अधीयीत ऋचो नित्यं क्षीराहुत्या सदेवताः । प्रीणाति तर्पयन्कालं कामैर्हूताः सदैवताः
He should daily recite the Ṛg Veda with offerings of milk to the deities, pleasing and satisfying them at the proper time with desired oblations.
यजूंष्यधीते नियतं दध्ना प्रीणाति देवताः । सामान्यधीते प्रीणाति घृताहुतिभिरन्वहम्
He who regularly studies the Yajur Veda pleases the deities with offerings of curds; he who studies the Sāma Veda pleases them daily with offerings of ghee.
अथर्वांगिरसो नित्यं मध्वा प्रीणाति देवताः । धर्मांगानि पुराणानि मांसैस्तर्पयतेसुरान्
He who daily studies the Atharvāṅgiras Veda pleases the deities with honey; with meat he satisfies the gods through the limbs of dharma and the Purāṇas.
प्रातश्च सायं प्रयतो नैत्यकं विधिमाश्रितः । गायत्रीं समधीयीत गत्वारण्यं समाहितः
Morning and evening, with discipline, following the daily rite, one should recite the Gāyatrī, having gone to the forest with a concentrated mind.
सहस्रपरमां देवीं शतमध्यां दशावराम् । गायत्रीं वै जपेन्नित्यं जपयज्ञः प्रकीर्तितः
The Gāyatrī, the supreme goddess of a thousand syllables, with a hundred in the middle and ten at the end, should always be recited; this is called the sacrifice of recitation.
गायत्रीं चैव वेदांश्च तुलया तोलयत्प्रभुः । एकतश्चतुरोवेदा गायत्रीं च तथैकतः
The Lord weighed the Gāyatrī and the Vedas on a scale: on one side the four Vedas, and on the other the Gāyatrī alone.
ॐकारमादितः कृत्वा व्याहृतीस्तदनंतरम् । ततोऽधीयीत सावित्रीमेकाग्रः श्रद्धयान्वितः
Having first uttered Oṃ, then the vyāhṛtis, one should then recite the Sāvitrī with single-mindedness and faith.
पुराकल्पे समुत्पन्ना भूर्भुवः स्वः सनातनाः । महाव्याहृतयस्तिस्रः सर्वाशुभनिबर्हणाः
In the ancient age arose the three great, eternal vyāhṛtis—bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ—which remove all inauspiciousness.
प्रधानं पुरुषः कालो विष्णुब्रह्ममहेश्वराः । सत्वंरजस्तमस्तिस्रः क्रमाद्व्याहृतयः स्मृताः
Pradhāna (matter), Puruṣa (spirit), Time, Viṣṇu, Brahmā, Maheśvara, and the three qualities—sattva, rajas, tamas—are remembered in order as the vyāhṛtis.
ॐकारस्तत्परं ब्रह्म सावित्री स्यात्तदुत्तरम् । एष मंत्रो महायोगः सारात्सार उदाहृतः
Oṃkāra is the supreme Brahman; Sāvitrī comes after that. This mantra is called the great yoga, the essence of essences.
योऽधीतेऽहन्यहन्येतां गायत्रीं वेदमातरम् । विज्ञायार्थं ब्रह्मचारी स याति परमां गतिम्
He who recites daily this Gāyatrī, mother of the Vedas, and understands its meaning, being a student of Brahmacarya, attains the highest state.
गायत्री वेदजननी गायत्री लोकपावनी । गायत्र्या न परं जप्यमेतद्विज्ञायमुच्यते
Gāyatrī is the mother of the Vedas; Gāyatrī purifies the worlds. There is no recitation higher than Gāyatrī—this is declared to be known.
श्रावणस्य तु मासस्य पौर्णमास्यां द्विजोत्तमाः । आषाढ्यां प्रोष्ठपद्यां वा वेदोपाकरणं स्मृतम्
O best of twice-born, the initiation for study of the Veda is prescribed on the full moon of the month of Śrāvaṇa, or on the Āṣāḍhī or Proṣṭhapadī days.
यत्सूर्ययाम्यगमनं मासान्विप्रोर्द्धपंचमान् । अधीयीत शुचौ देशे ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः
After the sun has entered the southern course, for five months, the devoted student should study in a pure place.
पुष्ये तुच्छंदसां कुर्याद्बहिरुत्सर्जनं द्विजः । मासि शुक्लस्य वा प्राप्ते पूर्वाह्णे प्रथमेऽहनि
In Puṣya, the twice-born should perform the expulsion of the chandas outside; or when the bright fortnight of the month arrives, on the first day in the forenoon.
छदांसि च द्विजोऽभ्यस्येच्छुक्लपक्षे तु वै द्विजः । वेदांगानि पुराणानि कृष्णपक्षेषु मानवः
The twice-born should recite the chandas during the bright fortnight, and a man should study the Vedāṅgas and Purāṇas during the dark fortnight.
इमान्नित्यमनध्यायानधीयानो विवर्जयेत् । अध्यापनं च कुर्वाणोऽभ्यस्यन्नपि प्रयत्नतः
One should always avoid reciting or teaching during the prescribed forbidden periods, even if one is engaged in diligent study or instruction.
कर्णश्रवेऽनिले रात्रौ दिवापांसुसमूहने । विद्युत्स्तनितवर्षेषु महोल्कानां च संप्लवे
When there is a sound in the ear, wind, at night, during the day when dust is swirling, during lightning, thunder, heavy rain, or the appearance of meteors—
अकालिकमनध्यायमेतेष्वाह प्रजापतिः । एतानभ्युदिनान्विद्याद्यदा प्रादुष्कृताग्निषु
The Lord of Creatures has declared these as improper times for study; when these events occur, and when fires are manifest, one should refrain from study.
तदा विद्यादनध्यायमनृतौ चाभ्रदर्शने । निर्घाते भूमिचलने ज्योतिषां चोपसर्जने
At such times, and when clouds appear out of season, during earthquakes, when there is thunder, or when there are omens among the stars, one should know these as forbidden for study.
एतानकालिकान्विद्यादनध्यायानृतावपि । प्रादुष्कृतेष्वग्निषु च विद्युत्स्तनितनिस्वने
Even out of season, these are to be known as forbidden times for study; also when fires are manifest, or when there is the sound of thunder and lightning.
सज्योतिः स्यादनध्यायः शेषे रात्रौ यथा दिवा । नित्यानध्याय एव स्याद्ग्रामेषु नगरेषु च
When there is lightning, study is forbidden at night just as during the day; and in villages and cities, these are always considered forbidden times for study.
धर्मनैपुण्यकामानां पूतिगंधे च नित्यशः । अंतः शवगतेग्रामे वृषलस्य च सन्निधौ
For those desiring virtue and skill, study is always forbidden where there is a foul smell, in a village containing a corpse, or in the presence of an outcaste.
अनध्यायोरुद्यमाने समये जलदस्य च । उदके चार्धरात्रे च विण्मूत्रं च विसर्जयन्
Study is forbidden when clouds are rising, at the time of rain, in water, at midnight, or while passing urine or feces.
उच्छिष्टः श्राद्धभुक्चैव मनसापि न चिंतयेत् । प्रतिगृह्य द्विजो विद्वानेकोद्दिष्टस्य वेतनम्
One who is impure, who has eaten at a śrāddha, or even mentally, should not think of study; and a learned twice-born, having accepted the fee for a specific rite, should not study.
त्र्यहं न कारयेद्ब्रह्म राज्ञो राहोश्च सूतके । यावदेकान्ननिष्ठा स्यात्स्नेहालोपश्च तिष्ठति
For three days, one should not recite the Veda after the birth of a king's son or during an eclipse of Rāhu; nor until only one meal remains or the oil has not been replenished.
विप्रस्य विदुषो देहे तावद्ब्रह्म न कीर्तयेत् । शयानः प्रौढपादश्च कृत्वा चैवावसक्थिकाम्
As long as a learned Brāhmaṇa's body is impure, he should not recite the Veda; nor while lying down, with legs stretched out, or with thighs raised.
नाधीयीतामिषं जग्ध्वा शूद्रश्राद्धान्नमेव च । नीहारे बाणशब्दे च संध्ययोरुभयोरपि
One should not study after eating meat or food from a śūdra's śrāddha; nor during fog, the sound of arrows, or at either of the twilights.
अमावास्या चतुर्दश्योः पौर्णमास्यष्टमीषु च । उपाकर्मणि चोत्सर्गे त्रिरात्रं क्षपणं स्मृतम्
On new moon, fourteenth, full moon, and eighth days, as well as at the time of initiation and expulsion, a three-night cessation of study is prescribed.
अष्टकासु अहोरात्रमृत्वंतासु च रात्रिषु । मार्गशीर्षे तथा पौषे माघमासे तथैव च
On the aṣṭakā days, for a day and night, and during those nights, as well as in the months of Mārgaśīrṣa, Pauṣa, and Māgha, study is likewise forbidden.