SECTION CCLXII
"Bhishma said, 'Thus addressed by the intelligent Tuladhara on that
occasion, Jajali of great intelligence, that foremost of ascetics, said
these words unto him.'
"Jajali said, 'Thou sellest all kinds of juices and scents, O son of a
trader, as also (barks and leaves of) large trees and herbs and their
fruits and roots. "How hast thou succeeded in acquiring a certitude or
stability of understanding? Whence hath this knowledge come to thee? O
thou of great intelligence, tell me all this in detail.'
"Bhishma continued, 'Thus addressed by that Brahmana possessed of I great
fame, Tuladhara of the Vaisya order, well-acquainted with the truths
touching the interpretations of morality and contented with knowledge,
discoursed to Jajali who had undergone severe penances, upon the ways of
morality.[1144]
"Tuladhara said, 'O Jajali, I know morality, which is eternal, with all
its mysteries. It is nothing else than that ancient morality which is
known to all, and which consists of universal friendliness, and is
fraught with beneficence to all creatures.[1145] That mode of living
which is founded upon a total harmlessness towards all creatures or (in
case of actual necessity) upon a minimum of such harm, is the highest
morality. I live according to that mode, O Jajali! This my house hath
been built with wood and grass cut by other people's hands. Lac dye, the
roots of Nymphaea lotus, filaments of the lotus, diverse kinds of good
scents[1146] and many kinds of liquids, O regenerate Rishi, with the
exception of wines, I purchase from other people's hand and sell without
cheating. He, O Jajali, is said to know what morality or righteousness
is, who is always the friend of all creatures and who is always engaged
in the good of all creatures, in thought, word, and deed. I never solicit
any one. I never quarrel with any one, I never cherish aversion for any
one. I never cherish desire for anything. I cast equal eyes upon all
things and all creatures. Behold, O Jajali, this is my vow! My scales are
perfectly even, O Jajali, with respect to all creatures.[1147] I neither
praise nor blame the acts of others, viewing this variety in the world, O
foremost of Brahmanas, to be like the variety observable in the
sky.[1148] Know, O Jajali, that I cast equal eye upon all creatures. O
foremost of intelligent men, I see no difference between a clod of earth
a piece of stone, and a lump of gold. As the blind, the deaf, and they
that are destitute of reason, are perfectly consoled for the loss of
their senses, after the same manner am I consoled, by their example (for
the enjoyments I abstain from).[1149] As they that are overtaken by
decrepitude, they that are afflicted by disease, and they that are
weakened and emaciated, have no relish for enjoyments of any kind, after
the same manner have I ceased to feel any relish for wealth or pleasure
or enjoyments. When a person fears nothing and himself is not feared,
when he cherishes no desire and hath no aversion for anything, he is then
said to attain to Brahma. When a person does not conduct himself sinfully
towards any creature in thought, word, or deed, then is he said to attain
to Brahma. There is no past, no future. There is no morality or
righteousness. He who is not an object of fear with any creature succeeds
in attaining to a state in which there is no fear.[1150] On the other
hand, that person who for harshness of speech and severity of temper, is
a source of trouble unto all creatures even as death itself, certainly
attains to a state which abounds with fear. I follow the practices of
high-souled and benevolent men of advanced years who with their children
and children's children live in the due observance of the ordinance laid
down in the scriptures.[1151] The eternal practices (laid down in the
Vedas) are entirely given up by one who suffers himself to be stupefied
by some errors that he may have noticed in the conduct of those that are
admittedly good and wise. One, however, that is endued with learning, or
one that has subdued one's senses, or one that is possessed of strength
of mind, succeeds in attaining to Emancipation, guided by that very
conduct.[1152] That wise man who, having restrained his senses,
practiseth, with a heart cleansed from all desire of injuring others, the
conduct that is followed by those called good, is sure, O Jajali, to
acquire the merit of righteousness (and Emancipation which is its
fruits). In this world, as in a river, a piece of wood that is being
borne away by the current as it pleases, is seen to come into contact
(for some time) with another piece that is being similarly borne away.
There, on the current, other pieces of wood that had been joined
together, are seen again to separate from one another. Grass, sticks, and
cowdung cakes are seen to be united together. This union is due to
accident and not to purpose or design.[1153] He of whom no creature is
frightened in the least is himself, O ascetic, never frightened by any
creature. He, on the other hand, O learned man, of whom every creature is
frightened as of a wolf, becomes himself filled with fear as aquatic
animals when forced to leap on the shore from fear of the roaring Vadava
fire.[1154] This practice of universal harmlessness hath arisen even
thus. One may follow it by every means in one's power. He who has
followers and he who has wealth may seek to adopt it. It is sure to lead
also to prosperity and heaven.[1155] Inconsequence of their ability to
dispel the fears of others, men possessed of wealth and followers are
regarded as foremost by the learned. They that are for ordinary happiness
practise this duty of universal harmlessness for the sake of fame; while
they that are truly skilled, practise the same for the sake of attaining
to Brahma.[1156] Whatever fruits one enjoys by penances, by sacrifices,
by practising liberality, by speaking the truth, and by paying court to
wisdom, may all be had by practising the duty of harmlessness. That
person who gives unto all creatures the assurance of harmlessness obtains
the merit of all sacrifices and at last wins fearlessness for himself as
his reward. There is no duty superior to the duty of abstention from
injuring other creatures. He of whom, O great ascetic, no creature is
frightened in the least, obtains for himself fearlessness of all
creatures. 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. These people are not ignorant of the pain that
results from beating and fastening in chains.[1160] In every creature
that is endued with the five senses live all the deities. Surya,
Chandramas, the god of wind, Brahman, Prana, Kratu, and Yama (these dwell
in living creatures), There are men that live by trafficking in living
creatures! When they earn a living by such a sinful course, what scruples
need they feel in selling dead carcases? The goat is Agni. The sheep is
Varuna. The horse is Surya. Earth is the deity Virat. The cow and the
calf are Soma. The man who sells these can never obtain success. But what
fault can attach to the sale of oil, or of Ghrita, or honey, or drugs, O
regenerate one? There are many animals that grow up in ease and comfort
in places free from gnats and biting insects. Knowing that they are loved
dearly by their mothers, men persecute them in diverse ways, and lead
them into miry spots abounding with biting insects. Many draft animals
are oppressed with heavy burthens. Others, again, are made to languish in
consequence of treatment not sanctioned by the scriptures. I think that
such acts of injury done to animals are in no way distinguished from
foeticide. People regard the profession of agriculture to be sinless.
That profession, however, is certainly fraught with cruelty. The
iron-faced plough wounds the soil and many creatures that live in the
soil. Cast thy eyes, O Jajali, on those bullocks yoked to the plough.
Kine are called in the Srutis the Unslayable. That man perpetrates a
great sin who slays a bull or a cow.[1161] In days of yore, many Rishis
with restrained senses addressed Nahusha, saying, 'Thou hast, O king,
slain a cow which is declared in the scriptures to be like unto one's
mother. Thou hast also slain a bull, which is declared to be like unto
the Creator himself.[1162] Thou hast perpetrated an evil act, O Nahusha,
and we have been exceedingly pained at it.' For cleansing Nahusha,
however, they divided that sin into a hundred and one parts and
converting the fragments into diseases cast them among all
creatures.[1163] Thus, O Jajali, did those highly-blessed Rishis cast
that sin on all living creatures, and addressing Nahusha who had been
guilty of foeticide, said, 'We shall not be able to pour libations in thy
sacrifice.' Thus said those high-souled Rishis and Yatis conversant with
the truths of all things, having ascertained by their ascetic power that
king Nahusha had not been intentionally guilty of that sin.[1164] These,
O Jajali, are some of the wicked and dreadful practices that are current
in this world. Thou practisest them because they are practised by all men
from ancient times, and not because they agree with the dictates of thy
cleansed understanding. One should practise what one considers to be
one's duty, guided by reasons, instead of blindly following the practices
of the world. Listen now, O Jajali, as to what my behaviour is towards
him that injures and him that praises me. I regard both of them in the
same light. I have none whom I like and none whom I dislike. The wise
applauded such a course of conduct as consistent with duty or religion.
Even this course of conduct, which is consistent with reasons, is
followed by Yatis. The righteous always observe it with eyes possessed of
improved vision.'"
