Vaishampayana said: 'Then the renowned and wise King Dhritarashtra, praising the words spoken by Vidura, questioned Sanatsujata in private, wishing to obtain the highest of all knowledge — which of these two views is true?' Sanatsujata said: 'Some say that death can be averted by certain actions; others hold that death does not exist at all; you have asked me which of these is true. Listen to me, O king, as I tell you this, so that your doubts may be dispelled. Know, O kshatriya, that both these statements are true. The learned hold the view that death comes from ignorance. I say that ignorance is Death, and therefore the absence of ignorance — that is, Knowledge — is immortality. It was through ignorance that the asuras became subject to defeat and death, and it was through the absence of ignorance that the gods attained the nature of Brahman. Death does not devour beings as a tiger does; its very form is indefinite. Moreover, some regard Yama as death. Yet this arises from a weakness of the mind. The aspiration toward Brahman, or toward self-knowledge, is immortality. This (imagined) god (Yama) rules over the realm of the Pitris, being the source of bliss for the virtuous and grief for sinners. By his command, death in the form of anger, ignorance, and greed occurs among men. Yielding to pride, men always follow the path of unrighteousness. Not one of them succeeds in attaining his true nature. With clouded understanding, and yielding to their passions, they leave their bodies and fall repeatedly into hell.'