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Chapter 17
Those who warship the manes, having a desire for fruits, such as their own safety and reward etc., go, to the manes. Such worshippers, regard their manes as their favourite deities, who hold the highest positions. So, they go to the abode of the manes, they cannot go to higher regions, which are beyond the abode of the manes. But, those who worship the manes as a part of their duty, without having any desire for fruits, are sattvika (good or pure), they are not rajasa (passionate).
Those, who feed dogs and crows selflessly, obeying the ordinance of scriptures, do not attain these. Similar, is the case with those, who worship the manes, without any desire for fruits. Their worship, leads them to salvation. Similarly obsequies, such as Narayanabali and Gaya-Sraddha (offering of water, food etc., to the Brahmanas in honour of the manes), which are sanctioned by scriptures, are indispensable. These must be performed, so that the soul of the dead persons, may attain higher states, such as salvation etc. Such actions, are sattvika.
Those, who while performing (yajna) sacrifice, worship Lord Ganesa and Navagraha (nine planets) etc.,' according to ordinance of scriptures, without any desire for fruit, actually worship the scripture, in the same way, as a chaste wife of even a demon, attains salvation, not because, she has served her demon-husband but because, she has obeyed the Lord, the saints and the scriptures. In the twenty-fifth verse of the ninth chapter, the worship of gods, has been mentioned to outline the fate of worshippers, while in this verse the worship of gods, has been mentioned to judge, the faith of a worshipper. So the term 'Yajante', has been used here. Thus the Lord, explained that a man worships, a deity according to his conviction, or faith.
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