Of metals,
gold is the foremost. Of words, mantras, and of bipeds, the Brahmanas,
are the foremost. These mantras regulate all the rites of a Brahmana's
life beginning with those appertaining to birth and the period after it,
and ending with those appertaining to death and the crematorium. These
Vedic rites are his heaven, path, and foremost of sacrifices. If it were
otherwise, how could I find the acts (of persons in quest of heaven)
become successful through mantras? He who, in this world, adores his
soul, firmly regarding it to be a deity of a particular kind, obtains
success consistent with the nature of that particular deity.[17] The
seasons measured by half the months lead to the Sun, the Moon, or the
Stars.[18] These three kinds of success, depending upon action are
desired by every creature. The domestic mode of life is very superior and
sacred and is called the field (for the cultivation) of success. By what
path do those men go that censure action? Of little understanding and
deprived of wealth, they incur sin. And since those men of little
understanding live by abandoning the eternal paths of the gods, the paths
of the Rishis, and the paths of Brahma, therefore, they attain to paths
disapproved of by the Srutis.[19] There is an ordinance in the mantras
which says, 'Ye sacrificer, perform the sacrifice represented by gifts of
valuable things. I wilt give thee happiness represented by sons, animals,
and heaven!'--To live, therefore, in accordance with ordinance is said to
be the highest asceticism of the ascetics.
Pages:
1022
1023
1024
1025
1026
1027
1028
1029
1030
1031
1032
1033
1034
1035
1036
1037
1038
1039
1040
1041
1042
1043
1044
1045
1046