lessness. In
verse 35, there is an address to prince Satyavat. It seems, as I have
pointed out, that verses 32 to 35 represent the words of the grandsire to
whom the prince refers in verse 31.

1225. The redundant syllable is arsha.

1226. Both acts and knowledge have been pointed out in the Vedas. The
Vedas, therefore, being authority for both, one or the other cannot be
censured or applauded.

1227. Arsha means here Vedic injunctions declared through the mouths of
inspired Rishis and compiled by Rishis. Viditatmanah is the Supreme Being
himself. The object of the speaker is to show that no part of the Vedas
can be censured, for every word in them is equally authoritative, all
being God's own.

1228. Deva-yanah is explained by the commentator as Devam atmanam janti
ebhiriti, i.e., those by which the Soul is reached. The relative strength
or weakness of the four modes of life hath been thus indicated. The
Sannyasin attains to Moksha or Emancipation; the forest recluse to the
region of Brahman; the house-holder attains to heaven (region of the
deities presided over by Indra) and the Brahmacharin attains to the
region of the Rishis.

1229. The commentator explains that having commenced with the assertion
that men should sacrifice from desire of heaven, the speaker fears that
the hearer may deny the very existence of heaven. Hence, he takes a surer
ground for justifying slaughter, viz., the ground that is connected with
the consideration of food. Living creatures must eat in order to live.
The very support of life requires the slaughter of life. Slaughter,
therefore, is justified by the highest necessity.

1230. i.e., there are the essential requisites of sacrifice.

1231. The seven domestic animals are cow, goat, man, horse, sheep, mule,
and ass. The seven wild ones are lion, tiger, boar, buffalo, elephant,
bear, and monkey.

1232. Vichinwita is Vivechayet with alamvartham understood; atmanah is
equivalent to jivat.

1233. All the products of the cow that are named here are not required in
all sacrifices. Some are required in some, others in others. Those then
that _are_ required, when coupled with Ritwijas and Dakshina, complete
the respective sacrifices or uphold or sustain them.

1234. Samhritya means Ekikritya and not 'destroying' as the Burdwan
translator wrongly takes it.

1235. The Burdwan translator, notwithstanding the clear language of both
the text and commentary, wrongly connects the first line o