अनुमेन च तन्मौनो वचः शत्रुजितः सुतः । तथा चकार नृपतिः पन्नगानामुदारधीः ॥ २३.
With the approval of his silent father, the son of Śatrujita did just as the noble-minded king of the serpents had requested.
समेत्य तैरात्मजभूपनन्दनैर् महोरगाणामधिपः स सत्यवाक् । मुदान्वितोऽन्नानि मधूनि चात्मवान् यथोपयोगं बुभुजे स भोगभुक् ॥ २३.
Having gathered with his sons and the princes, the truthful lord of the great serpents, filled with joy and self-control, partook of food and honey as was appropriate, enjoying the pleasures.
अलर्क उवाच यत्कार्यं पुरुषाणाञ्च गार्हस्थ्यमनुवर्तताम् । बन्धश्च स्यादकरणे क्रियाया यस्य चोच्छ्रितिः ॥ २९.
Alarka said: What is the duty of those who follow the householder's path? What bondage arises from neglecting action, and what elevation comes from performing it?
उपकाराय यन्नृणां यच्च वर्ज्यं गृहे सता । यथा च क्रियते तन्मे यथावत्पृच्छतो वद ॥ २९.
What brings benefit to people, and what should be avoided by one living in a household? Tell me properly, as I ask, how these things are to be done.
मदालसोवाच वत्स ! गार्हस्थ्यमादाय नरः सर्वमिदं जगत् । पुष्णाति तेन लोकांश्च स जयत्यभिवाञ्छितान् ॥ २९.
Madālasā said: Child, by embracing the householder's life, a man sustains this entire world; through it, he conquers the realms and attains his desired aims.
पितरो मुनयो देवा भूतानि मनुजास्तथा । कृमिकीटपतङ्गाश्च वयांसि पशवोऽसुराः ॥ २९.
Ancestors, sages, gods, beings, humans, as well as worms, insects, flying creatures, birds, animals, and demons—
गृहस्थमुपजीवन्ति ततस्तृप्तिं प्रयान्ति च । मुखं चास्य निरीक्षन्ते अपि नो दास्यतीति वै ॥ २९.
—all live upon the householder, and thus they become satisfied. They look to his face, wondering, 'Will he give to us or not?'
सर्वस्याधारभूतेयं वत्स ! धेनुस्त्रयीमयी । यस्यां प्रतिष्ठितं विश्वं विश्वहेतुश्च या मता ॥ २९.
This, my child, is the cow of threefold form, the very foundation of all; in her the universe is established, and she is regarded as the cause of all.
ऋक्पृष्ठासौ यजुर्मध्या सामवक्त्रशिरोधरा । इष्टापूर्तविषाणा च साधुसूक्ततनूरुहा ॥ २९.
Her back is the Ṛgveda, her middle the Yajurveda, her mouth and head the Sāmaveda; her horns are sacrifice and charity, her body the hymns of the good.
शान्तिपुष्टिशकृन्मूत्रा वर्णपादप्रतिष्ठिता । आजीव्यमाना जगतां साक्षया नापचीयते ॥ २९.
Her dung and urine are peace and nourishment, her limbs are the castes and orders; as long as she is sustained, the worlds do not diminish, but endure.
स्वाहाकारस्वधाकारौ वषट्कारश्च पुत्रक ! । हन्तकारस्तथा चान्यस्तस्याःस्तनचतुष्टयम् ॥ २९.
O child, the utterances 'svāhā', 'svadhā', and 'vaṣaṭ', as well as 'hanta', are each represented by one of her four breasts.
स्वाहाकारं स्तनं देवाः पितरश्च स्वधामयम् । मुनयश्च वषट्कारं देवभूतसुरेतराः ॥ २९.
The gods drink the breast of 'svāhā', the ancestors drink the breast of 'svadhā', and the sages, along with gods, spirits, and demons, drink the breast of 'vaṣaṭ'.
हन्तकारं मनुष्याश्च पिबन्ति सततं स्तनम् । एवमाप्याययत्येषा वत्स ! धेनुस्त्रयीमयी ॥ २९.
Humans continually drink the breast of 'hanta'; thus, O calf, this cow, composed of the three Vedas, nourishes all.
तेषामुच्छेदकर्ता च यो नरोऽत्यन्तपापकृत् । स तमस्यान्धतामिस्त्रे तामिस्त्रे च निमज्जति ॥ २९.
The person who destroys these, who commits extreme evil, sinks into the deepest darkness and gloom.
यश्चेमां मानवो धेनुं स्वैर्वत्सैरमरादिभिः । पाययत्युचिते काले स स्वर्गायोपपद्यते ॥ २९.
But the man who, together with his own calves and the gods and others, lets this cow drink at the proper time, attains heaven.
तस्मात्पुत्र ! मनुष्येण देवर्षिपितृमानवाः । भूतानि चानुदिवसं पोष्याणि स्वतनुर्यथा ॥ २९.
Therefore, O son, a human must daily nourish the gods, sages, ancestors, humans, and beings, just as he nourishes his own body.
तस्मात्स्त्रातः शुचिर्भूत्वा देवर्षिपितृतर्पणम् । प्रजापतेस्तथैवादिभः काले कुर्यात्समाहितः ॥ २९.
Therefore, purified and protected, one should attentively perform offerings to the gods, sages, ancestors, and to Prajapati and the others, at the proper time.
सुमनोगन्धपुष्पैश्च देवानभ्यर्च्य मानवः । ततोऽग्नेस्तर्पणं कुर्याद्देयाश्च बलयस्तथा ॥ २९.
After worshipping the gods with fragrant flowers, a man should then make offerings to fire, and also give the prescribed portions.
ब्रह्मणे गृहमध्ये तु विश्वेदेवेभ्य एव च । धन्वन्तरिं समुद्दिश्य प्रागुदीच्यां बलिं क्षिपेत् ॥ २९.
Within the house, he should offer to Brahma and the Visvedevas; for Dhanvantari, he should place the offering in the northeast.
प्राच्यां शक्राय याम्यायां यमाय बलिमाहरेत् । प्रतीच्यां वरुणायाथ सोमायोत्तरतो बलिम् ॥ २९.
In the east, he should offer to Indra; in the south, to Yama; in the west, to Varuna; and in the north, to Soma.
दद्याद्धात्रे विधात्रे बलिं द्वारे गृहस्य तु । अर्यम्णेऽथ बहिर्दद्याद्गृहेभ्यश्च समन्ततः ॥ २९.
He should give offerings to Dhātṛ and Vidhātṛ at the door of the house; outside, to Aryaman; and all around, to the household deities.
नक्तञ्चरेभ्यो भूतेभ्यो बलिमाकाशतो हरेत् । पितॄणां निर्वपेच्चैव दक्षिणाभिमुखस्थितः ॥ २९.
He should place offerings in the open for night-wandering beings and spirits, and for the ancestors, he should offer while facing south.
गृहस्थस्तत्परो भूत्वा सुसमाहितमानसः । ततस्तोयमुपादाय तेष्वेवाचमनाय वै ॥ २९.
The householder, intent and with a focused mind, should then take water for their purification.
स्थानेषु निक्षिपेत्प्राज्ञस्तास्ता उद्दिश्य देवताः । एवं गृहबलिं कृत्वा गृहे हृहपतिः शुचिः ॥ २९.
The wise man should place the offerings at the designated spots, invoking the respective deities; thus, after making the household offering, the householder remains pure.
आप्यायनाय भूतानां कुर्यादुत्सर्गमादरात् । श्वभ्यश्च श्वपचेभ्यश्च वयोभ्यश्चावपेद्भुवि ॥ २९.
For the nourishment of beings, he should respectfully make the release; he should scatter food on the ground for dogs, outcasts, and birds.
वैश्वदेवं हि नामैतत्सायं प्रातरुदाहृतम् । आचम्य च ततः कुर्यात्प्राज्ञो द्वारावलोकनम् ॥ २९.
This is called the Vaiśvadeva rite, performed in the evening and morning; after purification, the wise man should inspect the door.
मुहूर्तस्याष्टमं भागमुदीक्ष्योऽप्यतिथिर्भवेत् । अतिथिं तत्र सम्प्राप्तमन्नाद्येनोदकेन च ॥ २९.
He should observe the eighth part of the hour; if a guest arrives, he should honor the guest with food and water.
सम्पूजयेद्यथाशक्ति गन्धपुष्पादिभिस्तथा । न मित्रमतिथिं कुर्यान्नैकग्रामनिवासिनम् ॥ २९.
He should worship the guest according to his ability, with fragrance, flowers, and so forth; he should not treat a friend or a resident of the same village as a guest.
अज्ञातकुलनामानं तत्कालसमुपस्थितम् । बुभुक्षुमागतं श्रान्तं याचमानमकिञ्चनम् ॥ २९.
A person whose family and name are unknown, who arrives at that time, hungry, weary, begging, and possessing nothing—
ब्राह्मणं प्राहुरतिथिं स पूज्यः शक्तितो बुधैः । न पृच्छेद्गोत्रचरणं स्वाध्यायञ्चापि पण्डितः ॥ २९.
—such a one is called a Brahmin guest; he should be honored by the wise to the best of their ability. A learned person should not ask his lineage, school, or study.