Vedas do not have commandments since God does not actively run the universe.
According to Hindu scripture God is just a spectator. God does not actively run the universe. It is primordial Nature, God’s shakti (power) which does everything.
God only helps those who sincerely seek God. Others have to live their lives according to their Karma. God only distributes the fruits of Karma.
There is moral and ethical advice but no commandments. I am posting here excerpts from Mahabharata discussion on ethics.
Vidura was a wise man and gave a series of advice to Dhritarashta. I have posted below some excerpts from Vidura's advice and some additional materials.
Vidura on wise men
He that is not deviated from the high ends of life by the aid of
self-knowledge, exertion, forbearance and steadiness in virtue, is
called wise. These again are the marks of a wise man, viz, adherence
to acts, worthy of praise and rejection of what is blameable, faith
and reverence. He whom neither anger nor joy, nor pride, nor false
modesty, nor stupefaction, nor vanity, can draw away from the high
ends of life, is considered as wise. He whose intended acts, and
proposed counsels remain concealed from foes, and whose acts become
known only after they have been done, is considered as wise. He whose
proposed actions are never obstructed by heat or cold, fear of
attachment, prosperity or adversity, is considered as wise. He whose
judgment dissociated from desire, followeth both virtue and profit,
and who disregarding pleasure chooseth such ends as are serviceable in
both worlds, is considered wise. They that exert to the best of their
might and act also to the best of their might, and disregard nothing
so insignificant, are called wise. He that understandeth quickly,
listeneth patiently, pursueth his objects with judgment and not from
desire and spendeth not his breath on the affairs of others without
being asked, is said to possess the foremost mark of wisdom. They that
do not strive for objects that are unattainable, that do not grieve
for what is lost and gone, that do not suffer their minds to be
clouded amid calamities, are regarded to possess intellects endued
with wisdom.
[Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva, Section 33]
Vidura on forgiveness
There is one only defect in forgiving persons, and not another; that
defect is that people take a forgiving person to be weak. That defect
, however, should not be taken into consideration, for forgiveness is
a great power. Forgiveness is a virtue of the weak, and an ornament of
the strong. Forgiveness subdueth (all) in this world; what is there
that forgiveness cannot achieve? What can a wicked person do unto him
who carrieth the sabre of forgiveness in his hand? Fire falling on a
grassless ground is extinguished of itself. And unforgiving individual
defileth himself with many enormities. Righteousness is the one
highest good; and forgiveness is the one supreme peace; knowledge is
one supreme contentment; and benevolence, one sole happiness.
[Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva, Section 33]
Vidura on Gates of hell
Great fear springeth from these three crimes, viz, theft of other’s
property, outrage on other’s wives, and breach with friends. These
three, besides, being destructive of one’s self, are the gates of
hell, viz, lust, anger, and covetousness. Therefore, every one should
renounce them. [Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva, Section 33]
Vidura’s advice on how to act
Do not, O Bharata, set the heart upon means of success that are unjust
and improper. A man of intelligence must not grieve if any purpose of
his doth not succeed, notwithstanding the application of fair and
proper means. Before one engageth in an act one should consider the
competence of the agent, the nature of the act itself, and its
purpose, for all acts are dependent on these. Considering these one
should begin an act, and not take it up on a sudden impulse. He that
is wise should either do an act or desists from it fully considering
his own ability, the nature of the act, and the consequence also of
success. [Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva, Section 34]
Vidura on the importance of controlling the senses
One’s body, O king, is one’s car; the Atman inside the driver; and the
senses are its steeds. Drawn by those excellent steeds, when
well-trained, he that is wise, pleasantly performeth the journey of
life, and awake in peace. The horses that are unbroken and incapable
of being controlled, always lead an unskillful driver to destruction
in the course of the journey; so one’s senses unsubdued, lead only to
destruction…….He to whom the gods ordain defeat, hath his senses taken
away, and it is for this that he stoppeth to ignoble deeds.
[Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva, Section 34]
Vidura on the means to know one self
One should seek to know one’s self by means of one’s own self,
controlling one’s mind, intellect, and senses, for one’s self is one’s
friend as, indeed, it is one’s own foe. That man who hath conquered
self by means of self, hath his self for a friend, for one’s self is
ever one’s friend or foe. [Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva, Section 34]
Vidura on the importance of controlling one’s speech
To control speech, O king, is
said to be most difficult. It is not easy to hold a long conversation
uttering words full of meaning and delightful to hearers. Well-spoken
speech is productive of many beneficial results; and ill-spoken
speech, O king, is the cause of evils. A forest pierced by arrows, or
cut down by hatchets may again grow, but one’s heart wounded and
censured by ill-spoken words never recovereth. Weapons, such as
arrows, bullets, and bearded darts, can be easily extracted from the
body, but a wordy dagger plunged deep into the heart is incapable of
being taken out. Wordy arrows are shot from the mouth; smitten by them
one grieveth day or night. A learned man should not discharge such
arrows, for they do not touch the very vitals of others. [Mahabharata,
Udyoga Parva, Section 34]
Vidura on Kindness
Ablution in all the holy places and kindness to all creatures – these
two are equal. Perhaps, kindness to all creatures surpasseth the
former. [Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva, Section 35]
Vidura on how to treat others
That which is antagonistic to one’s own self, should never be applied
in respect of another. [Mahabharat, Udyoga Parva, Section 39]
I am now posting one of Bhishma’s moral precept.
Bhishma’s morality
Bhishma said, ‘Knowing how painful it is to himself, a person should
never do that to others which he dislikes when done to him by others.’
Mahabharata Santi Parva Section CCLX
Here are some additional quotes.
Protest against slavery
Tuladhara said, ‘…Men are seen to own men as slaves, and by beating,
by binding, and by otherwise subjecting them to restraints, cause them
to labour day and night. These people are not ignorant of pain that
results from beating and fastening in chains. In every creature that
is endued with the five senses live all the deities, Surya,
Chandramas, the god of wind, Brahman, Prana, Kratu, and Yama (these
dwell in living creatures). There are men that live by trafficking in
living creatures!
Mahabharata Santi Parva Section CCLXII
Treatment of servants
Bhishma said, ‘…One should not make distinction between one’s guests
and attendants and kinsmen in matters of food. Equality (in this
respect) with servants is applauded.’
Mahabharata Santi Parva Section CXCIII
Condemnation of dowry
A wife should never be purchased. Nor should a father sell his
daughter. Only those persons of sinful soul who are possessed,
besides, by cupidity, and who sell and purchase female slaves for
making serving women, regard the status of wife as capable of arising
from the gift and acceptance of a dowry.
Mahabharata Anusasana Parva Section XLIV
Condemnation of Weapons trade
They who sell weapons, they who forge weapons, they who make shafts,
and they who make bows, have to sink in hell.
Mahabharata Anusasana Parva Section XXIII
Against Usury
Bhishma said, ‘They who betake themselves to improper conduct, they
who take exorbitant rates of interest, and they who make unduly large
profits on sales, have to sink in hell.’
Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva, Section XXIII
Highest Morality
Tuladhara said, ‘O Jajali, I know morality, which is eternal, with all
its mysteries. It is nothing else than that ancient morality which is
known to all, and which consists of universal friendliness, and is
fraught with beneficence to all creatures. That mode of living which
is founded upon a total harmlessness towards all creatures or (in case
of actual necessity) upon a minimum of such harm, is the highest
morality.’
(Mahabharata Santi Parva Section CCLXII
Need to feel for the afflicted
I abide in all beings as their inner-most soul. Disregarding My
presence within them, men make a show of worshiping Me through images.
If one disregards Me present in all as their soul and Lord but
ignorantly offers worship only to images, such worship is as
ineffective as a sacrificial offering made in ashes. A man who
persecutes Me residing in others, who is proud and haughty, who looks
upon God as the other – such a person will never attain to peace of
mind. If a man disregards and persecutes fellow beings, but worships
Me in images with numerous rituals and rich offerings, I am not at all
pleased with him for proffering such worship. A man should, however,
worship Me in images, side by side with discharging his duties, which
include the love of all beings, until he actually realises My presence
in himself and in all beings. As long as man is self-centred and makes
an absolute distinction between himself and others (without
recognizing the unity of all in Me, the Inner Pervader), he will be
subject to the great fear of Death (including every form of
deprivation of self-interest). So overcoming the separateness of a
self-centred life, one should serve all beings with gifts, honour and
love, recognising that such service is really being rendered to Me who
reside in all beings as their innermost soul.
Srimad Bhagavata Purana III.29.21-27
Moral guidelines for the Righteous
Yudhishthira said, ‘Abstentions from injury, the observances of the
Vedic ritual, meditation, subjugation of the senses, penances, and
obedient services rendered to the preceptors - which amongst these is
fraught with the greatest merit with respect to a person?’
Vrihaspati said, ‘All these six are fraught with merit. They are
different doors of piety. I shall discourse upon them presently. Do
thou listen to them, O chief of the Bharatas! I shall tell thee what
constitutes the highest good of a human being. That man who practices
the religion of universal compassion achieves his highest good. That
man who keeps under control the three faults, viz., lust, wrath, and
cupidity, ,,, (and practises the virtue of compassion), attains to
success. ……. That man who regards all creatures as his own self, and
behaves towards them as towards his own self, laying aside the rod of
chastisement and completely subjugating his wrath, succeeds in
attaining to happiness. ….One should never do that to another, which
one regards as injurious to one’s own self. This, in brief, is the
rule of righteousness.
