They
that have given up desire and enjoyment have never to grieve. Thou,
however, grievest for enjoyments.[49] Discarding desire and enjoyment,
thou mayst succeed in liberating thyself from false speech.[50] There are
two well-known paths (for us), viz., the path of the Pitris and the path
of the gods. They that perform sacrifices go by the Pitri-path, while
they that are for salvation, go by the god-path.[51] By penances, by
Brahmacharya, by study (of the Vedas), the great Rishis, casting off
their bodies, proceeded to regions that are above the power of Death.
Worldly enjoyments have been styled as bonds, They have also been called
Action. Liberated from those two sins (viz., bonds and action), one
attains to the highest end. Mention is made of a verse sung (of old) by
Janaka who was freed from the pairs of opposites, liberated from desire
and enjoyments, and observant of the religion of Moksha. That verse runs
thus: 'My treasures are immense, yet I have nothing! If again the whole
of Mithila were burnt and reduced to ashes, nothing of mine will be
burnt!' As a person on the hill-top looketh down upon men on the plain
below, so he that has got up on the top of the mansion of knowledge,
seeth people grieving for things that do not call for grief. He, however,
that is of foolish understanding, does not see this. He who, casting his
eyes on visible things, really seeth them, is said to have eyes and
understanding. The faculty called understanding is so called because of
the knowledge and comprehension it gives of unknown and incomprehensible
things.
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