Chapter 229

“Yudhishthira said, ‘By what disposition, what course of duties, whatknowledge, and what energy, does one succeed in attaining to Brahma whichis immutable and which is beyond the reach of primordial nature.'[866]

“Bhishma said, ‘One that is engaged in the practice of the religion ofnivritti, that eats abstemiously, and that has his senses under completecontrol, can attain to Brahma which is immutable and which is aboveprimordial nature. In this connection is cited the old narrative, OBharata, of the discourse between Jaigishavya and Asita. Once on a timeAsita-Devala addressed Jaigishavya who was possessed of great wisdom andfully acquainted with the truths of duty and morality.’

“Devala said, ‘Thou art not gladdened when praised. Thou dost not giveway to wrath when blamed or censured. What, indeed, is thy wisdom? Whencehast thou got it? And what, indeed, is the refuge of that wisdom?’

“Bhishma said, ‘Thus questioned by Devala, the pure Jaigishavya ofaustere penances, said those words of high import, fraught with fullfaith and profound sense.’

“Jaigishavya said, ‘O foremost of Rishis, I shall tell thee of that whichis the highest end, that which is the supreme goal, that which istranquillity, in the estimation of all persons of righteous acts. They, ODevala, who behave uniformly towards those that praise them and thosethat blame them, they who conceal their own vows and good acts, they whonever indulge in recriminations, they who never say even what is goodwhen it is calculated to injure (instead of producing any benefit), theywho do not desire to return injury for injury received, are said to bemen possessed of wisdom.[867] They never grieve for what is yet to come.They are concerned with only what is before them and acts as they should.They never indulge in sorrow for what is past or even call it to theirminds. Possessed of power and regulated minds, they do at their pleasure,according to the way in which it should be done, what waits for them todo in respect of all objects, O Devala, if solicited regardfullythereto.[868] Of mature knowledge, of great wisdom, with wrath undercomplete control, and with their passions kept under sway, they never doan injury to any one in thought, word, or deed. Destitute of envy, theynever injure others, and possessed of self-control, they are never painedat the sight of other people’s prosperity. Such men never indulge inexaggerated speeches, or set themselves in praising others, or inspeaking ill of them. They are again never affected by praise and blameuttered by others in respect of them. They are tranquil in respect of alltheir desires, and are engaged in the good of all creatures. They nevergive way to wrath, or indulge in transports of joy, or injure anycreature. Untying all the knots of their hearts, they pass on veryhappily. They have no friends nor are they the friends of others. Theyhave no foes nor are they the foes of other creatures. Indeed, men thatcan live in this way can pass their days for ever in happiness. O best ofregenerate ones, they who acquire a knowledge of the rules of moralityand righteousness, and who observe those rules in practice, succeed inwinning joy, while they who fall off from the path of righteousness areafflicted by anxieties and sorrow. I have now betaken myself to the pathof righteousness. Decried by others, why shall I get annoyed with them,or praised by others, why shall I be pleased? Let men obtain whatsoeverobjects they please from whatsoever pursuits in which they engagethemselves. (I am indifferent to acquisitions and losses). Praise andblame are unable to contribute to my advancement or the reverse. He thathas understood the truths of things becomes gratified with even disregardas if it were ambrosia. The man of wisdom is truly annoyed with regard asif it were poison. He who is freed from all faults sleeps fearlessly bothhere and hereafter even if insulted by others. On the other hand, he whoinsults him, suffers destruction. Those men of wisdom who seek to attainto the highest end, succeed in obtaining it by observing conduct such asthis. The man who has vanquished all his senses is regarded to haveperformed all the sacrifices. Such a person attains to the highest rung,viz., that of Brahma, which is eternal and which transcends the reach ofprimordial nature. The very gods, the Gandharvas, the Pisachas, and theRakshasas, cannot reach the rung which is his who has attained to thehighest end.'”