Chapter 220

“Yudhishthira said, ‘By doing what does one acquire happiness, and whatis that by doing which one meets with woe? What also is that, O Bharata,by doing which one becomes freed from fear and sojourns here crowned withsuccess (in respect of the objects of life)?’

“Bhishma said, ‘The ancients who had their understandings directed to theSrutis, highly applauded the duty of self-restraint for all the ordersgenerally but for the. Brahmanas in especial. Success in respect ofreligious rites never occurs in the case of one that is notself-restrained. Religious rites, penances, truth,–all these areestablished upon self-restraint. Self-restraint enhances one’s energy.Self-restraint is said to be sacred. The man of self-restraint becomessinless and fearless and wins great results. One that is self-restrainedsleeps happily and wakes happily. He sojourns happily in the world andhis mind always remains cheerful. Every kind of excitement is quietlycontrolled by self-restraint. One that is not self-restrained fails in asimilar endeavour. The man of self-restraint beholds his innumerable foes(in the form of lust, desire, and wrath, etc.), as if these dwell in aseparate body. Like tigers and other carnivorous beasts, personsdestitute of self-restraint always inspire all creatures with dread. Forcontrolling these men, the Self-born (Brahman) created kings. In all the(four) modes of life, the practice or self-restraint is distinguishedabove all other virtues. The fruits of self-restraint are much greaterthan those obtainable in all the modes of life. I shall now mention tothee the indications of those persons who prize self-restrainthighly.[829] They are nobility, calmness of disposition, contentment,faith, forgiveness, invariable simplicity, the absence of garrulity,humility, reverence for superiors, benevolence, compassion for allcreatures, frankness, abstention from talk upon kings and men inauthority, from all false and useless discourses, and from applause andcensure of others. The self-restrained man becomes desirous ofemancipation and, quietly bearing present joys and griefs, is neverexhilarated or depressed by prospective ones. Destitute of vindictivenessand all kinds of guile, and unmoved by praise and blame, such a man iswell-behaved, has good manners, is pure of soul, has firmness orfortitude, and is a complete master of his passions. Receiving honours inthis world, such a man in afterlife goes to heaven. Causing all creaturesto acquire what they cannot acquire without his aid, such a man rejoicesand becomes happy.[830] Devoted to universal benevolence, such a mannever cherishes animosity for any one. Tranquil like the ocean at a deadcalm, wisdom fills his soul and he is never cheerful. Possessed ofintelligence, and deserving of universal reverence, the man ofself-restraint never cherishes fear of any creature and is feared by nocreature in return. That man who never rejoices even at largeacquisitions and never feels sorrow when overtaken by calamity, is saidto be possessed of contented wisdom. Such a man is said to beself-restrained. Indeed, such a man is said to be a regenerate being.Versed with the scriptures and endued with a pure soul, the man ofself-restraint, accomplishing all those acts that are done by the good,enjoys their high fruits. They, however, that are of wicked soul neverbetake themselves to the path represented by benevolence, forgiveness,tranquillity, contentment, sweetness of speech, truth, liberality andcomfort. Their path consists of lust and wrath and cupidity and envy ofothers and boastfulness. Subjugating lust and wrath, practising the vowof Brahmacharya and becoming a complete master of his senses, theBrahmana, exerting himself with endurance in the austerest of penances,and observing the most rigid restraints, should live in this world,calmly waiting for his time like one seeming to have a body though fullyknowing that he is not subject to destruction.'”