तं कर्मयोगं वद नः सूत मूर्तिमयस्तु यः । इति शुश्रूषवो विप्रा भवदग्रे व्यवस्थिताः
O Sūta, tell us of that yoga of action, which is embodied in form; thus, eager to hear, the Brahmins stand before you.
सूत उवाच- एवमेव पुरा पृष्टो व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः । ऋषिभिरग्निसंकाशैर्व्यासस्तानाह तच्छृणु
Sūta said: In the same way, long ago, Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī, was asked by sages shining like fire; Vyāsa spoke to them—listen to that.
व्यास उवाच- शृणुध्वंमृषयः सर्वे वक्ष्यमाणं सनातनम् । कर्मयोगं ब्राह्मणानामात्यंतिकफलप्रदम्
Vyāsa said: O sages, all of you listen to what I am about to declare—the eternal yoga of action for Brahmins, which bestows the highest fruit.
आम्नायसिद्धमखिलं ब्राह्मणार्थं प्रदर्शितम् । ऋषीणां शृण्वतां पूर्वं मनुराह प्रजापतिः
All that is established in the tradition and shown for the sake of Brahmins, Prajāpati Manu formerly spoke to the listening sages.
सर्वव्याधिहरं पुण्यमृषिसंघैर्निषेवितम् । समाहितधियो यूयं शृणुध्वं गदतो मम
It removes all diseases, is meritorious, and practiced by groups of sages; you, whose minds are composed, listen as I speak.
कृतोपनयनो वेदानधीयीत द्विजोत्तमः । गर्भाष्टमेऽष्टमेवाब्दे स्वसूत्रोक्तविधानतः
Having undergone the initiation ceremony, the best of twice-born should study the Vedas in the eighth month from conception, or in the eighth year, according to the rule stated in his own sūtra.
दंडी च मेखली सूत्री कृष्णाजिनधरो मुनिः । भिक्षाहारो गुरुहितो वीक्ष्यमाणो गुरोर्मुखम्
Carrying a staff, a girdle, a sacred thread, and wearing a black antelope skin, the sage should live on alms, devoted to the teacher, and gaze upon the teacher’s face.
कार्पासमुपवीतार्थं निर्मितं ब्रह्मणा पुरा । ब्राह्मणानां त्रिवृत्सूत्रं कौशं वा वस्त्रमेव वा
The threefold sacred thread, made of cotton or cloth, was formerly created by Brahmā for the sake of the sacred thread ceremony for Brahmins.
सदोपवीती चैव स्यात्सदाबद्ध शिखो द्विजः । अन्यथा यत्कृतं कर्म्म तद्भवत्ययथाकृतम्
A twice-born should always wear the sacred thread and always keep the topknot tied; otherwise, whatever action is performed becomes fruitless.
वसेदविकृतं वासः कार्पासं वा कषायकम् । तदेव परिधानीयं शुक्लं तांतवमुत्तमम्
He should wear unaltered garments, or a cotton dyed cloth; that alone should be worn—white and of the best woven fabric.
उत्तरं तु समाम्नातं वासः कृष्णाजिनं शुभम् । अभावे गावयमपि रौरवं वा विधीयते
The upper garment prescribed is a pure black antelope skin; in its absence, one may use cowhide or ruru deer skin.
उद्धृत्य दक्षिणं बाहुं सव्यबाहौ समर्पितम् । उपवीतं भवेन्नित्यं निवीतं कंठसज्जने
Having raised the right arm, the sacred thread placed over the left shoulder becomes 'upavīta' (properly worn); when it is around the neck, it is called 'nivīta.'
सव्यबाहुं समुद्धृत्य दक्षिणे तु धृतं द्विजाः । प्राचीनावीतमित्युक्तं पित्र्येकर्मणि योजयेत्
When the left arm is raised and the thread is held on the right, O twice-born, it is called 'prācīnāvīta,' and should be used in ancestral rites.
अग्न्यागारे गवां गोष्ठे होमे तप्ये तथैव च । स्वाध्याये भोजने नित्यं ब्राह्मणानां च सन्निधौ
In the fire chamber, in the cowshed, during offerings, in penance, during study, at meals, and always in the presence of Brahmins—
उपासने गुरूणां च संध्ययोः साधुसंगमे । उपवीती भवेन्नित्यं विधिरेष सनातनः
In the service of teachers, at the two twilights, and in the company of the virtuous, one should always wear the thread as 'upavīta'; this is the eternal rule.
मौंजी त्रिवृत्समां श्लिष्टां कुर्याद्विप्रस्य मेखलाम् । मुंजाभावे कुशेनाहुर्ग्रंथिनैकेन वा त्रिभिः
A Brahmin should make his girdle of threefold muñja grass, well-twisted; in the absence of muñja, they say it may be made of kuśa grass or with one or three knots.
धारयेद्वैणवपालाशौ दंडौ केशांतिकौ द्विजः । यज्ञार्हवृक्षजं वाथ सौम्यमव्रणमेव च
The twice-born should carry two staffs, one of bamboo and one of palāśa, cut to the length of his hair; or else, one made from a tree fit for sacrifice, gentle and unblemished.
सायंप्रातर्द्विजः संध्यामुपासीत समाहितः । कामाल्लोभाद्भयान्मोहात्त्यक्त्वैनां पतितो भवेत्
A twice-born should perform the twilight worship with concentration, morning and evening; if he neglects it out of desire, greed, fear, or delusion, he becomes fallen.
अग्निकार्यं ततः कुर्यात्सायंप्रातः प्रसन्नधीः । स्नात्वा संतर्पयेद्देवानृषीन्पितृगणांस्तथा
After that, he should perform the fire ritual, morning and evening, with a clear mind; having bathed, he should satisfy the gods, seers, and groups of ancestors.
देवताभ्यर्चनं कुर्यात्पुष्पैः पत्रैर्यवांबुभिः । अभिवादनशीलः स्यान्नित्यं वृद्धेषु धर्मतः
He should worship the deities with flowers, leaves, barley, and water; he should always, by duty, be respectful in greeting elders.
असावहं भो नामेति सम्यक्प्रणतिपूर्वकम् । आयुरारोग्यसिद्ध्यर्थं तंद्रादिपरिवर्जितः
He should say, 'I am so-and-so, O revered one,' with proper salutation, free from drowsiness and the like, for the sake of attaining long life and health.
आयुष्मान्भव सौम्येति वचो विप्रोऽभिवादने । आकारश्चास्य नाम्नोंऽते वाच्यः पूर्वाक्षरप्लुतः
In return, the Brahmin should say in greeting, 'May you live long, gentle one,' and pronounce his name, drawing out the last syllable with the preceding letter.
यो न वेत्त्यभिवादस्य विप्रः प्रत्यभिवादनम् । नाभिवाद्यः स विदुषा यथा शूद्रस्तथैव सः
A Brahmin who does not know how to return a salutation should not be saluted by the learned; he is just like a Śūdra.
व्यत्यस्तपाणिना कार्यं पादसंग्रहणं गुरोः । सव्येन सव्यः स्प्रष्टव्यो दक्षिणेन तु दक्षिणः
When grasping the teacher's feet, one should use the opposite hand: left to left, right to right.
लौकिकं वैदिकं वापि तथाध्यात्मिकमेव वा । अवाप्य प्रयतो ज्ञानं तं पूर्वमभिवादयेत्
Whether the knowledge is worldly, Vedic, or spiritual, having received it with reverence, one should first salute the teacher.
नोदकं धारयेद्भैक्ष्यं पुष्पाणि समिधस्तथा । एवंविधानि चान्यानि न देवार्थेषु कर्म्मसु
One should not carry water, alms, flowers, or sacred sticks, or other such things, when engaged in acts for the deities.
ब्राह्मणं कुशलं पृच्छेत्क्षत्रबंधुमनामयम् । वैश्यं क्षेमं समागम्य शूद्रमारोग्यमेव च
One should ask a Brahmin about his welfare, a Kshatriya about his health, a Vaishya about his prosperity, and a Shudra only about his health.
उपाध्यायः पिता ज्येष्ठो भ्राता त्राता च भीतितः । मातुलः श्वशुरश्चैव मातामह पितामहौ
The preceptor, father, elder brother, protector in danger, maternal uncle, father-in-law, maternal grandfather, and paternal grandfather—
वर्णश्रेष्ठः पितृव्यश्च पुंसोऽत्र गुरवः स्मृताः । माता मातामही गुर्वी पितुर्मातुश्च सोदराः
Among men, those considered teachers are: the most excellent of the varṇa, the paternal uncle, the mother, the maternal grandmother, and the sisters of one's father and mother.
श्वश्रूः पितामही ज्येष्ठा धात्री च गुरवः स्त्रियः । ज्ञेयस्तु गुरुवर्गोऽयं मातृतः पितृतो द्विजाः
Among women, the mother-in-law, paternal grandmother, elder sister, and nurse are regarded as teachers; this group of teachers is to be understood as coming from the mother's and father's side, O twice-born.