स्वाध्यायं चान्वहं कुर्य्यात्सावित्रीं संध्ययोर्जपेत् । ध्यायीत सततं देवमेकांतं परमेश्वरम्
He should also perform daily self-study, recite the Savitri at the two twilights, and always meditate on the one supreme Lord in solitude.
एकान्नं वर्जयेन्नित्यं कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम् । एकवासा द्विवासा वा शिखी यज्ञोपवीतवान् । कमंडलुकरो विद्वांस्त्रिदंडो याति तत्परम्
He should always avoid food from a single house, as well as desire, anger, and possession; whether wearing one or two garments, with a topknot and sacred thread, holding a water-pot, learned, carrying three staffs, he attains that supreme goal.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे यतिधर्मनिरूपणं नामैकोनषष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fifty-ninth chapter, entitled 'The Explanation of the Duties of Renunciates,' in the Svarga-khaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa.
व्यास उवाच- एवं त्वाश्रमनिष्ठानां यतीनां नियतात्मनाम् । भैक्ष्येण वर्तनं प्रोक्तं फलमूलैरथापि वा
Vyāsa said: In this way, for those renunciates established in their āśrama and self-controlled, subsistence by alms has been prescribed, whether by roots and fruits or otherwise.
एककालं चरेद्भैक्ष्यं न प्रसज्येत विस्तरम् । भैक्ष्ये प्रसक्तो हि यतिर्विषयेष्वपि सज्जति
One should seek alms only once a day and not indulge in excess; for if a renunciate becomes attached to alms, he becomes attached to sense objects as well.
सप्तागारं चरेद्भैक्ष्यमलाभे न पुनश्चरेत् । गोदोहमात्रं तिष्ठेत कालं भिक्षुरधोमुखः
He should seek alms from seven houses, and if unsuccessful, he should not go again; the mendicant should wait only as long as it takes to milk a cow, standing with head bowed.
भिक्षेत्युक्त्वा सकृत्तूष्णीमादद्याद्वाग्यतः शुचिः । प्रक्ष्याल्य पाणी पादौ च समाचम्य यथाविधि
Having said 'alms' once, he should remain silent and take the food, restrained in speech and pure; having washed his hands and feet, he should sip water as prescribed.
आदित्यं दर्शयित्वान्नं भुंजीत प्राङ्मुखो नरः । हुत्वा प्राणाहुतीः पंच ग्रासानष्टौ समाहितः
After showing the food to the sun, a man should eat facing east; having offered the five vital airs, he should mindfully partake of eight morsels.
आचम्य देवं ब्रह्माणं ध्यायेत परमेश्वरम् । आलाबुदारुपात्रे च मृण्मयं वैणवं तथा
Having sipped water, he should meditate on the god Brahmā, the Supreme Lord; and use a bowl made of gourd, clay, or bamboo.
चत्वारि यतिपात्राणि मनुराह प्रजापतिः । प्राग्रात्रे मध्यरात्रे च पररात्रे तथैव च
Manu, the lord of creatures, has said there are four bowls for renunciates: one of gourd, one of clay, one of bamboo, and one of wood.
संध्यासूक्तिविशेषेण चिंतयेन्नित्यमीश्वरम् । कृत्वा हृत्पद्मनिलये विश्वाख्यं विश्वसंभवम्
With special recitation at twilight, he should always contemplate the Lord, having established in the lotus of the heart the one called Viśva, the source of the universe.
आत्मानं सर्वभूतानां परस्तात्तमसः स्थितम् । सर्वस्याधारमव्यक्तमानंदं ज्योतिरव्ययम्
He should meditate on the Self, which abides beyond darkness in all beings, the imperceptible foundation of all, blissful, the undecaying light.
प्रधानपुरुषातीतमाकाशं दहनं शिवम् । तदंतं सर्वभावानामीश्वरं ब्रह्मरूपिणम्
Transcending both matter and spirit, space, fire, and auspiciousness, that end of all beings, the Lord, the one of the form of Brahman.
ॐकारांतेथवात्मानं समाप्य परमात्मनि । आकाशे देवमीशानं ध्यायीताकाशमध्यगम्
Or, having merged the self in the Supreme Self at the close of the syllable Oṃ, he should meditate on the Lord, the ruler, present in the midst of space.
कारणं सर्वभावानामानंदैकसमाश्रयम् । पुराणपुरुषं विष्णुं ध्यायन्मुच्येत बंधनात्
He should meditate on Viṣṇu, the ancient person, the cause of all beings, the sole refuge of bliss; by meditating thus, one is freed from bondage.
यद्वा गुहादौ प्रकृतौ जगत्संमोहनालये । विचिंत्य परमं व्योम सर्वभूतैककारणम्
Or, reflecting on the supreme ether, the sole cause of all beings, in the cave of the heart, in nature, the abode that bewilders the world.
जीवनं सर्वभूतानां यत्र लोकः प्रलीयते । आनंदं ब्रह्मणः सूक्ष्मं यत्पश्यंति मुमुक्षवः
That in which is the life of all beings, where the world dissolves, the subtle bliss of Brahman, which those seeking liberation perceive.
तन्मध्ये निहितं ब्रह्म केवलं ज्ञानलक्षणम् । अनंतं सत्यमीशानं विचिंत्यासीत वाग्यतः
Within that is established Brahman alone, characterized by knowledge, infinite, true, the Lord; reflecting thus, one should remain, restrained in speech.
गुह्याद्गुह्यतमं ज्ञानं यतीनामेतदीरितम् । योवतिष्ठेत्सदानेन सोश्नुते योगमैश्वरम्
This knowledge, most secret of the secret, has been declared for renunciates; whoever abides in it always, attains the yoga of lordliness.
तस्माज्ज्ञानरतो नित्यमात्मविद्यापरायणः । ज्ञानं समभ्यसेद्ब्रह्म येन मुच्येत बंधनात्
Therefore, always devoted to knowledge, intent on the science of the self, one should practice knowledge of Brahman, by which one is freed from bondage.
मत्वा पृथक्त्वमात्मानं सर्वस्मादेव केवलम् । आनंदमक्षरं ज्ञानं ध्यायेत च ततः परम्
Considering the self as distinct, alone from all, one should then meditate upon the supreme—blissful, imperishable, and knowledge itself.
यस्माद्भवंति भूतानि यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह जायते । स तस्मादीश्वरो देवः परस्ताद्योधितिष्ठति
From whom beings arise, and knowing whom, one is not born here again—he is that Lord, the God, who stands beyond all.
यदंतरे तद्गमनं शाश्वतं शिवमव्ययम् । य इदं स्वपरोक्षस्तु स देवः स्यान्महेश्वरः
That eternal, auspicious, unchanging presence within, to which one goes—he who directly perceives this is the great Lord, Maheśvara.
व्रतानि यानि भिक्षूणां तथैवायं व्रतानि च । एकैकातिक्रमेणैव प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते
The vows prescribed for mendicants, and likewise these vows here, for each transgression, expiation is prescribed accordingly.
उपेत्य च स्त्रियं कामात्प्रायश्चित्तं समाहितः । प्राणायामसमायुक्तं कुर्य्यात्सांतपनं शुचिः
If, driven by desire, one approaches a woman, he should undertake expiation with a concentrated mind, performing the Sāṃtapana penance in purity, accompanied by breath-control.
ततश्चरेत नियमात्कृच्छ्रं संयतमानसः । पुनराश्रममागम्य चरेद्भिक्षुरतंद्रितः
Then, with self-restraint, he should practice the difficult penance, and, returning again to his order, the mendicant should live untiringly.
न धर्मयुक्तमनृतं हिनस्तीति मनीषिणः । तथापि च न कर्तव्यः प्रसंगो ह्येष दारुणः
The wise say that a falsehood spoken for righteousness does not destroy virtue; yet even so, it should not be done, for such conduct is indeed dreadful.
एकरात्रोपवासश्च प्राणायामशतं तथा । उक्त्वानृतं प्रकर्तव्यं यतिना धर्मलिप्सुना
Fasting for one night and performing a hundred breath-controls—this is the prescribed expiation for an ascetic who, desiring righteousness, has spoken a falsehood.
परमापद्गतेनापि न कार्यं स्तेयमन्यतः । स्तेयादभ्यधिकः कश्चिन्नास्त्यधर्म इति स्मृतिः
Even in the greatest distress, one should never commit theft; for, according to tradition, there is no unrighteousness greater than stealing.
हिंसा चैवापरा तृष्णा याच्ञात्मज्ञाननाशिका । यदेतद्द्रविणं नाम प्राणा ह्येते बहिश्चराः २७ द्रविण। स तस्य हरते प्राणान्यो यस्य हरते धनम् । एवं कृत्वा स दुष्टात्मा भिन्नवृत्तो व्रतच्युतः
Violence and excessive desire, as well as begging, destroy self-knowledge; what is called wealth—these are outwardly moving vital forces. He who takes another's wealth takes his very life; having done so, that wicked soul, deviating from his vows, is fallen.