked out for him by Providence.
Existence and non-existence, pleasure and pain all have Time for their
root. Time createth all things and Time destroyeth all creatures. It is
Time that burneth creatures and it is Time that extinguisheth the fire.
All states, the good and the evil, in the three worlds, are caused by Time.
Time cutteth short all things and createth them anew. Time alone is awake
when all things are asleep: indeed, Time is incapable of being overcome.
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