Mokshadharma Parva — What tends to the good of one who is not acquainted with Scriptures

Yudhishthira said Tell me, O Grandfather, what is for the behoof of one who is not acquainted with the truths of the scriptures, who is always in doubt, and who abstains from self-control and the other practices the object where of the knowledge of the Soul.

Bhishma said Adoring the preceptor, always reverentially attending the aged, and listening to the scriptures,-these are said to be of supreme benefit.

Regarding it is cited the old discourse between Galava and the celestial Rishi Narada.

Once on a time Galava, desirous of securing what was for his behoof, addressed an Narada freed from error and fatigue, well-read in scriptures, pleased with knowledge a thorough master of his senses, and with soul devoted to Yoga, and said

I see, O Ascetic, those virtues by the possession of which a person is respected in the world, live permanently in you.

You are freed from error and, therefore, you should remove the doubts that fill the minds of men like ourselves who are subject to error and who are unacquainted with truths of the world.

We do not know our duties, for the injunctions of the scriptures create inclination for Knowledge simultaneously with the inclination for acts. You should describe these subject to us.

O illustrious one, the different modes of life approve different courses of conduct,-'This is beneficial,'_'This is beneficial',-the scriptures exhort us often in this way.

Seeing the followers of the four modes of life, who are thus exhorted by the scriptures and who fully approve of what the scriptures have sanctioned for them, Thus travelling in various courses, and beholding that ourselves also are equall; content with our own scriptures, we cannot understand what is truly wholesome.

If the scriptures were all of one opinion, then what is truly beneficial would have become clear. On account, however, of the scriptures being multifarious, that which is truly beneficial is filled with mystery.

For these reasons, that which is truly beneficial, appears to as full of confusion. Do you, then, O illustrious one, describe to me the subject. I have come to you (for this). Instruct me.

The modes of life four in number, O child! All of them serve the object for which they have been designed; and the duties they declare differ from one another. Learning them first from competent preceptor's, reflect upon them, OGalava.

See, the merits of those modes of life, as described, are varied in their form, divergent in their matter, and contradictory in their observances.

When seen with gross vision, all the Ashramas do not exhibit their true intent! Others, however, having subtle sight, see their highest end.

That which is truly and, without any doubt, wholesome, viz., good offices to friends, and suppression of enemies, and the acquisition of be supreme the three-fold objects of life, has been described by the wise to excellence. Abstention, from sinful deeds, righteous disposition, good conduct towards the good and pious,-these, forsooth, constitute excellence.

Mildness towards all creatures, sincerity of conduct, and sweet words,-these, forsooth, constitute excellence.

A just distribution of one's riches among the gods, the Pitris, and guests, and adherence to servants,—these, forsooth, constitute excellence.

Truthfulness of speech is excellent. The knowledge of truth is, however, every difficult of acquisition. I hold that as truth which is highly beneficial to creatures.

The absence of pride, the suppression of carelessness, contentment, living by one's own self,-these form the supreme excellence.

The study of the Vedas, and their branches, according to the well-known rules, and all enquiries and pursuits leading to the acquisition of knowledge,-are, forsooth excellent.

One wishing to acquire what is excellent should never enjoy to excess sound and form and taste and touch and scent, and should not enjoy them for their sake alone.

Walking in the night, sleep during the day, indulgence in idleness, villainy, pride, excessive indulgence and total abstention from enjoyment in objects of the senses, should be shunned by one desirous of acquiring what is excellent.

One should not seek self-elevation by putting down others. Indeed, one should by his merits only seek superiority over persons who are distinguished but never over those who are inferior.

Men having no real merit and filled with a sense of self-admiration depreciate men of real merit, by mentioning their own virtues and riches.

Puffed up with a sense of their own importance, these men, when none stops them, consider themselves to be superior to men of real distinction.

One having true wisdom and real merits, wins great fame by abstaining from speaking ill of others and from indulging in self-praise.

Flowers shed their pure and sweet odour without speaking of their own excellence. Likewise, the effulgent Sun scatters his shining rays in the sky in perfect silence.

Similarly those men shine in the world with celebrity who by the help of their intelligence, renounce these and similar other faults and who do not blaze forth their own virtues.

The fool can never shine in the world by speaking out his own praise. The man, however, of real merit and learning acquires celebrity even if he be hidden in a pit.

Evil words, uttered with what strength of voice, die out. Good words, uttered, however softly, shine forth in the world.

As the Sun shows his fiery form so the multitude of words, of little sense, that fools filled with vanity give vent to show their hearts.

For these reasons men try to acquire wisdom of various sorts. It appears to me that of all acquisitions that of wisdom is the most precious.

One should not speak until one is asked; nor should one speak when one is asked improperly. Even if endued with intelligence and knowledge, one should still sit in silence like an idiot.

One should seek to live among honest men given to righteousness and liberality and the observance of the duties of their own order,

One desirous of acquiring what is excellent should never live in a place where people make a confusion of their respective duties.

A person may be seen to live who abstains from all works and who is well-content with whatever little is gained without exertion. By living amid the righteous, one succeeds in acquiring pure virtue, Similarly one by living amid the sinful, becomes sullied with sin.

As the touch of water or fire or the rays of the moon immediately carry the sensation of cold or heat, similarly the impressions of virtue and vice create happiness or misery.

Those who eat Vighasa eat without marking the flavours of the foods placed before them. They, however, who eat carefully marking the flavours of the duties prepared for them, should be known as persons still fettered by the bonds of action.

The pious men should leave that place where a Brahmana describes duties to disciples desirous of acquiring knowledge, as based on reasons, of the Soul, but who do not reverentially enquire after such knowledge.

Who, however, will leave that place where exists fully that conduct between disciples and preceptors which is consistent with what has been sanctioned by the scriptures?

What learned man who cares for his respect will live there where people talk about the faults of the learned even when such have no foundations to stand upon?

Who is there that will not leave that place, like a garment whose end has caught fire, where covetous men tries to break down the limits of virtue?

One should remain and live in that place, among good men of pious disposition, where persons possessed of humility are engaged in fearlessly practising the duties of religion.

One should not dwell there where men practise the duties of religion for the sake of wealth and other worldly purposes, for the people of that place are all to be considered as sinful.

One should fly away quickly from that place, as if from a room which there is a snake, where the inhabitants, desirous of acquiring the means of life, are engaged in the practice of sinful deeds.

One desirous of what is wholesome, should, from the beginning, avoid that act for which one becomes stretched, as it were, on a bed of thorns and for which one becomes invested with the desires born of the pristine deeds.

The pious man should leave that kingdom where the king and the king's officers exercise equal authority and where people eat before feeding their relatives.

One should live in that country where Brahmanas having a knowledge of the scriptures are fed first; where they always practise religious duties, and where they are engaged in teaching disciples and officiating at the sacrifices of others.

One should unhesitatingly live in that country where the sounds Svaha, Svadha, and Vashat are duly and continuously uttered.

One should leave that kingdom, like poisoned meat, where one sees Brahmanas compelled to follow unholy practices, by want of the means of life.

With a contented heart and considering all his wishes as already gratified, a pious man should live in that country whose denizens gladly give away before even they are asked.

One should live and move about, among good men devoted to pious acts in that country where the wicked are punished, and where respect and good offices are done to those who are of controlled and purified souls.

One should unhesitatingly live in that country whose king is given to virtue and which the king rules virtuously, casting off desires and possessed of prosperity, and where severe punishment is inflicted on those who subject self-controlled to the consequences of their anger, on those who treat men treat wickedly the righteous, on those who commit acts of violence, and on the covetious.

Kings endued with such a disposition, secure the prosperity of those who live in their kingdoms when prosperity is on the point of leaving them.

I have thus told you, O son, in answer to you enquiry, what is beneficial or excellent. No one can describe, on account of its exceedingly high character, what is beneficial or excellent for the Soul.

Many and high will the excellences be, through the performance of the duties laid down for his, of the man who for earning his livelihood during the time of his stay in this world, acts in the way indicated above and who devotes his soul to the well-being of creatures.