No person desirous of crossing the ocean
of life succeeds in his task even as a small boat floating on the bosom
of the sea. The four orders of men become confounded and destruction
overtakes all. If the Brahmana. who is like a tree is protected, gold and
honey are showered. If, on the other hand, he is not protected, it then
tears and sins are showered, When Brahmanas fall away from the Vedas and
(in the absence of a Kshatriya ruler) seek protection from the
scriptures, then Indra does not pour rain seasonably and diverse kinds of
calamities ceaselessly afflict the kingdom. When a sinful wretch having
slain a woman or a Brahmana does not incur obloquy in assemblies of
fellowmen and has not to stand in fear of the king, then danger threatens
the Kshatriya ruler. In consequence of the sins perpetrated by sinful
men, the god Rudra appears in the kingdom. Indeed, the sinful by their
sins bring upon them that god of vengeance. He then destroys all, the
honest and the wicked alike (without making any distinction).'
"Aila said, 'Whence does Rudra spring? What also is his form? Creatures
are seen to be destroyed by creatures. Tell me all this, O Kasyapa!
Whence does the god Rudra spring?'
"Kasyapa said, 'Rudra exists in the hearts of men. He destroys the bodies
themselves in which he dwells as also the bodies of others. Rudra has
been said to be like atmospheric visitations and his form is like that of
the wind-gods.'
"Aila said, 'The Wind does not, by blowing, visibly destroy men on all
occasions, nor does the deity of the clouds do so by pouring rain.
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