Verse 36

³⁶What of these gods, brave where it is safe, boasting where there is no battle? What of Hari, who keeps to his hiding place, or Sambhu, who lives in the woods? What of Indra, whose strength is small, or Brahma, who does austerity? ³⁷Even so, we hold that the gods are not to be left alone, since they are our rivals. Set us, then, who follow you, to digging out the root of them. ³⁸As a sickness in the body, left alone by men, cannot be treated once it has taken hold; and as the crowd of the senses is, when it is left alone: so a great enemy whose strength has grown firm is not to be moved. ³⁹For the root of the gods is Visnu, in whom the everlasting dharma stands; and his root is the Veda and the cows and the brahmins, austerity, and sacrifices with the gifts that go with them.

⁴⁰Therefore, king, with our whole hearts let us kill the brahmins who speak of Brahman, those who do austerity and are given to sacrifice, and the cows that yield the offering. ⁴¹Brahmins and cows and the Vedas, austerity, truth, control of the senses, quiet of mind, trust, pity and patience, and the rites: these are the bodies of Hari. ⁴²For he is the overseer of all the gods, the enemy of the demons, and he lies in the cave of the heart. All the gods are rooted in him, with the Lord and with the four-faced one. This then is the way to his killing: to do violence to the sages.