If devout penances, life of celibacy, sacrifice, the study of the Vedas, charity and honesty-these were fruitless then people would not have practised virtues, generation after generation. If all the action had been fruitless a terrible confusion would have set in. Why do the Rishis, the gods the Gandharvas, the Asuras and the Rakshasas who are lords of themselves, with love practise virtues?
तपश्च ब्रह्मचर्यं च यज्ञः स्वाध्याय एव च। दानमार्जवमेतानि यदि स्युरफलानि वै॥ नाचरिष्यन् परेधर्म परे परतरे च ये। विप्रलम्भोऽयमत्यन्तं यदि स्युरफलाः क्रियाः॥ ऋषयश्चैव देवाश्च गन्धर्वासुरराक्षसाः। ईश्वराः कस्य हेतोस्ते चरेयुर्धर्ममादृताः॥