"Yudhishthira said, 'Thou hast already explained to me, O grandsire, how
the religion of Yoga, which leads to the six well-known attributes, may
be adopted and practised without injuring any creature. Tell me, O
grandsire, of that religion which leads to both results, viz., Enjoyment
and Emancipation. Amongst these two, viz., the duties of domesticity and
those of Yoga, both of which lead to the same end, which is superior?'
"Bhishma said, 'Both courses of duty are highly blessed. Both are
extremely difficult of accomplishment. Both are productive of high
fruits. Both are practised by those that are admittedly good. I shall
presently discourse to thee on the authoritativeness of both those
courses of duty, for dispelling thy doubts about their true import.
Listen to me with concentrated attention. In this connection is instanced
the old narrative of the discourse between Kapila and the cow. Listen to
it, O Yudhishthira! It has been heard by us that in days of old
when the deity Tvashtri came to the place of king Nahusha, the latter,
for discharging the duties of hospitality, was on the point of killing a
cow agreeably to the true, ancient, and eternal injunction of the Vedas.
Beholding that cow tied for slaughter, Kapila of liberal soul, ever
observant of the duties of Sattwa, always engaged in restraining his
senses, possessed of true knowledge, and abstemious in diet, having
acquired an excellent understanding that was characterised by faith,
perfectly fearless, beneficial, firm, and ever directed towards truth,
uttered this word once, viz.,—'Alas ye Vedas!'—At that time a Rishi, of
the name of Syumarasmi, entering (by Yoga power) the form of that cow,
addressed the Yati Kapila, saying, 'Hist O Kapila! If the Vedas be
deserving (in consequence of those declarations in them that sanction the
slaughter of living creatures), whence have those other duties (fraught
with entire harmlessness to all creatures) come to be regarded as
authoritative? Men devoted to penances and endued with
intelligence, and who have the Srutis and knowledge for their eyes,
regard the injunctions of the Vedas, which have been declared through and
compiled by the Rishis, to be the words of God himself. What can
anybody say (by way of censure or praise) with respect to the contents of
the Vedas when these happen to be the words of the Supreme Being himself
who is freed from desire of fruit, who is without the fever (of envy and
aversion), who is addicted to nothing, and who is destitute of all
exertion (in consequence of the immediate fruition of all his wishes)?'
"Kapila said, 'I do not censure the Vedas. I do not wish to say anything
in derogation of them. It hath been heard by us that the different
courses of duty laid down for the different modes of life, all lead to
the same end. The Sannyasin attains to a high end. The forest-recluse
also attains to a high end. Both the other two also, viz., the
householder and the Brahmacharin, reach the same end. All the four modes
of life have always been regarded as Deva-yana ways. The relative
strength or weakness of these, as represented by their relative
superiority or inferiority, hath been declared in the character of their
respective ends.—Knowing these, accomplish acts which lead to
heaven and other blessings,—this is a Vedic declaration.—Do not
accomplish acts,—this also is another binding declaration of the Vedas.
If abstention from acts be meritorious, then their accomplishment must be
exceedingly reprehensible. When the scriptures stand thus, the strength
or weakness of particular declarations must be very difficult to
ascertain. If thou knowest of any course of duty which is superior to the
religion of harmlessness, and which depends upon direct evidence instead
of that of the scriptures, do thou then discourse to me upon it.'
"Syumarasmi said, 'One should perform sacrifice from desire of
heaven,—this Sruti is constantly heard by us. Thinking first of the
fruit (that is to be attained), one makes preparations for sacrifice.
Goat, horse, cow, all species of birds, domestic or wild, and herbs and
plants, are food of (other) living creatures. This is heard by us.
Food again has been directed to be taken day after day morning and
evening. Then again the Sruti declares that animals and grain are the
limbs of Sacrifice. The Lord of the universe created them along
with Sacrifice. The puissant Lord of all creatures caused the deities to
perform sacrifices with their aid. Altogether seven (domestic) and seven
(wild) animals are indicated as fit for sacrifice. Instead of all being
equally fit, each succeeding one is inferior to each preceding one. The
Vedas again declare that the whole universe is appointed for sacrifice.
Him also that is called Purusha the Vedas have appointed for the same
purpose. This again hath been sanctioned by men of remote and
remoter times. What man of learning is there that does not select,
according to his own ability, individuals from among living creatures for
sacrifice? The inferior animals, human beings, trees, and herbs,
all wish for the attainment of heaven. There is no means, however, except
sacrifice, by which they can obtain the fruition of that desire. The
deciduous herbs, animals, trees, creepers, clarified butter, milk, curds,
meat and other approved things (that are poured on the sacrificial fire),
land, the points of the compass, faith, and time which brings up the tale
of twelve, the Richs, the Yajuses, the Samans, and the sacrificer himself
bringing up the tale to sixteen, and Fire which should be known as the
householder,—these seventeen are said to be the limbs of sacrifice.
Sacrifice, the Sruti declares, is the root of the world and its course.
With clarified butter, milk, curds, dung, curds mixed with milk, skin,
the hair in her tail, horns, and hoofs, the cow alone is able to furnish
all the necessaries of sacrifice. Particular ones amongst these that are
laid down for particular sacrifices, coupled with Ritwijas and presents
(to the priests themselves and other Brahmanas) together sustain
sacrifices. By collecting these things together, people accomplish
sacrifices. This Sruti, consistent with the truth, is heard that
all things have been created for the performance of sacrifice. It was
thus that all men of ancient time set themselves to the performance of
sacrifices. As regards that person, however, who performs sacrifices
because of the conviction that sacrifices should be performed and not for
the sake of fruit or reward, it is seen that he does not injure any
creature or bear himself with hostility to anything, or set himself to
the accomplishment of any worldly task. Those things that have been
named as the limbs of sacrifice, and those other things that have been
mentioned as required in sacrifices and that are indicated in the
ordinances, all uphold one another (for the completion of sacrifices)
when used according to the approved ritual. I behold also the
Smritis compiled by he Rishis, into which the Vedas have been introduced.
Men of learning regard them as authoritative in consequence of their
following the Brahmanas. Sacrifices have the Brahmanas for that
progenitor, and truly they rest upon the Brahmanas. The whole universe
rests upon sacrifice, and sacrifice rests upon the universe. The
syllable Om is the root from which the Vedas have sprung. (Every rite,
therefore, should commence with the utterance of that syllable of vast
import). Of him who has uttered for him the syllables Om, Namas, Swaha,
Svadha, and Vashat, and who has, according to the extent of his ability,
performed sacrifices and other rites, there is no fear in respect of next
life in all the three worlds. Thus say the Vedas, and sages crowned with
ascetic success, and the foremost of Rishis. He in whom are the Richs,
the Yajuses, the Samans, and the expletives necessary for completing the
rhythm of the Samans according to the rules laid down in Vedic grammars,
is, indeed, a Brahmana. Thou knowest, O adorable Brahmana, what the
fruits are of Agnihotra, of the Soma-sacrifice, and of the other great
sacrifices. I say, for this reason, one should sacrifice and assist at
other people's sacrifices, without scruples of any kind. One who performs
such sacrifices as lead to heaven (such as Jyotishtoma, etc.) obtains
high rewards hereafter in the form of heavenly beatitude. This is
certain, viz., that they who do not perform sacrifices have neither this
world nor the next. They who are really conversant with the declarations
of the Vedas regard both kinds of declarations (viz., those that incite
to acts and those that preach abstention) as equally authoritative.'"
