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.
नैवर्क्षु तन्न यजुष्षु नाप्यथर्वसु न दृश्यते वै विमलेषु सामसु। रथन्तरे बार्हद्रथे वापि राज- न्महाव्रते नैव दृश्येद्भ्रुवं तत्
It is not in the Rigveda, nor in the Yajurveda, nor in the Atharvaveda; it is not seen in the pure Samans, nor in the Rathantara or Barhadratha chants, O King, nor even in the great vow—its form is not seen there.
अपारणीयं तमसः परस्ता- त्तदन्तकोऽप्येति विनाशकाले। अणीयो रूपं क्षुरधारया समं महच्च रूपं तद्वै पर्वतेभ्यः
It is beyond the reach of darkness; even Death attains it at the time of dissolution. Its form is subtler than the edge of a razor, yet it is greater than the mountains.
सा प्रतिष्ठा तदमृतं लोकास्तद्ब्रह्म तद्यशः । भूतानि जझिरे तस्मात्प्रलयं यान्ति तत्र हि
That is the foundation, that is the immortal, those are the worlds, that is Brahman, that is glory; from that all beings are born, and into that they dissolve.
अनामयं तन्महदुद्यतं यशो वाचो विकारं कवयो वदन्ति। यस्मिञ्जगत्सर्वमिदं प्रतिष्ठितं ये तद्विदुरमृतास्ते भवन्ति
That is free from affliction, that is great, that is exalted glory; the wise call it the transformation of speech. In that all this world is established; those who know that become immortal.
तदेतदह्ना संस्थितं भाति सर्वं तदात्मवित्पश्यति ज्ञानयोगात्। तस्मिञ्जगत्सर्वमिदं प्रतिष्ठितं ये तद्विदुरमृतास्ते भवन्ति
By that, all this shines, established in the day; the knower of the self perceives it through the yoga of knowledge. In that all this world is established; those who know that become immortal.
शोकः क्रोधश्च लोभश्च कामो मानः परासुता। ईर्ष्या मोहो विवित्सा च कृपाऽसूया जुगुप्सुता
Grief, anger, greed, desire, pride, concern for others' wealth, envy, delusion, curiosity, pity, malice, and disgust—
द्वादशैते महादोषा मनुष्यप्राणनाशनाः। एकैकमेते राजेन्द्र मनुष्यान्पर्युपासते। यौराविष्टो नरः पापं मूढसंज्ञो व्यवस्यति
These twelve are great faults, destroyers of human life; each one of them, O king, besets people, and whoever is overcome by them, with a deluded mind, commits evil.
स्पृहयालुरुग्रः परुषो वा वदान्यः क्रोधं बिभ्रन्मनसा वै विकत्थी। नृशंसधर्माः षडिमे जना वै प्राप्याप्यर्थं नोत सभाजयन्ते
One who is covetous, harsh, rude, or boastful, who harbors anger in his mind, who is cruel in conduct—these six types of people, even if they gain wealth, do not honor it.
संभोगसंविद्विषमोऽतिमानी दत्त्वा विकत्थी कृपणो दुर्बलश्च। बहुप्रशंकसी वनिताद्विट् सदैव सप्तैवोक्ताः पापशीला नृशंसाः
One who hates enjoyment, is excessively proud, boasts after giving, is miserly and weak, suspicious of many, a womanizer, or a dandy—these seven are declared to be wicked and cruel by nature.
धर्मश्च सत्यं च तपो दमश्च अमात्सर्यं ह्रीस्तितिक्षानसूया। दानं श्रुतं चैव धृतिः क्षमा च महाव्रता द्वादश ब्राह्मणस्य
Righteousness, truth, austerity, self-control, absence of envy, modesty, forbearance, freedom from malice, generosity, learning, steadfastness, and forgiveness—these twelve are the great vows of a Brahmin.