Verses 890–899

890. Unable to know the great secret, they continue and frame religions, and merely give sorrow to each other, like as a dog that is agitated at the sight of a mirror,

891. You see that those endowed with form all possess the first image. Why should ye value this man or that as a superior. If ignorant of this principle, how shall he attain happiness?

892. A pariar eats flesh, all other people eat fat--are not they one caste? They do not see that all castes are in fact one.

893. Why dost again and again abuse a pariar? Are not his blood and flesh and thine one? Of what caste is he who is immingled with him? The deity animates his entire works.

894. When people see those who wear ashes they imagine that they contract inequity from them. When they see the Namadharies (Vaishnavities) they consider it healing. What are the ashes, and what the white clay (of the Vaishnavites) in the eyes of the supreme.

895. Those who are divided into sects are ten thousands. This is merely for filling their bellies--they cannot see the divine spirit. Can cranes however many they assemble, devour ships?

896. By slaughtering the animals that eat grass men become pariahs in the earth. But what sort of caste is that, that eats pigs and fowls (as the respectable classes do) that devour the dung of all?

897. If men in the earth choose to take pipe clay and soften it well, then put it smoothly on their foreheads it is merely a mark, and thereby men cannot become Vaishnavites.

898. Though thou put on the mark and call thyself a (servant) adiya as the Vaishnavites do and eat chewed pawn, bow down and call thyself a Dasee--This is all merely a means of subsistence but no ground for happiness.

899. We see that men are like barber's basin, common to all; then, while they thus are mingled, why babble about their castes. Put thy right hand on their heads and expose this to their ridicule,