Verses 860–869

860. If ignorant of service how can they become slaves? Ignorant of the Vaishnava belief how can ye be Vaishnavite? While living, why do ye suffer burning like corpses? (i.e., smear yourselves with ashes)

861. If the pollutions caused by a birth or a death be real, and if the qualities communicated by that touch be destroyed to what end is it for a soul to become a hermit.

862. Shall the wicked, being produced through carnal desire, talking vainly, with false words and deceiving men and twisting about to get money, shall such a one become a teacher?

863. Unable to discern that this world is a delusion, some talk of the smock and some of the langoti. These are mere tricks of the privities.

864. The noble Brahmin goes to eat the vile funeral cakes of the ruined wretch. The Brahmin's wife haunts the marriage house; first they lose caste and then character.

865. In the night of ignorance doth the goddess of delusion wear her petticoat and conceal herself; in the daytime of wisdom, when about her work she looses her petticoat; this is no prostitute but an edged sword in the hand.

866. They are puffed up and cry I will perform a sacrifice, these who fill their bellies with the liquor vulva, these sons of whore brag nobly in their assemblies.

867. He calls men sudras and says begone thou sudra; this is a pariar worse than a pariar. If he says I am a twice born does he thereby become one?

868. Born and dying in ignorance of his prior state before all men, are they ensnared by their lusts? To what end do they leave wisdom and roam the earth.

869. These heroes--the Brahmins, Kshatrias and Vaisyas and Brahma, Vishnu and Siva all these are beasts. Ignorant of the divinity have they adopted forms thus diversified,