of Self in consequence of desire, engages itself in acts.  In the union of cause and effect, those acts again become (new causes).[725] Effects do not enter into causes.  Nor do causes enter into effects.  In the production of effects, Time is the Cause.  The primordial essences (eight in number as mentioned before), and their modifications six-(teen in number), fraught with causes, exists in a state of union, in consequence of their being always presided over by the Soul.  Like dust following the wind that moves it, the creature-Soul, divested of body, but endued still with inclinations born of Passion and Darkness and with principles of causes constituted by the acts of the life that is over, moves on, following the direction that the Supreme Soul gives it.  The Soul, however, is never touched by those inclinations and propensities.  Nor are these touched by the Soul that is superior to them.  The wind, which is naturally pure, is never stained by the dust it bears away.[726] As the wind is truly separate from the dust it bears away, even so, the man of wisdom should know, is the connection between that which is called existence or life and the Soul.  No one should take it that the Soul, in consequence of its apparent union with the body and the senses and the other propensities and beliefs and unbeliefs, is really endued therewith as its necessary and absolute qualities.  On the other hand, the Soul should be taken as existing in its own nature.  Thus did the divine Rishi solve the doubt that had taken possession of his disciple’s mind.  Notwithstanding all this, people depend upon means consisting of acts and scriptural rites for casting off misery and winning happiness.  Seeds that are scorched by fire do not put forth sprouts.  After the same manner, if everything that contributes to misery be consumed by the fire of true knowledge, the Soul escapes the obligation of rebirth in the world.’

SECTION CCXII

“Bhishma said, ’Persons engaged in the practice of acts regard the practice of acts highly.  Similarly, those that are devoted to Knowledge do not regard anything other than Knowledge.  Persons fully conversant with the Vedas and depending upon the utterances contained in them, are rare.  They that are more intelligent desire the path of abstention from acts as the better of the two, viz., heaven and emancipation.[727] Abstention from acts is observed by those that are possessed of great wisdom.  That conduct, therefore, is laudable.  The intelligence which urges to abstention from acts, is that by which one attains to Emancipation.  Possessed of body, a person, through folly, and endued with wrath and cupidity and all the propensities born of Passion and Darkness, becomes attached to all earthly objects.  One, therefore, who desires to destroy one’s connection with the body, should never indulge in any impure act.  On the other hand, one should create by one’s acts a path for attaining to emancipation,