Markandeyapurana 3.63

3.63

yadā tu sa nṛpastāni dvārāṇyāvṛtya tiṣṭhati /
sadā susthabalaścaiva nirātaṅkaśca jāyate //

“But when Indra after speaking thus had departed, we prostrate on our faces thus implored our father, the renowned Muni, who was filled with anger. ‘Dear father, high-minded, deign to pardon us miserable ones who dread death; for life is dear to us. In an aggregate of skin bones and flesh, filled with pus and blood, wherein one should take no delight, therein do we find this delight. Hear too, Sir, how people are beguiled when overcome by those powerful enemies, their faults, love, anger and so forth. Great is the fortress which has Wisdom for its rampart, the bones for its pillars, the skin for its walls and banks, the flesh and blood for its plaster. Nine gates it has; it is capable of great effort; it is enclosed on all sides with sinews; and there the Sentient Soul[1] sits firm as king. He has two rival ministers, the Intelligence[2] and the Under standby[3]; those two strive to destroy each other as foes. Pour enemies desire the destruction of that king, Desire,[4] Anger, and Covetousness; and Folly[5] is the other enemy. But when that king closes those gates and stands firm, then he becomes indeed both happily strong and free from alarm; he displays his affections; he is not overcome by his enemies. But when he leaves all the gates open, then the enemy named Passion[6] assails the gates of the eyes, etc. Gaining an entrance by the five gates, he penetrates everywhere and spreads widely: then indeed enter, following on his track, the three other terrible enemies. That very enemy, Passion, having entered there, forms a close union with the Understanding, together with the other gates which are known as the organs. He, difficult to be approached, having reduced into subjection the organs and the Understanding, and having reduced into subjection the gates, then destroys the rampart. The Intelligence, seeing the Understanding the dependent of that enemy, perishes forthwith. And there, deprived of his ministers and abandoned by his subjects, the king, his straṭegetical points gained by the enemies, perishes. Even so Passion, Folly, Covetousness and Anger prevail, evil in their nature, wrecking the memory of mankind. From Passion springs Anger; from Anger is born Covetousness; from Covetousness arises Folly; from Folly errors of memory; from loss of memory loss of the intellect; through loss of the intellect man perishes. Shew favour, O thou most virtuous! to us who have thus lost our intellects, who are compliant to Passion and Covetousness, and who covet life. And let not this curse take effect, which thou hast pronounced, Sir! Let us not tread the miserable path of darkness, O best of Munis!’