Chapter 292

“Parasara said, ‘That man who, having obtained this car, viz., his bodyendued with mind, goes on, curbing with the reins of-knowledge the steedsrepresented by the objects of the senses, should certainly be regarded aspossessed of intelligence.The homage (in the form of devotion to andconcentrated meditation on the Supreme) by a person whose mind isdependent on itself and who has cast off the means of livelihood isworthy of high praise,–that homage, namely, O regenerate one, which isthe result of instructions received from one who has succeeded intranscending acts but not obtained from the mutual discussion of men inthe same state of progress.[1506] Having obtained the allotted period oflife, O king, with such difficulty, one should not diminish it (byindulgence of the senses). On the other hand, man should always exert, byrighteous acts for his gradual advancement.[1507] Among the six differentcolours that Jiva attains at different periods of his existence, he whofalls away from a superior colour deserves obloquy and censure. Hence,one that has attained to the result of good acts should conduct oneselfin such a way as to avoid all acts stained by the quality of Rajas.[1508]Man attains to a superior colour by righteous acts. Unable to acquire asuperior hue, for such acquisition is extremely difficult, a person, bydoing sinful acts only slays himself (by sinking into hell and fallingdown into an inferior colour). All sinful acts that are committedunconsciously or in ignorance are destroyed by penances. A sinful act,however, that is committed knowingly, produces much sorrow. Hence, oneshould never commit sinful acts which have for their fruit only sorrow.The man of intelligence would never do an act that is sinful in charactereven if it leads to the greatest advantage, just as a person that is purewould never touch a Chandala.[1509] How miserable is the fruit I see ofsinful acts! Through sin the very vision of the sinner becomes perverse,and he confounds his body and its unstable accompaniments with theSoul.[1510] That foolish man who does not succeed in betaking himself toRenunciation in this world becomes afflicted with great grief when hedeparts to the next world.[1511] An uncoloured cloth, when dirty, can becleaned, but not a piece of cloth that is dyed with black; even so, Oking, listen to me with care, is it the case with sin. That man who,having knowingly committed sin, acts righteously for expiating that sin,has to enjoy and endure the fruits of his good and bad actsseparately.[1512] The utterers of Brahma maintain, under the authority ofwhat has been laid down in the Vedas, that all acts of injury committedin ignorance are cancelled by acts of righteousness. A sin, however, thatis committed consciously is never cancelled by righteousness. Thus saythe regenerate utterers of Brahma who are conversant with the scripturesof Brahmana. As regards myself, my view is that whatever acts are done,be they righteous or sinful, be they done knowingly or otherwise, remain(and are never destroyed unless their fruits are enjoyed orendured).[1513] Whatever acts are done by the mind with fulldeliberation, produce, according to their grossness or subtility, fruitsthat are gross or subtile.[1514] Those acts, however, O thou of righteoussoul, which are fraught with great injury, if done in ignorance, dowithout fail produce consequences and even consequences that lead tohell, with this difference that those consequences are disproportionatein point of gravity to the acts that produce them.[1515] As to those acts(of a doubtful or unrighteous nature) that may be done by the deities orascetics of reputation, a righteous man should never do their like or,informed of them, should never censure them.[1516] That man who,reflecting with his mind, O king, and ascertaining his own ability,accomplishes righteous acts, certainly obtains what is for his benefit.Water poured into an unbaked vessel gradually becomes less and finallyescapes altogether. If kept, however, in a baked vessel, it remainswithout its quantity being diminished. After the same manner, acts donewithout reflection with the aid of the understanding do not becomebeneficial; while acts done with judgment remain with undiminishedexcellence and yield happiness as their result. If into a vesselcontaining water other water be poured, the water that was originallythere increases in quantity; even so all acts done with judgment, be theyequitable or otherwise, only add to one’s stock of righteousness. A kingshould subjugate his foes and all who seek to assert their superiority,and he should properly rule and protect his subjects. One should igniteone’s sacred fires and pour libations on them in diverse sacrifices, andretiring in the woods into either one’s middle or old age, should livethere (practising the duties of the two last modes of life). Endued withself-restraint, and possessed of righteous behaviour, one should lookupon all creatures as on one’s own self. One should again reverence one’ssuperiors. By the practice of truth and of good conduct, O king, one issure to obtain happiness.'”