In the sacred discourse of the Garuda Purana, the revered sage Yajnavalkya expounded upon the duties and rites that uphold the order of society and the path of righteousness. He taught that sacrificial rites, self-control, non-violence, charity, and the diligent study of the self are the pillars upon which the learned stand. These four, he declared, are recognized as the essential duties for those versed in the Vedic law, and this knowledge is also known as the wisdom of Parashara. Yajnavalkya described the four classes—Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra—explaining that the first three are known as the twice-born, distinguished by their sacred initiation. The journey of a twice-born begins even before birth, with the rite of conception performed at the time of quickening. After birth, on the eleventh day, and again in the fourth month, rituals are observed, marking the child’s emergence and purifying any sin arising from the union of seed and womb. Thus, Yajnavalkya concluded his explanation of the duties of the castes, as preserved in the Achara-kanda of the Purva-khanda of the glorious Garuda Mahapurana. Continuing his teachings, Yajnavalkya spoke of the sacred initiation, the upanayana, which marks the beginning of a Brahmin’s study. This rite should be performed in the eighth year from conception or from birth. Upon initiation, the teacher imparts knowledge, beginning with the great Vyahriti mantras. Each day, at dawn and dusk, the student, adorned with the sacred thread over the left shoulder and facing east, must cleanse himself with water and earth after relieving himself. Seated in a clean place, with knees together and facing east, the student touches the bases and tips of his little finger, ring finger, and thumb, sips water three times, wipes his mouth twice, and touches his bodily orifices with water. He then touches his heart, throat, palate, and navel in proper order, according to his caste. After bathing and reciting mantras to the deities of water and purification, and controlling his breath, he recites the Gayatri mantra with the vyahritis, bowing his head in reverence. With breath restrained and body sprinkled, he recites three sacred Ṛks to the deity and stands for the sandhya ritual at dawn, before beholding the sun. Afterward, the student humbly greets his elders, stating his name. When called upon, he recites and reports his learning to his teacher. He wears the staff, deer skin, sacred thread, and girdle, and observes the proper meter at the beginning, middle, and end of recitation. Having performed the fire ritual, he may eat, but only with humility and the teacher’s permission. While observing celibacy, he should not eat more than one meal a day, except in distress. He must avoid honey, meat, and cooked foods, among other things. After initiation, the teacher bestows the sacred thread, marking the student’s new status. Elders are to be honored as before, with the mother being most venerable. Some authorities say the time of upanayana is at the taking of the sacred thread, while others place it at the cutting of the hair in the sixteenth year. The prescribed time for initiation differs for Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas. If a twice-born loses his Sāvitrī, he becomes an outcaste unless he performs the Vrātyastoma sacrifice to atone. Thus, Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas are known as the twice-born, and for them, the Veda alone is the supreme means to the highest good. A twice-born who studies the Ṛks daily offers nourishment to the ancestors with honey and ghee. Each day, he should satisfy both ancestors and gods with offerings of ghee and nectar. Whoever studies histories and sciences according to his ability pleases the ancestors, who in turn bestow all auspicious rewards and fulfill desires. A twice-born who gives land, performs austerity, or recites the Veda partakes of the fruit of these deeds. If he has no son, then through his wife or through the fire, he attains the world of Brahma and is not born again on earth. Thus ends the ninety-fourth chapter, an inquiry into the duties of the castes as declared by Yajnavalkya, in the first section of the Conduct Section of the glorious Garuda Mahapurana.