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ÅTMÄNUSHÅSANA.
परिणाममेव कारणमाहुः खलु पुण्यपापयोः प्राज्ञाः। तस्मात् पापापचयः पुण्योपचयश्च सुविधेयः॥ २३ ॥
23. The wise men say that thought-activity only is the cause of merit and demerit. Therefore one should carefully destroy demerits and accumulate merits. कृत्वा धर्मविघातं विषयसुखान्यनुभवन्ति ये मोहात् । प्राच्छिद्य तरं मूलात्फलानि गृह्णन्ति ते पापाः ॥ २४ ॥
24. Those who under delusion, destroying Dharma, enjoy sense-pleasures are sinful, and take the fruit (after) cutting down the tree at its root. कर्तृत्वहेतुकर्तृत्वानुमतैः स्मरणचरणवचनेषु । यः सर्वथाभिगम्यः स कथं धर्मो न संग्राह्यः ॥ २५ ॥
25. Why should such a religion be not pursued, which can be followed in all circumstances, by doing, by having it done, and by approving the doing of it by others, by means of mind, body, or speech ? धर्मो वसेन्मनसि यावदलं स तावद्धन्ता न हन्तुरपि पश्य गतेऽथ तस्मिन् । दृष्टा परस्परहतिर्जनकात्मजानां रक्षा ततोस्य जगतः खलु धर्म एव ॥ २६ ॥
26. So long as piety abides well in the heart, the man does not slay even his slayer. When that religion goes away, the father and the son are found killing each other. Therefore the protection of this world depends verily upon Dharma only.
न सुखानुभवात्पापं पापं तद्धेतुघातकारम्भात् । नाजीणे मिष्टान्नान्ननु तन्मात्राद्यतिक्रमणात् ॥ २७॥
27. There is no demerit in enjoying pleasures ; but there is demerit in doing what tends to destroy their source. Indigestion is not caused by sweet food, (but) by eating it beyond its limit.