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.
तिस्रोऽष्टकाः समाख्याता कृष्णपक्षेषु सूरिभिः । श्लेष्मातकस्य च्छायायां शाल्मलेर्मधुकस्य च
Three aṣṭakā observances are prescribed by the wise during the dark fortnight, under the shade of the śleṣmātaka, śālmalī, and madhuka trees.
कदाचिदपि नाध्येयं कोविदारकपित्थयोः । समानविद्ये च मृते तथा सब्रह्मचारिणि
One should never study under the kadamba or kapittha trees, nor when a fellow student has died, nor when a fellow celibate has passed away.
आचार्ये संस्थिते चापि त्रिरात्रं क्षपणं स्मृतम् । छिद्राण्येतानि विप्राणामनध्यायाः प्रकीर्तिताः
If the teacher has died, three nights of abstention are prescribed; these are the interruptions for brahmins, called periods of non-study.
हिंसंति राक्षसास्तेषु तस्मादेतान्विवर्जयेत् । नैत्यकेनास्त्यनध्यायः संध्योपासनमेव च
Demons cause harm during these times; therefore, one should avoid them. There is no interruption for daily rites or for the worship at twilight.
उपाकर्म्मणि होमांते होममध्ये तथैव च । एकामृचमथैकं वा यजुः सामानि वा पुनः
At the beginning of study, at the end of a sacrifice, and in the midst of a sacrifice, one may recite a single ṛc, or a single yajus, or a sāman again.
नाष्टकाद्यास्वधीयीत मारुते चाभिधावति । अनध्यायस्तु नांगेषु नेतिहासपुराणयोः
One should not study aṣṭakā and similar texts when the wind is blowing violently; nor is there a break for limbs of the Veda, nor for Itihāsa and Purāṇa.
न धर्मशास्त्रेष्वन्येषु सर्वाण्येतानि वर्जयेत् । एष धर्मः समासेन कीर्तितो ब्रह्मचारिणः
Nor in the Dharmaśāstras or other texts; all these interruptions should be avoided. This is the rule, briefly stated, for the celibate student.
ब्रह्मणाऽभिहितः पूर्वमृषीणां भावितात्मनाम् । योऽन्यत्र कुरुते यत्नमनधीत्य श्रुतिं द्विजः
This was formerly declared by Brahmā to the sages of purified minds: a twice-born who exerts himself elsewhere without first studying the Veda is at fault.
स संमूढो न संभाष्यो वेदबाह्यो द्विजातिभिः । न वेदपाठमात्रेण संतुष्टो वै भवेद्द्विजः
He is deluded, not to be spoken with, and is considered outside the Veda by the twice-born. A twice-born should not be satisfied with mere recitation of the Veda.
पाठमात्रावसानस्तु पंके गौरिव सीदति । योऽधीत्य विधिवद्वेदं वेदार्थं न विचारयेत्
He who stops at mere recitation sinks like a cow in mud; one who studies the Veda properly but does not reflect on its meaning is the same.