Sacrifice, therefore, is the highest act in life and the most meritorious
that man call do.
17. The iti after vadi is really eti, the absence of sandhi in the proper
form is Arsha. Literally rendered, the line becomes,--According to the
manner in which the person of firm conviction approaches the Soul, is the
success that he gets here. As the Srutis declare, if one firmly regards
oneself to be Siva, the success one attains here and hereafter is after
the kind of that deity.
18. The brevity of such passages is the chief obstacle to their clear
comprehension. Fortunately the allusions are very plain. What is meant is
that those who die during the lighted fortnights of the summer solstice
attain to solar regions of bliss. Those that die during the dark
fortnights of the winter solstice, attain to lunar regions. These last
have to return after passing their allotted periods of enjoyment and
happiness. While those that are freed from attachments, whatever the time
of their Death, go to Stellar regions which are equal to that of Brahma.
19. Without attaining to the companionship of the gods and Pitris, and
without obtaining Brahma, they sink in the scale of being and become
worms and vermin.
20. The sense is that the gods themselves have become so by action.
21. The first word is compounded of an and astika.
22. Deva-yana is the Yana or way along which the deities have gone, the
strict observance of the Vedic rites.
23. Renouncer of his own self, because he dries up his very body by
denying himself food.
Pages:
2701
2702
2703
2704
2705
2706
2707
2708
2709
2710
2711
2712
2713
2714
2715
2716
2717
2718
2719
2720
2721
2722
2723
2724
2725