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The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 by or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli

o >> or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2




"Dhritarashtra said, 'The gods, they that regard both virtue and profit
without swerving from either, and they that are possessed of great
learning, express a liking for high families. I ask thee, O Vidura, this
question,--what are those families that are called high?'

"Vidura said, 'Asceticism, self-restraint, knowledge of the Vedas,
sacrifices, pure marriages, and gifts of food,--those families in which
these seven exist or are practised duly, are regarded as high. There are
high families who deviate not from the right course whose deceased
ancestors are never pained (by witnessing the wrong-doings of their
descendants), who cheerfully practise all the virtues, who desire to
enhance the pure fame of the line in which they are born, and who avoid
every kind of falsehood. Families that are high, fall down and become low
owing to the absence of sacrifices, impure marriages, abandonment of the
Vedas, and insults offered to Brahmanas. High families fall off and
become low owing to their members disregarding or speaking ill of
Brahmanas, or to the misappropriation, O Bharata, of what had been
deposited with them by others. Those families that are possessed of
members, wealth and kine, are not regarded as families if they be wanting
in good manners and conduct, while families wanting in wealth but
distinguished by manners and good conduct are regarded as such and win
great reputation. Therefore, should good manners and good conduct be
maintained with care, for, as regards wealth, it cometh or goeth. He that
is wanting in wealth is not really wanting, but he that is wanting in
manners and conduct is really in want. Those families that abound in kine
and other cattle and in the produce of the field are not really worthy of
regard and fame if they be wanting in manners and conduct. Let none in
our race be a fomenter of quarrels, none serve a king as minister, none
steal the wealth of others, none provoke intestine dissensions, none be
deceitful or false in behaviour, and none eat before serving the Rishis,
the gods, and guests. He, in our race, who slayeth Brahmanas, or
entertaineth feelings of aversion towards them, or impedeth or otherwise
injureth agriculture, doth not deserve to mix with us. Straw (for a
seat), ground (for sitting upon), water (to wash the feet and face), and,
fourthly sweet words,--these are never wanting in the houses of the good.
Virtuous men devoted to the practice of righteous acts, when desirous of
entertaining (guests), have these things ready for being offered with
reverence. As the Sandal tree, O king, though thin, is competent to bear
weights which timbers of other trees (much thicker) cannot; so they that
belong to high families are always able to bear the weight of great cares
which ordinary men cannot. He is no friend whose anger inspireth fear, or
who is to be waited upon with fear. He, however, on whom one can repose
confidence as on a father, is a true friend. Other friendships are
nominal connection. He that beareth himself as a friend, even though
unconnected by birth of blood, is a true friend, a real refuge, and a
protector. He, whose heart is unsteady, or who doth not wait upon the
aged, or who is of a restless disposition cannot make friends. Success
(in the attainment of objects) forsaketh the person whose heart is
unsteady, or who hath no control over his mind, or who is a slave of his
senses, like swans forsaking a tank whose waters have dried up. They that
are of weak minds suddenly give way to anger and are gratified without
sufficient cause; they are like clouds that are so inconstant. The very
birds of prey abstain from touching the dead bodies of those who having
been served and benefited by friends, show ingratitude to the latter.
Beest thou poor or beest thou rich, thou shouldst honour thy friends.
Until some service is asked, the sincerity or otherwise of friends cannot
be known. Sorrow killeth beauty; sorrow killeth strength; sorrow killeth
the understanding; and sorrow bringeth on disease. Grief, instead of
helping the acquisition of his object, drieth up the body, and maketh
one's foes glad. Therefore, do not yield to grief, Men repeatedly die and
are reborn; repeatedly they wither away and grow; repeatedly they ask
others for help, and they themselves are asked for help; repeatedly they
lament and are lamented. Happiness and misery, plenty and want, gain and
loss, life and death, are shared by all in due order. Therefore, he that
is self-controlled should neither exult in joy nor repine in sorrow. The
six senses are always restless. Through the most predominant one amongst
them one's understanding escapeth in proportion to the strength it
assumes, like water from a pot through its holes.'

"Dhritarashtra said, 'King Yudhishthira who is like a flame of fire, has
been deceived by me. He will surely exterminate in battle all my wicked
sons. Everything, therefore, seems to me to be fraught with danger, and
my mind is full of anxiety, O thou of great intelligence, tell me such
words as may dispel my anxiety.'

"Vidura said, 'O sinless one, in nothing else than knowledge and
asceticism, in nothing else than restraining the senses, in nothing else
than complete abandonment of avarice, do I see thy good. Fear is
dispelled by self-knowledge; by asceticism one winneth what is great and
valuable; by waiting upon superiors learning is acquired; and peace is
gained by self-restraint. They that desire salvation without having
acquired the merit attainable by gifts, or that which is attainable by
practising the ritual of the Vedas, do not sojourn through life, freed
from anger and aversion. The happiness that may be derived from a
judicious course of study, from a battle fought virtuously, from ascetic
austerities performed rigidly, always increaseth at the end. They that
are no longer in peace with their relatives, obtain no steep even if they
have recourse to well-made beds; nor do they, O king, derive any plea.
sure from women, or the laudatory hymns of bards and eulogists. Such
persons can never practise virtue. Happiness can never be theirs, in this
world. Honours can never be theirs, and peace hath no charm for them.
Counsels that are for their benefit please them not. They never acquire
what they have not, nor succeed in retaining what they have, O king,
there is no other end for such men save destruction. As milk is possible
in kine, asceticism in Brahmanas, and inconstancy in women, so fear is
possible from relatives. Numerous thin threads of equal length, collected
together, are competent to bear, from the strength of numbers, the
constant rolling of the shuttle-cock over them. The case is even so with
relatives that are good, O bull of the Bharata race, separated from one
another, burning brands produce only smoke; but brought together they
blaze forth into a powerful flame. The case is even so, O Dhritarashtra,
with relatives. They, O Dhritarashtra, who tyrannise over Brahmanas,
women, relatives, and kine, soon fall off their stalks, like fruits that
are ripe. And the tree that stands singly, though gigantic and strong and
deep-rooted, hath its trunk soon smashed and twisted by a mighty wind.
Those trees, however, that grow in close compact are competent owing to
mutual dependence to resist winds more violent still. Thus he that is
single, however, endowed with all the virtues, is regarded by foes as
capable of being vanquished like an isolated tree by the wind. Relatives,
again, in consequence of mutual dependence and mutual aid, grow together,
like lotus-stalks in a lake. These must never be slain, viz., Brahmanas,
kine, relatives, children, women, those whose food is eaten, and those
also that yield by asking for protection. O king, without wealth no good
quality can show itself in a person. If, however, thou art in health,
thou canst achieve thy good, for he is dead who is unhealthy and ill. O
king, anger is a kind of bitter, pungent, acrid, and hot drink, painful
in its consequences: it is a kind of headache not born of any physical
illness, and they that are unwise can never digest it. Do thou, O king,
swallow it up and obtain peace. They that are tortured by disease have no
liking for enjoyments, nor do they desire any happiness from wealth. The
sick, however, filled with sorrow, know not what happiness is or what the
enjoyments of wealth are. Beholding Draupadi won at dice, I told thee
before, O king, these words,--They that are honest avoid deceit in play.
Therefore, stop Duryodhana! Thou didst not, however, act according to my
words. That is not strength which is opposed to softness. On the other
hand, strength mixed with softness constitutes true policy which should
ever be pursued. That prosperity which is dependent on crookedness alone
is destined to be destroyed. That prosperity, however, which depends on
both strength and softness, descends to sons and grandsons in tact. Let,
therefore, thy sons cherish the Pandavas, and the Pandavas also cherish
thy sons. O king, let the Kurus and the Pandavas, both having same
friends and same foes, live together in happiness and prosperity. Thou
art, today, O king, the refuge of the sons of Kuru. Indeed, the race of
Kuru, O Ajamida, is dependent on thee. O sire, preserving thy fame
unsullied, cherish thou the children of Pandu, afflicted as they are with
the sufferings of exile. O descendant of Kuru, make peace with the sons
of Pandu. Let not thy foes discover thy holes. They all, O god among men,
are devoted to truth. O king of men, withdraw Duryodhana from his evil
ways.'"



SECTION XXXVII

"Vidura said, 'O son of Vichitravirya, Manu, the son of the Self-created,
hath, O king, spoken of the following seven and ten kinds of men, as
those that strike empty space with their fists, or seek to bend the
vapoury bow of Indra in the sky, or desire to catch the intangible rays
of the sun. These seven and ten kinds of foolish men are as follow: he
who seeketh to control a person that is incapable of being controlled; he
who is content with small gains; he who humbly pays court to enemies; he
who seeks to restrain women's frailty; he who asketh him for gifts who
should never be asked; he who boasteth, having done anything; he who,
born in a high family, perpetrateth an improper deed; he who being weak
always wageth hostilities with one that is powerful; he who talketh to a
person listening scoffingly; he who desireth to have that which is
unattainable; he who being a father-in-law, jesteth with his
daughter-in-law; he who boasteth at having his alarms dispelled by his
daughter-in-law; he who scattereth his own seeds in another's field; he
who speaketh ill of his own wife; he who having received anything from
another sayeth that he doth not remember it, he who, having given away
anything in words in holy places, boasteth at home when asked to make
good his words, and he who striveth to prove the truth of what is false.
The envoys of Yama, with nooses in hand, drag those persons to hell. One
should behave towards another just as that other behaveth towards him.
Even this is consistent with social polity. One may behave deceitfully
towards him that behaveth deceitfully, but honestly towards him that is
honest in his behaviour. Old age killeth beauty; patience, hope; death,
life; the practice of virtue, worldly enjoyments; lust, modesty;
companionship with the wicked, good behaviour; anger, prosperity; and
pride, everything.'

"Dhritarashtra said, 'Man hath been spoken of in all the Vedas as having
hundred years for the period of his life. For what reason then, do not
all men attain the allotted period?'

"Vidura said, 'Excess of pride, excess in speech, excess in eating,
anger, the desire of enjoyment, and intestine dissensions,--these, O
king, are six sharp swords that cut off the period of life allotted to
creatures. It is these which kill men, and not death. Knowing this,
blessed be thou!'

'He who appropriates to himself the wife of one who hath confided in him;
he who violates the bed of his preceptor; that Brahmana, O Bharata, who
becomes the husband of a Sudra woman, or drinks wines; he who commendeth
Brahmanas or becometh their master, or taketh away the lands that support
them; and he who taketh the lives of those who yield asking for
protection, are all guilty of the sin of slaying Brahmanas. The Vedas
declare that contact with these requires expiation. He that accepts the
teaching of the wise; he that is acquainted with the rules of morality;
he that is liberal; he that eateth having first dedicated the food to the
gods and Pitris; he that envieth none; he that is incapable of doing
anything that injureth others; he that is grateful, truthful, humble and
learned, succeedeth in attaining to heaven.

'They are abundant, O king, that can always speak agreeable words. The
speaker, however, is rare, as also the hearer, of words that are
disagreeable but medicinal. That man who, without regarding what is
agreeable or disagreeable to his master but keeping virtue alone in view,
sayeth what is unpalatable, but medicinal, truly addeth to the strength
of the king. For the sake of the family a member may be sacrificed; for
the sake of the village, a family may be sacrificed; for the sake of a
kingdom a village may be sacrificed; and for the sake of one's soul, the
whole earth may be sacrificed. One should protect his wealth in view of
the calamities that may overtake him; by his wealth one should protect
his wives, and by both his wealth and wives one should protect his own
self. From very olden times it hath been seen that gambling provoketh
quarrels. Therefore, he that is wise, should not resort to it even in
jest. O son of Pratipa, at the time of that gambling match I told thee, O
king--this is not proper. But, O son of Vichitravirya, like medicine to a
sick man, those words of mine were not agreeable to thee. O king, thou
desirest to vanquish the sons of Pandu, who are just as peacocks of
variegated plumage, whereas thy sons are all as crows. Forsaking lions
thou art protecting jackals! O king, when the time cometh, thou wilt have
to grieve for all this. That master, O sire, who doth not give vent to
his displeasure with devoted servants zealously pursuing his good,
enlisteth the confidence of his servants. In fact, the latter adhere to
him even in distress. By confiscating the grants to one's servants or
stopping their pay, one should not seek to amass wealth, for even
affectionate counsellors deprived of their means of life and enjoyment,
turn against him and leave him (in distress). Reflecting first on all
intended acts and adjusting the wages and allowances of servants with his
income and expenditure, a king should make proper alliances, for there is
nothing that cannot be accomplished by alliances. That officer who fully
understanding the intentions of his royal master dischargeth all duties
with alacrity, and who is respectable himself and devoted to his master,
always telleth what is for his master's good, and who is fully acquainted
with the extent of his own might and with that also of those against,
whom he may be engaged, should be regarded by the king as his second
self. That servant, however, who commanded (by his master) disregardeth
the latter's injunctions and who enjoined to do anything refuseth to
submit, proud as he is of his own intelligence and given to arguing
against his master, should be got rid of without the least delay. Men of
learning say that a servant should be endued with these eight qualities,
viz., absence of pride, ability, absence of procrastination, kindness,
cleanliness, incorruptibility, birth in a family free from the taint of
disease, and weightiness of speech. No man should confidently enter an
enemy's house after dusk even with notice. One should not at night lurk
in the yard of another's premises, nor should one seek to enjoy a woman
to whom the king himself might make love. Never set thyself against the
decision to which a person hath arrived who keepeth low company and who
is in the habit of consulting all he meeteth. Never tell him,--I do not
believe thee,--but assigning some reason send him away on a pretext. A
king who is exceedingly merciful, a woman of lewd character, the servant
of a king, a son, a brother, a widow having an infant son one serving in
the army, and one that hath suffered great losses, should never be
engaged in pecuniary transactions of lending or borrowing. These eight
qualities shed a lustre on men, viz., wisdom, high lineage, acquaintance
with scriptures, self-restraint, prowess, moderation in speech, gift to
the extent of one's power, and gratefulness. These high qualities, O
sire, are necessarily brought together by one only by gifts. When the
king favours a person, that incident (of royal favour) bringeth in all
others and holdeth them together. He that performeth ablutions winneth
these ten, viz., strength, beauty, a clear voice, capacity to utter all
the alphabetical sounds, delicacy of touch, fineness of scent,
cleanliness, gracefulness, delicacy of limbs, and beautiful women. He
that eateth sparingly winneth these six, viz., health, long life, and
ease; his progeny also becometh healthy, and nobody reproacheth him for
gluttony. One should not give shelter to these in his house, viz., one
that always acteth improperly, one that eateth too much, one that is
hated by all, one that is exceedingly deceitful, one that is cruel, one
that is ignorant of the proprieties of time and place, and one that
dresseth indecently. A person, however distressed, should never solicit a
miser for alms, or one that speaketh ill of others, or one that is
unacquainted with the shastras, or a dweller in the woods, or one that is
cunning, or one that doth not regard persons worthy of regard, or one
that is cruel, or one that habitually quarrels with others, or one that
is ungrateful. A person should never wait upon these six worst of men,
viz., one that is a foe, one that always errs, one that is wedded to
falsehood, one that is wanting in devotion to the gods, one that is
without affection, and one that always regards himself competent to do
everything. One's purposes depend (for their success) on means; and means
are dependent, again, on the nature of the purposes (sought to be
accomplished by them). They are intimately connected with each other, so
that success depends on both. Begetting sons and rendering them
independent by making some provision for them, and bestowing maiden
daughters on eligible persons, one should retire to the woods, and desire
to live as a Muni. One should, for obtaining the favours of the Supreme
Being, do that which is for the good of all creatures as also for his own
happiness, for it is this which is the root of the successful of all
one's objects. What anxiety hath he for a livelihood that hath
intelligence, energy, prowess, strength, alacrity and perseverance?

'Behold the evils of a rupture with the Pandavas which would sadden the
very gods with Sakra. These are, first, enmity between them that are all
thy sons; secondly, a life of continued anxiety; thirdly, the loss of the
fair fame of the Kurus; and lastly, the joy of those that are thy
enemies. The wrath of Bhishma, O thou of the splendour of Indra, of
Drona, and the king Yudhishthira, will consume the whole world, like a
comet of large proportions falling transversely on the earth. Thy hundred
sons and Karna and the sons of Pandu can together rule the vast earth
with the belt of the seas. O king, the Dhartarashtras constitute a forest
of which the Pandavas are, I think, tigers. O, do not cut down that
forest with its tigers! O, let not the tigers be driven from that forest!
There can be no forest without tigers, and no tigers without a forest.
The forest shelters the tigers and tigers guard the forest!'

They that are sinful never seek so much to ascertain the good qualities
of others as to ascertain their faults. He that desires the highest
success in all matters connected with worldly profit, should from the
very beginning practise virtue, for true profit is never separated from
heaven. He whose soul hath been dissociated from sin and firmly fixed on
virtue, hath understood all things in their natural and adventitious
states; he that followeth virtue, profit, and desire, in proper seasons,
obtaineth, both here and hereafter, a combination of all three. He that
restraineth the force of both anger and joy, and never, O king, loseth
his senses under calamities, winneth prosperity. Listen to me, O king.
Men are said to have five different kinds of strength, Of these, the
strength of arms is regarded to be of the most inferior kind. Blessed be
thou, the acquisition of good counsellors is regarded as the second kind
of strength. The wise have said that the acquisition of wealth is the
third kind of strength. The strength of birth, O king, which one
naturally acquireth from one's sires and grandsires, is regarded as the
fourth kind of strength. That, however, O Bharata, by which all these are
won, and which is the foremost of all kinds of strength, is called the
strength of the intellect. Having provoked the hostility of a person who
is capable of inflicting great injury on a fellow creature, one should
not gather assurance from the thought that one liveth at a distance from
the other. Who that is wise that can place his trust on women, kings,
serpents, his own master, enemies, enjoyments, and period of life? There
are no physicians nor medicines for one that hath been struck by the
arrow of wisdom. In the case of such a person neither the mantras of
homa, nor auspicious ceremonies, nor the mantras of the Atharva Veda, nor
any of the antidotes of poison, are of any efficacy. Serpents, fire,
lions, and consanguineous relatives,--none of these, O Bharata, should be
disregarded by a man; all of these are possessed of great power. Fire is
a thing of great energy in this world. It lurketh in wood and never
consumeth it till it is ignited by others. That very fire, when brought
out by friction, consumeth by its energy not only the wood in which it
lurketh, but also an entire forest and many other things. Men of high
lineage are just like fire in energy. Endued with forgiveness, they
betray no outward symptoms of wrath and are quiet like fire in wood.
Thou, O king, with thy sons art possessed of the virtue of creepers, and
the sons of Pandu are regarded as Sala trees. A creeper never groweth
unless there is a large tree to twine round. O king, O son of Ambika, thy
son is as a forest. O sire, know that the Pandavas are the lions of that
forest. Without its lions the forest is doomed to destruction, and lions
also are doomed to destruction without the forest (to shelter them).'"



SECTION XXXVIII

"Vidura said, 'The heart of a young man, when an aged and venerable
person cometh to his house (as a guest), soareth aloft. By advancing
forward and saluting him, he getteth it back. He that is self-controlled,
first offering a seat, and bringing water and causing his guest's feet to
be washed and making the usual enquiries of welcome, should then speak of
his own affairs, and taking everything into consideration, offer him
food. The wise have said that man liveth in vain in whose dwelling a
Brahmana conversant with mantras doth not accept water, honey and curds,
and kine from fear of being unable to appropriate them, or from
miserliness and unwillingness with which the gifts are made. A physician,
a maker of arrows, even one that hath given up the vow of Brahmacharya
before it is complete, a thief, a crooked-minded man, a Brahmana that
drinks, one that causeth miscarriage, one that liveth by serving in the
army, and one that selleth the Vedas, when arrived as a guest, however
undeserving he may be the offer of water should be regarded (by a
householder) as exceedingly dear. A Brahmana should never be a seller of
salt, of cooked food, curds, milk, honey, oil, clarified butter, sesame,
meat, fruits, roots, potherbs, dyed clothes, all kinds of perfumery, and
treacle. He that never giveth way to anger, he that is above grief, he
that is no longer in need of friendship and quarrels, he that
disregardeth both praise and blame, and he that standeth aloof from both
what is agreeable and disagreeable, like one perfectly withdrawn from the
world, is a real Yogin of the Bhikshu order. That virtuous ascetic who
liveth on rice growing wild, or roots, or potherbs, who hath his soul
under control, who carefully keepeth his fire for worship, and dwelling
in the woods is always regardful of guests, is indeed, the foremost of
his brotherhood. Having wronged an intelligent person, one should never
gather assurance from the fact that one liveth at a distance from the
person wronged. Long are the arms which intelligent persons have, by
which they can return wrongs for wrongs done to them, One should never
put trust on him who should not be trusted, nor put too much trust on him
who should be trusted, for the danger that ariseth from one's having
reposed trust on another cutteth off one's very roots. One should
renounce envy, protect one's wives, give to others what is their due, and
be agreeable in speech. One should be sweet-tongued and pleasant in his
address as regards one's wives, but should never be their slave. It hath
been said that wives that are highly blessed and virtuous, worthy of
worship and the ornaments of their homes, are really embodiments of
domestic prosperity. They should, therefore, be protected particularly.
One should devolve the looking over of his inner apartments on his
father; of the kitchen, on his mother; of the kine, on somebody he looks
upon as his own self, but as regards agriculture, one should look over it
himself. One should look after guests of the trader-caste through his
servants, and those of the Brahmana caste through his sons. Fire hath its
origin in water; Kshatriyas in Brahmanas; and iron in stone. The energy
of those (i.e., fire, Kshatriyas, and iron) can affect all things but is
neutralised as soon as the things come in contact with their progenitors.
Fire lieth concealed in wood without showing itself externally. Good and
forgiving men born of high families and endued with fiery energy, do not
betray any outward symptoms of what is within them. That king whose
counsels cannot be known by either outsiders or those about him, but who
knoweth the counsels of others through his spies, enjoyeth his prosperity
long. One should never speak of what one intends to do. Let anything thou
doest in respect of virtue, profit, and desire, be not known till it is
done. Let counsels be not divulged. Ascending on the mountain-top or on
the terrace of a palace, or proceeding to a wilderness devoid of trees
and plants, one should, in secrecy, mature his counsels. O Bharata,
neither a friend who is without learning, nor a learned friend who hath
no control over his senses, deserveth to be a repository of state
secrets. O king, never make one thy minister without examining him well,
for a king's finances and the keeping of his counsels both depend on his
minister. That king is the foremost of rulers, whose ministers know his
acts in respect of virtue, profit and desire, only after they are done.
The king whose counsels are kept close, without doubt, commandeth
success. He that from ignorance committeth acts that are censurable,
loseth his very life in consequence of the untoward results of those
acts. The doing of acts that are praise-worthy is always attended with
ease. Omission to do such acts leadeth to repentance. As a Brahmana
without having studied the Vedas is not fit to officiate at a Sraddha (in
honour of the Pitris), so he that hath not heard of the six (means for
protecting a kingdom) deserveth not to take part in political
deliberations. O king, he that hath an eye upon increase, decrease, and
surplus, he that is conversant with the six means and knoweth also his
own self, he whose conduct is always applauded, bringeth the whole earth
under subjection to himself. He whose anger and joy are productive of
consequences, he who looketh over personally what should be done, he who
hath his treasury under his own control, bringeth the whole earth under
subjection to himself. The king should be content with the name he wins
and the umbrella that is held over his head. He should divide the wealth
of the kingdom among these that serve him. Alone he should not
appropriate everything. A Brahmana knoweth a Brahmana, the husband
understandeth the wife, the king knoweth the minister, and monarchs know
monarchs. A foe that deserveth death, when brought under subjection
should never be set free. If one be weak one should pay court to one's
foe that is stronger, even if the latter deserves death; but one should
kill that foe as soon as one commandeth sufficient strength, for, if not
killed, dangers soon arise from him. One should, with an effort, control
his wrath against the gods, kings, Brahmanas, old men, children, and
those that are helpless. He that is wise should avoid unprofitable
quarrels such as fools only engage in. By this one winneth great fame in
this world and avoideth misery and unhappiness. People never desire him
for a master whose grace is fruitless and whose wrath goest for nothing,
like women never desiring him for a husband who is a eunuch. Intelligence
doth not exist for the acquisition of wealth, nor is idleness the cause
of adversity; the man of wisdom only knoweth, and not others, the cause
of the diversities of condition in this world. The fool, O Bharata,
always disregardeth those that are elderly in years, and eminent in
conduct and knowledge, in intelligence, wealth, and lineage. Calamities
soon come upon them that are of wicked disposition, devoid of wisdom,
envious, or sinful, foul-tongued, and wrathful. Absence of deceitfulness,
gift, observance of the established rules of intercourse, and speech
well-controlled, bring all creatures under subjection. He that is without
deceitfulness, he that is active, grateful, intelligent, and guileless,
even if his treasury be empty, obtaineth friends, counsellors, and
servants. Intelligence, tranquillity of mind, self-control, purity,
absence of harsh speech and unwillingness to do anything disagreeable to
friends,--these seven are regarded as the fuel of prosperity's flame. The
wretch who doth not give to others their due, who is of wicked soul, who
is ungrateful, and shameless, should, O king, be avoided. The guilty
person who provoketh another about him that is innocent, cannot sleep
peacefully at night, like a person passing the night with a snake in the
same room. They, O Bharata, who upon being angry endanger one's
possessions and means of acquisition, should always be propitiated like
the very gods. Those objects that depend upon women, careless persons,
men that have fallen away from the duties of their caste, and those that
are wicked in disposition, are doubtful of success. They sink helplessly.
O king, like a raft made of stone, who have a woman, a deceitful person,
or a child, for their guide. They that are competent in the general
principles of work, though not in particular kinds of work are regarded
by men as learned and wise for particular kinds of work, are subsidiary,
That man who is highly spoken of by swindlers, mimes and women of ill
fame, is more dead than alive, Forsaking these mighty bowmen of
immeasurable energy, viz., the son of Pandu, thou hast. O Bharata,
devolved on Duryodhana, the cares of a mighty empire. Thou shalt,
therefore, soon see that swelling affluence fall off, like Vali fallen
off from the three worlds.'"

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Marcus Aurelius Antoninus - "Thoughts of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus"

Anonymous - "Genesis A"

Annie Allnut Brassey - "A Voyage in the 'Sunbeam'"

Various - "The American Missionary, October, 1890, Vol. XLIV., No. 10"

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Theatre review: Three Women, Jermyn Street, London
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We do not know the women's names, but their voices are quite distinct. All are pregnant. But while the first woman awaits the birth of her baby with a moon-like serenity, the other two are not so lucky. One, whose previous pregnancies have failed to go to term, is experiencing a heartbreaking late miscarriage; the other is a young student whose accidental pregnancy will end in her child being put up for adoption.

Sylvia Plath's only play was never intended for the stage, being broadcast instead on BBC radio in August 1962. Less than six months later, Plath killed herself, but not before the burst of astonishing creative energy that produced her extraordinary, terrifying Ariel poems.

Anyone who knows Plath's poetry will see the connection between Three Women and Plath's subsequent poems, particularly in the way she talks about the agony of childbirth, the rush of love for this tiny alien being, and both the wonder and wounded rawness of motherhood. It is a beautiful piece, full of startling imagery that draws you in through the sheer intensity of its femaleness, and because it so precisely articulates the emotions that are often thought but seldom voiced by women - certainly not in the early 1960s - about men, motherhood and our relationship to our bodies.

It's been 20 years since there has been an attempt at a professional stage version and - in a theatre world that happily accepts the poetic offerings of Sarah Kane and Debbie Tucker Green, or the staged possibilities of The Waves, one of Plath's own inspirations for the piece, I see no reason why it shouldn't be brought to life. Sadly, it doesn't breathe here, in a production by Robert Shaw that is clearly a labour of love, but which never finds a way to give the internal a physical reality. Plath's poetry, like most babies, is more robust than it appears - and won't break if treated with a little less reverence and considerably more grit.

Instead, what we are offered is tinkling piano music, mournful mood lighting, an innocuous pale setting, as well as three perfectly good but indisputably ladylike performances that capture none of the wounded redness of Plath's poetry, and do her the disservice of making her sound bleached and somewhat prissy. It's a pity. What might have been a wonder ends up a mere curiosity.

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