A student devoted to the path of Brahmacarya should always present himself with care and purity. He is to wear clean white garments, keeping his hair, beard, and nails neatly trimmed, and must remain inwardly and outwardly pure. Disciplined in his conduct and adorned with the sacred thread, such a Brahmacārin should never utter harsh or unpleasant words. He must be mindful of his actions and surroundings. He should never urinate in the shade of a river, upon ashes, within a cow-pen, or on a path where water flows. His gaze should be restrained—he must not look upon a naked woman, at fire or the sun, nor at those engaged in sexual union. He should never discharge spittle, blood, feces, urine, or poison into water, keeping the natural elements unsullied. When drinking water, he should do so with his hands joined, and he must not disturb someone who is sleeping. He should avoid what is forbidden, keep away from funeral smoke, and not linger on the riverbank. He must not look at a cow while she is being milked, nor should he ever enter a place by the main entrance. The sacred commencement of study is to be observed in the month of Śrāvaṇa, or when the star Śravaṇa is ascendant. Alternatively, it may be performed under the star Rohiṇī in the month of Pauṣa, or during the auspicious aṣṭakā ceremony. If a student, a ritual performer, a teacher, or a relative passes away, there is to be a three-day suspension of study. Study should also be suspended during twilight, when thunder rolls, during earthquakes, or if meteors fall from the sky. On the fifteenth, fourteenth, and eighth days of the lunar month, and during solar or lunar eclipses, study is forbidden. The presence of certain animals—cattle, frogs, mongooses, horses, snakes, cats, or boars—also forbids study. So too does the sound of dogs, jackals, donkeys, owls, or the wailing of arrows. One must not study in impure places, when oneself is impure, or during storms of lightning and thunder. The same applies during a burning of the quarters, in a dust storm, at twilight, or in times of great fear. Study should not be undertaken while mounting a donkey, camel, vehicle, elephant, horse, boat, tree, or mountain. A student must never disregard what is prescribed in the Vedas, nor the instructions of his teacher. He must not stand in the shadow of the king, nor approach another’s wife. The selves of Brahmins, beggars, and Kshatriyas must always be treated with respect and never disrespected. Conduct should always follow the teachings of the Śruti and Smṛti. One should not touch the vital spots of the body. One must always act according to dharma and never against it. Before bathing in another’s water, one must ensure that the five lumps of food have not been removed. He should avoid using another’s bed or similar items, except in times of distress. Food must never be accepted from those condemned by the king, from the very old, from prostitutes, or from those initiated into heretical groups. It is also forbidden to accept food from the cruel, the fierce, the fallen, the outcaste, the hypocritical, or those who eat leftovers; from murderers, slayers of kings, those who kill women or live by killing; and from bards and goldsmiths. Impure food is to be avoided—this includes food that is stale, defiled, touched by a dog, or fallen on the ground. Food that has been smelled by a cow, left over by a bird, or touched by the foot intentionally is also considered impure. Likewise, food to be eaten by a barber, and from one who offers himself, is to be avoided. Even without oil, wheat, barley, cow’s milk, and their products are to be shunned. The flesh of carnivorous animals, birds, dātyūha birds, and parrots must not be consumed. Food that is wasted, as well as krisara, rasa, samyāva, pāyasa, apūpa, and śaṣkulī, should be avoided. If, out of desire, a person eats cāṣa birds, fish, or animals with red feet, or if one consumes onions, garlic, or similar items, he must perform the Cāndrāyaṇa penance. According to the sages, those who partake in such forbidden foods dwell in terrible hell for many days; yet, by giving up meat and earnestly seeking higher desires, one may ultimately attain Hari. Thus concludes the ninety-sixth chapter, entitled “The Description of Śrāddha as Taught by Yājñavalkya,” in the Ācārakāṇḍa of the First Section of the Purva-khaṇḍa of the glorious Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇa. Now, O excellent ones, listen as the purification of substances is explained. The cleansing of vessels and seats is accomplished by the use of water.