तावत्सर्वं परित्यज्य पुत्रः स्यात्तत्परायणः । पिता माता च सुप्रीतौ स्यातां पुत्रगुणैर्यदि
So long, the son, abandoning everything else, should be devoted to them; if the father and mother are well-pleased by the virtues of the son.
स पुत्रः सकलं धर्मं प्राप्नुयात्तेन कर्मणा । नास्ति मातृसमं दैवं नास्ति पितृसमो गुरुः
That son, by such action, attains all righteousness; there is no divinity equal to the mother, nor any teacher equal to the father.
तयोः प्रत्युपकारोऽपि न कथंचन विद्यते । तयोर्नित्यं प्रियं कुर्यात्कर्मणा मनसा गिरा
There is, in no way, any repayment possible to them; one should always do what is pleasing to them, by deed, mind, and speech.
न ताभ्यामननुज्ञातो धर्ममन्यं समाचरेत् । वर्जयित्वा मुक्तिफलं नित्यं नैमित्तिकं तथा
Without their permission, one should not perform any other duty, except for those that yield liberation, or those that are daily or occasional rites.
धर्मसारः समुद्दिष्टः प्रेत्यानंतफलप्रदः । सम्यगाराध्य वक्तारं विसृष्टस्तदनुज्ञया
This is declared to be the essence of duty, bestowing endless results after death; having properly honored the teacher, the student partakes of the fruit of knowledge, with the teacher's permission.
शिष्यो विद्याफलं भुंक्ते प्रेत्य चापद्यते दिवि । यो भ्रातरं पितृसमं ज्येष्ठं मूढोऽवमन्यते
The student enjoys the fruit of knowledge and, after death, attains heaven; but the fool who disrespects his elder brother as he would his father—
तेन दोषेण संप्रेत्य निरयं घोरमृच्छति । पुंसां वर्त्मनि सृष्टेन पूज्यो भर्ता तु सर्वदा
By that fault, after death, he reaches a terrible hell; among men, the husband is always to be honored, as ordained.
अपि मातरि लोकेऽस्मिन्नुपकाराद्धि गौरवम् । मातुलांश्च पितृव्यांश्च श्वशुरानृत्विजो गुरून्
Even in this world, the mother is honored because of her help; maternal uncles, paternal uncles, fathers-in-law, ritual priests, and teachers—
असावहमिति ब्रूयात्प्रत्युत्थायाभिवादयेत् । अवाच्यो दीक्षितो नाम्ना यवीयानपि यो भवेत्
One should rise up, greet them, and say, 'Here I am'; even if younger, an initiated person should not be addressed by name.
भो भवत्पूर्वकं त्वेनमभिभाषेत धर्मवित् । अभिवाद्यश्च पूज्यश्च शिरसानम्य एव च
A knower of dharma should address him with 'O sir,' or 'O honored one,' and, after greeting, should honor him, bowing the head.
ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियाद्यैश्च श्रीकामैः सादरं सदा । नाभिवाद्याश्च विप्रेण क्षत्रियाद्याः कथंचन
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and others who desire prosperity should always greet respectfully; but a Brahmin should never greet Kshatriyas and others in return.
ज्ञानकर्मगुणोपेता यद्यप्येते बहुश्रुताः । ब्राह्मणः सर्ववर्णानां स्वस्ति कुर्यादिति श्रुतिः
Even if they possess knowledge, action, and virtues, and are well-learned, the Veda declares that the Brahmin should bless all the classes.
सवर्णेन सवर्णानां कार्यमेवाभिवादनम् । गुरुरग्निर्द्विजातीनां वर्णानां ब्राह्मणो गुरुः
Among those of the same class, greeting is to be performed; among the twice-born, fire is the teacher, and among the classes, the Brahmin is the teacher.
पतिरेको गुरुः स्त्रीणां सर्वत्राभ्यागतो गुरुः । विद्याकर्मवयोबंधुर्वित्तं भवति पंचमम्
For women, the husband alone is the teacher; a guest is always a teacher; knowledge, action, age, and kinship are four, wealth is the fifth.
मान्यस्थानानि पंचाहुः पूर्वं पूर्वं गुरूत्तरात् । पंचानां त्रिषु वर्णेषु भूयांसि बलवंति च
These five are said to be objects of respect, each preceding one being superior to the next; among the three classes, the greater and stronger should be honored.
यत्र स्युः सोऽत्र मानार्हः शूद्रोऽपि दशमीं गतः । पंथा देयो ब्राह्मणाय स्त्रियै राज्ञे विचक्षुषे
Where they are present, that one deserves respect—even a Shudra who has attained the tenth place; the path should be given to a Brahmin, a woman, a king, or a wise person.
वृद्धाय भारभग्नाय रोगिणे दुर्बलाय च । भिक्षामाहृत्य शिष्टानां गृहेभ्यः प्रयतोऽन्वहम्
With effort, each day, let him bring alms from the homes of the worthy for the elderly, those broken by burdens, the sick, and the weak.
निवेद्य गुरुवेऽश्नीयाद्वाग्यतस्तदनुज्ञया । भवत्पूर्वं चरेद्भैक्ष्यमुपवीती द्विजोत्तमः
Having offered it to the teacher, he should eat, self-controlled in speech, with the teacher’s permission; the twice-born, wearing the sacred thread, should seek alms after you.
भवन्मध्यं तु राजन्यो वैश्यस्तु भवदुत्तरम् । मातरं वा स्वसारं वा मातुर्वा भगिनीं निजाम्
Among you, the Kshatriya should go next, and the Vaishya after him; from the mother or sister, or from one’s own maternal sister—
भिक्षेत भिक्षांप्रथमं याचैनं न विमानयेत् । सजातीयगृहेष्वेव सार्ववर्णिकमेव वा
He should first beg for alms, and not look down upon her; only in the homes of those of the same class, or in those of all castes.
भैक्ष्यस्याचरणं प्रोक्तं पतिता दिवि वर्जितम् । वेदयज्ञैरहीनानां प्रशस्तानां स्वकर्म्मसु
This is declared the proper way of seeking alms, except from fallen women; not from those lacking Vedic sacrifices, but from those who are praised for their own duties.
ब्रह्मचार्य्याहरेद्भैक्ष्यं गृहेभ्यः प्रयतोऽन्वहम् । गुरोः कुले न भिक्षेत न ज्ञातिकुलबंधुषु
The student should diligently collect alms daily from households, but not from the family of his teacher, nor from his own relatives or kin.
अलाभेत्वन्यगेहानां पूर्वं पूर्वं विवर्जयेत् । सर्वं वा विचरेद्ग्रामं पूर्वोक्तानामसंभवे
If he does not obtain anything from other houses, he should avoid each previous one; or, if those mentioned before are unavailable, he may go through the whole village.
नियम्य प्रयतो वाचं दिशस्त्वनवलोकयन् । समाहृत्य तु भैक्ष्यान्नं यावदर्थममायया
Restraining his speech, not looking in all directions, he should carefully gather as much alms-food as is needed, without deceit.
भुंजीत प्रयतो नित्यं वाग्यतोऽनन्यमानसः । भैक्ष्येण वर्तयेन्नित्यं नैवेकान्नो भवेद्व्रती
He should always eat with devotion, self-controlled in speech, with a mind free from distraction; he should always live on alms, and the vow-holder should not subsist on food from a single house.
भैक्ष्यैण वर्त्तिनो वृत्तिरुपवाससमा स्मृता । पूजयेदशनं नित्यमद्याच्चैनमकुत्सयन्
The livelihood of those living on alms is considered equal to fasting; he should always honor the food and eat it without disdain.
दृष्ट्वा हृष्येत्प्रसीदेच्च प्रतिनंदेच्च सर्वशः । अनारोग्यमनायुष्यमस्वर्ग्यं चातिभोजनम्
Seeing it, he should rejoice, be pleased, and always express gratitude; overeating brings illness, shortens life, and leads away from heaven.
अपुण्यं लोकविद्विष्टं तस्मात्तत्परिवर्जयेत् । प्राङ्मुखोऽन्नानि भुंजीत सूर्याभिमुखमेव वा
It is unmeritorious, despised by people; therefore, he should avoid it. He should eat facing east, or facing the sun.
नाद्यादुदङ्मुखो नित्यं विधिरेष सनातनः । प्रक्षाल्य पाणिपादौ च भुंजानो द्विरुपस्पृशेत्
He should never eat facing north; this is the eternal rule. Having washed his hands and feet, he should touch water twice while eating.
शुद्धे देशे समासीनो भुक्त्वा च द्विरुपस्पृशेत्
Sitting in a clean place, after eating, he should touch water twice.