' The Yaksha asked,--'What is that which, if renounced,
maketh one agreeable? What is that which, if renounced, leadeth to no
regret? What is that which, if renounced, maketh one wealthy? And what
is that which if renounced, maketh one happy?' Yudhishthira
answered,--'Pride, if renounced, maketh one agreeable; wrath, if
renounced leadeth to no regret; desire, if renounced, maketh one
wealthy; and avarice, if renounced, maketh one happy.' The Yaksha
asked,--'For what doth one give away to Brahmanas? For what to mimes and
dancers? For what to servants? And for what to the king?' Yudhishthira
answered,--'It is for religious merit that one giveth away to Brahmanas;
it is for fame that one giveth away to mimes and dancers; it is for
supporting them that one giveth away to servants; and it is for
obtaining relief from fear that one giveth to kings.' The Yaksha
asked,--'With what is the world enveloped? What is that owing to which a
thing cannot discover itself? For what are friends forsaken? And for
what doth one fail to go to heaven?' Yudhishthira answered,--'The world
is enveloped with darkness. Darkness doth not permit a thing to show
itself. It is from avarice that friends are forsaken. And it is
connection with the world for which one faileth to go to heaven.' The
Yaksha asked,--'For what may one be considered as dead? For what may a
kingdom be considered as dead? For what may a _Sraddha_ be considered as
dead? And for what, a sacrifice?' Yudhishthira answered,--'For want of
wealth may a man be regarded as dead.
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