पाशुपाल्यं वणिज्यां च कृषिं च मुनिसत्तमाः वैश्याय जीविकां ब्रह्मा ददौ लोकपितामहः
O best of sages, the livelihood given by Brahma, the grandfather of the world, to the Vaishya is animal husbandry, trade, and agriculture.
तस्याप्य् अध्ययनं यज्ञो दानं धर्मश् च शस्यते नित्यनैमित्तिकादीनाम् अनुष्ठानं च कर्मणाम्
For him also, study, sacrifice, giving, and dharma are praised, as well as the performance of daily and occasional duties.
द्विजातिसंश्रयं कर्म तदर्थं तेन पोषणम् क्रयविक्रयजैर् वापि धनैः कारुभवैस् तु वा
He should support the twice-born by work for their sake, with wealth gained through buying and selling, or through crafts.
दानं दद्याच् च शूद्रो ऽपि पाकयज्ञैर् यजेत च पित्र्यादिकं च वै सर्वं शूद्रः कुर्वीत तेन वै
A Shudra too may give gifts, perform cooked offerings, and do all rites for ancestors and others; thus should a Shudra act.
भृत्यादिभरणार्थाय सर्वेषां च परिग्रहाः ऋतुकालाभिगमनं स्वदारेषु द्विजोत्तमाः
For the support of servants and others, all may accept possessions; union with one's own wife at the proper time, O best of twice-born.
दया समस्तभूतेषु तितिक्षा नाभिमानिता सत्यं शौचम् अनायासो मङ्गलं प्रियवादिता
Compassion toward all beings, endurance, absence of pride, truthfulness, purity, effortlessness, auspiciousness, and speaking pleasantly.
मैत्री चैवास्पृहा तद्वद् अकार्पण्यं द्विजोत्तमाः अनसूया च सामान्या वर्णानां कथिता गुणाः
Friendliness, absence of covetousness, likewise non-miserliness, O best of twice-born; and non-jealousy—these qualities are declared as common to all castes.
आश्रमाणां च सर्वेषाम् एते सामान्यलक्षणाः गुणास् तथोपधर्माश् च विप्रादीनाम् इमे द्विजाः
For all stages of life, these are the common characteristics; likewise, these virtues and subsidiary duties are prescribed for Brahmins and others, O twice-born.
क्षात्रं कर्म द्विजस्योक्तं वैश्यकर्म तथापदि राजन्यस्य च वैश्योक्तं शूद्रकर्माणि चैतयोः
The warrior's duty is assigned to the twice-born, and the merchant's duty likewise in emergency; for the royal caste, the merchant's duty is prescribed, and the duties of the servant for both.
ससामर्थ्ये सति त्याज्यम् उभाभ्याम् अपि च द्विजाः तद् एवापदि कर्तव्यं न कुर्यात् कर्मसंकरम्
If capable, both should renounce these duties, O twice-born; only in emergency should they be performed, but one should not mix duties.
इत्य् एते कथिता विप्रा वर्णधर्मा मयाद्य वै धर्मम् आश्रमिणां सम्यग् ब्रुवतो ऽपि निबोधत
Thus, O Brahmins, the duties of the castes have been declared by me today; now listen properly as I explain the duties of the stages of life.
बालः कृतोपनयनो वेदाहरणतत्परः गुरोर् गेहे वसन् विप्रा ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः
A boy who has undergone initiation, devoted to reciting the Vedas, residing in the teacher’s house, O Brahmins, is a focused student.
शौचाचाररतस् तत्र कार्यं शुश्रूषणं गुरोः व्रतानि चरता ग्राह्यो वेदश् च कृतबुद्धिना
There, he should be engaged in purity and good conduct, serve the teacher, observe vows, and learn the Veda with a determined mind.
उभे संध्ये रविं विप्रास् तथैवाग्निं समाहितः उपतिष्ठेत् तथा कुर्याद् गुरोर् अप्य् अभिवादनम्
At both twilights, O Brahmins, he should worship the sun and fire with concentration, and likewise offer salutations to the teacher.
स्थिते तिष्ठेद् व्रजेद् याति नीचैर् आसीत चासिते शिष्यो गुरौ द्विजश्रेष्ठाः प्रतिकूलं च संत्यजेत्
When the teacher stands, he should stand; when he goes, he should follow; when seated, he should sit lower; O best of twice-born, the student should avoid anything contrary.
तेनैवोक्तं पठेद् वेदं नान्यचित्तः पुरस्थितः अनुज्ञातं च भिक्षान्नम् अश्नीयाद् गुरुणा ततः
He should recite the Veda as instructed, with undistracted mind, facing the teacher; and eat food permitted by the teacher.
अवगाहेद् अपः पूर्वम् आचार्येणावगाहिताः समिज्जलादिकं चास्य कल्यकल्यम् उपानयेत्
He should first bathe after the teacher has bathed, and bring water and other items for the teacher, as appropriate.
गृहीतग्राह्यवेदश् च ततो ऽनुज्ञाम् अवाप्य वै गार्हस्थ्यम् आवसेत् प्राज्ञो निष्पन्नगुरुनिष्कृतिः
Having learned and mastered the Veda, and having received permission, the wise one should enter household life, after fulfilling the teacher’s requirements.
विधिनावाप्तदारस् तु धनं प्राप्य स्वकर्मणा गृहस्थकार्यम् अखिलं कुर्याद् विप्राः स्वशक्तितः
Having obtained a wife according to the prescribed rite, and wealth through his own duty, the Brahmin should perform all household duties according to his capacity.
निर्वापेण पितॄन् अर्च्य यज्ञैर् देवांस् तथातिथीन् अन्नैर् मुनींश् च स्वाध्यायैर् अपत्येन प्रजापतिम्
He should honor ancestors with oblations, gods with sacrifices, guests with food, sages with study, and the creator with offspring.
बलिकर्मणा भूतानि वाक्सत्येनाखिलं जगत् प्राप्नोति लोकान् पुरुषो निजकर्मसमार्जितान्
By offering to spirits and truthfulness in speech, he attains all worlds; a person obtains realms earned by his own actions.
भिक्षाभुजश् च ये केचित् परिव्राड् ब्रह्मचारिणः ते ऽप्य् अत्र प्रतितिष्ठन्ति गार्हस्थ्यं तेन वै परम्
Those who subsist on alms, whether wandering ascetics or students, also establish themselves here in household life, for that is the highest.
वेदाहरणकार्येण तीर्थस्नानाय च द्विजाः अटन्ति वसुधां विप्राः पृथिवीदर्शनाय च
For the sake of reciting the Vedas and bathing at sacred places, O Brahmins, the Brahmins wander the earth, also to see the land.
अनिकेता ह्य् अनाहारा ये तु सायंगृहास् तु ते तेषां गृहस्थः सततं प्रतिष्ठा योनिर् उच्यते
Those who are homeless and without food, but those who have evening homes—among them, the householder is always considered the established source.
तेषां स्वागतदानानि वक्तव्यं मधुरं सदा गृहागतानां दद्याच् च शयनासनभोजनम्
One should always speak sweet words of welcome and offer gifts to those who come to the house, and provide them with a bed, seat, and food.
अतिथिर् यस्य भग्नाशो गृहात् प्रतिनिवर्तते स दत्त्वा दुष्कृतं तस्मै पुण्यम् आदाय गच्छति
If a guest, whose hopes are disappointed, returns from a house, the householder gives him his own virtue and takes upon himself the guest’s sin.
अवज्ञानम् अहंकारो दम्भश् चापि गृहे सतः परिवादोपघातौ च पारुष्यं च न शस्यते
Disrespect, pride, hypocrisy, slander, causing harm, and harshness are not to be practiced by a householder.
यश् च सम्यक् करोत्य् एवं गृहस्थः परमं विधिम् सर्वबन्धविनिर्मुक्तो लोकान् आप्नोति चोत्तमान्
A householder who acts in this way, following the supreme rule, becomes free from all bonds and attains the highest worlds.
वयःपरिणतौ विप्राः कृतकृत्यो गृहाश्रमी पुत्रेषु भार्यां निक्षिप्य वनं गच्छेत् सहैव वा
When the twice-born have reached old age and fulfilled their duties as householders, they should entrust their wife to their sons and go to the forest, either alone or together.
पर्णमूलफलाहारः केशश्मश्रुजटाधरः भूमिशायी भवेत् तत्र मुनिः सर्वातिथिर् द्विजाः
There, the sage should live on leaves, roots, and fruits, wear matted hair and beard, and sleep on the ground, receiving all guests, especially the twice-born.