On the other
hand, it is by practising the rites laid down in the Vedas that one
succeeds in attaining to Brahma.'
"Kapila said, '(If acts are obligatory, then) there are the Darsa, the
Paurnamasa, the Agnihotra, the Chaturmasya, and other acts for the man of
intelligence. In their performance is eternal merit. (Why then perform
acts involving cruelty)? Those that have betaken themselves to the
Sannyasa, mode of life, that abstain from all acts, that are endued with
patience, that are cleansed (of wrath and every fault), and that are
conversant with Brahma, succeed by such knowledge of Brahma in paying off
the debts (thou speakest of) to the gods (the Rishis, and the Pitris)
represented to be so very fond of libations poured in sacrifices.[1244]
The very gods become stupefied in tracing the track of that trackless
person who constitutes himself the soul of all creatures and who looks
upon all creatures with an equal eye. Through instructions received from
the preceptor one knows that which dwells within this frame to be of a
four-fold nature, having besides four doors and four mouths. In
consequence of (their possession of) two arms, the organ of speech, the
stomach, and the organ of pleasure, the very gods are said to have four
doors. One should, therefore, strive one's best to keep those doors under
control.[1245] One should not gamble with dice. One should not
appropriate what belongs to another. One should not assist at the
sacrifice of a person of ignoble birth.
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