Verses 310–319

310. Unable to swim the stream of abstinence that lies across their path, the three gods are subdued with the hook (rope) in their noses by the bonds of marriage. Is not it then a joke for a man to say he will swim it?

311. If a creature kill a creature and give it to a creature, thus devoured, shall beatitude be attained by the slayers of animals?

312. Did not Rama cast the fire-dart, and dry up the sea, pass over, and return and stand still. Then did he not bring trees and hills and with them build the bridge?

313. Whatever thou may, thy life is not in thy possessions. Though thou possess nothing thou possessest life. The destiny written by Brahma in thy forehead is vile as the writing of a slut.

314. By not bestowing food on one who begged it off him in the former birth, he becomes necessitous in the iron age. His being now born wealthy is a testimony to the beneficent man.

315. The acts of the deeply deceitful man who plunders the Bhutts (adulators), poets, and others and feigns innocence shall very suddenly become the rugs that fall to a dog's portion.

316. A daring thief will plunder the property of poets and the fat of his sinews grows stout and strong, like a daring dog he roams to bite.

317. If thou fail to destroy the sins (lit, pains) that were committed in the former birth, how should they depart. Thy mind (buddhi) and thy acts being combined and untwined what can such men say to this? They must endure the fruits of their sins.

318. Be he a great sinner or a Brahmin slayer or merciless or base, when he dies if, he stay all his desires and meditate on Siva, he shall become (muct) happy.

319. Why shouldst thou muse on thy acts done in a former birth? They have become the life of thy present existence. If thou consider the acts, thy present life shall take effect hereafter. What understanding is that which cannot know this?