He is pleased with his friends in this world and he also attains
happiness hereafter. Virtuous people, O good man, acquire dominion over
all and the pleasure of beauty, flavour, sound and touch according to
their desire. These are known to be the rewards of virtue. But the man
of enlightened vision, O great Brahmana, is not satisfied with reaping
the fruits of righteousness. Not content with that, he with the light of
spiritual wisdom that is in him, becomes indifferent to pain and
pleasure and the vice of the world influenceth him not. Of his own free
will he becometh indifferent to worldly pursuits but he forsaketh not
virtue. Observing that everything worldly is evanescent, he trieth to
renounce everything and counting on more chance he deviseth means for
the attainment of salvation. Thus doth he renounce the pursuits of the
world, shunneth the ways of sin, becometh virtuous and at last attaineth
salvation. Spiritual wisdom is the prime requisite of men for salvation,
resignation and forbearance are its roots. By this means he attaineth
all the objects of this desire. But subduing the senses and by means of
truthfulness and forbearance, he attaineth, O good Brahmana, the supreme
asylum of _Brahma_." The Brahmana again enquired, "O thou most eminent
in virtue and constant in the performance of the religious obligations,
you talk of senses; what are they; how may they be subdued; and what is
the good of subduing them; and how doth a creature reap the fruits
thereof? O pious man, I beg to acquaint myself with the truth of this
matter.
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