1.2.19 Giving
221 Call that a gift to needy men thou dost dispense, All else is void of good, seeking for recompense. To give to the destitute is true charity. All other gifts have the nature of (what is done for) a measured return.
222 Though men declare it heavenward path, yet to receive is ill; Though upper heaven were not, to give is virtue still. To beg is evil, even though it were said that it is a good path (to heaven). To give is good, even though it were said that those who do so cannot obtain heaven.
223 ‘I’ve nought’ is ne’er the high-born man’s reply; He gives to those who raise themselves that cry. (Even in a low state) not to adopt the mean expedient of saying “I have nothing,” but to give, is the characteristic of the mad of noble birth.
224 The suppliants’ cry for aid yields scant delight, Until you see his face with grateful gladness bright. To see men begging from us in disagreeable, until we see their pleasant countenance.
225 ‘Mid devotees they’re great who hunger’s pangs sustain, Who hunger’s pangs relieve a higher merit gain. The power of those who perform penance is the power of enduring hunger. It is inferior to the power of those who remove the hunger (of others).
226 Let man relieve the wasting hunger men endure; For treasure gained thus finds he treasure-house secure. The removal of the killing hunger of the poor is the place for one to lay up his wealth.
227 Whose soul delights with hungry men to share his meal, The hand of hunger’s sickness sore shall never feel. The fiery disease of hunger shall never touch him who habitually distributes his food to others.
228 Delight of glad’ning human hearts with gifts do they not know. Men of unpitying eye, who hoard their wealth and lose it so? Do the hard-eyed who lay up and lose their possessions not know the happiness which springs from the pleasure of giving ?
229 They keep their garners full, for self alone the board they spread;- ‘Tis greater pain, be sure, than begging daily bread! 29 Solitary and unshared eating for the sake of filling up one’s own riches is certainly much more unpleasant than begging.
230 ‘Tis bitter pain to die, ‘Tis worse to live. For him who nothing finds to give! Nothing is more unpleasant than death: yet even that is pleasant where charity cannot be exercised.
1.2.20 Renown
231 See that thy life the praise of generous gifts obtain; Save this for living man exists no real gain. Give to the poor and live with praise. There is no greater profit to man than that.
232 The speech of all that speak agrees to crown The men that give to those that ask, with fair renown. Whatsoever is spoken in the world will abide as praise upon that man who gives alms to the poor.
233 Save praise alone that soars on high, Nought lives on earth that shall not die. There is nothing that stands forth in the world imperishable, except fame, exalted in solitary greatness.
234 If men do virtuous deeds by world-wide ample glory crowned, The heavens will cease to laud the sage for other gifts renowned. If one has acquired extensive fame within the limits of this earth, the world of the Gods will no longer praise those sages who have attained that world.
235 Loss that is gain, and death of life’s true bliss fulfilled, Are fruits which only wisdom rare can yield. Prosperity to the body of fame, resulting in poverty to the body of flesh and the stability to the former arising from the death of the latter, are achievable only by the wise.
236 If man you walk the stage, appear adorned with glory’s grace; Save glorious you can shine, ’twere better hide your face. If you are born (in this world), be born with qualities conductive to fame. From those who are destitute of them it will be better not to be born.
237 If you your days will spend devoid of goodly fame, When men despise, why blame them? You’ve yourself to blame. Why do those who cannot live with praise, grieve those who despise them, instead of grieving themselves for their own inability.
238 Fame is virtue’s child, they say; if, then, You childless live, you live the scorn of men. Not to beget fame will be esteemed a disgrace by the wise in this world.
239 The blameless fruits of fields’ increase will dwindle down, If earth the burthen bear of men without renown. The ground which supports a body without fame will diminish in its rich produce.
240 Who live without reproach, them living men we deem; Who live without renown, live not, though living men they seem. Those live who live without disgrace. Those who live without fame live not.
Ascetic Virtue 1.3.1. The Possession of Benevolence
241 Wealth ‘mid wealth is wealth ‘kindliness’; Wealth of goods the vilest too possess. The wealth of kindness is wealth of wealth, in as much as the wealth of property is possessed by the basest of men.
242 The law of ‘grace’ fulfil, by methods good due trial made, Though many systems you explore, this is your only aid. (Stand) in the good path, consider, and be kind. Even considering according to the conflicting tenets of the different sects, kindness will be your best aid, (in the acquisition of heavenly bliss.)
243 They in whose breast a ‘gracious kindliness’ resides, See not the gruesome world, where darkness drear abides. They will never enter the world of darkness and wretchedness whose minds are the abode of kindness.
244 Who for undying souls of men provides with gracious zeal, In his own soul the dreaded guilt of sin shall never feel. (The wise) say that the evils, which his soul would dread, will never come upon the man who exercises kindness and protects the life (of other creatures)
245 The teeming earth’s vast realm, round which the wild winds blow, Is witness, men of ‘grace’ no woeful want shall know. This great rich earth over which the wind blows, is a witness that sorrow never comes upon the kindhearted.
246 Gain of true wealth oblivious they eschew, Who ‘grace’ forsake, and graceless actions do. (The wise) say that those who neglect kindness and practise cruelties, neglected virtue (in their former birth), and forgot (the sorrows which they must suffer.)
247 As to impoverished men this present world is not; The ‘graceless’ in you world have neither part nor lot. As this world is not for those who are without wealth, so that world is not for those who are without kindness.
248 Who lose the flower of wealth, when seasons change, again may bloom; Who lose ‘benevolence’, lose all; nothing can change their doom. Those who are without wealth may, at some future time, become prosperous; those who are destitute of kindness are utterly destitute; for them there is no change.
249 When souls unwise true wisdom’s mystic vision see, The ‘graceless’ man may work true works of charity. If you consider, the virtue of him who is without kindness is like the perception of the true being by him who is without wisdom.
250 When weaker men you front with threat’ning brow, Think how you felt in presence of some stronger foe. When a man is about to rush upon those who are weaker than himself, let him remember how he has stood (trembling) before those who are stronger than himself.
1.3.2 The Renunciation of Flesh
251 How can the wont of ‘kindly grace’ to him be known, Who other creatures’ flesh consumes to feed his own? How can he be possessed of kindness, who to increase his own flesh, eats the flesh of other creatures.
252 No use of wealth have they who guard not their estate; No use of grace have they with flesh who hunger sate. As those possess no property who do not take care of it, so those possess no kindness who feed on flesh.
253 Like heart of them that murderous weapons bear, his mind, Who eats of savoury meat, no joy in good can find. Like the (murderous) mind of him who carries a weapon (in his hand), the mind of him who feasts with pleasure on the body of another (creature), has no regard for goodness.
254 ‘What’s grace, or lack of grace’? ‘To kill’ is this, that ‘not to kill’; To eat dead flesh can never worthy end fulfil. If it be asked what is kindness and what its opposite, the answer would be preservation and destruction of life; and therefore it is not right to feed on the flesh (obtained by taking away life).
255 If flesh you eat not, life’s abodes unharmed remain; Who eats, hell swallows him, and renders not again. Not to eat flesh contributes to the continuance of life; therefore if a man eat flesh, hell will not open its mouth (to let him escape out, after he has once fallen in).
256 ‘We eat the slain,’ you say, by us no living creatures die; Who’d kill and sell, I pray, if none came there the flesh to buy? If the world does not destroy life for the purpose of eating, then no one would sell flesh for the sake of money.
257 With other beings’ ulcerous wounds their hunger they appease; If this they felt, desire to eat must surely cease. If men should come to know that flesh is nothing but the unclean ulcer of a body, let them abstain from eating it.
258 Whose souls the vision pure and passionless perceive, Eat not the bodies men of life bereave. The wise, who have freed themselves from mental delusion, will not eat the flesh which has been severed from an animal.
259 Than thousand rich oblations, with libations rare, Better the flesh of slaughtered beings not to share. Not to kill and eat (the flesh of) an animal, is better than the pouring forth of ghee etc., in a thousand sacrifices.
260 Who slays nought,- flesh rejects- his feet before All living things with clasped hands adore. All creatures will join their hands together, and worship him who has never taken away life, nor eaten flesh.