The householder who leads the life of
domesticity, performs sacrifices, and practises penances. Whatever is
done by anybody from desire of happiness has for its root the domestic
mode of life. All living creatures regard the procreation of offspring as
a source of great happiness. The procreation of offspring, however,
becomes impossible in any other mode of life (than domesticity). Every
kind of grass and straw, all plants and herbs (that yield corn or grain),
and others of the same class that grow on hills and mountains, have the
domestic mode of life for their root. Upon those depend the life of
living creatures. And since nothing else is seen (in the universe) than
life, domesticity may be looked upon as the refuge of the entire
universe.[1241] Who then speaks the truth that says that domesticity
cannot lead to the acquisition of Emancipation? Only those that are
destitute of faith and wisdom and penetration, only those that are
destitute of reputation that are idle and toil-worn, that have misery for
their share in consequence of their past acts, only those that are
destitute of learning, behold the plenitude of tranquillity in a life of
mendicancy. The eternal and certain distinctions (laid down in the Vedas)
are the causes that sustain the three worlds. That illustrious person of
the highest order who is conversant with the Vedas, is worshipped from
the very date of his birth. Besides the performance of Garbhadhana, Vedic
mantras become necessary for enabling persons of the regenerate classes
to accomplish all their acts in respect of both this and the other
world.
Pages:
2138
2139
2140
2141
2142
2143
2144
2145
2146
2147
2148
2149
2150
2151
2152
2153
2154
2155
2156
2157
2158
2159
2160
2161
2162