Listen, dear one, to the wise guidance handed down through the sacred tradition. In daily life, one should cultivate reverence and restraint in every action. Do not touch your own sacred fire with your hand, nor linger long in water, for both are to be approached with respect. Never blow upon fire with your mouth, remembering that fire itself arose from the divine mouth and is holy. A Brahmin should avoid going alone to an assembly or joining a gathering uninvited, for these acts may diminish dignity. One should not fan oneself with cloth, nor seek rest within a temple, which is a place of worship, not slumber. Likewise, do not sleep in the company of those afflicted by disease, with Shudras, or with those who have fallen from virtue. Never pass between a fire, a cow, or a Brahmin, for each is sacred and must not be disrespected. Speak no ill of yogis, siddhas, ascetics, or those who have taken vows, for their lives are dedicated to spiritual pursuit. Do not step upon the shadow of a Brahmin or a cow, not even out of desire, for their presence is auspicious. Avoid sitting upon embers, ashes, or hair, as these are impure and unfit for such use. A twice-born must not consume what is forbidden, nor drink what is unfit, for purity of sustenance preserves purity of being. Know that one who eats inappropriately or without necessity risks being reborn as a Śūdra, or even as a dog in the next life. If one dies with another’s food in the belly, the next birth will correspond to the nature of that food. Be mindful to avoid food from communal gatherings, courtesans, or eunuchs. Similarly, shun food offered by musicians, metalworkers, or women who have recently given birth. Do not accept food from women who have remarried, umbrella-makers, or those who are cursed. Food from physicians, prostitutes, and stick-bearers is also to be avoided, as is food from sellers of Soma or those who cook for dogs. Food abandoned by misers, or eaten by those who themselves live on leftovers, should not be taken. Likewise, avoid food from those who are frightened, have wept, been insulted, or are exhausted. Food that is improperly cooked, comes from a corpse, or is offered by one’s father-in-law must be shunned. Especially avoid food from artisans or weapon-sellers, as well as from those whose capacity to procreate is wounded or whose hearts are heavy with grief. Even the food of a teacher should not be consumed if it lacks proper preparation. Remember, whoever eats another’s food partakes of that person’s sins. These foods, though, may be consumed among Śūdras or by those who are dedicated in service, and the wise may give them for a small price. There are, however, certain exceptions: oil-cake and oil may be accepted from a Śūdra by those of twice-born status. Yet one should always avoid onions, garlic, fermented foods, and exudations, as well as wilted or deformed foods, mushrooms, and fungi. A twice-born who eats the udumbara fruit or bottle gourd surely falls from righteousness. Uncooked meat, offerings to the gods, and sacrificial oblations are not for regular consumption. Fruits such as nipa, kapittha, and plaksha should be diligently avoided. Curd mixed with sesame seeds should never be taken at night. Food spoiled by improper action, its inherent nature, or contact with impurity must be given up. Food that has been smelled by a dog, cooked again, or seen by an outcaste is unfit to eat. Likewise, food that has not been offered properly, is stale, or is leftover should always be avoided. Food that has been smelled by humans, touched by a leper, or handled by someone in dirty clothes or by another person is also impure. Lastly, as Manu has declared, sheep’s milk and the milk from a newly calved animal should not be drunk. In all these matters, let discernment and reverence guide your choices, preserving purity in body and soul.