food
for his stomach. Conquer thy stomach first. (Thou shalt then be able to
conquer the Earth). The earth being conquered, that which is for thy
permanent good will then be won by thee. Thou applaudest desires and
enjoyments and prosperity. They, however, that have renounced all
enjoyments and reduced their bodies by penances, attain to regions of
beatitude. The acquisition and preservation of kingdom is attended with
both righteousness and unrighteousness. The desire for them exists in
thee. Free thyself, however, from thy great burthens, and adopt
renunciation. The tiger, for filling one stomach of his, slaughters many
animals. Other animals destitute of strength and moved by covetousness
live upon the tiger's prey.[47] If kings, accepting earthly possessions,
practise renunciation, they can never have contentment. Behold the loss
of understanding that is noticeable in them. As a matter of fact,
however, they who subsist on leaves of trees, or use two stones only or
their teeth alone for husking their grain, or live upon water only or air
alone, succeed in conquering hell.[48] That king who rules this wide
unbounded earth, and that person who regards gold and pebbles equally,
amongst these two, the latter is said to have attained the object of his
life and not the former. Depending, therefore, upon that which is the
eternal refuge of joy both here and hereafter, cease thou to act and hope
with respect to thy wishes and cease to bear attachment to them. They
that have given up desire and enjoyment have never to grieve. Thou,
however, grievest for enjoyments.[49] Discarding desire and enjoyment,
thou mayst succeed in liberating thyself from false speech.[50] There are
two well-known paths (for us), viz., the path of the Pitris and the path
of the gods. They that perform sacrifices go by the Pitri-path, while
they that are for salvation, go by the god-path.[51] By penances, by
Brahmacharya, by study (of the Vedas), the great Rishis, casting off
their bodies, proceeded to regions that are above the power of Death.
Worldly enjoyments have been styled as bonds. They have also been called
Action. Liberated from those two sins (viz., bonds and action), one
attains to the highest end. Mention is made of a verse sung (of old) by
Janaka who was freed from the pairs of opposites, liberated from desire
and enjoyments, and observant of the religion of Moksha. That verse runs
thus: 'My treasures are immense, yet I have nothing! If a