मोक्षधर्म पर्व — त्यही विषय

Thus accosted by the intelligent Tuladhara on that occasion, the highly intelligent Jajali, that foremost of ascetics, said these words to him:

You sell all sorts of juices and scents, O son of a trader, as also (barks and leaves of) huge trees and herbs and their fruits and roots.

But how have you gained this stability of understanding? How have you gained this knowledge? O you of great intelligence, tell me all this fully.

Thus accosted by that highly famous Brahmana, Tuladhara of the Vaishya caste, well acquatinted with the truths of morality and contented with knowledge, described to Jajali who had practised severe penances, the ways of morality.

Tuladhara said a O Jajali, I know, with all its mysteries, morality, which is eternal. It is nothing else but that ancient morality which every body knows, and which consists of universal friendliness, and beneficence to all creatures.

The highest form of morality consists in a living which is founded upon total harmlessness towards all creatures or upon the smallness of such harin. I live according to that mode,OJajali.

This my house hath been made with wood and grass cut by other people's hands, Lacdye, the roots of Nymphoea lotus, filaments of the lotus, various sorts of good scents, and many kinds of liquids, O twice-born Rishi, with the exception of wines, I purchase from other people and sell without cheating.

He, O Jajali, only knows morality or righteousness is, who is always the friend of all creatures and who is always engaged in the behoof of all creatures, in thought, word, and deed.

I never beg of any one, I never fall out with any one; I never hate any one. I never desire for anything. I regard equally all things and all creatures. See, O Jajali, this is my vow.

My scales are perfectly even, O Jajali, as regards all creatures. I neither praise nor blame the deeds of others, considering this variety in the world. O foremost of Brahmanas, as the variety seen in the sky.

Know, O Jajali, that I regard equally all creatures. O highest of intelligent men, I perceive no difference between a clod of earth, a piece of stone, and a lump of gold.

As the blind, the deaf, and they who are bereft of reason, find consolation for the loss of their senses, likewise, I find consolation by their example.

As they who are possessed by decrepitude, they who are afflicted by disease, and they who are weakened and emaciated, do not like any sort of enjoyments, similarly, I feel no inclination for wealth pleasure enjoyments.

Then only a person attains to Brahma when he fears nothing and is not feared himself, when he cherishes no desire and does not hate anything.

Then only a person attains to Brahma when he does not behave sinfully towards any creature in thought, word, or deed.

There is no past, no future, There is no morality or virtue. He who is not an object of fear with any creature acquires a state in which there is no fear. or or

On the other hand, that person who for his harsh words and bad temper, is troublesome to all creatures like death itself, certainly attains to a state full of fear.

I follow the practices of great and benevolent men of advanced years who with their children and grand children live observing duly the ordinance laid down in the scritptures.

The eternal Vedic practices are entirely abandoned by one who allows himself to be stupefied by some mistakes that he may have marked in the conduct of those who are admittedly good and wise. One, however, who is gifted with learning, or one who has controlled his senses, or one who has strength of mind, acquires liberations by virtue of that very conduct.

That wise man who, having controlled his senses, follows with a heart purged off all desire of injuring others, the conduct of the good, is, sure, O Jajali, to acquire the merit of righteousness.

In this world, as in a river, a piece of wood that is being carried away by the current, is seen to come into contact (for some time) with another piece which is being likewise carried away. There on the current, other pieces of wood that had been collected together, are scen to again separate from one another. Grass, sticks, and cow dung cakes are seen to be joined together. This union is merely accidental and not brought about by any set design.

He, whom no creature fears, is himself, O ascetic, never frightened by any creature.

He, on the other hand, O learmed man, whom every creature fears like a wolf, becomes himself filled with fear as aquatic animals when compelled to leap on the shore from fear of the roaring Vadava fire.

This practice of universal harmlessness has thus originated. One may follow it by every means in his power. He who has a following and he who has riches, may seek to adopt it. It is sure to bring on prosperity and heaven.

On account of their power to remove the fears of others, men having riches and followers are considered as foremost by the learned. Those, who seek common-place happiness, practise this duty of universal harmlessness for the sake of fame; while they, who are truly skilled, practise the same for attaining to Brahma.

Whatever fruits one enjoys by penances, by sacrifices, by making charities, by speaking the truth, and by seeking wisdom, may all be acquired by practising the duty of harmlessness.

That person who declares to all creatures the assurance of harmlessness acquires the merit of all the sacrifices and at last acquires fearlessness for himself as his meed.

There is no duty superior to the duty of not injuring other creatures. He whom, 0 great ascetic, no creature fears in the least, does not himself fear any creatures.

He whom every body fears like a snake lying in ones bed-room, never acquires any merit in this world or in the next.

The very celestials, in their search after it, become bewildered in the track of that person who rises above all states, the person, viz., who himself is the soul of all creatures and who considers all creatures as identical with his own self.

Of all gifts, the promise of harmlessness to all creatures in the greatest. I tell you truly, believe me, O Jajali.

One who performs acts at first acquires prosperity, but then he once more meets with adversity. Seeing the destruction of the merits of) acts, the wise do not speak highly of them.

There is no duty, O Jajali, that is not done by some motive (of happiness). Duty, however, is very subtile. Duties have been ordained in the Vedas for both Brahma and heaven.

The subject of duties is full of secrets and mysteries. It is so subtile that one cannot understand it fully. Amongst various conflicting ordinances, some succeed in understanding duty by observing the acts of the good.

Why do you not destroy them who emasculate bulls and bore their noses and make them bear heavy loads and bind them and put them under various sorts of restraint, and who eat the flesh of living creatures after killing them. Men are seen to acquire men as slaves, and by beating, by binding, and by otherwise subjugating them, make them work day and night. These people are not ignorant of the pain that is caused by beating and chains.

All the gods live in every creature who have the five senses. The Sun, the Moon, the God of Wind, Brahman, Vital Airs, Kratu and Yama, (these live in living creatures).

There are men who maintain themselves by trading in living creatures. When they acquire a living by such a sinful trade, what scruples have they in selling dead carcasses? The goat is Agni. The sheep is Varuna. The horse is the Sun. Earth is the god Virat.

The cow and the calf are Soma. The man who sells these can never acquire success. But what fault is there in selling oil, clarified butter, honey, or drugs, Otwice-born one?

There are many animals which grow up in ease and comfort in places free from gnats and biting insects. Knowing that their mothers love them dearly, men, persecute them in various ways, and lead them into mire full of biting insects. Many beasts of burden are oppressed with heavy loads. Others, again, are made to languish for the treatment not sanctioned by the scriptures.

I think that such acts of injury done to animals are the same as foeticide. People consider the calling of agriculture as sinless. That profession, however, is again fraught with cruelty.

The iron plough wounds the soil and many creatures which live there. Look, O Jajali, at those bullocks yoked to the plough.

Kine called in the Shrutis the Undestructible. That man commits a great iniquity who kills a bull or a cow.

In ancient times, many Rishis with controlled addressed Nahusha, saying,-You have, O king, killed a cow which is regarded in the scriptures like one's mother! You have also killed a bull, which is declared to be like the Creator himself.

are senses You have committed a sin, O Nahusha, and we have been greatly pained at it!-For purifying Nahusha, however, they divided that sin, into a hundred and one parts and metamorphosing the pieces into diseases cast them among all creatures.

Thus, O Jajali, did those highly blessed Rishis cast that sin of all living creatures and addressing Nuhusha who had committed foeticide, said,-We shall not be able to pour libations in your sacrifice! Thus said those great Rishis and Yatis conversant with truth, having learnt by their ascetic power that king Nahusha had not committed the sin intentionally.

These, O Jajali, are some of the wicked and dreadful practices of this world. You do them because they are practised by all men from days of your, and not because they are approved of your purified understanding.

One should perform his duty guided by reasons, instead of blindly following the conduct of the world. Listen now, O Jajali, how I treat him who injures and him who praises me.

I regard both of them equally. I have none whom I like and none whom I dislike. The wise speak highly of such a course of conduct as consistent with duty or religion.

The Yatis also follow this course of conduct, which is consistent with reasons. The righteous always observe it with eyes having purified vision.