"Yudhishthira said, 'Cruel and sinful that we are, alas, we have slain
brothers and sires and grandsons and kinsmen and friends and sons. How, O
grandsire, shall we dispel this thirst for wealth. Alas, through that
thirst we have perpetrated many sinful deeds.'

"Bhishma said, 'In this connection is cited the old narrative of what was
said by the ruler of the Videhas unto the enquiring Mandavya. The ruler
of the Videhas said, 'I have nothing (in this world), yet I live in great
happiness. If the whole of Mithila (which is said to be my kingdom) burn
in a conflagration, nothing of mine will be burnt down. Tangible
possessions, however valuable, are a source of sorrow to men of
knowledge; while possessions of even little value fascinate the
foolish.Brahmabhava is explained as follows: when one succeeds in understanding Brahma, one is said to attain to Brahma, as the Srutis declare. The commentator explains that Pasyanti is used with reference to those that are learned in the scriptures. They behold the attainment of the highest end by Jiva _not_ with their physical eyes but with the eye of the scriptures, for they that are themselves emancipated cannot be said to behold the emancipation of another. This is grave trifling for explaining the use of the word pasyanti. Whatever happiness exists here, derivable from the
gratification of desire, and whatever heavenly happiness exists of high
value, do not come up to even a sixteenth part of the felicity that
attends the total disappearance of desire. As the horns of a cow grow
with the growth of the cow itself, after the same manner the thirst for
wealth increases with increasing acquisitions of wealth. Whatever the
object for which one feels an attachment, that object becomes a source of
pain when it is lost. One should not cherish desire. Attachment to desire
leads to sorrow. When wealth has been acquired, one should apply it to
purposes of virtue. One should even then give up desire.The commentator points out that possessions of value include even the region of Brahman. Men of knowledge, who seek Emancipation, do not set any value on even the joy of the region of the Creator. The man of
knowledge always looks upon other creatures even as he looks upon
himself. Having cleansed his soul and attained to success, he casts off
everything here.The commentator explains that one should not cherish 'the desire for wealth even for the sake of acquiring virtue therewith. When, however, wealth is obtained without effort, such wealth should be applied to the acquisition of virtue. One is also directed to give up the desire of acquiring wealth (by even innocent means) the reason being that desire, when cherished, is sure to increase and get the better of one's heart. By casting off both truth and falsehood, grief and
joy, the agreeable and disagreeable, fearlessness and fear, one attains
to tranquillity, and becomes free from every anxiety. That thirst (for
earthly things) which is difficult of being cast off by men of foolish
understanding, which wanes not with the wane of the body, and which is
regarded as a fatal disease (by men of knowledge), one who succeeds in
casting off is sure to find felicity. The man of virtuous soul, by
beholding his own behaviour that has become bright as the moon and free
from evil of every kind, succeeds in happily attaining to great fame both
here and hereafter.' Hearing these words of the king, the Brahmana became
filled with joy, and applauding what he heard, Mandavya betook himself to
the path of Emancipation.'"