Arghya for honouring the recipient, who duly gives
seats, and beds, and lamps for lighting the darkness,
and shelter to those that come to his abode, is regarded
as highly righteous. That householder who rises
at dawn and washes his mouth and ’face and serves
food to his guests, and having honoured them duly dismisses
them from his abode and follows them (as a mark of
honour) for a little distance, acquires eternal merit.
Hospitality towards all, and the pursuit of the aggregate
of three, are the duties of the householder. The
duties of the Sudra consist in the pursuit of the aggregate
of three. The Religion ordained for the householder
is said to have Pravritti for its chief indication.
Auspicious, and beneficial to all creatures, I shall
expound it to thee. The householder should always
make gifts according to the measure of his power.
He should also perform sacrifices frequently after
the same manner. Indeed, he who wishes to achieve
his own good should always achieve meritorious acts.
The householder, should acquire wealth by righteous
means. The wealth thus acquired should be carefully
divided into three portions, keeping the requirements
of righteousness in view. With one of those portions
he should accomplish all acts of righteousness.
With another he should seek to gratify his cravings
for pleasure. The third portion he should lay
out for increasing. The Religion of Nivritti
is different. It exists for emancipation (from
re-birth by absorption into Brahman). I shall
tell thee the conduct that constitutes it. Listen
to me in detail, O goddess. One of the duties
inculcated by that religion is compassion towards all
creatures. The man that follows it should not
reside in one place for more than one day. Desirous
of achieving emancipation, the followers of this Religion
free themselves from the bonds of hope (or desire).
They have no attachment to habitation, to the Kamandalu
they bear for keeping water, to the robes that cover
their loins, or the seat whereupon they rest, or the
triple stick they bear in their hands, or the bed
they sleep on, or the fire they want, or the chamber
that houses them. A follower of this Religion
sets his heart upon the workings of his soul.
His mind is devoted to Supreme Brahman. He is
filled with the idea of attaining to Brahman.
He is always devoted to Yoga and the Sankhya Philosophy.
He desires no other shelter than the foot of a tree.
He houses himself in empty abodes of men. He
sleeps on the banks of rivers. He takes pleasure
in staying by such banks. He is freed from every
attachment, and from every tie of affection.
He merges the existence of his own soul into the Supreme
Soul. Standing like a stake of wood, and abstaining
from all food he does only such acts as point to Emancipation.
Or, he may wander about, devoted to Yoga. Even
these are the eternal duties of a follower of the Religion
of Nivritti. He lives aloof from his species.
He is freed from all attachments. He never resides