भस्मस्नायी भवेन् नित्यं भस्मलिप्तः सदा भवेत् यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि श्रावयेद्वा द्विजोत्तमान्
One should always bathe with ashes, always be smeared with ashes; whoever recites, hears, or causes the best of twice-born to hear this—
दैवे कर्मणि पित्र्ये वा स याति परमां गतिम्
—whether in divine or ancestral rites, he attains the highest state.
अत ऊर्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि शौचाचारस्य लक्षणम् यदनुष्ठाय शुद्धात्मा परेत्य गतिमाप्नुयात्
Now I shall declare the characteristics of purity of conduct, by practicing which, a pure-souled person attains the supreme goal after death.
ब्रह्मणा कथितं पूर्वं सर्वभूतहिताय वै संक्षेपात्सर्ववेदार्थं संचयं ब्रह्मवादिनाम्
It was formerly taught by Brahmā for the welfare of all beings—a concise collection of the essence of all the Vedas, for those who speak of Brahman.
उदयार्थं तु शौचानां मुनीनामुत्तमं पदम् यस्तत्राथाप्रमत्तः स्यात् स मुनिर्नावसीदति
For the attainment of purity, it is the highest state for sages; whoever is diligent there does not fall from the state of a sage.
मानावमानौ द्वावेतौ तावेवाहुर् विषामृते अवमानो ऽमृतं तत्र सन्मानो विषमुच्यते
Honor and dishonor—these two are called nectar and poison; dishonor is nectar there, and true honor is called poison.
गुरोरपि हिते युक्तः स तु संवत्सरं वसेत् नियमेष्वप्रमत्तस्तु यमेषु च सदा भवेत्
Engaged in the welfare even of the teacher, he should dwell for a year; always attentive to discipline, he should always be steadfast in self-restraint.
प्राप्यानुज्ञां ततश्चैव ज्ञानयोगमनुत्तमम् अविरोधेन धर्मस्य चरेत पृथिवीमिमाम्
Having obtained permission, he should then practice the supreme yoga of knowledge, and, without violating righteousness, should live upon this earth.
चक्षुःपूतं चरेन्मार्गं वस्त्रपूतं जलं पिबेत् सत्यपूतं वदेद्वाक्यं मनःपूतं समाचरेत्
Let one walk the path with purified sight, drink water filtered with cloth, speak words purified by truth, and act with a mind that is pure.
मत्स्यगृह्यस्य यत्पापं षण्मासाभ्यन्तरे भवेत् एकाहं तत्समं ज्ञेयम् अपूतं यज्जलं भवेत्
The sin incurred by eating fish within six months is equal to that incurred in a single day by drinking unfiltered water.
अपूतोदकपाने तु जपेच्च शतपञ्चकम् अघोरलक्षणं मन्त्रं ततः शुद्धिमवाप्नुयात्
Upon drinking unfiltered water, one should recite the Aghora mantra one hundred and five times; then, purity is attained.
अथवा पूजयेच्छंभुं घृतस्नानादिविस्तरैः त्रिधा प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य शुध्यते नात्र संशयः
Alternatively, one may worship Śambhu with elaborate offerings such as a ghee bath, circumambulate three times, and thus be purified—of this there is no doubt.
आतिथ्यश्राद्धयज्ञेषु न गच्छेद्योगवित्क्वचित् एवं ह्यहिंसको योगी भवेदिति विचारितम्
A knower of yoga should never attend hospitality, ancestral rites, or sacrifices; thus, the yogin remains nonviolent, as has been considered.
वह्नौ विधूमे ऽत्यङ्गारे सर्वस्मिन्भुक्तवज्जने चरेत्तु मतिमान् भैक्ष्यं न तु तेष्वेव नित्यशः
One who is wise should seek alms from people who have eaten as if before a smokeless fire or glowing embers, but not always from them.
अथैनम् अवमन्यन्ते परे परिभवन्ति च तथा युक्तं चरेद्भैक्ष्यं सतां धर्ममदूषयन्
If others look down upon him or insult him, then he should seek alms in a manner appropriate, without violating the dharma of the virtuous.
भैक्ष्यं चरेद्वनस्थेषु यायावरगृहेषु च श्रेष्ठा तु प्रथमा हीयं वृत्तिरस्योपजायते
One should seek alms among forest dwellers and wandering households; the first is best, but if that is lacking, the second way arises.
अत ऊर्ध्वं गृहस्थेषु शीलीनेषु चरेद्द्विजाः श्रद्दधानेषु दान्तेषु श्रोत्रियेषु महात्मसु
After that, one may seek alms among householders who are disciplined, faithful, self-controlled, learned, and noble.
अत ऊर्ध्वं पुनश्चापि अदुष्टापतितेषु च भैक्ष्यचर्या हि वर्णेषु जघन्या वृत्तिरुच्यते
Beyond this, one may also seek alms from those who are not fallen or corrupt; for among the classes, alms-seeking from such is said to be the lowest livelihood.
भैक्ष्यं यवागूस्तक्रं वा पयो यावकमेव च फलमूलादि पक्वं वा कणपिण्याकसक्तवः
Alms may consist of barley gruel, buttermilk, milk, barley, fruits, roots, cooked food, or even coarse flour cakes.
इत्येव ते मया प्रोक्ता योगिनां सिद्धिवर्द्धनाः आहारास्तेषु सिद्धेषु श्रेष्ठं भैक्ष्यमिति स्मृतम्
Thus I have described the foods that increase success for yogins; among these, alms are remembered as the best when perfected.
अब्बिन्दुं यः कुशाग्रेण मासि मासि समश्नुते न्यायतो यश्चरेद्भैक्ष्यं पूर्वोक्तात्स विशिष्यते
He who, month by month, rightly eats a drop of water with the tip of a blade of grass, and who seeks alms as previously described, surpasses the rest.
जरामरणगर्भेभ्यो भीतस्य नरकादिषु एवं दाययते तस्मात् तद्भैक्ष्यमिति संस्मृतम्
For one who fears the wombs of old age and death, and hells and the like, such alms-gathering is remembered as liberating.
दधिभक्षाः पयोभक्षा ये चान्ये जीवक्षीणकाः सर्वे ते भैक्ष्यभक्षस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम्
Those who eat curds, milk, or other foods that diminish life do not deserve even a sixteenth part of the merit of one who subsists on alms.
भस्मशायी भवेन्नित्यं भिक्षाचारी जितेन्द्रियः य इच्छेत् परमं स्थानं व्रतं पाशुपतं चरेत्
One should always sleep on ashes, practice alms-seeking, and have self-control; whoever desires the highest state should observe the Pāśupata vow.
योगिनां चैव सर्वेषां श्रेष्ठं चान्द्रायणं भवेत् एकं द्वे त्रीणि चत्वारि शक्तितो वा समाचरेत्
Among all practices for yogins, the Cāndrāyaṇa vow is best; one should perform one, two, three, or four cycles according to ability.
अस्तेयं ब्रह्मचर्यं च अलोभस्त्याग एव च व्रतानि पञ्च भिक्षूणाम् अहिंसा परमा त्विह
Non-stealing, celibacy, non-greed, renunciation—these are the five vows for mendicants; but here, nonviolence is supreme.
अक्रोधो गुरुशुश्रूषा शौचमाहारलाघवम् नित्यं स्वाध्याय इत्येते नियमाः परिकीर्तिताः
Absence of anger, service to the teacher, purity, moderation in food, and constant study—these are declared to be the observances.
बीजयोनिगुणा वस्तुबन्धः कर्मभिर् एव च यथा द्विप इवारण्ये मनुष्याणां विधीयते
The qualities arising from seed and womb, and the binding of objects, are determined by actions, just as for humans in the world, like an elephant in the forest.
देवैस्तुल्याः सर्वयज्ञक्रियास्तु यज्ञाज्जाप्यं ज्ञानमाहुश् च जाप्यात् ज्ञानाद् ध्यानं संगरागादपेतं तस्मिन्प्राप्ते शाश्वतस्योपलम्भः
All sacrificial acts performed by the gods are said to be equal to knowledge gained from recitation; from recitation comes knowledge, and from knowledge, meditation free from attachment and aversion; upon attaining that, there is realization of the eternal.
दमः शमः सत्यमकल्मषत्वं मौनं च भूतेष्वखिलेषु चार्जवम् अतीन्द्रियं ज्ञानमिदं तथा शिवं प्राहुस् तथा ज्ञानविशुद्धबुद्धयः
Self-control, tranquility, truthfulness, freedom from impurity, silence, straightforwardness toward all beings, and knowledge beyond the senses—these are declared to be auspicious by those whose intellect is purified by knowledge.