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.
व्यास उवाच- भुक्त्वा पीत्वा च सुप्त्वा च स्नात्वा रथ्योपसर्पणे । ओष्ठावलोमकौ स्पृष्ट्वा वासो विपरिधाय च
Vyasa said: After eating, drinking, sleeping, bathing, approaching a street, touching the lips or body hair, or putting on a garment—
रेतोमूत्रपुरीषाणामुत्सर्गेऽनृतभाषणे । ष्ठीवित्वाऽध्ययनारंभे कासश्वासागमे तथा
After discharging semen, urine, or feces, speaking falsehood, spitting, beginning study, or when coughing or breathing heavily—
चत्वरं वा श्मशानं वा समाक्रम्य द्विजोत्तमः । संध्ययोरुभयोस्तद्वदाचांतोऽप्याचमेत्पुनः
Or after stepping on a crossroads or a cremation ground, O best of twice-born, and likewise at both twilights, even if already purified, he should perform purification again.
चंडालम्लेच्छसंभाषे स्त्रीशूद्रोच्छिष्टभाषणे । उच्छिष्टं पुरुषं दृष्ट्वा भोज्यं चापि तथाविधम्
After conversing with a Chandala or a foreigner, or after speaking with a woman or Shudra who is impure, or after seeing a person or food that is similarly impure—
आचामेदश्रुपाते वा लोहितस्य तथैव च । भोजने संध्ययोः स्नात्वा पीत्वा मूत्रपुरीषयोः
One should perform ācamana after shedding tears or blood, after eating, at the two twilights, after bathing, and after passing urine or feces.
आगतो वाचमेत्सुप्त्वा सकृत्सकृदथान्यतः । अग्नेर्गवामथालंभे स्पृष्ट्वा प्रयतमेव वा
One should perform ācamana after waking from sleep, after speaking, after sneezing, after touching fire, a cow, or after touching something impure, or even after touching something pure.
स्त्रीणामथात्मनः स्पर्शे नीलद्यं वा परिधाय च । उपस्पर्शेज्जलं वार्तं तृणं वा भूमिमेव च
After touching a woman or oneself, or after putting on blue or wet garments, or after touching water, mud, grass, or the ground, one should perform ācamana.
केशानां चात्मनः स्पर्शे वाससः स्खलितस्य च । अनुष्णाभिरकेशाभिरदुष्टाभिश्च धर्मतः
After touching one's own hair or garments, or after stumbling, one should perform ācamana with water that is not hot, not mixed with hair, and not impure, as prescribed by dharma.
शौचेऽप्सु सर्वदा चामेदासीनः प्रागुदङ्मुखः । शिरः प्रावृत्य कंठं वा मुक्तकेशशिखोऽपि वा
For purification, one should always perform ācamana while seated, facing east or north, covering the head or neck, or even with hair untied or in a topknot.
अकृत्वा पादयोः शौचं मार्गतो न शुचिर्भवेत् । सोपानत्कोपानस्थो वा नोष्णीषी चाचमेद्बुधः
Without cleansing the feet, one is not pure on the path; one should not perform ācamana while wearing shoes or sandals, nor with a turban on the head.
न चैव वर्षधाराभिर्न तिष्ठन्नुद्धृतोदकैः । नैकहस्तार्पितजलैर्विना सूत्रेण वा पुनः
One should not perform ācamana with water falling from rain, nor while standing with water lifted up, nor with water offered by one hand only, nor without a thread.
न पादुकासनस्थो वा बहिर्जानुरथापि वा । न जल्पन्न हसन्प्रेक्षन्शयानस्तल्प एव च
One should not perform ācamana while seated on sandals or a seat, nor with knees outside, nor while talking, laughing, looking around, or lying on a bed.
नाविक्षिताभिः फेनाद्यैरुपेताभिरथापि वा । शूद्राशुचिकरोन्मुक्तैर्नक्षाराभिस्तथैव च
One should not perform ācamana with water mixed with foam or other impurities, nor with water touched by Śūdras, the impure, the insane, nor with alkaline substances.
न चैवांगुलिभिः शब्दं न कुर्यान्नान्यमानसः । न वर्णरसदुष्टाभिर्न चैव प्रदरोदकैः
One should not make noise with the fingers, nor be distracted in mind, nor use water that is discolored, tasteless, or foul, nor water that is flowing out.
न पाणिक्षुभिताभिर्वा न बहिर्गंध एव वा । हृद्गाभिः पूयते विप्रः कंठ्याभिः क्षत्रियः शुचिः
One should not use water stirred by the hand, nor water with an external odor; a Brāhmaṇa is purified by water that reaches the heart, a Kṣatriya by water that reaches the throat.
प्राशिताभिस्तथा वैश्यः स्त्रीशूद्रौ स्पर्शतोंऽततः । अंगुष्ठमूलांतरतो रेखायां ब्राह्ममुच्यते
Likewise, a Vaiśya is purified by water that is swallowed, while women and Śūdras by touch; water taken between the root of the thumb and the forefinger is called Brāhma.
अंतरांगुष्ठदेशिन्यैः पितॄणां तीर्थमुच्यते । कनिष्ठामूलतः पश्चात्प्राजापत्यं प्रचक्षते
Water taken between the thumb and the index finger is called the water of the ancestors; water taken from the root of the little finger is called Prājāpatya.
अंगुल्यग्रं स्मृतं दैवं तदेवार्षं प्रकीर्तितम् । मूलेन दैवमार्षं स्यादाग्नेयं मध्यतः स्मृतम्
Water taken at the tip of the fingers is called Daiva and also Ārṣa; water taken at the base of the fingers is Daiva and Ārṣa, and water taken at the middle is called Āgneya.
तदेव सौमिकं तीर्थमेतज्ज्ञात्वा न मुह्यति । ब्राह्मेणैव तु तीर्थेन द्विजो नित्यमुपस्पृशेत्
That same water is called Saumika; knowing this, one does not become confused. A twice-born should always perform ācamana with the Brāhma water.
होमयेद्वाथ दैवेन न तु पित्र्येण वै द्विजाः । त्रिःप्राश्नीयादपः पूर्वं ब्राह्मेण प्रयतस्ततः
One may offer oblations with Daiva water, but not with Pitṛ water, O twice-born; one should sip water three times first, with Brāhma water, being pure.