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ANUGITA
CHAPTER XXIII
Page1
Brahman said :
Now I shall proceed to describe the third--the best--quality, beneficial to all creatures, and unblamable, the duty of the good. joy 1, pleasure, nobility, enlightenment and happiness also, absence of stinginess, absence of fear, contentment, faith, forgiveness, courage, harmlessness, equability, truth, straightforwardness, absence of wrath, absence of calumniation, purity, dexterity, valour. He who possesses the piety of concentration of mind, (holding) knowledge to be vain 2, (good) conduct vain, service vain, and labour vain, he attains the highest in the next world. Devoid of (the notion that this or that is) mine, devoid of egoism, devoid of expectations, equable everywhere, not full of desires, (to be) such is the eternal duty of the good. Confidence, modesty 3, forgiveness, liberality, purity, freedom from laziness, absence of cruelty, freedom from delusion, compassion to (all) creatures, absence of backbiting, joy, contentment, joviality, humility, good behaviour, purity in all action for (acquiring) tranquillity 4, righteous feelings, emancipation 5, indifference 6, life as a Brahmakarin, abandonment on all hands, freedom from (the notion that this or that is) mine, freedom from expectations 7, unbroken piety 8, (holding that) gifts (are) vain, sacrifices vain, learning vain, vows vain, receipt of gifts vain, piety vain, penance vain.
Footnotes :
1. Cf. supra, and Santi Parvan (Moksha), chap. st. 34; chap. st. 36, For nobility, Arguna Misra has manifestation of joy.
2. Such is Nilakantha's reading, and be takes knowledge to mean mere knowledge derived from books, &c. Arguna Misra has a different reading for vain, which he interprets to mean 'wish for fruit.'
3. See Sanatsugatiya.
4. I. e. pure and straightforward conduct in the performance of whatever is done for attaining final emancipation.
5. Of other people from sorrow, Arguna Misra.
6. The state of being unconcerned, udasina, Nilakantha.
7. Cf. Gita, inter alia.
8. Arguna Misra understands the original here to mean 'not being under the control of another.'
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