नोपानहौ स्रजं चाथ पादुके च प्रयोजयेत् । उपवीतमलंकारं दर्शयन्कृष्णमाजिनम्
He should not use shoes, garlands, or sandals; he should display the sacred thread and ornaments, and the black antelope skin.
नापसव्यं परीदध्याद्वासो न विकृतं वसेत् । आहरेद्विधिवद्दारान्सदृशानात्मनः शुभान्
He should not wear his garment over the left shoulder, nor should he live in a deformed manner; he should, according to the proper rite, take a wife who is auspicious and suitable to himself.
रूपलक्षणसंयुक्तान्योनिदोषविवर्जितान् । अपितृगोत्रजभवामन्यमानुषगोत्रजाम्
She should possess beauty and good marks, be free from other faults, not be of the same paternal lineage, and be from a human family.
आहरेद्ब्राह्मणो भार्यां शीलशौचसमन्विताम् । ऋतुकालाभिगामी स्याद्यावत्पुत्रोभिजायते
A Brahmin should take a wife endowed with good conduct and purity, who approaches at the proper time, until a son is born.
वर्जयेत्प्रतिषिद्धानि प्रयत्नेन दिनानि तु । षष्ठ्यष्टमीं पंचदशीं द्वादशीं च चतुर्दशीम्
He should carefully avoid the forbidden days: the sixth, eighth, fifteenth, twelfth, and fourteenth days.
ब्रह्मचारी भवेन्नित्यं तद्वज्जन्मत्रयाहनि । आदधीत विवाहाग्निं जुहुयाज्जातवेदसम्
He should always be celibate on those days, as on the three days after birth; he should establish the marriage fire and offer oblations to Jātavedas.
एतानि स्नातको नित्यं पावनानि च पावयेत् । वेदोदितं स्वकं कर्म्म नित्यं कुर्यादतंद्रितः
A householder should always perform these purifying acts; he should diligently perform his own duties as prescribed in the Veda.
अकुर्वाणः पतत्याशु नरकानतिभीषणान् । अभ्यसेत्प्रयतो वेदं महायज्ञान्न हापयेत्
If he does not perform them, he quickly falls into terrifying hells; he should strive to study the Veda and never neglect the great sacrifices.
कुर्याद्गृह्याणि कार्याणि संध्योपासनमेव च । सख्यं समाधिकैः कुर्यादुपेयादीश्वरं सदा
He should perform the domestic rites and the worship at twilight; he should befriend those who are more advanced and always approach the Lord.
दैवतान्यभिगच्छेत कुर्य्याद्भार्य्याभिपोषणम् । न धर्मं ख्यापयेद्विद्वान्न पापं गूहयेदपि
He should worship the deities and provide for his wife; the wise man should not publicize his virtue nor conceal his sin.
कुर्वीतात्महितं नित्यं सर्वभूतानुकंपकः । वयसः कर्म्मणोऽर्थस्य श्रुतस्याभिजनस्य च
He should always act for his own good, showing compassion to all beings, considering age, action, wealth, learning, and noble birth.
देशवाग्बुद्धिसारूप्यमाचरन्विचरेत्सदा । श्रुतिस्मृत्युदितं सम्यक्साधुभिर्यश्च सेवितः
He should always act in accordance with the place, speech, and intellect, following what is properly prescribed in the scriptures and practiced by the virtuous.
तमाचारं निषेवेत नेहेतान्यत्र कर्हिचित् । येनास्य पितरो याता येन याताः पितामहाः
He should observe that conduct and never act otherwise; by which his fathers and grandfathers went, by that path he should go.
तेन यायात्सतां मार्गं तेन गच्छन्न दुष्यति । नित्यं स्वाध्यायशीलः स्यान्नित्यं यज्ञोपवीतवान्
He should follow that path of the good; going by it, he does not go astray. He should always be devoted to self-study and always wear the sacred thread.
सत्यवादी जितक्रोधो लोभमोहविवर्जितः । सावित्रीजाप निरतः श्राद्धकृन्मुच्यते गृही
He should speak the truth, control his anger, and be free from greed and delusion; devoted to reciting the Sāvitrī and performing ancestral rites, the householder is liberated.
मातापित्रोर्हिते युक्तो ब्राह्मणस्य हिते रतः । दाता यज्वा देवभक्तो ब्रह्मलोके महीयते
Engaged in the welfare of his mother and father, devoted to the good of Brahmins, generous, a sacrificer, devoted to the gods, he is honored in the world of Brahma.
त्रिवर्गसेवी सततं देवानां च समर्चनम् । कुर्यादहरहर्नित्यं नमस्येत्प्रयतः सुरान्
One who is ever devoted to the three aims of life and constantly worships the gods should, every single day, with pure intent, offer reverence to the deities.
विभागशीलः सततं क्षमायुक्तो दयालुकः । गृहस्थस्तु समाख्यातो न गृहेण गृही भवेत्
He who is always generous, endowed with forgiveness and compassion, is truly called a householder; for one is not a householder merely by possessing a house.
क्षमा दया च विज्ञानं सत्यं चैव दमः शमः । अध्यात्मनित्यता ज्ञानमेतद्ब्राह्मणलक्षणम्
Forgiveness, compassion, knowledge, truthfulness, self-control, tranquility, constant devotion to the inner self, and wisdom—these are the marks of a brāhmaṇa.
एतस्मान्न प्रमाद्येत विशेषेण द्विजोत्तमः । यथाशक्ति चरन्धर्म्मं निंदितानि विवर्जयेत्
Therefore, an excellent twice-born should never be negligent in these; practicing righteousness as best as he can, he should avoid what is blameworthy.
विधूय मोहकलिलं लब्ध्वा योगमनुत्तमम् । गृहस्थो मुच्यते बंधान्नात्र कार्याविचारणा
Having dispelled the darkness of delusion and attained supreme yoga, the householder is freed from bondage—of this there is no doubt.
विगर्हित जय क्षेप हिंसा बंधवधात्मनाम् । अन्यमन्यु समुत्थानां दोषाणां मर्षणं क्षमा
To forgive the faults arising from blame, defeat, insult, harm, or the actions of relatives, and from mutual enmity—this is true forgiveness.
स्वदुःखेष्वेव कारुण्यं परदुःखेषु सौहृदम् । दयेति मुनयः प्राहुः साक्षाद्धर्मस्य साधनम्
Compassion in one's own suffering and friendliness in the suffering of others—this, say the sages, is called compassion, and is the direct means to righteousness.
चतुर्दशानां विद्यानां धारणा हि परार्थतः । विज्ञानमिति तद्विद्याद्येन धर्मो विवर्धते
The retention of the fourteen branches of knowledge is for the sake of others; that is called wisdom, by which righteousness increases.
अधीत्य विधिवद्विद्यामर्थं चैवोपलभ्यते । धर्मकार्याणि कुर्वीत ह्येतद्विज्ञानमुच्यते
Having studied knowledge according to rule, one attains its purpose; performing acts of righteousness—this is called true understanding.
सत्येन लोकं जयति सत्यं तत्परमं पदम् । यथा भूता प्रमादं तु सत्यमाहुर्मनीषिणः
By truth one conquers the world; truth is the highest state. The wise declare that truth is as it really is, and not heedlessness.
दमः शरीरोपरतिः शमः प्रज्ञाप्रसादतः । अध्यात्ममक्षरं विद्या यत्र गत्वा न शोचति
Self-control is the restraint of the body; tranquility arises from clarity of understanding. The imperishable inner self is knowledge, where, having reached, one does not grieve.
यया स देवोभगवान्विद्यया विद्यते परः । साक्षादेव हृषीकेशस्तज्ज्ञानमिति कीर्तितम्
By which knowledge that divine Lord exists, by that very knowledge is He known as supreme; indeed, Hṛṣīkeśa Himself is declared to be that knowledge.
तन्निष्ठस्तत्परो विद्वान्नित्यमक्रोधनः शुचिः । महायज्ञपरो विप्रो लभते तदनुत्तमम्
He who is steadfast in that, devoted to that, learned, ever free from anger, pure, and devoted to great sacrifices—the brāhmaṇa attains that unsurpassed state.
धर्मस्यायतनं यत्नाच्छरीरं परिपालयेत् । नहि देहं विना विष्णुः पुरुषैर्विद्यतेपरः
One should carefully protect the body, the abode of righteousness; for without the body, the supreme Viṣṇu is not realized by men.