Witnessing the suffering of the gathered sages, the king’s heart was overcome with sorrow. He approached them with humility and spoke, “O revered Brāhmaṇas, for you, the receiving of gifts is a time-honored and blameless practice. Therefore, O best of sages, please accept gifts from me.” The king offered generously, saying, “Villages, rice, barley, food, jewels, gold, cows, and milch cows—all this I offer you. Only, I beseech you, do not cook flesh, O twice-born ones.” But the sages replied, “O king, to receive gifts is a dreadful thing. The taste of honey may seem sweet, but it is like poison to us. Why do you tempt us, knowing this truth? Consider: one who kills ten is equal to a charioteer; one who kills ten charioteers is as a banner-bearer; ten banner-bearers equal a courtesan; and ten courtesans are as a king. A butcher who slaughters a thousand animals is equal to a king—thus, to receive gifts from a king is indeed dreadful. A Brahmin who, overcome by greed, accepts gifts from the king suffers in the terrible hells such as Tāmisra.” With compassion but firmness, the sages advised, “Go now, O fortunate king, together with your charity. Let these gifts be bestowed upon others.” Having spoken thus, they departed for the forest. Yet, desiring to help, the king ordered his ministers to scatter udumbara fruits filled with gold along the sages’ path. Searching for food, the sages found the fruits, but soon realized their unusual weight. Atri, wise among them, spoke: “We are not of dull understanding, nor are we of weak intellect. We know these fruits are golden, for we are awakened and wise. This gold is meant for delight in wealth in this world and, after death, may lead one to Vaikuntha—but one who seeks lasting happiness should not accept it. Even if one receives a hundredfold coin joined with a thousand, but from an improper source, he attains the most sinful fate.” Atri continued, “Consider: all the rice, barley, gold, cattle, and women on earth are not enough for one person. Therefore, one should seek contentment.” Then Vasiṣṭha spoke, “The accumulation of austerity belongs to one, and the accumulation of wealth to another. Of these, the accumulation of austerity is superior. When one abandons all accumulations, troubles perish, for no one with attachments is seen to be free from afflictions. The more a Brahmin refrains from accepting improper gifts, the more his Brahminical radiance increases through contentment. If one weighs poverty and kingship on a scale, for one who seeks true welfare, poverty is greater than kingship.” Kaśyapa added, “For a Brahmin, the great accumulation of wealth is a misfortune. Deluded by prosperity, a Brahmin falls from excellence; the abundance of wealth leads to delusion and to hell. Therefore, one seeking the highest good should renounce wealth, known as misfortune, from afar. For one whose pursuit of wealth is for dharma, non-pursuit is even greater. Indeed, it is better to avoid touching mud from a distance than to wash it off later; the dharma achieved by wealth is said to be perishable.” Bharadvāja observed, “Renunciation for the sake of another, even with loss, is the mark of liberation. As one ages, hair and teeth decay, but the desire for wealth and the desire for life do not. The eyes and ears may fail, but thirst remains ever unwearied. Just as a tailor draws a thread through cloth with a needle, so is the thread of worldly existence drawn by the needle of craving. As a horn grows on a beast and increases with the body, so too is craving endless, insatiable, bringing countless sorrows. Since craving is full of unrighteousness, one should avoid it.” Gautama then said, “Who, being content, cannot overcome even the fruits of action? With greedy, restless senses, one plunges into difficulties; but for the one whose mind is content, prosperity is found everywhere. For one whose feet are covered by sandals, it is as if the whole earth is covered in leather—such is the happiness of those satisfied by the nectar of contentment, whose minds are at peace. How can such happiness exist for those greedy for wealth, whose minds run here and there? Discontent is the greatest misery; contentment is the highest happiness. Therefore, a person who seeks happiness should always remain content.” Viśvāmitra spoke, “If a desire is fulfilled for one who longs for pleasure, another desire strikes him again like an arrow. Desire is never satisfied by enjoyment. Like a fire fed with ghee, it only grows stronger; a man, deluded by longing, does not attain happiness. Like a partridge entering the shade of a tree where a hawk dwells, so is the one who enjoys this earth, even up to the four oceans. He who has achieved his purpose even once is equal to one for whom stone and gold are the same—not a king.” Jamadagni added, “Even if capable of accepting gifts, he who does not accept them attains those eternal worlds reserved for the charitable. But a Brahmin who desires wealth from a king is to be pitied by the great sages. Such a deluded soul does not see the fear of torment in hell. Even if capable of accepting gifts, one should not become attached to receiving them. By accepting gifts, the Brahmin’s spiritual power is diminished; but for those capable who refrain from gifts, the worlds attained by givers are also attained by non-receivers. The very worlds attained by those who give are also attained by those who do not accept gifts.” Finally, Arundhati spoke, “Just as a lotus fiber always remains in water, so too is craving—endless and ever-present in the body. It is hard to abandon for the foolish and does not decay even as the body decays.” Thus, the sages, steadfast in their wisdom and contentment, instructed the king and one another on the perils of craving, the burden of gifts, and the supreme peace found in renunciation and contentment.