| [318] | In this sloka Pushakara means own soul and medha the intellectual faculties. Indra means the man who has seen his own self. The Saman verse is "I am food and food is me." The self-controlled Rishis, who are gifted with spiritual insight, celebrate sacrifices for increasing their powers of mental concentration. Although the Atman always appears in a body still casting off attachments for the body He manifests himself as Iswara.
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| [319] | Yoga is compared to a sacrifice. In a mental Yajna i.e. Yoga one need not dedicate inferior articles to fire as oblations. Though the Yogin does not observe the practices of the external but inferior sacrifice he however acquires similar fruits. The Sruti says that if the Yogins wish to see the region of the dead their ancestral manes appear before them. When a Yogin attains to a consummate stage he sees unseen and unheard of objects. The ordinary persons, who celebrate sacrifices, are not entitled to know the Great Atman; they are allowed to know Isvara. Atman is the Real Absolute God and Isvara is the God endued with Maya or creative energy. In the inferior sacrifices there is the difference of fruits proportionate to the excess and absence of reverence but in the Atma-yajna i.e. Yoga there is no such thing for the common object of all is the attainment of salvation.
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| [320] | In the ordinary sacrifices of the world people enjoy fruits as they offer various articles. But the Yogins, according to their spiritual culture, attain fruits in the Brahma region. The Munis, who have seen Brahman in this world, have acquired many lordly powers.
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| [321] | i.e. A qualified man acquires the consummation of his Yoga practice within six months.
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| [322] | The sacrifice (ordinary) which is an outcome of Pravritti (tendency for works), appears like spiritual Yoga.
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| [323] | True emancipation cannot be acquired unless a man sees all persons as identical with himself.
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CHAPTER XXII. KURUKSHETRA AND THE DUTY OF THE BRAHMANAS.
Vaishampāyana said:—Although they listened to the instructions of their preceptor in the shape of a mountain those Brāhmana house-holders, devoted to asceticism, could not give up bodily attachment. So the worship of fire with oblations daily increased and the worship of Vishnu and preceptors was also introduced. Thus O king, for the purification of the souls of the Brāhmanas Karma Kānda was introduced in this world by those Brahmavādins (1-2). Near the mount Vindhya on this earth there is a sacred province by the name of Kurukshetra which is even, shorn of thorns and full of woods and twigs by which fire may be lighted. Performing God's work with pure heart the great Brāhmana householders lived there and practised ascetic penances. Even the Yatis with great eagerness live there for acquiring piety. The Brāhmanas, who have followed the Vānaprastha mode of life, who perform Agnihotra ceremony, who have controlled their anger and passions, who wear bark and deer-skin and who live on unsolicited food, also wish to live there. O king, gradually obtaining it by the will of the Providence, the Brāhmanas, with great care observe this mode of life. He, who knows this sacred initiation which was practised by the Brahmavadi Munis of old, attains to eternal virtue. Without thoroughly mastering the Vedas one should not lead the life of a householder, should not observe the most difficult Brahmachārya, should not live the life of a hermit, and should not give up the duties of a householder. Save by mastering the Vedas miseries will never end. To the reciters of the Saman and Yajur Vedas the Riks are their acquirement. The ascetic Brāhmanas, who wish to live like householders, can receive instructions of the Vedānta from their preceptors and reap the fruits thereof. A pious king should compell him who does not hear the Vedas or celebrate the Vedic rites to act like a Sudra. On the other hand there is none amongst the Brāhmanas who does not respect the Vedas. A student or a householder, every Brāhmana controls his mind when he listens to the enunciation of his duties, reads the Vedas and receives the instructions. Therefore no king should disregard a Brāhmana. Therefore a Brāhmana, who acquires the knowledge of Sāstras, who gains the transcendental knowledge, should thus read the Vedas and control his senses (3-15).
CHAPTER XXIII. THE BEGINNING OF FIGHT BETWEEN DEVAS AND DAITYAS.
Vaishampāyana said:—The Rishis and Gandharvas, headed by Nārada, who were well-read in the Vedas and who were not visited by sins consequent upon the omission of rites, worshipped the Brāhmanas with placing the sun and moon before them. And they always worshipped the Grandfather (Brahmā) in sacrifices as a son adores his father. Eulogised with sweet words by those Brāhmanas who had controlled their five senses, who always did good by all creatures and wished them well the Lord Brahmā said:—"By good luck (you have undertaken those sacrifices)" (1–4).