hould be free from mineness, and egoism. With cleansed soul, one
should never seek to acquire what one has not and protect what one has.
Free from expectations, divested of qualities, wedded to tranquillity,
one should be free from all attachments and should depend on none.
Attached to one's own self and comprehending all topics, one becomes
emancipated without doubt. Those who perceive the self, which is without
hands and feet and back, which is without head and without stomach, which
is free from the operation of all qualities, which is absolute,
untainted, and stable, which is without smell, without taste, and touch,
without colour, and without sound, which is to be comprehended (by close
study), which is unattached, which is without flesh, which is free from
anxiety, unfading, and divine, and, lastly, which though dwelling in a
house resides in all creatures, succeed in escaping death. There the
understanding reaches not, nor the senses, nor the deities, nor the
Vedas, nor sacrifices, nor the regions (of superior bliss), nor penance,
nor vows. The attainment to it by those who are possessed of knowledge is
said to be without comprehension of symbols. Hence, the man who knows the
properties of that which is destitute of symbols, should practise the
truths of piety.[142] The learned man, betaking himself to a life of
domesticity, should adopt that conduct which is conformable to true
knowledge. Though undeluded, he should practise piety after the manner of
one that is deluded, without finding fault with it. Without finding fault
with the practices of the good, he should himself adopt such a conduct
for practising piety as may induce others to always disrespect him. That
man who is endued with such a conduct is said to be the foremost of
ascetics. The senses, the objects of the senses, the (five) great
elements, mind, understanding, egoism, the unmanifest, Purusha also,
after comprehending these duly with the aid of correct inferences, one
attains to Heaven, released from all bonds. One conversant with the
truth, understanding these at the time of the termination of his life,
should meditate, exclusively resting on one point. Then, depending on
none, one attains to Emancipation. Freed from all attachments, like the
wind in space, with his accumulations exhausted, without distress of any
kind, he attains to his highest goal."'"'"

SECTION XLVII

"'"'Brahma said, "The ancients who were utterers of certain truth, say