Institutes of Hindu Law; Or, the Ordinances of Menu (Sic), According to the Gloss of Culluca. Comprising the Indian System of Duties, Religious and Civil (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. ON EDUCATION; OR ON THE SACERDOTAL CLASS, AND THE FIRST ORDER. 1. Know that system of duties, which is revered by such as are learned in the Vedas, and impressed, as the means of attaining beatitude, on the hearts of the just, who are ever exempt from hatred and inordinate affection. 2. Self-love is no laudahle motive, yet an exemption from self-love is not to be found in this world: on self-love is grounded the study of scripture, and the practice of actions recommended in it. 3. Eager desire to act has its root in expectation of some advantage; and with such expectation are sacrifices performed; the rules of religious austerity and abstinence from sins are all known to arise from hope of remuneration. 4. Not a single act here below appears ever to be done by a man free from self-love; whatever he performs, it is wrought from his desire of a reward. 5. He, indeed, who should persist in discharging these duties without any view to their fruit, would attain hereafter the state of the immortals, and even in this life, would enjoy all the virtuous gratifications, that his fancy could suggest. 6. The roots of law are the whole Veda, the ordinances and moral practices of such as perfectly understand it, the immemorial customs of good men, and, in cases quite indifferent, self-satisfaction. 7. Whatever law has been ordained for any person by Menu, that law is fully declared in the Veda: for He was perfect in divine knowledge: 8. A man of true learning, who has viewed this complete system with the eye of sacred wisdom, cannot fail to perform all those duties, which are ordained on the authority of the Veda. 9. No doubt, that man who shall follow the rules prescribed in the Sruti and in the Smriti, will acquire fame in this life, and, in the ne...