him for a Brahmana who has cast off his upper garment, who sleeps on the bare ground, who makes his arm a pillow, and whose heart is possessed of tranquillity.[1246] That person who, devoted to contemplation, singly enjoys all the happiness that wedded couples enjoy, and who turns not his attention to the joys and griefs of others, should be known for a Brahmana.[1247] That man who rightly understands all this as it exists in reality and its multiform transformations, and who knows what the end is of all created objects, is known by the gods for a Brahmana.[1248] One who hath no fear from any creature and from whom no creature hath any fear and who constitutes himself the soul of all creatures, should be known for a Brahmana.  Without having acquired purity of heart which is the true result of all pious acts such as gifts and sacrifices, men of foolish understandings do not succeed in obtaining a knowledge of what is needed in making one a Brahmana even when explained by preceptors.  Destitute of a knowledge of all this, these men desire fruits of a different kind, viz., heaven and its joys.[1249] Unable to practise even a small part of that good conduct which has come down from remote times, which is eternal, which is characterised by certitude, which enters as a thread in all our duties, and by adopting which men of knowledge belonging to all the modes of life convert their respective duties and penances into terrible weapons for destroying the ignorance and evils of worldliness, men of foolish understandings regard acts that are productive of visible fruits, that are fraught with the highest puissance, and that are deathless, as fruitless after all and as deviations (from the proper course) not sanctioned by the scriptures.  In truth, however, that conduct, embracing as it does practices the very opposite of those that are seen in seasons of distress, is the very essence of heedfulness and is never affected by lust and wrath and other passions of a similar kind.[1250] As regards sacrifices again, it is very difficult to ascertain all their particulars.  If ascertained, it is very difficult to observe them in practice.  If practised, the fruits to which they lead are terminable.  Mark this well. (And marking this, do thou betake thyself to the path of knowledge).’

“Syumarasmi said, ’The Vedas countenance acts and discountenance them.  Whence then is their authority when their declarations thus contradict each other?  Renunciation of acts, again, is productive of great benefit.  Both these have been indicated in the Vedas.  Do thou discourse to me on this subject, O Brahmana!’

“Kapila said, ’Betaking yourselves to the path of the good (viz., Yoga), do you even in this life realise its fruits by the direct evidence of your senses.  What, however, are the visible results of those other objects which you (men of acts) pursue?’