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316
ANUGITA.
four quarters. I will speak to you, o twice-born ones! of the happy path, which is productive of pleasure, and which has been invariably travelled over by talented men in old days for (obtaining) assimilation with the Brahman. Learn, O noble ones! from me, now speaking exhaustively, of that highest path which is difficult to understand, and of the highest seat. The first step is said to be the order of Brahmahârins; the second is that of householders; next after that is that of foresters; and next after that too, the highest step must be understood to be that relating to the Adhyâtma!. Light?, space, sun, air, Indra, Pragâpati, one sees not these, while one does not attain to the Adhyâtma: I will subsequently state the means to that, which you should understand. The order of foresters, (the order) of the sages who dwell in forests and live on fruits, roots and air, is prescribed for the three twice-born (castes). The order of householders is prescribed for all castes. The talented ones speak of piety as having faith for its characteristic. Thus have I described to you the paths leading to the gods , which are occupied by good and talented men by means of their actions, and which are bridges of piety. He who, rigid in his vows, takes up any one of these modes of piety separately, always comes in time to perceive the production and dissolution of
That is to say, that of the ascetic, who specially devotes him. self to the acquisition of knowledge about the relation of the supreme and individual self (Adhyâima).
* The deity presiding over the bright forinight, says Arguna Alista. The words space and sun and air must be similarly interpreted.
• Nilakantha says 'one sees these only while one has not bad a perception of the self.' He takes light &c. to mean the 'universe.'
• I.e. the means of reaching the Devayana path (mentioncu at p. 314, nolc 5), Nilakantha. Cr. also Mundaka, p. 312.
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