तस्माद्भजध्वं मुनयः कृष्णं परममंगलम्
Therefore, O sages, worship Kṛṣṇa, the supreme auspiciousness.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे विष्णुभक्तिप्रशंसनं नाम पंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fiftieth chapter named 'The Praise of Devotion to Viṣṇu' in the Svarga-khaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
ऋषय ऊचु- कर्मयोगः कथं सूत येन चाराधितो हरिः । प्रसीदति महाभाग वद नो वदतां वर
The sages said: O Sūta, how is the discipline of action by which Hari is worshipped? O most fortunate one, tell us, O best of speakers, how he is pleased.
येनासौ भगवानीशः समाराध्यो मुमुक्षुभिः । तद्वदाखिललोकानां रक्षणं धर्मसंग्रहम्
By what means is the Lord, the Supreme Being, to be worshipped by those seeking liberation? Tell us this for the protection of all worlds and the preservation of righteousness.
तं कर्मयोगं वद नः सूत मूर्तिमयस्तु यः । इति शुश्रूषवो विप्रा भवदग्रे व्यवस्थिताः
O Sūta, tell us about that discipline of action which is embodied. Thus, eager to listen, the Brahmins stand before you.
सूत उवाच- एवमेव पुरा पृष्टो व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः । ऋषिभिरग्निसंकाशैर्व्यासस्तानाह तच्छृणु
Sūta said: In just this way, Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī, was questioned in ancient times by sages radiant like fire. Vyāsa answered them; listen to that.
व्यास उवाच- शृणुध्वंमृषयः सर्वे वक्ष्यमाणं सनातनम् । कर्मयोगं ब्राह्मणानामात्यंतिकफलप्रदम्
Vyāsa said: Listen, O sages, to what I am about to declare, the eternal discipline of action for Brahmins, which grants the ultimate fruit.
आम्नायसिद्धमखिलं ब्राह्मणार्थं प्रदर्शितम् । ऋषीणां शृण्वतां पूर्वं मनुराह प्रजापतिः
All that is established in the tradition has been shown for the sake of Brahmins. In former times, Manu, the progenitor, spoke this to the listening sages.
सर्वव्याधिहरं पुण्यमृषिसंघैर्निषेवितम् । समाहितधियो यूयं शृणुध्वं गदतो मम
It removes all diseases, is meritorious, and practiced by assemblies of sages. With concentrated minds, listen to my words.
कृतोपनयनो वेदानधीयीत द्विजोत्तमः । गर्भाष्टमेऽष्टमेवाब्दे स्वसूत्रोक्तविधानतः
Having undergone the initiation, the best of twice-born should study the Vedas, in the eighth year from conception or birth, according to the prescribed rule of his own tradition.
दंडी च मेखली सूत्री कृष्णाजिनधरो मुनिः । भिक्षाहारो गुरुहितो वीक्ष्यमाणो गुरोर्मुखम्
He should carry a staff, wear a girdle, bear the sacred thread, don a black antelope skin, live as a sage, subsist on alms, act for the benefit of his teacher, and gaze upon the teacher’s face.
कार्पासमुपवीतार्थं निर्मितं ब्रह्मणा पुरा । ब्राह्मणानां त्रिवृत्सूत्रं कौशं वा वस्त्रमेव वा
For the sacred thread, cotton was fashioned by Brahmā in ancient times, a threefold thread for Brahmins, or it may be made of kusa grass or cloth.
सदोपवीती चैव स्यात्सदाबद्ध शिखो द्विजः । अन्यथा यत्कृतं कर्म्म तद्भवत्ययथाकृतम्
A twice-born should always wear the sacred thread and always keep the topknot tied. Otherwise, any action performed becomes improper.
वसेदविकृतं वासः कार्पासं वा कषायकम् । तदेव परिधानीयं शुक्लं तांतवमुत्तमम्
He should wear unaltered garments, or cotton dyed with ochre. That alone should be worn, white and made of fine thread, as the best.
उत्तरं तु समाम्नातं वासः कृष्णाजिनं शुभम् । अभावे गावयमपि रौरवं वा विधीयते
The upper garment prescribed is the auspicious black antelope skin. In its absence, one may use cowhide or sheep’s wool as prescribed.
उद्धृत्य दक्षिणं बाहुं सव्यबाहौ समर्पितम् । उपवीतं भवेन्नित्यं निवीतं कंठसज्जने
Having raised the right arm and placed it over the left, the sacred thread should always be worn as upavīta; when placed around the neck, it is nivīta.
सव्यबाहुं समुद्धृत्य दक्षिणे तु धृतं द्विजाः । प्राचीनावीतमित्युक्तं पित्र्येकर्मणि योजयेत्
By raising the left arm and holding it on the right, O twice-born, it is called prācīnāvīta and should be used for ancestral rites.
अग्न्यागारे गवां गोष्ठे होमे तप्ये तथैव च । स्वाध्याये भोजने नित्यं ब्राह्मणानां च सन्निधौ
In the fire chamber, in the cowshed, during sacrifice, austerity, study, eating, and always in the presence of Brahmins,
उपासने गुरूणां च संध्ययोः साधुसंगमे । उपवीती भवेन्नित्यं विधिरेष सनातनः
During worship, in the presence of teachers, at the time of twilight, and in the company of the virtuous, one should always wear the sacred thread; this is the eternal rule.
मौंजी त्रिवृत्समां श्लिष्टां कुर्याद्विप्रस्य मेखलाम् । मुंजाभावे कुशेनाहुर्ग्रंथिनैकेन वा त्रिभिः
He should make a girdle for the Brahmin from threefold twisted muñja grass; in the absence of muñja, it is said to be made from kusa grass or with one or three knots.
धारयेद्वैणवपालाशौ दंडौ केशांतिकौ द्विजः । यज्ञार्हवृक्षजं वाथ सौम्यमव्रणमेव च
A twice-born should carry two staffs, one of bamboo and one of palāśa wood, both reaching to the hair's end, or else a staff made from a tree fit for sacrifice, gentle and without blemish.
सायंप्रातर्द्विजः संध्यामुपासीत समाहितः । कामाल्लोभाद्भयान्मोहात्त्यक्त्वैनां पतितो भवेत्
In the evening and morning, the twice-born should devotedly perform the sandhyā ritual; abandoning it out of desire, greed, fear, or delusion, he becomes fallen.
अग्निकार्यं ततः कुर्यात्सायंप्रातः प्रसन्नधीः । स्नात्वा संतर्पयेद्देवानृषीन्पितृगणांस्तथा
After that, with a clear mind, he should perform the fire rituals in the evening and morning; having bathed, he should offer satisfaction to the gods, sages, and groups of ancestors.
देवताभ्यर्चनं कुर्यात्पुष्पैः पत्रैर्यवांबुभिः । अभिवादनशीलः स्यान्नित्यं वृद्धेषु धर्मतः
He should worship the deities with flowers, leaves, barley, and water; he should always be respectful in greeting elders, in accordance with dharma.
असावहं भो नामेति सम्यक्प्रणतिपूर्वकम् । आयुरारोग्यसिद्ध्यर्थं तंद्रादिपरिवर्जितः
With proper salutation, he should say, 'I am so-and-so, O revered one,' free from drowsiness and the like, for the sake of attaining long life and health.
आयुष्मान्भव सौम्येति वचो विप्रोऽभिवादने । आकारश्चास्य नाम्नोंऽते वाच्यः पूर्वाक्षरप्लुतः
In return for the greeting, the Brahmin should say, 'Be long-lived, gentle one,' and the name should be pronounced with the final syllable elongated.
यो न वेत्त्यभिवादस्य विप्रः प्रत्यभिवादनम् । नाभिवाद्यः स विदुषा यथा शूद्रस्तथैव सः
A Brahmin who does not know how to return a greeting should not be greeted by the learned; he is just like a Śūdra.
व्यत्यस्तपाणिना कार्यं पादसंग्रहणं गुरोः । सव्येन सव्यः स्प्रष्टव्यो दक्षिणेन तु दक्षिणः
When taking hold of the teacher's feet, the left foot should be touched with the left hand, and the right foot with the right hand.
लौकिकं वैदिकं वापि तथाध्यात्मिकमेव वा । अवाप्य प्रयतो ज्ञानं तं पूर्वमभिवादयेत्
Whether the knowledge is worldly, Vedic, or spiritual, having obtained it with effort, one should first greet the teacher.
नोदकं धारयेद्भैक्ष्यं पुष्पाणि समिधस्तथा । एवंविधानि चान्यानि न देवार्थेषु कर्म्मसु
One should not carry water, alms, flowers, or sacrificial sticks, nor any such things, when engaged in acts for the deities.