Vishnupurana 2.14.p1.2

2.14.p1.2

The Brāhmana said—"You ask me, O lord of earth, what is the best of all things, not the great end of life. There are many things which are best in the world and there are many truths of life. O king, some worshipping the gods desire for wealth, prosperity, children or kingdom: these are the best things in their estimation. A sacrifice that gives heavenly pleasures is also the best. That, which gives best rewards though not asked for, is also the best. To him, who with concentration meditates upon the great soul, union with it is the best. Thus there are hundreds and thousands of best things but these are not profound truths. Hear, I shall describe to you what is the profound truth. If wealth is the end of life then why do people spend it for the acquisition of piety and for acquiring desired-for objects? O lord of men, if son is the end of life then the father of that son is another's end of life and he again is another's. If then every action becomes the end of every cause then there exists no supreme or final truth in this world. And if the acquirement of sovereignty be characterized as the great end of life then finite ends would sometimes be and some times cease to be. If you consider the rites laid down by Rik, Yayur and Shāma Vedas as the ends of life, hear what I have got to say on that head. Anything, that is the outcome of the instrumentality of earth, partakes of its character and consists of clay.