Mahābhārata

M. N. Dutt: Kapila said Seeing that all the fruits that can be gained by acts are instable instead of being eternal, Yatis, by adopting self-control and tranquallity, attain to Brahma through the path of knowledge. There is nothing in any of the worlds that can stand in their way.

M. N. Dutt: They are freed from the influence of all pairs of opposites. They never offer their salutation to anything or to any creature. They are above all the fetters of want. Wisdom is theirs. They are purged of every sin. Pure and stainless they live rove about.

M. N. Dutt: They have, in their own understandings, formed fixed conclusions regarding all destructible objects and a life of at are Renunciation. Devoted to Brahma, and already at one with Brahma, they have taken refuge in Brahma.

M. N. Dutt: Getting over grief, and freed from the quality of darkness, their acquisitions eternal. When the high end of these men is within reach of attainment, what need has one for performing the duties of the domestic mode of life.

M. N. Dutt: If, indeed, that be the highest object of acquisition, if that be truly the highest end then the importance of the domestic mode of life becomes clear, because without the domestic mode no other mode of life ever becomes possible.

M. N. Dutt: Indeed, as all living creatures live on account of their dependence on their respective mothers, similarly the three other modes of life exist on account of their dependence upon the domestic mode.

M. N. Dutt: The householder who lives like a householder, celebrates sacrifices and practise penances. Whatever is done by anybody for acquiring happiness has for its root the domestic mode of life.

M. N. Dutt: All living creatures consider the procreation of offspring as a root of great happiness. The procreation of children, however, becomes impossible in any other mode of life.

Corresponding verse not found in M. N. Dutt's version.

M. N. Dutt: Every sort of grass and straw, all plants and herbs, and others of the same class growing on hills and mountains, have the domestic mode of life for their root. Upon these rests the life of living creatures. And since nothing else is seen than life, domesticity may be regarded as the refuge of the entire universe.

M. N. Dutt: Who then speaks the truth who says that domesticity cannot bring on the acquisition of Liberation? Only those who have no faith and wisdom and penetration, only those who have no reputation, who are idle and toil-worn who have misery in their lot on account of their pristine deeds, only those who are destitute of learning, see the profusion of tranquillity in a life of mendicancy.

M. N. Dutt: The central and unfailing (Vedic) distinctions are the causes that keep up the three worlds. That Illustrious person of the highest caste who is conversant with the Vedas, is adored from the very date of his birth.

M. N. Dutt: Besides the celebration of Garbhadhana, Vedic Mantras become necessary for enabling persons of the twice-born classes to perforin all their acts regarding both this and the oiher world.

M. N. Dutt: In cremating his body in attainment of a second body, in that of his drink and food after such attainment, in that of giving away kine and other animals for helping him to cross the river that divides this world from that of Yama, in that of sinking the funeral cakes in water, Vedic Mantras are necessary.

M. N. Dutt: Then again the three classes of Pitris, viz., the Archishmats, the Varihshads, and the Kravyads, approve of the necessity of Mantras about the dead, and Mantras are regarded as powerful causes.

M. N. Dutt: When the Vedas proclaim this so loudly and when again human beings are said to owe debts to the Pitris, the Rishis, and the gods, how can any one attain to Liberation.

M. N. Dutt: This false doctrine (of incorporeal existence called Emancipation), seemingly consistent with truth, but subversive of the real meaning of the injunctions of the Vedas, has been introduced by learned men shorn of prosperity and eaten up by idleness.

M. N. Dutt: That Brahmana who celebrates sacrifices according to the injunctions of the Vedas, is never seduced by sin. Through sacrifices, such a person acquires high regions of happiness along with the animals he has killed in those sacrifices, and himself, pleased by the acquisition of all his wishes succeeds in pleasing those animals by fulfilling their wishes.

M. N. Dutt: By neglecting the Vedas, by guile, or by deception, one never succeeds in attaining to the Supreme. On the other hand, it is by practising Vedic rites that one succeeds in attaining to Brahina.

M. N. Dutt: Kapila said There are the Darsha, the Pauranmasha, the Agnihotra, the Chaturmashya, and other rites which an intelligent man should perform. Eternal merit consists in their performance.

M. N. Dutt: Those that have adopted the Sanyasa mode of life, who abstain from all acts, who are endued with patience, who are cleansed, and who are conversant with Brahma, succeed by such knowledge of Brahma in satisfying the debts to the gods, (also the Pitris and the Rishis), described to be so very fond of libations poured in sacrifices.

M. N. Dutt: The very gods become stupefied in finding out the path of that pathless person who forms himself the soul of all creatures and who regards all creatures impartially.

M. N. Dutt: Through instructions delivered by the preceptor one knows that which lives within this body to be of a four-fold nature, having besides four doors and four mouths. In consequence of two arms the organ of speech, the stomach, and the organ of pleasure, the very duties are said to have four doors. One should, therefore, do his best to keep those doors under control.

M. N. Dutt: One should not gamble with dice. One should not appropriate others properties. One should not officiate at the sacrifice of a person of a mean birth. One should not, yielding to anger, smite another with hands or feet. That intelligent man who acts thus is said to have his hands and feet well-governed.

M. N. Dutt: One should not make loud abuse or censure. Onc should not speak useless words. One should forbear from knavery and from accusing others. One should observe the vow of truthfulness, be sparing of speech, and always careful. By acting thus one will have his organ of speech well-governed.

M. N. Dutt: One should not abstain entirely from food. One should not eat too much. One should give up covetousness, and always seek company of the good. One should eat only so much as is necessary for keeping life. By acting thus one succeeds in properly governing the door represented by his stomach.

M. N. Dutt: One should not, O hero, out of lust take another wife when he has a wedded wife. One should never call a woman to bed except in her season. One should confine himself to her own married spouse without seeking union with other women. By acting thus one is said in have his organ of pleasure properly governed.

M. N. Dutt: That wise man is truly a regenerate person who has all his four doors, viz., the organ of pleasure, the stomach, the two arms (and two feet), and the organ of speech, properly governed.

M. N. Dutt: Everything becomes useless of that person whose doors are not well governed. O what avail are the penances of such a man? Of what avail are his sacrifices? What can be gained by his body?

M. N. Dutt: The gods consider him a Brahmana who has cast off his upper garment, who sleeps on the naked earth, who makes his arm a pillow, and whose heart is endued with tranquillity.

M. N. Dutt: That person who, given to contemplation, singly enjoys all the happiness that married couples enjoy, and who pays no attention to the joys and griefs of others, should be known as a Brahmana.

M. N. Dutt: That man who properly understands all this as it really is and its various metamorphoses, and who knows what the end is of all created objects, is known by the gods as a Brahmana.

Corresponding verse not found in M. N. Dutt's version.

M. N. Dutt: One who entertains no fear from any creature and from whom no creature has any fear, and who forms hiinself the soul of all creatures, should be known as a Brahmana.

M. N. Dutt: Without having gained purity of heart which is the true end of all religions acts such as gifts and sacrifices, men of foolish a even understandings do not succeed in acquiring a knowledge of what is necessary in making one Brahmana when explained by preceptors. Shorn of a knowledge of all this, these men desire fruits of a different sort, viz., heaven and its joys.

M. N. Dutt: Unable to practise even a small part of that good conduct which has descended from remote times, which is eternal, which is characterised by certainty, which enters as a thread in all our duties, and by following which men of knowledge belonging to all the modes of life convert their respective duties and penances into dreadful weapons for killing the ignorance and evils of worldliness, men of foolish understandings regard acts which yield visible fruits, which are fraught with the highest power, and that are deathless, as fruitless after all and as deviations not sanctioned by the scriptures. In sooth, however, that conduct, comprising practices the very opposite to those that are seen in times of distress, is the very essence of carefulness and is never affected by lust and anger and other passions of a similar nature.

M. N. Dutt: About sacrifices again, it is very difficult to determine all their particulars. If ascertained, it is very difficult to follow them in practice. If practised, the fruits which they beget are terminable. Mark this well.

M. N. Dutt: The Vedas sanction acts and disallow them. Whence then is their authority when their injunctions thus contradict each other? Renunciation of acts, again, yield great benefit. Both these ways have been laid down in the Vedas. Do you describe to me this subject, O Brahmana.

M. N. Dutt: Kapila said Adopting the path of the good (viz., Yoga), do you in even this life realise its fruits by the direct evidence of your senses! What, however, are the palpable results of those other objects which pursue?

M. N. Dutt: O Brahmana, I am Syumarashmi by name! I have come here for gaining knowledge. Desirous of done good to myself I have begun this conversation in all simplicity and not from desire of argumentation.

M. N. Dutt: This doubt has filled my mind. O illustrious one, solve it to me! You have said that they who adopt the path of the good (viz., Yoga), by which Brahma is attained, realise its fruits by the direct evidence of their senses. What, indeed, is that which can be realised by the direct evidence of the senses and which is followed by yourselves?

M. N. Dutt: This doubt has filled my mind. O illustrious one, solve it to me! You have said that they who adopt the path of the good (viz., Yoga), by which Brahma is attained, realise its fruits by the direct evidence of their senses. What, indeed, is that which can be realised by the direct evidence of the senses and which is followed by yourselves? Avoiding all sciences that have disputation only for their highest object, I have so studied the Agama as to have duly understood their true import. By Agama I understand the injunctions of the Vedas. I also include in that word those sciences based on logic which have for their object the explanation of the real meaning of the Vedas.

M. N. Dutt: Without avoiding the duties sanctioned for the particular inode of life which one may follow, one should follow the practices laid down in Agama. Such observance of the practices laid down in Agama gives one success. On account of the certainty of the conclusions of Agama, the success which the latter brings on may be said to be almost realisable by direct evidence.

M. N. Dutt: As a boat, that is tied to another bound for a different port, cannot take its passengers to the port they wish to reach, so ourselves, dragged by our acts due to past desires, can never cross the eternal river of birth and death. Describe to me this subject, O illustrious one! Teach me as a preceptor teaches a disciple.

M. N. Dutt: No one is seen among men who has perfectly renounced all earthly objects, nor one who is perfectly contented with oneself, nor one who has gone over grief, nor one who is perfectly free from disease, nor one who is absolutely free from the desire to act, nor one who has absolute distaste for companionship, nor one who has entirely abstained froin acts of every sort.

M. N. Dutt: Even men like yourself are seen to yield to joy and indulge in grief as persons like ourselves. Like other creatures the senses of persons like yourselves have their functions or objects. an

M. N. Dutt: Tell me, in what then, if we are to determine the question of happiness, consists pure happiness for all the four castes and all the four modes of life who and which have the same basis.

M. N. Dutt: Kapila said Whatever may be the Shastras according to which one performs the acts, the ordinances laid down in it for regulating those acts never become fruitless. Whatever again the school of opinion according to which one may act, one is sure to attain to the highest end by only following the duties of self-control or Yoga.

M. N. Dutt: Knowledge helps that man in crossing (over the river of life and death), who follows knowledge. That conduct, however, which men follow after deviating from the path of knowledge, pains them.

M. N. Dutt: It is clear that ye are endued with knowledge and dissociated from every earthly object that may produce pain. But have any of you at any time, succeeded in gaining that knowledge by which everything is capable of being seen as at one with one Universal Self.

M. N. Dutt: Without a correct understanding of the scriptures, some there are, fond only of argumentation who, on account of being overwhelmed by desire and hatred, become the slaves of pride and arrogance.

M. N. Dutt: Without having correctly understood the meaning of scriptural sayings, these robbers of the scriptures, these depredators of Brahma, actuated by arrogance and mistake, refuse to pursue tranquillity and practise self-control;.

M. N. Dutt: These men see fruitlessness on every side, and if they succeed in acquiring the power of knowledge they never give it to others for rescuing them. Made up entirely of the quality of ignorance, they have ignorance only for their refuge.

M. N. Dutt: One becomes subject to all the characteristics of that nature which one imbibes. Accordingly, of him who has ignorance for his refuge, the passions of envy, lust, anger, pride, falsehood, and vanity, continually grow, for one's qualities have one's nature for their root.

M. N. Dutt: Thinking in this way and seeing these faults, Yatis, who seek the highest end, follow Yoga, leaving both good and ill.

M. N. Dutt: O Brahmana, all that I have said is strictly according to the scriptures. It is, however, very true that without a correct understanding of the meaning of the scriptures, one does not feel inclined to obey what the scriptures really say.

M. N. Dutt: Whatever conduct is consistent with equity, is conformable with the scriptures. Even that is what the Shruti says, Likewise, whatever conduct is inconsistent with equity in incompatible with the scriptures. This also is held by the Shruti.

M. N. Dutt: It is certain that no one can do a scriptural act by violating the scriptures. That which is against the Vedas is unscriptural. The Shruti says this. are

Corresponding verse not found in M. N. Dutt's version.

M. N. Dutt: Many men, who believe only what directly appeals to their senses, see only this world. They do not see what the scriptures declare to be faults. They have, accordingly, like ourselves, to yield to grief. Those objects of the sense which concern men like you are the same with which other living creatures concerned.

M. N. Dutt: All the four castes of men and all the four modes of life, however different their duties, seek the same single end. You are gifted with unquestioned talents and abilities. For determining that particular conduct which is well calculated to fulfil the desired end, you have by describing to me the Infinite (Brahma), filled my soul with tranquallity. As regards ourselves, on account of our inability to understand the Soul we are deprived of a correct understanding of life reality. Our wisdom is concerned with low things, and we are covered with thick darkness,

M. N. Dutt: Only he who is given to Yoga, who has satisfied all his duties, who is capable of roving everywhere depending only on his own body, who has brought his soul under perfect restraint, who has gone above the requirements of the science of morality and who disregards the whole world, can transgress the declarations of the Vedas regarding acts, and say that there is Liberation,

M. N. Dutt: For one, however, who lives in the midst of relatives, this course of conduct is highly difficult to follow. Gift, study of the Vedas, sacrifices begetting children, simplicity of conduct, when by doing even these no one attains to Liberation, fie on him who seeks to altain to it. and on Liberation itself that is sought! It appears that the labour spent upon acquiring it is all fruitless.

M. N. Dutt: One is charged with atheism if he disregards the Vedas by not doing the acts they declare. O illustrious one, I wish to hear forthwith about that which comes in the Vedas after the injunctions about acts.

M. N. Dutt: Do tell me the truth, O Brahmana! I sit at your feet as a disciple. Teach me kindly! I wish to know as much about Liberation as is known to you, O learned one!