senses for the cells whence its twigs issue, and the
(five) great elements for its flower-buds, and the gross elements for its
smaller boughs, which is always endued with leaves, which always puts
forth flowers, and upon which all existent objects depend, whose seed is
Brahman, and which is eternal,--and cutting all topics with the sharp
sword of knowledge, one attains to immortality and casts off birth and
death. The conclusions with regard to the past, present, and future, etc,
and religion, pleasure and wealth, which are all well known to conclaves
of Siddhas, which appertain to remote cycles, and which are, indeed,
eternal, I shall declare to thee, O thou of great wisdom. These
constitute what is called Good. Men of wisdom, understanding them in this
world, attain to success. In days of old, the Rishis Vrihaspati and
Bharadwaja, and Gautama and Bhargava, and Vasishtha and Kasyapa, and
Viswamitra, and Atri, assembled together for the purpose of asking one
another. They thus assembled together after having travelled over all
paths and after they had got tired with the acts each of them had done.
Those regenerate persons, placing the sage son of Angiras at their head,
proceeded to the region of the Grandsire. There they beheld Brahma
perfectly cleansed of all sin. Bowing their heads unto that high-souled
one who was seated at his ease, the great Rishis, endued with humility,
asked him this grave question regarding the highest good. "How should a
good man act? How would one be released from sin? What paths are
auspicious for us? What is truth, and what is sin? By what action are the
two paths, northern and southern, obtained? What is destruction? What is
Emancipation? What is birth and what is death of all existent objects?" I
shall tell thee, O disciple, what the Grandsire, thus addressed, said
unto them, conformably to the scriptures. Do thou listen.

"'"'Brahma said, "It is from Truth that all creatures, mobile and immobile,
have been born. They live by penance (of action). Understand this, O ye
of excellent vows. In consequence of their own actions they live,
transcending their own origin.[101] For Truth, when united with
qualities, becomes always possessed of five indications. Brahman is
Truth. Penance is truth. Prajapati is truth. It is from Truth that all
creatures have sprung. Truth is the universe of being. It is for this
that Brahmanas who are always devoted to Yoga, who have transcended wrath
and sorrow, and