destiny. Perform good actions, and happiness will be your reward; perform bad actions, and pain will be the natural consequence of your actions. actions. (6.12. Anuśāsana Parvan). तपस्यारूपसौभाग्यं रत्नानि विविधानि च । प्राप्यते कर्मणा सर्व्वं न दैवादकृतात्मना ॥ There must be an apprehensive faculty in us giving us a knowledge of the circumstances in which we perform an action. The discernment of all the circumstances, necessary for determining the moral quality of an action, depends mainly upon the discriminative function of mind which is thus classified : (1) Svabhāva Nirdesa-Natural Discrimination. (3) Anusmrti Nirdeśa-Reminiscent Discrimination. The first is intuitive, the second is inferential, and the third is reminiscent. The first deals with the present, the second with the present, past and future, and the third with the past only. Morul standard. Without the admission of an objective standard, moral judg ment loses its significance and importance. This standard has been variously regarded by various persons. Some hold virtue as the standard of moral judgment; some regard pleasure as the standard of moral judgment; some consider wealth and some emancipation as the standard of moral judgment. Virtue. Study of the various scriptures, practice of asceticism, performance of sacrifices, sincerity of disposition, right regulation of the lower passions and sentiment, charity, forgiveness, compassion and truth constitute virtue. It is by virtue that great sages have crossed the ocean of the world with all its difficulties and dangers; it is by virtue that gods attained to their position of superiority; it is upon virtue that all the worlds depend for their existence, it is virtue that supports and holds together the peoples of this universe. (69,59. Karna Parvan) धारणाद् धर्म्ममित्याहुर्धम्र्मो धारयति प्रजाः । कर्णपर्व्व । ॥ &£ 14€ 11 Virtue, therefore, should be regarded as the standard of judgment. Virtue is the basis of pleasure and wealth. In point of merit, virtue is foremost, profit is middling, and desire lowest. (167-8. Santi Parvan). घर्मो राजन् गुणः श्रेष्ठो मध्यमो हार्थ उच्यते ॥ कामो यवीयानिति च प्रवदन्ति मनोषिणः ॥ शा० प० । १६७॥ ८॥ Wealth. Wealth is the universal object of adoration. As all creatures worship Brahman, the Supreme Person, so persons, even of superior birth, worship a man possessed of wealth. They that are dressed in deer-skins, they that bear matted locks on their heads, they that are self-restrained, they that smear their bodies with mire, they that have their senses under complete control, they that have bald heads, they that live separated from one another, in short, they that have discarded everything, cherish a desire for wealth. They, that are attired in yellow robes, they that bear long beards, they that are graced with modesty, they that are possessed of learning, they that are freed from all attachments, cherish a desire for wealth. They that follow the practices of their ancestors, they that are observant of their respective duties and they that are desirous of heaven, also cherish a desire for wealth. Wealth, therefore, according to some, should be regarded as the standard of judgment, because all persons, the believers and the unbelievers and even the rigid practisers of the highest Yoga, all certify to the excellence of wealth. The persons of impure souls, if possessed of diverse kinds of wealth, are able to perform the highest acts of virtue and gratify desires that are apparently difficult of being gratified. Thus with the acquisition of wealth both virtue and the objects of desire may be won. ( 16–19 ; 13-15. Ch. 167. Sānti Parvan). जटाजिनधरा दान्ताः पंकदिग्धा जितेन्द्रियाः । मुण्डा निस्तन्तवश्चापि वसन्त्यर्थार्थिनः पृथक् ॥ १६ ॥ कामञ्च चरितु शक्तो दुष्प्रापमकृतात्मभिः ॥ १३ ॥ अर्थसिद्ध्या विनिवृ त्तावुभावेतौ भविष्यतः ॥ १४ ॥ तद्गतार्थ हि पुरुषं विशिष्टतरयोनयः । ब्रह्माणमिव भूतानि सततं पर्य्युपासते ॥ शान्तिपर्व्व ॥ Pleasure. अ० १६७ । १५ ॥ Both virtue and wealth are based upon pleasure. As butter is the essence of ourds so pleasure is the essence of profit and virtue. Oil is better than oil-seeds; ghee is better than sour milk;_flowers better than wood; so pleasure is better than virtue and profit. Pleasure is the soul of virtue and profit. Pleasure is the foremost of the triple aggregate. Without pleasure no one would give sweets or wealth to another. Without pleasure the various kinds of action that are seen in this world of ours would never have been seen. (35-37; Ch. 167. Santi Parvan). नवनीतं यथा दभस्तथा कामोऽर्थधर्म्मतः । s'ueàd fe farmenię gå ǹa sefean: 11 da: geqnai' alglestÀÌ Szafdâ fc: 1 पुष्पतो मध्विव रसः काम आभ्यां तथा स्मृतः ॥ कामो धर्मार्थ यो योनिः काम चाथ तदात्मकः ॥ नाकामतो ब्राह्मणाः स्वन्नमर्थात्राकामतो ददति ब्राह्मणेभ्यः । zımındì fafayı aìmsâg aexrem¤; qıq faade ze: 11 शा० प० अ० १६७ । ३५-३७ ॥ Virtue, Wealth and Pleasure. Virtue is the cause of wealth and pleasure is its consequence, Wealth, virtue and pleasure-all the three have their root in will. Will is concerned with objects, and objects again exist for gratifying the desire of enjoyment. Virtue is sought for the protection of the body, wealth for the acquisition of virtue, and pleasure for the gratification of the senses. All the three, therefore, have the quality of passion. Virtue's dross consists in the desire of rewards; the dross of wealth consists in hoarding it. When, of course, they are purged of these impurities they are productive of great results. But the man who abandoning virtue and wealth pursues only pleasure causes the annihilation of his intelligence, which is followed by heedlessness, which again brings ruin to both virtue and wealth. Therefore, when men of pure hearts endeavour to achieve wealth with the aid of virtue, then those three, viz. virtue, wealth and pleasure, may be seen to co-exist in a state of union as regards time, cause, and action. धर्ममूलः सदैवार्थः कामोऽर्थफलमुच्यते । Various other 9 ods. Thus there are many things which are considered best, as well as those which are the great ends of life. To him who, by the worship of gods, seeks for wealth, prosperity, children or dominion, each of these is respectively the best. Best is the rite or sacrifice that is rewarded with heavenly pleasures. Best is that which yields the best recompense, although it be not solicited. Best is self-contemplation to the devout ascetics. But the best of all is the identification of soul with the Supreme Spirit. Hundreds and thousands of conditions, in this way, may be called the best, but certainly these are not the great and true ends of life. Wealth, for instance, cannot be regarded as the true end of life, for, it may be relinquished for the sake of virtue, and moreover, expenditure for the gratification of desire is the most important characteristic of wealth. (Viṣṇupuranam. II. 2. Sl. 12-17). भूप पृच्छसि किं श्रेयः परमार्थं नु पृच्छसि । 3 Bes. J. |