under control, and who has transcended joy, pride, and wrath, has never to languish in grief.  This is the course of conduct that was ordained of old for a Brahmana.  He should strive for the acquisition of Knowledge, and do all the scriptural acts.  By living thus, he is sure to obtain success.  One who is not possessed of clear vision does wrong even when one wishes to do right.  Such a person, by even exercising his judgment, does such acts of virtue as partake of the nature of inequity.  Desiring to do what is right, one does what is wrong.  Similarly, desiring to do what is wrong one does what is right.  Such a person is a fool.  Not knowing, the two kinds of acts, one has to undergo repeated rebirths and deaths.’”

SECTION CCXXXVI

“Vyasa said, ’If Emancipation be desirable, then knowledge should be acquired.  For a person who is borne now up and now down along the stream of Time or life, knowledge is the raft by which he can reach the shore.  Those wise men who have arrived at certain conclusions (regarding the character of the soul and that which is called life) by the aid of wisdom, are able to assist the ignorant in crossing the stream of time or life with the raft of knowledge.  They, however, that are ignorant, are unable save either themselves or others.  He who has freed himself from desire and all other faults, and who has emancipated himself from all attachments, should attend to, these two and ten requirements of yoga, viz., place, acts, affection, objects, means, destruction, certainty, eyes, food, suppression, mind and survey.[905] He who wishes to obtain superior Knowledge, should, by the aid of his understanding, restrain both speech and mind.  He who wishes to have tranquillity, should, by the aid of his knowledge, restrain his soul.  Whether he becomes compassionate or cruel, whether he becomes conversant with all the Vedas or ignorant of the Richs, whether he becomes righteous and observant of sacrifices or the worst of sinners, whether he becomes eminent for prowess and wealth or plunged into misery, that person who directs his mind towards these (attributes that I have spoken of), is sure to cross the ocean of life which is so difficult to cross.  Without speaking of the results of the attainment of Brahma by yoga, it may be said that he who sets himself to only enquiring after the Soul transcends the necessity of observing the acts laid down in the Vedas.  The body with jiva within it is an excellent car.  When sacrifices and religious rites are made its upastha, shame its varutha, Upaya and Apaya its kuvara, the breath called Apana its aksha, the breath called Prana its yuga, knowledge and the allotted period of existence its points for tying the steeds, heedfulness its handsome vandhura, the assumption of good behaviour its nemi, vision, touch, scent, and hearing its four steeds, wisdom its nabhi, all the scriptures its pratoda, certain knowledge of the scriptural declarations its