Listen to the sacred teachings, directly imparted by the Grandfather for the benefit of all worlds, as I declare the eternal dharma to you. The great souls, pure and blameless sages, attain union with the highest realms. By following this pure path, those whose seed is burned and who are free from stain reach their desired worlds, restrained by the goad of discipline. Those who delight in good conduct, are peaceful, and uphold their own duty, having conquered all worlds, ascend to the world of Brahma. In this tradition, one should perform all acts of rising and salutation for elders who follow the order and are endowed with the teacher’s instruction. The teacher of Brahman is to be worshipped by the virtuous with eightfold prostration, with the body placed in three ways, and by circumambulating three times. All elders are to be saluted by the wise; one should not disobey their command if one desires the highest attainment. Care must be taken to avoid living by means of mantras in places devoid of elements, empty hollows, or small fields, as well as all forms of poison, spirits, and deception. One should always avoid deceit, fraud regarding wealth, slander, excessive laughter, arrogance, and acting according to one’s own whims for amusement. With all effort, one must avoid, in the presence of teachers, any words or actions contrary to their instructions, and anything improper regarding the teacher’s words. Never should one speak or even think anything inauspicious; the seat, garment, staff, and sandals of ascetics should likewise be treated with respect. It is important to avoid touching with the foot garlands, sleeping places, vessels, shade, and sacrificial implements. Never, with all effort, should one commit offense against the gods or the teacher. If such an offense is committed by mistake, the sacred syllable must be recited ten thousand times. By offense against the gods or the teacher, one is purified a crore times over; likewise, for purification from great sins, according to the proper rule. A sinner is purified by performing half of that, if he is of good conduct; all minor offenders who are observant are purified by just half as much. If a Brahmin neglects the twilight worship, he is purified by reciting the sacred syllable three times; if he omits the daily rites, a hundred recitations are prescribed. For violating vows, eating forbidden food, or speaking what should not be spoken, purification requires a thousand recitations. For killing birds such as crows, owls, or pigeons, reciting one hundred and eight times brings release—there is no doubt about this. Yet, one who knows the truth, a knower of Brahman, a foremost Brahmin, attains purity by remembrance alone—there is no need for deliberation here. For those who know the Self, there is no injunction for expiations; truly, they are always pure, being knowers of Brahman. Those devoted solely to yoga and meditation are untouched, like gold; for the pure, there is no purification, as they are purified by knowledge of Brahman. In all acts, one should use water that is drawn, not hot, foaming, or impure, and with clean cloth and clear sight, avoiding polluted water. Water spoiled by smell, color, or taste, that stands in unclean places, is muddied by clay or stones, or is from the sea or a stagnant pool, or water tainted with moss or other impurities should be avoided; all acts should be done with clean cloth, O twice-born. All acts such as salutations and service to the teacher, if done without clean cloth, render one impure—there is no doubt about this. For garments used in divine service, daily purification is prescribed; for other clothes, purification is required when they become soiled. By every effort, O twice-born, one should avoid wearing garments worn by others; silk and woolen clothes should be cleaned with rough kusa grass or mustard. For garments made from coconut, sun-fiber, kutapa, arishtaka, leather, bark, or cane, the rule for cloth applies. For all bark garments, as well as umbrellas and fly-whisks, the same rule of cleanliness as for cloth is declared by the sages who know Brahman. Bronze is purified with ash, iron with alkali, copper with acid, O Brahmins, and so also tin and lead. Gold vessels are purified with water, silver vessels likewise, O best of twice-born; for gems, stones, conch, and pearls, the rule for gold applies. When all these are extremely defiled, purification is prescribed by contact with fire or water, or by immersion, for all such substances. The proper purification of objects such as grass, wood, and the like is considered to be sprinkling them with auspicious water, or cleansing them with hot water; this applies also to the ladle and spoon. In the same way, the purification of sacrificial vessels, the pestle and mortar, and items made of horn, bone, wood, or ivory is accomplished by scraping. For substances that are joined together, purification is done by sprinkling; for those that are separate, each should be cleansed individually. If a portion of untouched heaps of grain is defiled, that part should be removed, and the remainder sprinkled with water using kuśa grass. Vegetables, roots, fruits, and the like are purified in the same way as grain; a house is cleansed by sweeping and wiping, and earthenware by reheating. The earth is considered purified by scraping, smearing, sweeping, by the presence of cow dung, or by sprinkling. Water found on the ground is pure if a cow can drink it without thirst, and if it is not contaminated by impurity, and possesses a pleasant smell, color, and taste. A calf is pure at the place of a spring, a bird at the fall of fruit, and a wife’s mouth is pure for householders during intercourse when desiring a wife. Thus are the ways of purity, conduct, and reverence, as declared by the ancient sages, guiding one toward the highest realms and union with Brahman.