Mokshadharma Parva — Knowledge by which birth and death may be avoided

Vyasa said Carried up and down in life's ocean, he that is capable of meditation catches the raft of Knowledge, and for achieving his Liberation adheres to Knowledge itself.

Shuka said What is that Knowledge? Is it that learning by which, when error is gone, the truth reveals itselt? Or, is it those duties consisting of acts to be done or achieved, by the help of which the object sought for, may be understood or attained? Or, is it those duties, called absention from acts by which an extinction of the Soul is to be sought? Do tell me what it is, so that by its help the two, viz., birth and death, may be avoided.

Vyasa said That fool who, believing that all this exists by its own Nature without, in sooth, an eternal foundation, satisfies by such instruction the aspirations of disciples, defeating by his dialectical ingenuity the reasons the latter might urge to the contrary, succeeds not in acquiring any truth.

They again, who firinly believe that all Cause is due to the Nature of things, cannot acquire any truth by even listening to learned 17en or the Rishis.

Those little-witted men who stop (in their speculations), having adopted either of these doctrines, those men who regard Nature as the Cause never succeed in acquiring any benefit for themselves.

This belief in Nature (as the producing and the sustaining Cause), originating as it does from a mind labouring under the influence of error, causes the destruction of the person who cherishes it. Hear of the truth regarding these two doctrines which hold (1) that things exist by their own Nature and (2) that they flow accordingly from others that are different form, and that precede, them.

Wise men take to agriculture and tillage, and the acquisition of crops and of vehicles, seats, carpets and houses.

They also look to the laying of pleasuregardens, the construction of spacious palaces and the preparation of medicines for all sorts of diseases.

It is wisdom (which consists in the application of means) which brings about the fruition of objects. It is wisdom which gains beneficial results. It is wisdom which enables kings to exercise and enjoy sovereignty although they are endued with attributes equal to those of persons over whom they rule.

It is by wisdom that the difference is made between the high and the low among beings. It is by wisdom that the superior and the inferior ones among created objects are made out. It is wisdom or knowledge which is greatest refuge of all things.

All the sorts of created things have four kinds of birth. They are viviparous, oviparous, vegetables, and those born of filth.

Mobile creatures should be regarded superior to the immobile. It is reasonable that intelligence which differentiates (all nonintelligent matter), should be considered superior to (non-intelligent) matter.

Mobile creatures, whose number is legion, are of two sorts, viz., those that are many legs and those that have two. The latter, however, are superior to the former.

Bipeds, again, are of two sorts, viz., those that live on land and those that are otherwise. Of these, the former are superior to the latter. The superior ones eat various sorts of cooked food.

Bipeds moving on land are of two sorts, viz., middling or intermediate, and those that are foremost. Of these, the middling or intermediate are considered as superior (to the foriner) for their observing the duties of caste.

The middling or intermediate ones are said to be of two sorts, viz., those who are conversant with duties, and those who are otherwise. Of those, the former are superior for they can discriminate between what should be done and what should not.

Those conversant with duties are said to be of two sorts, viz., those who are acquainted with the Vedas and those who are otherwise. Of those the former are superior, for the Vedas are said to live in them.

Those who are acquainted with the Vedas are said to be of two sorts, viz., those who lecture on the Vedas and those who are otherwise. Of these the former, who are wellread in the Vedas, and are conversant with the duties and the rites laid down in them, and the fruits of those duties and rites, are superior for their declaring all those duties and rites. Indeed, all the Vedas, with the duties laid down in them, are said to emanate from them.

Preceptors of the Vedas are of two sorts, viz., those who are conversant with the Self and those that are otherwise. Of these the former are superior on account of their knowledge of Birth and Death.

Duties, again, are of two kinds (viz., Pravritti and Nivritti). He who is conversant with duties is said to be omniscient or endued with universal knowledge. Such a man is a Renouncer. Such a man is firin in the fulfilment of his objects. Such a man is truthful, pure and endued with prowess.

The gods know him as a Brahmana who is devoted to knowledge of Brahma. Such a man is versed also in the Vedas are earnestly given to the study of the Self.

They who have true knowledge see their own self as existing both in and out. Such men, O child, are truly twice-born and such men are gods.

This world of beings depends upon these, and in them exist this whole universe. There is nothing equal to their greatness.

Transcending birth, and death, and distinctions and all acts, they are the lords of the four kinds of creatures, and are the equals of Self-create himself.