Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/305

Rh so; he must attend to the service of his preceptor without waiting for the commands of the latter; he must rise from bed before his preceptor riseth, and go to bed after his preceptor goeth thereto. He must be humble, must have his passions under complete control, must be patient, vigilant, and devoted to study. It is then only that he can achieve success. It hath been said in the oldest Upanishada that a grihastā acquiring wealth by honest means should perform sacrifices; he should ever give in charity, should perform the rites of hospitality unto all arriving at his abode, and should never use anything without giving a portion thereof to others. A Muni without search for food should live in the woods depending on his own vigour; should abstain from all vicious acts; should give away in charity, should never inflict pain on any creature. It is then only that he can achieve success. He, indeed, is a true Bhikshu who doth not support himself by any manual arts, who possesseth numerous accomplishments, who hath his passions under complete control, who is unconnected with all worldly concerns, who sleepeth not under the shelter of a house-holder's roof, who is without wife, and who going a little way every day, travelleth over a large extent of country. A learned man should adopt the Vanaprashta mode of life after performance of the necessary rites, when he hath been able to control his appetites for enjoyment and desire of acquiring valuable possessions. When one dieth in the woods while leading the Vanaprashta mode of life, he maketh his ancestors and succesors, numbering ten generations including himself, fuse with the Divine essence.'

"Ashataka asked, 'How many kinds of Munis are there, and how many kinds of Mounis (observers of the vow of silence)?'

"Yayati answered, 'He, indeed, is a Muni who, though dwelling in the woods, hath an inhabited place near, or who, though dwelling in an inhabited place, hath the woods near.'

"Ashtaka enquired what it meant. Yayati replied, 'A Muni withdrawing himself from all worldly objects liveth in the woods. And though he might never seek to surround himself with those objects that are procurable in inhabited