तच्चाण्डालसमं ज्ञेयं नात्र कार्या विचारणा स्फिग्वातं शूर्पवातं च वातं प्राणमुखानिलम्
that is to be known as equal to feeding an outcaste—there should be no doubt about this. The wind from the buttocks, the winnowing fan, or the breath from the mouth,
सुकृतानि हरन्त्येते संस्पृष्टाः पुरुषस्य तु उष्णीषी कञ्चुकी नग्नो मुक्तकेशो मलावृतः
when they touch a person, they take away his merits. Likewise, a man who wears a turban, a jacket, is naked, has loose hair, or is covered in filth,
अपवित्रकरो ऽशुद्धः प्रलपन्न जपेत् क्वचित् क्रोधो मदः क्षुधा तन्द्रा निष्ठीवनविजृम्भणे
who makes impure gestures, is unclean, babbles, or sometimes chants while angry, intoxicated, hungry, drowsy, spitting, or yawning,
श्वनीचदर्शनं निद्रा प्रलापास्ते जपद्विषः एतेषां संभवे वापि कुर्यात्सूर्यादिदर्शनम्
who sees a dog eating, sleeps, or babbles—these are all enemies of recitation. If any of these occur, one should look at the sun or other luminaries.
आचम्य वा जपेच्छेषं कृत्वा वा प्राणसंयमम् सूर्यो ऽग्निश्चन्द्रमाश्चैव ग्रहनक्षत्रतारकाः
Or, having sipped water, he should recite the rest, or practice breath control. The sun, fire, moon, planets, stars, and constellations—
एते ज्योतींषि प्रोक्तानि विद्वद्भिर् ब्राह्मणैस् तथा प्रसार्य पादौ न जपेत् कुक्कुटासन एव च
these are declared by learned Brahmins to be the luminaries. One should not recite with feet outstretched, nor in the posture of a rooster.
अनासनः शयानो वा रथ्यायां शूद्रसन्निधौ रक्तभूम्यां च खट्वायां न जपेज्जापकस् तथा
One should not recite while not seated, lying down, in the street, in the presence of a Śūdra, on blood-stained ground, or on a cot.
आसनस्थो जपेत्सम्यक् मन्त्रार्थगतमानसः कौशेयं व्याघ्रचर्मं वा चैलं तौलमथापि वा
Seated properly, with the mind fixed on the meaning of the mantra, one should recite. The seat may be of silk, tiger skin, cloth, or cotton,
दारवं तालपर्णं वा आसनं परिकल्पयेत् त्रिसंध्यं तु गुरोः पूजा कर्तव्या हितमिच्छता
or made of wood or palm leaves. One who desires benefit should worship the teacher at the three junctions of the day.
यो गुरुः स शिवः प्रोक्तो यः शिवः स गुरुः स्मृतः यथा शिवस् तथा विद्या यथा विद्या तथा गुरुः
He who is the teacher is said to be Śiva; he who is Śiva is remembered as the teacher. As Śiva is, so is knowledge; as knowledge is, so is the teacher.
शिवविद्यागुरोस्तस्माद् भक्त्या च सदृशं फलम् सर्वदेवमयो देवि सर्वशक्तिमयो हि सः
Therefore, from devotion to Śiva, knowledge, and the teacher, one attains a fitting result. O Devi, he is composed of all gods and all powers.
सगुणो निर्गुणो वापि तस्याज्ञां शिरसा वहेत् श्रेयो ऽर्थी यस्तु गुर्वाज्ञां मनसापि न लङ्घयेत्
Whether endowed with qualities or beyond qualities, one should bear his command upon the head. One who seeks welfare should not transgress the teacher’s command, even in thought.
गुर्वाज्ञापालकः सम्यक् ज्ञानसंपत्तिमश्नुते गच्छंस्तिष्ठन्स्वपन् भुञ्जन् यद्यत्कर्म समाचरेत्
He who properly observes the teacher’s command attains the wealth of knowledge. Whether going, standing, sleeping, or eating, whatever action he performs,
समक्षं यदि तत्सर्वं कर्तव्यं गुर्वनुज्ञया गुरोर्देवसमक्षं वा न यथेष्टासनो भवेत्
all of it should be done in the teacher’s presence or with the teacher’s permission. In the presence of the teacher or of a deity, one should not sit as one pleases.
गुरुर्देवो यतः साक्षात् तद्गृहं देवमन्दिरम् पापिना च यथासंगात् तत्पापैः पतनं भवेत्
Since the teacher is directly the deity, his house is a temple. Association with the wicked leads to downfall through their sins.
तद्वदाचार्यसंगेन तद्धर्मफलभाग्भवेत् यथैव वह्निसंपर्कान् मलं त्यजति काञ्चनम्
In the same way, by association with the teacher, one partakes of the fruit of his virtue, just as gold, by contact with fire, is cleansed of impurity.
तथैव गुरुसंपर्कात् पापं त्यजति मानवः यथा वह्निसमीपस्थो घृतकुंभो विलीयते
In the same way, a person abandons sin through association with the guru, just as a pot of ghee melts when placed near a fire.
तथा पापं विलीयेत आचार्यस्य समीपतः यथा प्रज्वलितो वह्निर् विष्ठां काष्ठं च निर्दहेत्
Thus, sin is dissolved in the proximity of the teacher, just as a blazing fire burns up dung and wood.
गुरुस्तुष्टो दहत्येवं पापं तन्मन्त्रतेजसा ब्रह्मा हरिस् तथा रुद्रो देवाश् च मुनयस् तथा
When the guru is pleased, he burns away sin by the power of his mantra, just as Brahma, Hari, Rudra, the gods, and sages do.
कुर्वन्त्यनुग्रहं तुष्टा गुरौ तुष्टे न संशयः कर्मणा मनसा वाचा गुरोः क्रोधं न कारयेत्
When the guru is pleased, they bestow grace—there is no doubt; by deed, thought, and word, one should not cause the guru to become angry.
तस्य क्रोधेन दह्यन्ते आयुःश्रीज्ञानसत्क्रियाः तत्क्रोधं ये करिष्यन्ति तेषां यज्ञाश् च निष्फलाः
By his anger, a person's lifespan, prosperity, knowledge, and good deeds are destroyed; for those who provoke his anger, their sacrifices become fruitless.
जपान्यनियमाश्चैव नात्र कार्या विचारणा गुरोर्विरुद्धं यद्वाक्यं न वदेत्सर्वयत्नतः
Recitations and observances are of no use here; one should never, by any effort, speak words opposed to the guru.
वदेद् यदि महामोहाद् रौरवं नरकं व्रजेत् चित्तेनैव च वित्तेन तथा वाचा च सुव्रताः
If, out of great delusion, one does speak so, one goes to the hell called Raurava; therefore, O virtuous ones, by mind, wealth, and speech—
मिथ्या न कारयेद्देवि क्रियया च गुरोः सदा दुर्गुणे ख्यापिते तस्य नैर्गुण्यशतभाग्भवेत्
O Devi, one should never act falsely toward the guru, nor ever publicize his faults; if one does, his own virtues are diminished a hundredfold.
गुणे तु ख्यापिते तस्य सार्वगुण्यफलं भवेत् गुरोर्हितं प्रियं कुर्याद् आदिष्टो वा न वा सदा
But if one proclaims the guru's virtues, he attains the fruit of all virtues; one should always do what is beneficial and pleasing to the guru, whether instructed or not.
असमक्षं समक्षं वा गुरोः कार्यं समाचरेत् गुरोर्हितं प्रियं कुर्यान् मनोवाक्कायकर्मभिः
Whether in his presence or absence, one should perform the guru's work; one should do what is beneficial and pleasing to the guru by thought, word, and deed.
कुर्वन्पतत्यधो गत्वा तत्रैव परिवर्तते तस्मात्स सर्वदोपास्यो वन्दनीयश् च सर्वदा
If one acts otherwise, he falls to a lower state and revolves there; therefore, the guru should always be worshipped and honored at all times.
समीपस्थो ऽप्यनुज्ञाप्य वदेत्तद्विमुखो गुरुम् एवमाचारवान् भक्तो नित्यं जपपरायणः
Even when near, one should speak only with permission, never turning away from the guru; one who acts thus, devoted, always intent on recitation—
गुरुप्रियकरो मन्त्रं विनियोक्तुं ततो ऽर्हति विनियोगं प्रवक्ष्यामि सिद्धमन्त्रप्रयोजनम्
One who pleases the guru is worthy to employ the mantra; I will now explain the application of the mantra and the purpose of using a perfected mantra.
दौर्बल्यं याति तन्मन्त्रं विनियोगमजानतः यस्य येन वियुञ्जीत कार्येण तु विशेषतः
If one does not know the application, that mantra becomes weak; one should apply each mantra according to its particular purpose.