12.280
Parāśara said.
He who, having acquired the chariot of desire and harnessed the horses of the senses with reins made of knowledge, proceeds thus—he is truly wise.
Food obtained from the hand of a twice-born, by one who has resorted to service and is devoid of means of livelihood, is praised; but not when mutually taken from an equal.
O lord of men, having attained this rare human life, one should not debase oneself; rather, a person should strive for elevation through virtuous deeds.
Even if someone has fallen from their caste, he truly deserves honor; but not the one who, though having attained good conduct, engages in passionate or base actions.
A man attains the excellence of his caste through virtuous deeds; but if he fails to achieve it, he destroys it by sinful actions.
Sin committed out of ignorance should be destroyed by austerity alone. Sinful actions certainly bear fruit; only the sin committed by oneself. Therefore, one should not engage in sinful actions that result in suffering.
A wise and pure person should not engage in any action that is associated with sin, even if it yields great results, just as one should avoid bad water.
What painful result of sinful action do I see? For truly, the self of one who has returned does not shine as before.
For the foolish person, there is no return here; for him, too, great suffering arises once he has set out.
Discolored cloth can be cleansed, but not cloth mixed with black dye. In the same way, O best of men, understand from me that sin is like this.
But if a man, having committed a sin himself, performs only good deeds, he attains both the results of atonement and of action separately.
The speakers of Brahman, the Brāhmaṇas, say that non-injury, as instructed by the śāstra, removes the injury committed out of ignorance.
Thus, the knowers of dharma-śāstra, the Brāhmaṇas who have mastered the Vedas, say that actions done out of desire and injury indeed deprive a person (of merit).
But as for me, I see only those actions which have been performed, endowed with qualities and illumination, and not accompanied by evil.
Just as subtle actions yield results here in various ways, so also, those actions performed here with an intelligent mind bear fruit accordingly.
O knower of dharma, action that is always harsh, of little fruit, and practiced without wisdom, is performed with severity and yields little result.
A virtuous person should neither perform those actions which have been done by gods and sages, nor, having heard of them, should he criticize them.
O king, one who, after thoughtful consideration and knowing his own capacity, performs auspicious deeds, truly attains good results.
Just as water placed in a new pot diminishes, so too, in another new pot, it attains the same condition, filled with happiness.
Just as when water is poured into a pond already filled with water, the water increases, so too does something increase when added to what is already abundant.
O king, thus, actions performed here with intelligence are not equal to inferior ones; even if those inferior actions are most meritorious.
The king should conquer the armed and the proud; he must properly protect his subjects. Fire is superior to many sacrifices; one may find delight in the midst of society or, having taken to the forest, should remain there.
A self-restrained and righteous man should see all beings as himself. He should honor his superiors to the best of his ability; by truth and virtue, O king, he attains happiness.
