Aphorisms on Brahman 12.9

12.9

3-4-9
vidyāyāḥ pradhānatve'pi brahmavidāmācāradarśanaṃ tulyam- karmaṇāmanācāradarśanamapyastītyarthaḥ, |ṛṣayaḥ kāvaṣeyāḥ kimarthā vayamadhyeṣyāmahe kimarthā vayaṃ yakṣyāmahe|ityādau| karmānuṣṭhānadarśanaṃ tu phalābhisandhirahitasya karmaṇo vidyāṅgatvāt; tyāgastu phalābhisandhiyuktasya vidyāvirodhitvādityabhiprāyaḥ||

3-4-9
Even if knowledge is primary, the observation of the conduct of knowers of Brahman is equal: the meaning is that there is also observation of non-performance of ritual actions, in texts such as ‘The Kāvaṣeya sages [said], “For what purpose shall we study? For what purpose shall we sacrifice?”’ The observation of the performance of ritual action, however, is because ritual action devoid of desire for fruits is an auxiliary to knowledge; but the abandonment [of ritual actions] is because [action] accompanied by desire for fruits is opposed to knowledge—this is the intended meaning.