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478
LAWS OF MANU.
XI, 236.
austerity for its root, austerity for its middle, and austerity for its end.
236. (The pursuit of sacred) knowledge is the austerity of a Brahmara, protecting (the people) is the austerity of a Kshatriya, (the pursuit of) his daily business is the austerity of a Vaisya, and service the austerity of a Sadra.
237. The sages who control themselves and subsist on fruit, roots, and air, survey the three worlds together with their moving and immovable (creatures) through their austerities alone.
238. Medicines, good health, learning, and the various divine stations are attained by austerities alone; for austerity is the means of gaining them.
239. Whatever is hard to be traversed, whatever is hard to be attained, whatever is hard to be reached, whatever is hard to be performed, all (this) may be accomplished by austerities; for austerity (possesses a power) which it is difficult to surpass.
240. Both those who have committed mortal sin (Mahâpâtaka) and all other offenders are severally freed from their guilt by means of well-performed austerities.
241. Insects, snakes, moths, bees, birds and beings, bereft of motion, reach heaven by the power of austerities.
austerity for its end,' i.e.'to be produced, to continue, and to end in consequence of austerities performed' (Medh., Kull., Nár.).
238. Medh. explains aushadhâni, medicines,' by 'elixirs.' Instead of agado (Kull., K., Râgh.) Medh., Gov., Nâr., and Nand. read agadâh, and explain it by medicines' (Medh., Nand.), 'remedies or charms against poison' (Gov., Nár.).
241. Instead of kitâs ka, 'insects,' Nâr. reads svånas ka, dogs.' Gov. and Nand. say that the verse refers to the Kitopakhyana and the Kapotâkhyâna, told in the Itihâsas (Mahâbhârata XII).
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