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62
BHAGAVADGITA.
limited food, offer up the life-breaths into the lifebreaths. All of these, conversant with the sacrifice, have their sins destroyed by the sacrifice. Those who eat the nectar-like leavings of the sacrifice repair to the eternal Brahman'. This world is not for those who perform no sacrifice, whence (then) the other, O best of the Kauravas! Thus sacrifices of various sorts are laid down in the Vedas. Know them all to be produced from action, and knowing this you will be released (from the fetters of this world). The sacrifice of knowledge, O terror of (your) foes ! is superior to the sacrifice of wealth, for action, O son of Prithâ ! is wholly and entirely comprehended in knowledge. That 3 you should learn by salutation, question, and service. The men of knowledge who perceive the truth will teach knowledge to you. Having learnt that, O son of Pându ! you will not again fall thus into delusion; and by means of it, you will see all beings, without exception, first in yourself, and then in me. Even if you are the most sinful of all sinful men, you will cross over all trespasses by means of the boat of knowledge alone. As a fire well kindled, O Arguna ! reduces fuel to ashes, so the fire of knowledge reduces all actions to ashes. For there is in this world no means of sanctification like knowledge ?, and that one perfected by devotion finds
Supra, p. 53.
Operations of mind, senses, &c.; cf. supra, p. 54. • l.e. knowledge. • Addressed to men of knowledge. Cl. Mundakopanishad, p. 283.
• The essential unity of the supreme and individual soul and the whole universe. Cl. Isopanishad, pp. 13, 14. • Supra, p. 60.
Sulla Nipala, p. 48.
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