न वै मानं च मौनं च सहितौ वसतः सदा। अयं हि लोको मानस्य असौ मौनस्य तद्विदुः
Respect and silence do not always dwell together; this world is for respect, the other for silence—so the wise know.
श्रीर्हि मानार्थसंवासा सा चापि परिपन्थिनी । ब्राह्मी सुदुर्लभा श्रीर्हि प्रज्ञाहीनेन क्षत्रिय
Prosperity dwells with respect, but she is also an obstacle; O Kshatriya, Brahminical prosperity is very hard to obtain for one lacking wisdom.
द्वाराणि तस्येह वदन्ति सन्तो बहुप्रकाराणि दुराधराणि। सत्यार्जवे ह्रीर्दमशौचविद्या षण्मानमोहप्रतिबन्धनानि
The wise declare that there are many difficult doors here for him: truth, straightforwardness, modesty, self-restraint, purity, and knowledge—these six are obstacles to pride and delusion.
सनत्सुजात यामिमां परां त्वं ब्राह्मीं वाचं वदसे विश्वरूपाम्। परां हि कामेन सुदुर्लभां कथां प्रब्रूहि मे वाक्यमिदं कुमार
Sanatsujata, you speak this supreme, all-encompassing Brahminical teaching; tell me, O youth, this supreme, most rare discourse, which is desired by all.
नैतद्ब्रह्म त्वरमाणेन लभ्यं यन्मां पृच्छन्नतिहृष्यस्यतीव। बुद्धौ विलीने मनसि प्रचिन्त्य विद्या हि सा ब्रह्मचर्येण लभ्या
This is not the knowledge of Brahman that can be attained in haste, as you, questioning me, are exceedingly delighted. When the intellect is merged in the mind and deeply contemplated, that knowledge is indeed gained through the practice of brahmacharya.
अत्यन्तविद्यामिति यत्सनातनीं ब्रवीषि त्वं ब्रह्मचर्येण सिद्धाम्। अनारभ्यां वसतीह कार्यकाले कथं ब्राह्मण्यममृतत्वं लभेत
You speak of the supreme, eternal knowledge as being perfected through brahmacharya. But if one does not begin the discipline at the proper time, how can a Brahmin attain immortality?
अव्यक्तविद्यामभिधास्ये पराणीं बुद्ध्या च तेषां ब्रह्मचर्येण सिद्धाम्। यां प्राप्यैनं मर्त्यलोकं त्यजन्ति या वै विद्या गुरुवृद्धेषु नित्या
I shall speak of the supreme, unmanifest knowledge, which is perfected by intellect and by brahmacharya. Having attained it, they abandon this mortal world; that knowledge is ever found among venerable teachers.
ब्रह्मचर्येण या विद्या शक्या वेदितुमञ्चसा। तत्कथं ब्रह्मचर्यं स्यादेतद्ब्रह्मन्ब्रवीहि मे
The knowledge that can be truly understood through brahmacharya—how, O Brahman, is that brahmacharya to be practiced? Tell me this.
आचार्ययोनिमिह ये प्रविश्य भूत्वा गर्भे ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति। इहैव ते शास्त्रकारा भवन्ति प्रहाय देहं परमं यान्ति योगम्
Those who, entering the teacher’s lineage, practice brahmacharya as if dwelling in the womb, become authors of scripture here itself, and, casting off the body, attain the highest union.
अस्मिँल्लोके वै जयन्तीह कामा- न्ब्राह्मीं स्थितिं ह्यनुतितिक्षमाणाः। त आत्मानं निर्हरन्तीह देहा- न्मुञ्जादिषीकामिव सत्वसंस्थाः
In this world, those who steadfastly endure desires and maintain the Brahman state, they withdraw their souls from the body, just as a stalk is drawn from the sheath, established in purity.
शरीरमेतौ कुरुतः पिता माता च भारत। आचार्यशास्ता या जातिः सा पुण्या साऽऽजराऽमम
The father and mother produce this body, O descendant of Bharata, but the true birth is that which the teacher imparts; that birth is holy, ageless, and immortal.
यः प्रावृणोत्यवितथेन वर्णा- नृतं कुर्वन्नमृतं संप्रयच्छम्। तं मन्येत पितरं मातरं च तस्मै न द्रुह्येत्कतमस्य जानन्
He who truly protects the castes, making the mortal immortal, should be regarded as both father and mother; knowing this, one should never harm such a person.
गुरुं शिष्यो नित्यमभिवादयीत स्वाध्यायमिच्छेच्छुचिरप्रमत्तः। मानं न कुर्यान्नादधीत रोप- मेप प्रथमो ब्रह्मचर्यस्य पादः
A student should always salute the teacher, desire self-study, be pure and attentive, show no disrespect, and not imitate others; this is the first step of brahmacharya.
शिष्यवृत्तिक्रमेणैव विद्यामाप्नोति यः शुचिः । ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतस्यास्य प्रथमः पाद उच्यते
He who, by the proper conduct of a student, attains knowledge while remaining pure—this is called the first step of the vow of brahmacharya.
आचार्यस्य प्रियं कुर्यात्प्राणैरपि धनैरपि। कर्मणा मनसा वाचा द्वितीयः पाद उच्यते
One should please the teacher, even at the cost of life or wealth, by deed, mind, and word; this is called the second step.
समा गुरौ यथा वृत्तिर्गरुपत्न्यां तथा चरेत्। तत्पुत्रे च तथा कुर्वन्द्वितीयः पाद उच्यते
One should behave towards the teacher’s wife as towards the teacher himself, and likewise towards his son; this is called the second step.
आचार्येणात्मकृतं विजानन् ज्ञात्वा चार्थं भावितोऽस्मीत्यनेन । यन्मन्यते तं प्रति हृष्टबुद्धिः स वै तृतीयो ब्रह्मचर्यस्य पादः
Understanding what the teacher has imparted, and knowing its meaning, one should think, 'I am formed by this.' Whatever the teacher intends, one should respond with a joyful mind; this is the third step of brahmacharya.
नाचार्यस्यानपाकृत्य प्रवासं प्राज्ञः कुर्वीत नैतदहं करोमि। इतीव मन्येत न भाषयेत स वै चतुर्थो ब्रह्मचर्यस्य पादः
Without the teacher’s permission, a wise student should not travel abroad, nor say, 'I will not do this.' One should not speak thus; this is the fourth step of brahmacharya.
कालेन पादं लभते तथार्थं ततश्च पादं गुरुयोगतश्च। उत्साहयोगेन च पादमृच्छे- च्छास्त्रेण पादं च ततोऽभियाति
In time, one attains a step, then through the teacher’s guidance another, by enthusiasm another, and by study yet another; thus, one advances step by step.
धर्मादयो द्वादश यस्य रूप- मन्यानि चाङ्गानि तथा बलं च। आचार्ययोगे फलतीति चाहु- र्ब्रह्मार्थयोगेन च ब्रह्मचर्यम्
The twelve forms of dharma and other limbs, as well as strength, are said to bear fruit through the teacher’s guidance, and brahmacharya is perfected through union with the knowledge of Brahman.
एवं प्रवृत्तो यदुपालभेत वै धनमाचार्याय तदनुप्रयच्छेत्। स तां वृत्तिं बहुगुणामेवमेति गुरोः पुत्रे भवति च वृत्तिरेषा
Thus engaged, when one completes the discipline, one should give wealth to the teacher. By this conduct, one attains many virtues, and this conduct is also observed towards the teacher’s son.
एवं वसन्सर्वतो वर्धतीह बहून्पुत्रांल्लभते च प्रतिष्ठाम्। वर्षन्ति चास्मै प्रदिशो दिशश्च वसत्यस्मिन्ब्रह्मचर्ये जनाश्च
Living thus, one grows in all ways, obtains many sons and a firm foundation; the directions and regions shower blessings upon him, and people dwell in this brahmacharya.
एतेन ब्रह्मंचर्येण देवा देवत्वमाप्नुवन्। ऋषयश्च महाभागा ब्रह्मलोकं मनीषिणः
By means of this celibacy, the gods attained divinity, and the great sages, the wise, reached the world of Brahma.
गन्धर्वाणामनेनैव रूपमप्सरसमभूत् । एतेन ब्रह्मचर्येण सूर्योऽप्यह्नाय जायते
By this alone, the Gandharvas gained their form, and the Apsarases as well; by this celibacy, even the sun rises each day.
आकाङ्क्ष्यार्थस्य संयोगाद्रसभेदार्थिनामिव । एवं ह्येते समाज्ञाय तादृग्भावं गता इमे
Just as those who desire taste seek union with flavors, so too, having understood thus, these have attained such a state.
य आश्रयेत्पावयेच्चापि राज- न्सर्वं शरीरं तपसा तप्यमानः। एतेन वै बाल्यमभ्येति विद्वान् मृत्युं तथा स जयत्यन्तकाले
O King, whoever relies on and purifies his whole body through asceticism, being disciplined, by this indeed the wise regain youth and thus conquer death at the final moment.
अन्तवतः क्षत्रिय ते जयन्ति लोकाञ्जनाः कर्मणा निर्मलेन । ब्रह्मैव विद्वांस्तेन चाभ्येति सर्वं नान्यः पन्था अयनाथ विद्यते
O Kshatriya, people conquer worlds of limited duration through pure action; but the knower attains all that by Brahman alone—there is no other path, O leaderless one.
आभाति शुक्लमिव लोहितमि- वाथो कृष्णमथाञ्जनं काद्रवं वा। सद्ब्रह्मणः पश्यति योऽत्र विद्वा- न्कथं रूपं तदमृतमक्षरं पदम्
It appears as white, or as red, or as black, or as collyrium, or as the color of a snake; but the wise one perceives here the form of true Brahman—how is that form, that immortal, imperishable state?
आभाति शुक्लमिव लोहितमि- वाथो कृष्णमायसमर्कवर्णम्। न पृथिव्यां तिष्ठति नान्तरिक्षे नैतत्समुद्रे सलिलं बिभर्ति
It appears as white, or as red, or as black iron, or as the color of copper; it does not abide on earth, nor in the sky, nor does the ocean hold that water.
न तारकासु न च विद्युदाश्रितं न चाभ्रेषु दृश्यते रूपमस्य। न चापि वायौ न च देवतासु नैतच्चन्द्रे दृश्यते नोत सूर्ये
It is not among the stars, nor is its form seen in lightning, nor in the clouds; nor in the wind, nor among the gods; it is not seen in the moon nor in the sun.