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.
चर्मकाशकुशैः कुर्यात् परिधानोत्तरीयके तद्वत् त्रिषवणं स्नानं शस्तम् अस्य द्विजोत्तमाः
He should use garments made of skin, bark, or kusa grass as upper and lower coverings, and, O best of twice-born, thrice-daily bathing is proper for him.
देवताभ्यर्चनं होमः सर्वाभ्यागतपूजनम् भिक्षा बलिप्रदानं तु शस्तम् अस्य प्रशस्यते
Worship of the deities, fire offerings, honoring all who come, alms, and the giving of offerings are praised as proper for him.
वन्यस्नेहेन गात्राणाम् अभ्यङ्गश् चापि शस्यते तपस्या तस्य विप्रेन्द्राः शीतोष्णादिसहिष्णुता
O best of Brahmins, anointing the body with forest oils is also proper for him, as is enduring heat and cold in his austerity.
यस् त्व् एता नियतश् चर्या वानप्रस्थश् चरेन् मुनिः स दहत्य् अग्निवद् दोषाञ् जयेल् लोकांश् च शाश्वतान्
A forest-dwelling sage who practices these disciplines with steadiness burns away faults like fire and conquers the eternal worlds.
चतुर्थश् चाश्रमो भिक्षोः प्रोच्यते यो मनीषिभिः तस्य स्वरूपं गदतो बुध्यध्वं मम सत्तमाः
The fourth stage, that of the renunciant, is declared by the wise; listen, O best of the good, as I describe its true nature.
पुत्रद्रव्यकलत्रेषु त्यजेत् स्नेहं द्विजोत्तमाः चतुर्थम् आश्रमस्थानं गच्छेन् निर्धूतमत्सरः
O best of twice-born, one should abandon attachment to sons, wealth, and wife, and, free from envy, enter the fourth stage of life.
त्रैवर्णिकांस् त्यजेत् सर्वान् आरम्भान् द्विजसत्तमाः मित्रादिषु समो मैत्रः समस्तेष्व् एव जन्तुषु
O best of twice-born, he should renounce all undertakings of the three castes, be equal to friend and foe, and maintain friendliness toward all beings.
जरायुजाण्डजादीनां वाङ्मनःकर्मभिः क्वचित् युक्तः कुर्वीत न द्रोहं सर्वसङ्गांश् च वर्जयेत्
He should never harm by word, thought, or deed any creatures born from womb, egg, or otherwise, and should avoid all attachments.
एकरात्रस्थितिर् ग्रामे पञ्चरात्रस्थितिः पुरे तथा प्रीतिर् न तिर्यक्षु द्वेषो वा नास्य जायते
He should stay one night in a village, five nights in a city, and should neither develop affection nor hatred toward animals.
प्राणयात्रानिमित्तं च व्यङ्गारे ऽभुक्तवज्जने काले प्रशस्तवर्णानां भिक्षार्थी पर्यटेद् गृहान्
For the sake of sustaining life, at the proper time, he should go to the houses of those of good conduct to seek alms, as if he had not eaten.