’The six kinds of renunciation are all commendable.  They are these:  The first is never experiencing joy on occasions of prosperity.  The second is the abandonment of sacrifices, prayers, and pious acts.  That which is called the third, O king, is the abandonment of desire or withdrawing from the world.  Indeed, it is in consequence of this third kind of renunciation of desire, which is evidenced by the abandonment of all objects of enjoyment (without enjoying them) and not their abandonment after having enjoyed them to the fill, nor by abandonment after acquisition, nor by abandonment only after one has become incompetent to enjoy from loss of appetite.  The fourth kind of renunciation consists in this:  One should not grieve nor suffer his self to be afflicted by grief when one’s actions fail, notwithstanding one’s possession of all the virtues and all kinds of wealth.  Or, when anything disagreeable happens, one feeleth no pain.  The fifth kind of renunciation consists in not soliciting even one’s sons, wives, and others that may all be very dear.  The sixth kind consists in giving away to a deserving person who solicits, which act of gifts is always productive of merit.  By these again, one acquires the knowledge of Self.  As regards this last attribute, it involves eight qualities.  These are truth, meditation, distinction of subject and object, capacity for drawing inferences, withdrawal from the world, never taking what belongeth to others, the practices of Brahmacharya vows (abstinence), and non-acceptance (of gifts).

’So also the attribute of mada (the opposite of dama or self-restraint) hath faults which have all been indicated (in the scriptures).  These faults should be avoided.  I have spoken (to thee) of renunciation and self-knowledge.  And as, self-Knowledge hath eight virtues, so the want of it hath eight faults.  Those faults should be avoided.  O Bharata, he that is liberated from this five senses, mind, the past and the future, becomes happy.  O king, let thy soul be devoted to truth; all the worlds are established on truth; indeed, self-control, renunciation, and self-knowledge are said to have truth for their foremost attribute.  Avoiding (these) faults, one should practise asceticism here.  The Ordainer hath ordained that truth alone should be the vow of the righteous.  Asceticism, that is dissociated from these faults and endued with these virtues, becomes the source of great prosperity, I have now briefly told these about that sin-destroying and sacred subject which thou hadst asked me and which is capable of liberating a person from birth, death, and decrepitude.’

“Dhritarashtra said, ’With Akhyana (Puranas) as their fifth, the Vedas declare the Supreme Soul to be this universe consisting of mobile and immobile things.  Others regard four God-heads; and others three; others again regard two; and others only one; and others regard Brahman alone as the sole existent object (there being nothing else possessing a separate existence).  Amongst these, which should I know to be really possessed of the knowledge of Brahman.’