Verses 830–839

830. If thou give food to Bramins, they say it will be profitable to thee; if you were to give it to dogs where would be the harm (inferiority)? They say that one soul resides (both here and there) in each.

831. The fool left his relations, bound himself with an iron langoti and quitting food and drink, and exceeded. If we give up the fluids of the body, can we attain perfection. How shall we have strength to worship?

832. Plunging, plunging and plunging in holy streams, squatting and squatting in meditation, talking and talking, charms becoming leaner and leaner, roaming, roaming, roaming and roaming from sanctuary to sanctuary--ye turn giddy and are ruined.

833. The impurities in the belly being the vilest of all, is the juice of food worse than that? Those therefore who fast, are fools unable to form comparisons.

834. He ignorant of the being that dwelleth in the body, wanders in other pilgrimages is a fool. Does not a jackass thus roam bearing a pack saddle.

835. That world hater (or recluse) who is attached only to using the words of stubbornness, no-where shall he attain the power of quelling death (yama). The recluse of the iron age is vile as the drinker of palm wine.

836. With their matted locks a fathom long, and their smearings of ashes, they forsooth are able to dispute the day with cupid himself and after all their very garments become the property (petticoats) of whores.

837. By a bald, head, and white streaks of ashes and postures, and airy diet, by all this a man is not a yogi unless his inner man be right.

838. If we look at the fine dresses (sects) they are marvellously foolish. Devotion does not hereby dwell in the soul. They merely form la startling appearance. They have neither the title nor the nature (viracti) of saints.

839. If you see among harmless cattle, one handsome ox with horns, it is indeed superior. But is wisdom attained by the mere shaven baldness of the sanyasi? (who only resemble helpless widows in this fancy)