Verse 23

²³A man's own work, offered to me or done with no fruit in view, is of clarity; work with a fruit intended is of passion; work that is mostly harm and the like is of darkness. ²⁴Knowledge that is aloneness is of clarity, and what is knowledge by division is passion; knowledge that stops at Nature is of darkness; and knowledge that stands firm in me is held to be beyond the strands. ²⁵A forest is a dwelling of clarity, a village is called one of passion, a gambling house is of darkness; but a house of mine is beyond the strands. ²⁶A doer who clings to nothing is of clarity; one blind with attachment is held to be of passion; one who has lost his memory is of darkness; and one who takes shelter in me is beyond the strands.

²⁷Trust turned toward the self is of clarity, and trust in works is of passion; trust in wrongdoing is of darkness, but trust in serving me is beyond the strands. ²⁸Food that is wholesome, clean, and got without trouble is held to be of clarity; what is dearest to the senses is of passion; and what brings pain and is unclean is of darkness. ²⁹Happiness that rises from the self is of clarity, and what rises from objects is of passion; what rises from delusion and wretchedness is of darkness, and what takes its shelter in me is beyond the strands.