Mokshadharma Parva — The same subject

Jajali said This duty which you, O holder of scales, describe, shuts the door of heaven against all creatures and puts a stop to the very means of their livelihood.

From agriculture comes food. That food gives maintenance even to you. With the help of animals, crops and herbs, human beings, O trader, can maintain themselves.

From animals and food sacrifices originate. Your doctrines are atheistical. This world will come to an end if the means by which life is upheld have to be given up.

Tuladhara said I shall now describe the topic of the means of livelihood. I am not, O Brahmana, an atheist. I do not speak against Sacrifices. The man, however, is very rare who is truly an adept in sacrifice.

I bow to that Sacrifice which is laid down for Brahmanas, I bow also to them who are adepts in that Sacrifice. Alas, having abandoned the Sacrifice that is ordained for them, the Brahmanas have begun to perform Sacrifices that are for Kashatriyas.

Many persons of faith, O twice-born one, who hanker after wealth, without having understood the true meaning of the sayings of the Shrutis, and proclaiming things that are in sooth false but that have the show of truth, have introduced many sorts of Sacrifices,

This should be given away in this Sacrifice. This other thing should be given away in this other Sacrifice. The first of this is very praiseworthy.-The result, however, of all this, ( Jajali, is that theft and many evil acts originate.

It should be known that only that sacrificial offering which was gained by fair means can please the deities. There are abundant proofs in the scriptures that the adoration of the gods may be done with bows, with libations poured on the fire, with recitation or changing of the Vedas, and with plants and herbs.

Sinful men get wicked children, from their religious acts. Covetous men beget covetous children, and contented men beget contented children.

If the sacrificer and the priest allow themselves to be guided by desire of fruit, their children take the stigma. If, however, they are not moved by the desire of fruit, their children become the same. From Sacrifices originate children like clear water from the sky.

The libations poured on the sacrificial fire get up to the Sun. From the Sun originates rain. From rain comes food. From food are born living creatures.

In days of yore inen religiously given to Sacrifices used to attain therefrom the fruition of all their wishes. The Earth gave crops without cultivation. The blessings of the Rishis produced herbs and plants.

The men of ancient times never celebrated Sacrifices from desire of fruits and never considered themselves as bound to enjoy those fruits. Those who somehow or other celebrate Sacrifices, doubting their efficacy, are born in their next lives as dishonest, wily, and greedy men greatly covetous of wealth. That man who by the help of false reasoning show all the authoritative scriptures as fraught with evil, is certain to go, for such a sinful deed, into the regions of the sinful. Such a man is surely possessed of a sinful soul, O foremost of Brahmanas, and always remains here, shorn of wisdom.

That man who consider those acts as bounden which have been laid down in the Vedas and directed to be performed every day, who is filled with fear if he fails to perform them any day, who considers all the essentials of Sacrifices as identical with Brahma, and who never considers himself as the actor, is truly a Brahinana.

If the acts of such a person remain incomplete or if their completion is hindered by all unclean animals, even then those acts arc, as we have heard, of supreme efficacy. If, however, those acts are performed from desire of fruit then expiation would become necessary.

They, who seek the acquisition of the highest object of life, who do not hanker after carthly riches, who do not care for future provision, and who are shorn of envy, follow the course of truth and practise self-control as their Sacrifice.

They who know the distinction between body and soul, who are given to Yoga, and who meditate on OM, always succeed in pleasing others.

The universal Brahma, which is the soul of all the gods, lives in him who is conversant with Brahma. When, therefore, such a man eats and is pleased, all the gods, O Jajali, become pleased and are contented.

As one who is satisfied with all sorts of taste fells no desire for any particular taste, similarly one who is pleased with knowledge has eternal gratification which to him is a source of perfect happiness.

Those wise men who are the refuge of righteousness and whose joy is in righteousness, are persons who have certain knowledge of what is duty and what is otherwise. One endued with such wisdom always considers all things in the universe as emanating from his own self.

Some who are gifted with knowledge, who try to reach the other shore (of this ocean of life), and who have faith, succeed in going to the region of Brahman, which yields great blessings, is highly sacred, and inhabited by pious men,-a region which is freed from sorrow, whence no body returns, and where there is no agitation or pain.

Such men do not hanker after heaven. They do not worship Brahma in costly Sacrifices. They trade the path of the virtuous. The Sacrifices they celebrate are performed without injury to any creature.

These men consider trees, herbs, fruits and roots as the only sacrificial offerings. Greedy priests who seek riches, never officiate at the sacrifices of these (poor) inen.

These regenerate men, although all their acts have been done, still perform sacrifices for doing good to all creatures making their own selves as sacrificial offerings.

Therefore, greedy priests officiate at the Sacrifices of only those misguided persons who, without trying to attain to Liberation, scck for heaven. Those, however, who are really good, always try, by performing their own duties, to cause others to go to heaven. LoO king at both these kinds of conduct, O Jajali, I have come to regard all creatures impartially.

Gifted with wisdom, many leading Brahmanas celebrate Sacrifices. By performing those Sacrifices, they walk, O great ascetic, along the path wended by the gods.

Of the class of Sacrificers there is return (from the region where they go). Of those, however, who are truly wise there is no return. Although both classes of sacrificers, O Jajali, wend the path trodden by the gods, yet such is the difference between their ultimate ends.

On account of the success of the purposes such men form in their minds, bulls, without being forced thereto, willingly set their shoulders to the plough for helping the cultivation and to the yoke for dragging their Cars, and kine pour forth milk from udders without being touched by human hands.

Creating sacrificial stakes by their willforce, they celebrate many kinds of Sacrifice with profuse presents. One who is of such a purified soul may kill a cow.

They, therefore, who are otherwise, should celebrate Sacrifices with herbs and plants, Because Renunciation has such merit, there I have kept it in view in speaking to you.

The gods consider him a Brahmana who has cast of all desire of fruit, who does not exert for worldly acts, who never bows down his head to any one, who never praises others, and who is gifted with strength though his acts have all been weakened.

What, O Jajali, will be the end of him who does not recite the Vedas to others, who does not celebrate Sacrifices, who does not make gifts to Brahmans, and who follows a calling in which every sort of desire is indulged? By duly respecting, however, the duties which belong to Renunciation, one is sure to attain to Brahima.

We had never before, O son of a trader, heard of these subtle doctrines of ascetics who perform only mental Sacrifices. These doctrines are very difficult to understand. It is, therefore, I ask you (about them). The sages of yore were not followers of these doctrines of Yoga. Hence the succeeding sages have not mentioned them.

If you hold that only men mentally bent like brutes fail to achieve sacrifices in the soil of the Soul, then, O son of a trader, by what acts would they succeed in securing their happiness? Tell me this, O you of great wisdom. I have great faith in your words.

Tuladhara said Sometimes sacrifices celebrated by some persons do not become sacrifices. These men, it should be said, do not deserve performing any sacrifice. Regarding the faithful, however, only one thing, viz., the cow, is fit for upholding all sacrifices by means of full libations of clarified butter, milk, and curds, the hair at end of her tail, her horns, and her hoofs.

In celebrating sacrifices, however, according to the mode I have mentioned, one may convert Faith into his married wife, for dedicating such offerings to the gods. By duly honouring such sacrifices, one is sure to attain to Brahma.

Excluding all animals, the rice-ball is a worthy offering in sacrifices. All rivers are as sacred as the Sarasvati, and all mountains are sacred.

O Jajali, the Soul is itself a sacred shrine. Do not roam about on the Earth for visiting sacred places! A person, by following these duties and by seeking to acquire merit according to his own ability, undoubtedly succeeds in getting blessed regions hereafter.

These are the duties, O Yudhishthira, which Tuladhara spoke highly of-duties which are consistent with reason, and which are always followed by the good and the wise.