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XXX, 9.
GIFTS.
139
mana which is rich in Veda-fuel, protects and saves the giver and (the eater) himself from sin.'
7. 'But the offering made through the mouth of a Brâhmana, which is neither spilt nor causes pain (to sentient creatures), nor assails him (who makes it), is far more excellent than an Agnihotra.'
8. After performing a mental sacrifice at which meditation (takes the place of the sacred) fire, truthfulness (the place of) the sacred fuel, patience (the place of) the oblation, modesty (the place of) the sacrificial spoon, abstention from injuring living beings (the place of the) sacrificial cake, contentment (the place of) the sacrificial post, (and a promise of) safety given to all beings which is hard to keep (the place of) the reward given to the priests, a wise man goes to his (eternal) home.
9. The hair of an aging man shows signs of age, (and) the teeth of an aging man show signs of age, (but) the desire to live and the desire for wealth do not decay even in an aging man.
7. Manu VII, 84; Yâgñavalkya I, 315. Krishnapandita's reading, nainam adhyâkate ka yah, which occurs also in B., is nonsense. I read with Bh. nainamadhyâpatekka yat, and take adhyâpatet, 'assails (the giver),' in the sense of troubles him by causing the performance of penances, on account of mistakes committed. Manu's version, na vinasyati karhikit, and never perishes,' is of course an easier one, but it seems to me doubtful whether it is older than Vasishtha's.
8. The passage, which is probably a quotation from an Upanishad, is very corrupt in the MSS. and Krishnapandita's text. I correct it as follows:
Dhyânâgnih satyopakayanam kshantyahutih sruvamhrîh purodâsamahimsa samtosho yüpah krikkhram bhûtebhyo 'bhayadakshinyam iti
kritvå kratum mânasam yâti kshayam budhah. But I am not confident that all the difficulties have been removed.
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