१२ स्वातन्त्र्यम्

He shall carefully avoid every such act as is dependent upon others; such acts as are dependent upon himself, every one of these he shall eagerly pursue.—(159)

यत् परप्रार्थनया स्वपरहितादि क्रियते तत् परवशं वर्ज्यते, न तु यद् वृत्तिसाध्यम् आर्त्विज्यादि । तद् धि स्ववशम् एव । तद्विषयकम् एव भृत्यादि स्वीक्रियते । न चानेन परवशम् अपि दीक्षितस्य निषिध्यते, स्मृत्या श्रुतिं बाधितुम् अन्याय्यत्वात्, उक्ते च विषये सावकाशत्वात् स्मृतेः । यत् त्व् आत्मनो वश्यम्, स्वल्पया धनमात्रया परोपकारः स्वल्पो ऽपि, स्वयं तत् कर्म कुर्यत्¹ । नित्यकर्मासंपत्तौ कुटुम्बोपयोगिनि धने ऽसति कर्तव्यैव याच्ञा, उपायान्तराभावे । किं तु² “विशेषतो यक्ष्ये”, “विशेषतो दास्ये” इति । सत्यां कस्यांचिद् धनमात्रायां संतोषपरेण भवितव्यम् इत्य् एवम् अस्य तात्पर्यम् ॥ ४.१५९ ॥

An act, securing a benefit for others by requesting other (wealthy) persons, is what is spoken of as ‘dependent upon others;’ and this has to be avoided; and not such acts as are dependent upon one’s own conduct; such, e.g., as straightforwardness, and the like; because these are entirely under one’s own control; in fact, it is in view of this that the man accepts payment for services rendered.

This text is not meant to forbid all those acts that are done for the Initiated Sacrificer by the Priests in return for payment, and are, in that sense ‘dependent on others.’ This cannot be the sense, because the Smṛti could not set aside what has been ordained by the Śruti (such as the Sacrificial acts are); specially as room for the application of the Smṛti-rule (contained in the present text) is available in the case of the acts mentioned before.

What is dependent upon oneself,—e .g., the helping of others with small amounts of money, and so forth—should always be done.

In the event of one’s inability to perfom (perform?) one’s obligatory duties, and in the event also of one’s not possessing wealth enough for the maintaining of one’s family, one must have recourse to begging; specially when one has no other means available. But when the man himself possesses some little wealth, he shall remain contented, and shall not crave for more, with a view to performing costlier sacrifices, or making richer presents, and so forth. Such is the sense of the verse.—(159)

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 224);—and in Madanapārijāta (p. 14).

159 Let him carefully avoid all undertakings (the success of) which depends on others; but let him eagerly pursue that (the accomplishment of) which depends on himself.

All that is dependent on others is painful; all that is dependent on oneself is pleasing; he shall know this to be, in short, the definition of pleasure and pain.—(160)

याच्ञां निन्दति । यत् परवशं तत् सर्वं दुःखम् । तिष्ठतु तावत् परस्य गृहद्वार्य् उपस्थानम् अनुवृत्तिर् अत्र चामुत्र च भ्रमणम् । यत् तु,

• संकल्प एव याच्ञायां हृदयं न प्रसह्यते ।

• नूनं मायाम् असंदिग्धां सृष्टिर् नासौ स्वयंभुवः ॥

समासेन संक्षेपेणैतद् दुःखस्य लक्षणं या याच्ञा । सुखं चैतद् यास्पृहा ॥ ४.१६० ॥

This verse deprecates begging.

‘All that is dependent on others is painful;’—to say nothing of attending at his gates, following in his wake, and wandering about here and there (all which is involved in the act of begging). It has been said that—‘the very idea of begging, the heart cannot bear,—it is doubtless the greatest illusion; it is not a creation of the self-born Creator.’

‘In short’—briefly. Pain is briefly defined as ‘begging,’ and Pleasure as ‘absence of want’—(‘60)

This verse is quoted in Madanapārijāta (p. 14);—and in Aparārka (p. 224).

160 Everything that depends on others (gives) pain, everything that depends on oneself (gives) pleasure; know that this is the short definition of pleasure and pain.

He shall perform, with diligence that act, by performing which there arises satisfaction in his inner soul; and he shall avoid the contrary.—(161)

आत्मतुष्टेः प्रागुक्तायाः पुनर् वचनं स्मरणार्थम् । विषयश् च तस्या दर्शन एव । यत्र कर्मणि क्रियमाणे किंकथिका न भवति, तत् कर्तयम् । यत्र तु हृदयं न तुष्यति, तद् वर्जनीयम् ॥ ४.१६१ ॥

The ‘soul’s satisfaction’, already mentioned before, is mentioned again for recalling it to the mind; and its exact scope has already been explained.

While an act is being performed, if there arises in the mind no sort of doubt or hesitation, then that act should he proceeded with. But, if the mind is not satisfied in regard to an action, that action should be avoided.—(161)

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 224), which explains ‘Karma’ as ‘Dharma’;—in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 524);—in Madanapārijāta (p. 14), which adds that the ‘act’ here mentioned must be such as is not incompatible with the teachings of scriptures; though even in regard to such acts, there are exceptions; e.g., even though an act may have been enjoined by the scriptures, it should not be done if it is against popular opinion;—and in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Saṃskāra, p. 71b).

161 When the performance of an act gladdens his heart, let him perform it with diligence; but let him avoid the opposite.