सर्वतः प्रतिगृह्णीयान्न तु तृप्येत्स्वयं ततः । एवं गृहस्थो युक्तात्मा देवतातिथिपूजकः
He should accept alms from all sides, but not satisfy himself with them; thus, the householder, with disciplined mind, honoring gods and guests,
वर्तमानः संयतात्मा याति तत्परमं पदम् । पुत्रेषु भार्यां निक्षिप्य गत्वारण्यं तु तत्त्ववित्
Living with self-control, he attains that supreme state; having entrusted his wife to his sons, the knower of truth goes to the forest.
एकाकी विचरेन्नित्यमुदासीनः समाहितः । एष वः कथितो धर्म्मो गृहस्थानां द्विजोत्तमाः । ज्ञात्वा तु तिष्ठेन्नियतं तथानुष्ठापयेद्द्विजान्
Alone, he should always wander, detached and concentrated; this, O best of twice-born, is the dharma prescribed for householders. Knowing this, one should remain disciplined and practice accordingly.
इति देवमनादिमेकमीशं गृहधर्मेण समर्चयेदजस्रम् । समतीत्य स सर्वभूतयोनिं प्रकृतिं याति परं न याति जन्म
Thus, by the duties of a householder, one should ceaselessly worship the god, the beginningless, the one Lord; surpassing all sources of beings and nature, he attains the supreme and is not born again.
व्यास उवाच- एवं गृहाश्रमे स्थित्वा द्वितीयं भागमायुषः । वानप्रस्थाश्रमं गच्छेत्सदारः साग्निरेव च
Vyāsa said: Thus, having lived in the householder stage for the second part of his life, he should go to the forest-dweller stage, taking his wife and sacred fire with him.
निक्षिप्य भार्यां पुत्रेषु गच्छेद्वनमथापि वा । दृष्ट्वापत्यस्य वापत्यं जर्जरीकृतविग्रहः
Entrusting his wife to his sons, or after seeing his children's children, and with his body worn by age,
शुक्लपक्षस्य पूर्वाह्णे प्रशस्ते चोत्तरायणे । गत्वारण्यं नियमवांस्तपः कुर्यात्समाहितः
In the bright fortnight, in the forenoon, and in the auspicious northern course of the sun, he should go to the forest, disciplined, and practice austerity with concentration.
फलमूलानि पूतानि नित्यमाहारमाहरेत् । यदाहारो भवेत्तेन पूजयेत्पितृदेवताः
He should daily gather pure fruits and roots for food; with whatever food he obtains, he should worship the ancestors and the gods.
पूजयेदतिथिं नित्यं स्नात्वा चाभ्यर्चयेत्सुरान् । गृहादादाय चाश्नीयादष्टौ ग्रासान्समाहितः
He should always honor guests, bathe, and worship the gods; taking food from his house, he should eat eight mouthfuls with concentration.
जटाश्च बिभृयान्नित्यं नखरोमाणि नोत्सृजेत् । स्वाध्यायं सर्वथा कुर्यान्नियच्छेद्वाचमन्यतः
He should always keep matted hair, not cut his nails or hair, always practice self-study, and restrain his speech otherwise.
अग्निहोत्रं च जुहुयात्पंचयज्ञान्समाचरेत् । उत्पन्नैर्विविधैर्मेध्यैः शाकमूलफलेन वा
He should offer the agnihotra and perform the five sacrifices, using what is obtained—various pure vegetables, roots, or fruits.
चीरवासा भवेन्नित्यं स्नायात्त्रिषवणं शुचिः । सर्वभूतानुकंपश्च प्रतिग्रहविवर्जितः
He should always wear bark garments, bathe three times a day, remain pure, compassionate to all beings, and avoid accepting gifts.
दर्शेन पौर्णमासेन यजेत नियतं द्विजः । ऋत्विष्ट्याग्रयणे चैव चातुर्मास्यानि कारयेत्
The twice-born should regularly perform the Darśa and Paurnamāsa sacrifices, and also the seasonal and four-monthly rites, with proper offerings.
उत्तरायणं च क्रमशो दक्षिणायनमेव च । वासंतशारदैर्मेद्ध्यैरुत्पन्नैः स्वयमाहृतैः
He should observe the northern and southern courses of the sun in order, using pure produce of spring and autumn, gathered by himself.
पुरोडाशांश्चरूंश्चैव विधिवन्निर्वपेत्पृथक् । देवताभ्यः पितृभ्यश्च दत्त्वा मेध्यतरं हविः
He should properly offer separately the sacrificial cakes and oblations, giving the purest portion to the gods and ancestors.
शेषं समुपभुंजीत लवणं च स्वयंकृतम् । वर्ज्जयेन्मद्यमांसानि भौमानि कवकानि च
He should consume the remainder, and use only salt prepared by himself; he should avoid wine, meat, underground roots, and mushrooms.
भूस्तृणं शष्पकं चैव श्लेष्मातक फलानि च । न फालकृष्टमश्नीयादुत्सृष्टमपि केनचित्
He should eat grass, small plants, and fruits of the śleṣmātaka tree; he should not eat what is plowed by a plow, even if abandoned by someone.
न ग्रामजातान्यार्तोपि पुष्पाणि च फलानि च । श्रावणेनैव विधिना वह्निं परिचरेत्सदा
He should not eat flowers or fruits grown in villages, even if afflicted; he should always tend the sacred fire according to the prescribed rule in the month of Śrāvaṇa.
न द्रुह्येत्सर्वभूतानि निर्द्वंद्वो निर्भयो भवेत् । न नक्तं किंचिदश्नीयाद्रात्रौ ध्यानपरो भवेत्
He should not harm any beings, should be free from dualities and fear; he should not eat anything at night, and should devote himself to meditation during the night.
जितेंद्रियो जितक्रोधस्तत्त्वज्ञानविचिंतकः । ब्रह्मचारी भवेन्नित्यं न पत्नीमपि संश्रयेत्
With senses and anger subdued, reflecting on true knowledge, he should always practice celibacy and not even associate with his wife.
यस्तु पत्न्या वनं गत्वा मैथुनं कामतश्चरेत् । तद्व्रतं तस्य लुप्येत प्रायश्चित्तीयते द्विजः
But if one goes to the forest with his wife and engages in intercourse out of desire, his vow is broken and he, a twice-born, becomes subject to expiation.
तत्र यो जायते गर्भो न स स्पृश्यो द्विजातिभिः । न हि वेदेधिकारोस्य तद्वंशेप्येवमेव हि
A child conceived there is not to be touched by twice-born men; for he has no right to Vedic study, nor do his descendants.
भूमौ शयीत सततं सावित्रीजप्यतत्परः । शरण्यः सर्वभूतानां सद्विभागपरः सदा
He should always sleep on the ground, be devoted to reciting the Sāvitrī, be a refuge for all beings, and always intent on righteous sharing.
परिवादं मृषावादं निद्रालस्ये च वर्जयेत् । एकाग्निरनिकेतः स्यात्प्रोक्षितां भूमिमाश्रयेत्
He should avoid slander, falsehood, and laziness in sleep; he should maintain a single fire, have no fixed dwelling, and reside on purified ground.
मृगैः सह चरेद्दांतस्तैः सहैव च संवसेत् । शिलायां शर्करायां वा शयीत सुसमाहितः
He should move about with the deer, live together with them, and sleep with a tranquil mind on a rock or gravel.
सद्यः प्रक्षालको वा स्यान्माससंचयिकोपि वा । षण्मासनिचयो वापि समानिचय एव वा
He may bathe immediately, or after a month’s accumulation, or after six months, or after a year’s accumulation.
नक्तं चान्नं समश्नीयाद्दिवा चाहृत्य शक्तितः । चतुर्थकालको वा स्यात्किं वाप्यष्टमकालिकः
He may eat food at night, or by day as able, or at the fourth or even the eighth period of the day.
चांद्रायणविधानैर्वा शुक्लेकृष्णे च वर्जयेत् । पक्षेपक्षे समश्नीयाद्यवागूं क्वथितां सकृत्
Or, following the rules of the Cāndrāyaṇa vow, he should abstain on bright and dark fortnights, and eat cooked barley gruel once per fortnight.
पुष्पमूलफलैर्वापि केवलैर्वर्तयेत्सदा । स्वाभाविकैः स्वयंशीर्णैर्वैखानसमते स्थितः
Or he may always subsist solely on flowers, roots, and fruits that fall naturally, maintaining the way of the Vaikhānasa.
भूमौ वा परिवर्तेत तिष्ठेद्वा प्रपदैर्दिनम् । स्थानासनाभ्यां विहरेन्न क्वचिद्धैर्य्यमुत्सृजेत्
He may roll on the ground or stand on his toes for a day; he should wander by standing or sitting, never abandoning patience anywhere.