Imatges de pàgina
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kind called) Tailapaka, for stealing salt a cricket, for stealing sour milk a bird (of the kind called) Balâkâ.

64. For stealing silk a partridge, for stealing linen a frog, for stealing cotton-cloth a crane, for stealing a cow an iguana, for stealing molasses a flying-fox ;

65. For stealing fine perfumes a musk-rat, for stealing vegetables consisting of leaves a peacock, for stealing cooked food of various kinds a porcupine, for stealing uncooked food a hedgehog.

66. For stealing fire he becomes a heron, for stealing household-utensils a mason-wasp, for stealing dyed clothes a francolin-partridge;

67. For stealing a deer or an elephant a wolf, for stealing a horse a tiger, for stealing fruit and roots a monkey, for stealing a woman a bear, for stealing water a black-white cuckoo, for stealing vehicles a camel, for stealing cattle a he-goat.

68. That man who has forcibly taken away any kind of property belonging to another, or who has eaten sacrificial food (of) which (no portion) had been offered, inevitably becomes an animal.

which latter word Nâr. also gives, but explains by medah. The Tailapaka is probably the cockroach. Kîrîvâka, 'a cricket,' may also mean a cicada." Nand. reads Kakravâka, 'a Brâhmanî duck.'

64. Yâgn. III, 215; Vi. XLIV, 25-30. Regarding Vâgguda, 'the flying-fox,' see note on Gaut. XVII, 34. Râgh. confirms the explanation given there, as he says that it is a bird flying at night. Medh. and Nand. seem to have had a different reading at the end of the verse. The MSS. of the former have kraunko godhâ mâmsâshu valgutih (?), and that of the latter godhâ gavyam dado sallam (?).

65. Yâgn. III, 213; Vi. XLIV, 31-34.

66. Yâgn. III, 214-215; Vi. XLIV, 35-37.

67. Yâgn. III, 214; Vi. XLIV, 38-43.

68. Yâgπ. III, 217; Vi. XLIV, 44.

69. Women, also, who in like manner have committed a theft, shall incur guilt; they will become the females of those same creatures (which have been enumerated above).

70. But (men of the four) castes who have relinquished without the pressure of necessity their proper occupations, will become the servants of Dasyus, after migrating into despicable bodies.

71. A Brâhmana who has fallen off from his duty (becomes) an Ulkâmukha Preta, who feeds on what has been vomited; and a Kshatriya, a Kataputana (Preta), who eats impure substances and corpses.

72. A Vaisya who has fallen off from his duty becomes a Maitrâkshagyotika Preta, who feeds on pus; and a Sûdra, a Kailâsaka (Preta, who feeds on moths).

69. Vi. XLIV, 45. In like manner,' i. e. 'intentionally' (Gov., Kull.).

70. I follow Medh., Gov., Nâr., Nand., Râgh., and K., who read dasyushu instead of satrushu, ' of their enemies' (editions). Gov. explains dasyushu by satrushu, and the same explanation is given by Kull.; while according to Medh., 'thieves and robbers' are meant ; and according to Nâr., 'forest-tribes, such as Sabaras.' Nand. reads pretatâm (MS. prenatâm) for preshyatâm, and explains it by 'will become Pisâkas among the Dasyus.' His reading looks like a correction made on account of the next verses.

71. Ulkâmukha, i. e. with flaming mouth' (Medh.). Medh. prefers Kûtapûtana, 'with a stinking nose,' to Katapûtana (Kull., Nâr., Râgh., Nand., K.). Gov. reads Kathapûtana.

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72. Maitrâkshagyotika is, according to Medh., Kull., and Râgh., to be explained as a kind of Preta who has a light in or sees with the anus. Medh. gives another explanation, according to which it simply means 'a Preta,' and adds that others' explain it by 'an owl.' Kailasaka, 'a (Preta) who feeds on moths' (Gov.), means according to Kull., ' who feeds on body-lice.' Kelâsaka is the reading of Gov., Nâr., and Nand.

73. In proportion as sensual men indulge in sensual pleasures, in that same proportion their taste for them grows.

74. By repeating their sinful acts those men of small understanding suffer pain here (below) in various births;

75. (The torture of) being tossed about in dreadful hells, Tâmisra and the rest, (that of) the Forest with sword-leaved trees and the like, and (that of) being bound and mangled;

76. And various torments, the (pain of) being devoured by ravens and owls, the heat of scorching sand, and the (torture of) being boiled in jars, which is hard to bear;

77. And births in the wombs (of) despicable (beings) which cause constant misery, and afflictions from cold and heat and terrors of various kinds,

78. The (pain of) repeatedly lying in various wombs and agonizing births, imprisonment in fetters hard to bear, and the misery of being enslaved by others,

79. And separations from their relatives and dear ones, and the (pain of) dwelling together with the wicked, (labour in) gaining wealth and its loss, (trouble in) making friends and (the appearance of) enemies,

8o. Old age against which there is no remedy, the

73. I follow Medh. and Gov., who explain kusalatâ, literally ' cleverness' (Kull., Râgh.), by ekarasîbhâvah.

75-76. See above, IV, 88–89; Yâgñ. III, 206, 221–225.

76. Medh. reads karambhavâlukâs taptâh, and explains karambhah by karmadah (kardamah ?) ‘heated mud and sand (?)'. The translation follows Kull.'s and Râgh.'s notes. Medh., Gov., Râgh., Nand., and K. read suduhsahân, very hard to bear,' which has been given above, instead of dârunân, ‘terrible' (Kull., editions).

pangs of diseases, afflictions of many various kinds, and (finally) unconquerable death.

81. But with whatever disposition of mind (a man) performs any act, he reaps its result in a (future) body endowed with the same quality.

82. All the results, proceeding from actions, have been thus pointed out; learn (next) those acts which secure supreme bliss to a Brâhmana.

83. Studying the Veda, (practising) austerities, (the acquisition of true) knowledge, the subjugation of the organs, abstention from doing injury, and serving the Guru are the best means for attaining supreme bliss.

84. (If you ask) whether among all these virtuous actions, (performed) here below, (there be) one which has been declared more efficacious (than the rest) for securing supreme happiness to man,

85. (The answer is that) the knowledge of the Soul is stated to be the most excellent among all of them; for that is the first of all sciences, because immortality is gained through that.

86. Among those six (kinds of) actions (enumer

81. E. g. if while a man performs an act his disposition is sâttvika, or 'chiefly penetrated by the quality of Goodness,' he will reap its reward in a body produced chiefly by that quality, e. g. that of a god.

83. Yâgñ. III, 190.

84. Medh. omits this verse.

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85. Yâgn. I, 199. The knowledge of the Soul,' i.e. not that of the Kshetragña, but that of the Supreme Soul, which is taught in the Upanishads (Medh., Gov., Kull., Nand.), means according to Nâr., meditation' (dhyânam). Nand. asserts that the genitive sarveshâm, among all,' stands in the sense of the ablative. According to him the translation should be, 'is more excellent than all those.'

86. Medh. takes the genitive shannâm, ' among those six,' in the

ated above, the performance of) the acts taught in the Veda must ever be held to be most efficacious for ensuring happiness in this world and the next.

87. For in the performance of the acts prescribed by the Veda all those (others) are fully comprised, (each) in its turn in the several rules for the rites.

88. The acts prescribed by the Veda are of two kinds, such as procure an increase of happiness and

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sense of an ablative, and according to him the translation would be, The acts taught in the Veda must ever be held to be more efficacious for ensuring happiness in this world and in the next than all those six (kinds of) actions (enumerated above).' He proposes two explanations for karma vaidikam. The acts taught in the Veda' may either be the Srauta rites, such as the Gyotish/oma,' or 'those called further on, in verses 88-89, nivritta,' i. e. 'rites performed as a matter of duty, without a desire for rewards.' Nand. accepts the first explanation, and so does Gov., who, however, takes the genitive in its usual sense, among those six.' Nâr. adopts Medh.'s second explanation, and says, 'acts, taught in the Veda,' i.e. sacrifices and so forth, performed without the intention of (gaining) rewards,' and construes the genitives like Gov. The same construction is adopted by Kull., who explains karma vaidikam by the knowledge of the Supreme Soul.' Medh.'s second explanation seems to be the best, on account of verses 89 and 90, where 'knowledge,' i.e. 'the knowledge of the Supreme Soul' (see verse 85) and the performance of the nivritam karma are said to effect final liberation. The explanation of the genitives shannâm eteshâm by among those six' may perhaps be defended, if vaidikam karma is taken to correspond to vedâbhyâsah, 'studying the Veda (and obeying its rules),' in verse 83. But Medh.'s explanation of the construction is quite possible.

87. Kull. alters his explanation of vaidikam karma slightly, and interprets it by 'the worship of the Supreme Soul' (paramâtmopâsanâ), and quotes Brihadâranyaka-upanishad IV, 4, 22 in support of his view. The other commentators find no difficulty in showing that both the Srauta sacrifices' and 'the nivrittâkhyam karma' include all the six points mentioned above, verse 83. I read in the first line with K. hi instead of tu (Medh., Gov., Kull., Nand.).

88. Kull. again changes his explanation of the expression acts

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