Chapter 296

“Parasara said, ‘I have now discoursed to thee on what the ordinances areof the duties in respect of one that leads the domestic mode of life. Ishall now speak to thee of the ordinances about penances. Listen to me asI discourse on the topic. It is generally seen, O king, that inconsequence of sentiments fraught with Rajas and Tamas, the sense ofmeum, born of attachment, springs up in the heart of the householder.Betaking oneself to the domestic mode of life, one acquires kine, fields,wealth of diverse kinds, spouses, children, and servants. One thatbecomes observant of this mode of life continually casts one’s eye uponthese objects. Under these circumstances, one’s attachments and aversionsincrease, and one ceases to regard one’s (transitory) possessions aseternal and indestructible. When a person becomes overwhelmed byattachment and aversion, and yields himself up to the mastery of earthlyobjects, the desire of enjoyment then seizes him, taking its rise fromheedlessness, O king. Thinking that person to be blessed who has thelargest share of enjoyments in this world, the man devoted to enjoymentdoes not, in consequence of his attachment thereto, see that there is anyother happiness besides what waits upon the gratification of the senses.Overwhelmed with cupidity that results from such attachment, he thenseeks to increase the number of his relatives and attendants, and forgratifying these latter he seeks to increase his wealth by every means inhis power. Filled with affection for children, such a person commits, forthe sake of acquiring wealth, acts that he knows to be evil, and givesway to grief if his wealth be lost. Having earned honours and alwaysguarding against the defeat of his plans, he betakes himself to suchmeans as would gratify his desire of enjoyment. At last he meets withdestruction as the inevitable consequence of the conduct he pursues. Itis well-known, however, that true felicity is theirs that a e endued withintelligence, that are utterers of the eternal Brahma, that seek toaccomplish only acts that are auspicious and beneficial, and that abstainfrom all acts that are optional and spring from desire alone.[1532] Fromloss of all such objects in which are centred our affections, from lossof wealth, O king, and from the tyranny of physical diseases add mentalanguish, a person falls into despair. From this despair arises artawakening of the soul. From such awakening proceeds study of theScriptures. From contemplation of the import of the scriptures, O king,one sees the value of penance. A person possessed of the knowledge ofwhat is essential and what accidental, O king, is very rare,–he, thatis, who seeks to undergo penances, impressed with the truth that thehappiness one derives from the possession of such agreeable objects asspouses and children leads ultimately to misery.[1533] Penances, O child,are for all. They are ordained for even the lowest order of men (viz.,Sudras). Penances set the self-restrained man having the mastery over allhis senses on the way to heaven. It was through penances that thepuissant Lord of all creatures, O, king, observing vows at particularintervals created all existent objects. The Adityas, the Vasus, theRudras, Agni, the Aswins, the Maruts, the Viswedevas, the Saddhyas, thePitris, the Maruts, the Yakshas, the Rakshasas, the Gandharvas, theSiddhas and the other denizens of heaven, and, indeed, all othercelestials whatever, O child, have all been crowned with success throughtheir penances. Those Brahmanas whom Brahmana created at the outset,succeeded through their penances in honouring not the Earth alone but theheaven also in which they roved at pleasure. In this world of mortals,they that are kings, and those others that are householders born in highfamilies, have all become what they are only in consequence of theirpenances.[1534] The silken robes they wear, the excellent ornaments thatadorn their persons, the animals and vehicles they ride, and the seatsthey use are all the result of their penances. The many charming andbeautiful women, numbering by thousands, that they enjoy, and theirresidence in palatial mansions, are all due to their penances. Costlybeds and diverse kinds of delicious viands become theirs that actrighteously. There is nothing in the three worlds, O scorcher of foes,that penances cannot attain. Even those that are destitute of trueknowledge win Renunciation as the consequence of their penances.[1535]Whether in affluent circumstances or miserable, a person should cast offcupidity, reflecting on the scriptures, with the aid of his Mind andunderstanding, O best of kings. Discontent is productive of misery.(Discontent is the result of cupidity). Cupidity leadeth to thestupefaction of the senses. The senses being stupefied, one’s wisdomdisappears like knowledge not kept up by continued application. Whenone’s wisdom disappears, one fails to discriminate what is proper fromwhat is improper. Hence, when one’s happiness is destroyed (and onebecomes subject to misery) one should practise the austerest ofpenances.[1536] That which is agreeable is called happiness. That whichis disagreeable is said to be misery. When penances are practised, theresult is happiness. When they are not practised, the result is misery.Behold the fruits of practising and abstaining from penances![1537] Bypractising stainless penances, people always meet with auspiciousconsequences of every kind, enjoy all good things, and attain to greatfame.[1538] He, however, who by abandoning (stainless penances), betakeshimself to penances from desire of fruit, meets with many disagreeableconsequences, and disgrace and sorrow of diverse kinds, as the fruitsthereof, all of which have worldly possessions for their cause.[1539]Notwithstanding the desirability of practising righteousness, penances,and gifts, the wish springs up in his mind of accomplishing all kinds offorbidden acts. By thus perpetrating diverse kinds of sinful acts, hegoes to hell.[1540] That person, O best of men, who, in both happinessand misery, does not fall away from the duties ordained for him, is saidto have the scriptures for his eye. It is said that the pleasure onederives from the gratification of one’s senses of touch, tongue, sight,scent, and hearing, O monarch, lasts only so long as a shaft urged fromthe bow takes in falling down upon the earth. Upon the cessation of thatpleasure, which is so short-lived, one experiences the most keen agony.It is only the senseless that do not applaud the felicity of Emancipationthat is unrivalled. Beholding the misery that attends the gratificationof the senses, they that are possessed of wisdom cultivate the virtues oftranquillity and self-restraint for the purpose of attaining toEmancipation. In consequence of their righteous behaviour, wealth, andpleasure can never succeed in afflicting them.[1541] Householders may,without any compunction, enjoy wealth and other possessions that areobtained without Exertion. As regards, however, the duties of their orderthat are laid down in the scriptures, these, I am of opinion, they shoulddischarge with the aid of Exertion.[1542] The practice of those that arehonoured, that are born in high families, and that have their eyes alwaysturned towards the import of the scriptures, is incapable of beingfollowed by those that are sinful and that are possessed of unrestrainedminds. All acts that are done by man under the influence of vanity, meetwith destruction. Hence, for them that are respectable and trulyrighteous there is no other act in this world to do than penance.[1543]As regards, those house-holders, however, that are addicted to acts, theyshould, with their whole hearts, set themselves to acts. Following theduties of their order, O king, they should with cleverness and attentionperform sacrifices and other religious rites. Indeed, as all rivers, maleand female, have their refuge in the Ocean, even so men belonging to allthe other orders have their refuge in the householder.'”