116 - Review of Virtue

Umā said: 

1. O lord of all living beings, O lord saluted by Devas and Asuras, O powerful lord, please clear my doubts in regard to the notions of piety and sin among men. 

2. All embodied beings are bound by three kinds of bonds, viz, thought, speech and physical action. How are they released therefrom? 

3. O lord, by what habitual practice, by what holy rite, by what sort of conduct and good quality do men go to heaven?

Maheśvara said: 

4. O goddess Uma of perfect, knowledge of the principles of piety, O gentle lady of permanent adherence to virtue, your question is conducive to welfare and wisdom of all living beings. 

5. Persons of tranquillity, engaged in truth and piety and devoid of all external symbols are free from doubts. They are fettered neither by piety nor by blasphemy. 

6. Those persons who are omniscient, who are conversant with the principles of creation and annihilation, who see every- thing and who are devoid of passionate attachment are released from the bonds of Karmans. 

7. Those who do not injure anything whatsoever, mentally, verbally or physically, those who are not involved in anything, are not bound by Karmans. 

8. Those who refrain from violence to lives, who possess good conduct and mercifulness, and who are equally amiable to others' hatred and love are released from the bondage of Karmans, They have self-control. 

9. Those who are merciful to living beings, who are worthy of being trusted by living creatures and who have eschewed violent activities go to heaven. 

10. Those who are indifferent to others' assets, who always avoid other men's wives and who enjoy the riches virtuously acquired by themselves go to heaven. 

11. Those men who always associate with other men's wives as though they were their own mothers, sisters and daughters, go to heaven. 

12. Those who cling to their own wives, who carnally approach them only during the prescribed period after the days of menstruation and who never indulge themselves in vulgar lechery, go to heaven. 

13. Those who desist from stealth, who are content with their own wealth and who enjoy their own good luck go to heaven, 

14. Those who view other men's wives with eycs enveloped by chastity, who have conquered their sense organs and who value good conduct very much, go to heaven. 

15-16. This divinely evolved path should be resorted to by men. Only a path untarnished by sins should always be resorted to by wise men. Only a path that never needlessly harins others should be resorted to by wise men. A path of such holy rites as charitable gifts and austerities, a path of good conduct, cleanliness and mercy should be resorted to by thosc who wish to attain heaven. No other path shall be resorted to. 

Umā said: 

17. Osinless lord of living beings, rccount to ine those activities wherein a man is fettered verbally but is again released therefrom. 

Maheshvara said: 

18. Those who never utter a sin-based lie either for their own sake or for others' sake go to heaven. 

19. Those who never utter falsehood either for livelihood, or for virtue or out of desire for the same go to heaven. 

20. Those who welcome others speaking sweet, sinless and polished words with clearly pronounced syllables, go to heaven. 

21. Those who never speak harsh, incisive and cruel words and who never indulge in slanderous gossip are good men who go to heaven. 

22. Those who do not speak calumnious words or words that antagonise their friends or inflict pain on others, go to heaven. 

23. Those who eschew harshness and malice to others and those who are calm and who mete out equal treatment to all living beings go to heaven. 

24. Those who desist from knavish blabber, those who avoid antagonistic activities and those who speak gently go to heaven. 

25. Those, who, out of anger do not utter words that wound the heart, those who attain peace in not being angry, go to heaven. 

26. O gentle lady, this act of piety relating to speech, should be resorted to by men. Falsc (speeclı) should be eschewed by wise men who possess the auspicious quality of truthfulness. 

Uma said: 

27. O highly blesscd lord of gods, O Pināka-wielding lord, tell me those imental-acts whereby a man is held in bondage, 

Mahesvara said: 

28. O lady of weal, those who possess virtues of thought do always go to heaven. Listen, even as I narrate them. 

29. O lady of splendid countenance, man is held in bondage by the mind led asray. Listen how his inner working binds him. 

30. When another man's property is seen kept in a forest or a lonely place (good men) do not even think of appropriating it. They go to heaven. 

31. Good men do not become overjoyed on seeing other men's property left in a lonely place whether in the village or in the house (nor do they think of appropriating it). They go to heaven. 

32. Similarly, good men do not even think of molesting lecherously the wives of others (on meeting them) in lonely spots. They go to heaven. 

33. Good men mentally view friends and enemies alike. They have a friendly attitude towards them. They go to heaven. 

34. Good men are learned, merciful, pure and truthful; they are contented with their own riches. They go to heaven. 

35. Good men are devoid of enmity. They do not overstrain themselves (?) They always maintain a friendly attitude. They are merciful towards all living beings. They go to heaven, 

36. They possess knowledge. They perform holy rites. They are fond of their friends. They understand piety and sin. They go to heaven. 

37. Good men, O gentle lady, are indifferent to the accumu- lating fruits of auspicious and inauspicious deeds. They go to heaven. 

38. After attaining prosperity good men are devoted to gods and Iearned brahmins. They shun the sinful. They go to heaven. 

39. They go to heaven due to the splendid results of holy rites. O gentlc lady, those who tread the path of heaven have been enumerated by me. What more do you wish to hear? 

Umā said: 

40. O great lord, I have a certain doubt concerning mortals Hence it behoves you to explain it fully. 

41. O lord, by means of what holy rite does a man attain a long life? By what type of penance, o lord of gods, does he obtain a great span of life? 

42. By means of what activity does man on Earth get longevity reduced? O uncensured lord, it beloves you to narrate the consequences of actions. 

43. Differences are observed in men. Some are highly for- tunate. Others are less fortunate. Some are born noble and others are ignoble. 

44. Some are very odious in appearance as if they are made of wood. Others are very pleasing to behold. 

45. Some appear to be evil-minded. Some appear to be highly learned. Others have highly developed intellect with pure wisdom and prescience. 

46. O lord, some are men of few words. Others are highly eloquent. Hence it behoves you to explain this diversity.

Mahesvara said: 

47-50. O gentle lady, I shall explain upto you the outcome of the fruits of actions whereby all men in the mortal world deservedly experience their respective benefit. If a man raises weapon and kills host of living beings he is sure to fall into hell. Even a leader of Yogins (?) goes to hell if he injures living beings. A man ruthless to all living beings, one who causes heartburn even unto germs and worms, one who is extremely merciless and one who never affords refuge (unto others) falls into hell. One who is not like this is a pious soul and he is reborn in human form (?) 

51. A man of violent nature goes to hell. A nonviolent man goes to heaven. The man who goes to hell undergoes terrible and unbearable torture in hell. 

52. If anyonc, by any means, survives and comes out of hell and attains human birth, he becomes short-lived. 

53. O gentle lady, one who commits sinful actions, violence etc. is inimical to all living beings and becomes shortlived. 

54-57. On account of his splendid activity, O gentle lady, a good man eschews slaughter of living beings. He lays aside his weapons. He does not mete out punishment (to others). He never injures others. He neither kills nor abets slaughter. He does not encourage killing. He does not make anyone kill anyone. He is friendly to all living beings. He views others as himself. A man of this type, O gentle lady, attains divinity. He enjoys pleasures and happiness deservedly. He rejoices, if ever he happens to be born in the mortal world. This is the path of men of good conduct and activity. As a result of their avoidance of injury to living beings they are destined to live long. This has been declared by Brahmă.