"'Vasudeva said, "O scion of Bharata's race, salvation is not attained by foregoing the external things (like kingdom, etc), it is only attained by giving up things which pander to the flesh (body). The virtue and happiness which are attainable by the person who has renounced only the external objects, but who is at the same time engrossed by passions and weakness of the flesh, let these be the portion of our enemies. The word with two letters is Mrit-yu (death of the soul or perdition), and the word with three letters is Sas-wa-ta (Brahman) or the eternal spirit. The consciousness that this or that thing is mine, or the state of being addicted to worldly objects is Mrityu and the absence of that feeling is Saswatam. And these two, Brahman and Mrityu, O king, have their seats in the souls of all creatures, and remaining unseen, they, without doubt, wage war with each other. And if, O Bharata, it be true that no creature is ever destroyed, then one doth not make oneself guilty of the death of a creature by piercing (destroying) its body. What matters the world to a man, if having acquired the sovereignty of the whole earth with its mobile and immobile creation, he does not become attached to it, or engrossed in its enjoyment. But the man who having renounced the world, has taken to the life of the recluse in the forest, living on wild roots and edibles, if such a man, O son of Pritha, has a craving for the good things of the world, and is addicted to them, he may be said to bear Mrityu (death) in his mouth. Do thou, O Bharata, watch and observe the character of thy external and internal enemies, (by means of thy spiritual vision). And the man who is able to perceive the nature of the eternal reality is able to overreach the influence of the great fear (perdition).Mbh 14.13.1a · Mahabharata · ASWAMEDHA PARVA
Mbh 14.13.1a
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
The DivineThe SoulAttachmentDeathNatureWarDesireCharity
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