Verses 300–309

300. As for the gifts of land bestowed on Brahmins, you may mention your having bestowed it. But if you tell others of your having made a Brahmin any other gift you shall lose the whole merit there of.

301. It is lawful to tell all men in the court that you have made a gift of land. But of any other gifts of your hand, you are never to tell others that you have given it.

302. Ignorant of the glory of the great being, all their external observances are like to a lion attempting to live on grass.

303. The fruit of your acts in a former birth though thou say--I do not choose it, it will not depart nor it will come for your saying, I wish for it, then resignation in the heart is best of all.

304. Having burnt up cupid with the flame of his eye he united himself in lust to (Gowri) Parvati. If thou look upon the might of this Siva even for a moment, thy sins shall pass away.

305. A woman dwells on the head of Siva and ever dues a woman dwell in the mouth of Brahma. Ir. the splendour of felicity does a woman dwell in tine noble breast of Vishnu. Thou alone Vema is able to put away women powerful as they be,

306. Our bodies are born unconsciously. Do not we bear them about, sunk in foulness. If we obtained an intellectual body how should we be continually reproduced in the world, O Vema.

307. Possess not thyself of wives nor sons. He that allows himself to suffer distress for these is a mad man like him who lifts a stone from the earth and places it on his head.

308. Through a sin committed ignorantly in a former birth, we are immersed in impurity and burdened with the body. But if thou be one of understanding how should thou be reproduced in the world. Thou shalt become immortal.

309. Sons are the barred doors of our earthly prison. Wealth and kin are the encircling wall and fools are the prisoners.