History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c94.381

v7.c94.381

The Upaniṣads teach that a sound moral preparation must precede the acquisition of true vedāntic view. The Br. Up. states 'therefore one who knows this, after securing quiescence, restraining his senses, being free from all hankerings, bearing with fortitude all pairs of opposites (such as heat and cold), having his mind concentrated, sees the Self in the self, looks upon everything as Ātman'; the Kathopaniṣad II. 24 says 'one who has not ceased from doing evil actions, who is not quiescent, who has not concentrated his mind nor has made his mind quiescent would not realize this Self by correct knowledge'; Praśna I. 16 'those secure the pure world of *brahman* who are free from crookedness, falsehood and deceitful conduct'; Śv. Up. VI. 22 'this highly esoteric knowledge of Vedānta should not be imparted to one whose mind is not quiescent or who is not a son or disciple'. The great formula 'thou art That' teaches one to look upon all men as Ātman or as the Gītā (VI. 29-30) puts it 'he who is endowed with Yoga and knows Ātman to be in everything and everything as abiding in Ātman, is not lost to the Lord nor is the Lord lost to him'. Compare Īśā Up. 6 and Manu XII. 91. In the Chān. Up. (III. 16. 1) man is symbolically represented as sacrifice and in III. 17. 4 it is stated that *tapas*, charity, straightforward conduct, *ahiṁsā* and truthfulness are the *dakṣiṇā* (sacrificial fees).