PART I. VIRTUE - Ascetic Virtue
Chapter. 37. The Extirpation of Desire
Kural - 361
The wise declare, through all the days, to every living thing.
That ceaseless round of birth from seed of strong desire doth spring.
(The wise) say that the seed, which produces unceasing births, at all times, to all creatures, is desire.
Kural - 362
If desire you feel, freedom from changing birth require!
'I' will come, if you desire to 'scape, set free from all desire.
If anything be desired, freedom from births should be desired; that (freedom from births) will be attained by desiring to be without desire.
Kural - 363
No glorious wealth is here like freedom from desire;
To bliss like this not even there can soul aspire.
There is in this world no excellence equal to freedom from desire; and even in that world, there is nothing like it.
Kural - 364
Desire's decease as purity men know;
That, too, from yearning search for truth will grow.
Purity (of mind) consists in freedom from desire; and that (freedom from desire) is the fruit of the love of truth.
Kural - 365
Men freed from bonds of strong desire are free;
None other share such perfect liberty.
They are said to be free (from future birth) who are freed from desire; all others (who, whatever else they may be free from, are not freed from desire) are not thus free.
Kural - 366
Desire each soul beguiles;
True virtue dreads its wiles.
It is the chief duty of (an ascetic) to watch against desire with (jealous) fear; for it has power to deceive (and destroy) him.
Kural - 367
Who thoroughly rids his life of passion-prompted deed,
Deeds of unfailing worth shall do, which, as he plans, succeed.
If a man thoroughly cut off all desire, the deeds, which confer immortality, will come to him, in the path in which he seeks them.
Kural - 368
Affliction is not known where no desires abide;
Where these are, endless rises sorrow's tide.
There is no sorrow to those who are without desire; but where that is, (sorrow) will incessantly come, more and more.
Kural - 369
When dies away desire, that woe of woes
Ev'n here the soul unceasing rapture knows.
Even while in this body, joy will never depart (from the mind, in which) desire, that sorrow of sorrows, has been destroyed.
Kural - 370
Drive from thy soul desire insatiate;
Straight'way is gained the moveless blissful state.
The removal of desire, whose nature it is never to be satisfied, will immediately confer a nature that can never be changed.