He of whom everybody is frightened as one is of a snake
ensconced within one's (sleeping) chamber, never acquires any merit in
this world or in the next. The very gods, in their search after it,
become stupefied in the track of that person who transcends all states,
the person, viz., who constitutes himself the soul of all creatures and
who looketh upon all creatures as identical with his own self.[1157] Of
all gifts, the assurance of harmlessness to all creatures is the highest
(in point of merit). I tell thee truly, believe me, O Jajali! One who
betakes himself to acts at first wins prosperity, but then (upon the
exhaustion of his merit) he once more encounters adversity. Beholding the
destruction of (the merits of) acts, the wise do not applaud acts. There
is no duty, O Jajali, that is not prompted by some motive (of happiness).
Duty, however, is very subtile. Duties have been laid down in the Vedas
for the sake of both Brahma and heaven.[1158] The subject of duties hath
many secrets and mysteries. It is so subtile that it is not easy to
understand it fully. Amongst diverse conflicting ordinances, some succeed
in comprehending duty by observing the acts of the good.[1159] Why dost
thou not consume them that emasculate bulls and bore their noses and
cause them to bear heavy burthens and bind them and put them under
diverse kinds of restraint, and that eat the flesh of living creatures
after slaying them? Men are seen to own men as slaves, and by beating, by
binding, and by otherwise subjecting them to restraints, cause them to
labour day and night.
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