Forsooth, penances are the foremost of all things and are the root of all creatures, Asceticism, is attainable by leading the life a householder, upon which depends everything. The learned Brahmins having chack on malice, beyond the sphere of duality know that penance. The penance so observed by them is addressed as penance on the earth.
तपः श्रेष्ठं प्रजानां हि मूलमेतन्न संशयः। कुटुम्बविधिनानेन यस्मिन् सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्॥ एतद् विदुस्तपो विप्रा द्वन्द्वातीता विमत्सराः। तस्माद् व्रतं मध्यमं तु लोकेषु तप उच्यते॥