t trackless
person who constitutes himself the soul of all creatures and who looks
upon all creatures with an equal eye. Through instructions received from
the preceptor one knows that which dwells within this frame to be of a
four-fold nature, having besides four doors and four mouths. In
consequence of (their possession of) two arms, the organ of speech, the
stomach, and the organ of pleasure, the very gods are said to have four
doors. One should, therefore, strive one's best to keep those doors under
control.[1245] One should not gamble with dice. One should not
appropriate what belongs to another. One should not assist at the
sacrifice of a person of ignoble birth. One should not, giving way to
wrath, smite another with hands or feet. That intelligent man who
conducts himself in this way is said to have his hands and feet
well-controlled. One should not indulge in vociferous abuse or censure.
One should not speak words that are vain. One should forbear from knavery
and from calumniating others. One should observe the vow of truthfulness,
be sparing of speech, and always heedful. By conducting oneself in this
way one will have one's organ of speech well-restrained. One should not
abstain entirely from food. One should not eat too much. One should give
up covetousness, and always seek the companionship of the good. One
should eat only so much as is needed for sustaining life. By conducting
oneself in this way one succeeds in properly controlling the door
represented by one's stomach. One should not, O hero, lustfully take
another wife when one has a wedded spouse (with whom to perform all
religious acts). One should never summon a woman to bed except in her
season. One should confine oneself to one's own wedded spouse without
seeking congress with other women. By conducting oneself in this way one
is said to have one's organ of pleasure properly controlled. That man of
wisdom is truly a regenerate person who has all his four doors, viz., the
organ of pleasure, the stomach, the two arms (and two feet), and the
organ of speech, properly controlled. Everything becomes useless of that
person whose doors are not well-controlled. What can the penance of such
a man do? What can his sacrifices bring about? What can be achieved by
his body? The gods know him for a Brahmana who has cast off his upper
garment, who sleeps on the bare ground, who makes his arm a pillow, and
whose heart is possessed of tranquillity.[1246] That person