Hear now the teaching, woven as a living tapestry of wisdom. When a person offers gifts in the presence of the gods and the twice-born, his ancestors are pleased with him for his entire life—there is no doubt of this. Such a giver, acting with generosity, finds release from bondage. Even those who listen to these teachings—whether alert, careless, or even by mere chance, and even without devotion—are freed from sin. The Brahmins, when they are endowed with the spirit of giving, rejoice and partake of righteousness. True restraint, self-control, and discipline are praised by those who have seen the truth. Especially for Brahmins, restraint is proclaimed as the eternal law. By restraint, one’s brilliance increases, and pure restraint stands supreme above all. Through restraint, a person becomes free from evil and shines with radiance. All disciplines and auspicious duties in the world are rooted in restraint. Indeed, restraint surpasses the fruits of sacrifice; even austerity, sacrifice, and giving arise from restraint alone. What use is the forest to one who lacks restraint? And what need is there for an ashram for one who is truly restrained? Wherever a self-restrained person dwells, that place becomes a great hermitage, a sacred forest. For those who conduct themselves well, who have mastered their senses and live straightforwardly, there is no need for ashrams. Even in the forest, the passionate are beset by faults, but in the home, restraining the five senses is true austerity. For one who is free from passion and acts without malice, the home itself becomes a forest of penance. Those who earn their livelihood through righteous means, who are always content, attached to home, with controlled senses, devoted to guests, and steadfast in discipline—such people find righteousness even within the household. There is no liberation for one absorbed in the science of words, nor for one attached to caste distinctions, nor for one intent on food and clothing, nor for one who pursues worldly customs. Liberation is certain for one who is solitary in character, firm in vow, who has withdrawn from sense pleasures, whose mind is set in spiritual discipline, and who is ever non-violent. The restrained one sleeps happily and awakens happily. One whose mind is equal toward all beings is the one who truly awakens. One does not find true happiness by riding a chariot, a horse, or an elephant, but by walking the great road with a self subdued. One should not act like a provoked snake, or an enraged enemy, or a wild beast—so too is the self without restraint. People may call Yama 'restraint,' but it is the self that is truly restraint. Whoever restrains the self, that restraint is supreme. In vain do people fear Yama; for one who restrains himself, what can Yama do? From flesh-eating beings and those without restraint, there is always fear. To restrain such beings, punishment was created by the Self-born. Punishment protects all beings and preserves the people; it restrains the wicked and is hard to overcome. Punishment is dark, youthful, red-eyed—a source of fear for all creatures. It is the ruler of men, in whom righteousness is established. Among all the stages of life, self-restraint is the highest vow. The marks of one who is self-restrained are these: freedom from miserliness, gentleness, contentment, proper conduct, absence of envy, reverence for the teacher, compassion toward all beings, and absence of slander. By these six, the sages of tranquil mind describe self-restraint. Righteousness and liberation depend on compassion, as does heaven itself. The self-restrained does not become angry when insulted, nor overjoyed when honored; steadfast in pleasure and pain alike, such a calm one is so called. Indeed, the calm person sleeps and awakens happily, abiding in the highest good, while the scorner perishes. When insulted, he does not brood or commit sin. Considering his own duty, he does not disparage the duty of another. He knows himself and does not blame others for faults, whether in mantras, rites, birth, or otherwise. Self-restraint covers all defects, just as a cloth covers a blemished limb. Those who do not recognize self-restraint study in vain. Learning is rooted in self-restraint; self-restraint is eternal righteousness. He who values self-restraint as highly as gold is called steadfast and is not deluded by wealth. Of all vows, self-restraint alone is the supreme refuge. Even if a twice-born knows the six limbs and the true meaning of the Vedas, if he lacks self-restraint, he does not attain honor here. The Vedas, though studied with their six limbs, do not purify one who lacks self-restraint. Sāṃkhya, Yoga, family, birth, and bathing at sacred fords are all fruitless without it. From disrespect, austerity grows; from honor, it diminishes. A Brahmin who is worshipped and honored departs like a cow that has been milked. Just as a cow is replenished again with grass and water, so too is a Brahmin replenished by recitation and offerings. In this world, there is no friend like one who takes upon himself another’s misdeed and gives his own virtue in return. One should not revile those who revile, but restrain one’s own anger. Thus, mastering himself, he anoints himself with immortality. A skull, roots of trees, coarse clothing, solitude, indifference, and celibacy—these lead one to the highest state. Having conquered desire and anger, what remains to be done in the forest? By practice, scripture is retained; by character, the family is upheld. Mantras are preserved by virtues; anger is restrained by steadfastness. Whoever restrains the anger that arises within himself is a hero—who on earth is equal to him? He who, when anger arises, stands firm and masters it, is truly victorious.