d soon be
destroyed. Like fishes in the water, stronger animals prey on the weaker.
This truth was formerly spoken by Brahmana himself, viz., that
chastisement, properly applied upholds creatures. Behold, the very fires,
when extinguished, blaze up again, in fright, when blown. This is due to
the fear of force or chastisement. If there were no chastisement in the
world distinguishing the good from the bad, then the whole world would
have been enveloped in utter darkness and all things would have been
confounded. Even they that are breakers of rules, that are atheists and
scoffers of the Vedas, afflicted by chastisement, soon become disposed to
observe rules and restrictions.[37] Everyone in this world is kept
straight by chastisement. A person naturally pure and righteous is
scarce. Yielding to the fear of chastisement, man becomes disposed to
observe rules and restraints. Chastisement was ordained by the Creator
himself for protecting religion and profit, for the happiness of all the
four orders, and for making them righteous and modest. If chastisement
could not inspire fear, then ravens and beasts of prey would have eaten
up all other animals and men and the clarified butter intended for
sacrifice. If chastisement did not uphold and protect, then nobody would
have studied the Vedas, nobody would have milked a milch cow, and no
maiden would have married.[38] If chastisement did not uphold and
protect, then ravage and confusion would have set in on every side, and
all barriers would have been swept away, and the idea of property would
have disappeared. If chastisement did not uphold and protect, people
could never duly perform annual sacrifices with large presents. If
chastisement did not uphold and protect, no one, to whatever mode of life
he might belong, would observe the duties of that mode as declared (in
the scriptures), and no one would have succeeded in acquiring
knowledge.[39] Neither camels, nor oxen, nor horses, nor mules, nor
asses, would, even if yoked thereto, drag cars and carriages, if
chastisement did not uphold and protect. Upon chastisement depend all
creatures. The learned, therefore, say that chastisement is the root of
everything. Upon chastisement rests the heaven that men desire, and upon
it rests this world also. Thither where foe-destroying chastisement is
well applied, no sin, no deception, and no wickedness, is to be seen. If
the rod of chastisement be not uplifted, the dog will lick the
sacr