Kapila, in response to the above, sets forth what he deems to be the correct Vedic position, which may be summarised as follows:—
"The strivers (yatis) after the supreme state (para gati) following the path of knowledge, sure in their mind, determined to relinquish and be liberated and having relinquished, are freed from all desires, impurities, sin and grief, and devoted to Brahman, become It and are established in It. There is no purpose in their becoming grhasthas.
While there are various and several types of rituals performed by the devout, the pure, steadfast and contented who have given up all action and have taken recourse to Brahman satisfy the gods by their knowledge of Brahman only. If one 'safeguards' one's hands and feet, speech, belly and sex organ 9, one is a true brahmin; if one has not done so, what can one do with askesis, sacrifice or oneself?
He, who with minimum necessary worldly possessions, lives in peace and contentment, knowing the nature of reality, and the causes and conditions of all that is happening and the destiny of beings, who is fearless of all and of whom all are fearless, and who has become the self of all beings, is a true brahmin. Such a person's conduct and behaviour is what truly reflects the Vedic norm; it is what interpenetrates all Dharmas.
Those who cannot conform to it consider actions conducive for treading the path of knowledge useless. As for other actions and rituals, first, it is difficult to understand their nature and procedure; secondly, even after understanding them it is very difficult to perform them; and, lastly, even after performing them one finds their fruits to be transient.
To the questions at the end of the last paragraph, Kapila's answers are: Whatever is
performed according to Shastra results in welfare. Whoever follows the path of knowledge Shastra and supported by argumentation and impelled by desire and aversion, become
subject to egoism cannot achieve Shastraic knowledge, but cite Shastra to justify their
position. They are, indeed, unbelievers in Shastra who 'rob the Veda'-83 they enter into
darkness only. But the others who rightly understand Shastra see that involvement in the
gunas of prakrti (basic stuff of the universe) results in being affected by aversion, desire,
anger, falsehood and pride. So, strivers engaged in self-control, aiming at the supreme state, relinquish good and evil.
"The strivers (yatis) after the supreme state (para gati) following the path of knowledge, sure in their mind, determined to relinquish and be liberated and having relinquished, are freed from all desires, impurities, sin and grief, and devoted to Brahman, become It and are established in It. There is no purpose in their becoming grhasthas.
While there are various and several types of rituals performed by the devout, the pure, steadfast and contented who have given up all action and have taken recourse to Brahman satisfy the gods by their knowledge of Brahman only. If one 'safeguards' one's hands and feet, speech, belly and sex organ 9, one is a true brahmin; if one has not done so, what can one do with askesis, sacrifice or oneself?
He, who with minimum necessary worldly possessions, lives in peace and contentment, knowing the nature of reality, and the causes and conditions of all that is happening and the destiny of beings, who is fearless of all and of whom all are fearless, and who has become the self of all beings, is a true brahmin. Such a person's conduct and behaviour is what truly reflects the Vedic norm; it is what interpenetrates all Dharmas.
Those who cannot conform to it consider actions conducive for treading the path of knowledge useless. As for other actions and rituals, first, it is difficult to understand their nature and procedure; secondly, even after understanding them it is very difficult to perform them; and, lastly, even after performing them one finds their fruits to be transient.
To the questions at the end of the last paragraph, Kapila's answers are: Whatever is
performed according to Shastra results in welfare. Whoever follows the path of knowledge Shastra and supported by argumentation and impelled by desire and aversion, become
subject to egoism cannot achieve Shastraic knowledge, but cite Shastra to justify their
position. They are, indeed, unbelievers in Shastra who 'rob the Veda'-83 they enter into
darkness only. But the others who rightly understand Shastra see that involvement in the
gunas of prakrti (basic stuff of the universe) results in being affected by aversion, desire,
anger, falsehood and pride. So, strivers engaged in self-control, aiming at the supreme state, relinquish good and evil.