ॐकारमादितः कृत्वा व्याहृतीस्तदनंतरम् । ततोऽधीयीत सावित्रीमेकाग्रः श्रद्धयान्वितः
Having first uttered the syllable 'Om', then the vyāhṛtis in succession, one should recite the Sāvitrī with single-mindedness and accompanied by faith.
पुराकल्पे समुत्पन्ना भूर्भुवः स्वः सनातनाः । महाव्याहृतयस्तिस्रः सर्वाशुभनिबर्हणाः
In ancient times arose the three great, eternal vyāhṛtis: bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ; they remove all inauspiciousness.
प्रधानं पुरुषः कालो विष्णुब्रह्ममहेश्वराः । सत्वंरजस्तमस्तिस्रः क्रमाद्व्याहृतयः स्मृताः
The principal entities—Purusha, Time, Vishnu, Brahma, and Maheshvara; the three qualities—sattva, rajas, and tamas—are remembered as the vyāhṛtis in sequence.
ॐकारस्तत्परं ब्रह्म सावित्री स्यात्तदुत्तरम् । एष मंत्रो महायोगः सारात्सार उदाहृतः
'Om' is the supreme Brahman; Sāvitrī follows thereafter. This mantra is declared to be the essence of great yoga, the essence of all essences.
योऽधीतेऽहन्यहन्येतां गायत्रीं वेदमातरम् । विज्ञायार्थं ब्रह्मचारी स याति परमां गतिम्
He who daily recites this Gāyatrī, the mother of the Vedas, understanding its meaning, as a brahmacārin, attains the highest state.
गायत्री वेदजननी गायत्री लोकपावनी । गायत्र्या न परं जप्यमेतद्विज्ञायमुच्यते
Gāyatrī is the mother of the Vedas; Gāyatrī purifies the worlds. There is no recitation superior to Gāyatrī; this is declared to be known.
श्रावणस्य तु मासस्य पौर्णमास्यां द्विजोत्तमाः । आषाढ्यां प्रोष्ठपद्यां वा वेदोपाकरणं स्मृतम्
On the full moon of the month of Śrāvaṇa, O best of twice-born, or on the Āṣāḍhī or Proṣṭhapadī days, the initiation into the Vedas is prescribed.
यत्सूर्ययाम्यगमनं मासान्विप्रोर्द्धपंचमान् । अधीयीत शुचौ देशे ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः
From the day the sun moves southward, for five months, the brahmacārin, with concentrated mind, should study in a pure place.
पुष्ये तुच्छंदसां कुर्याद्बहिरुत्सर्जनं द्विजः । मासि शुक्लस्य वा प्राप्ते पूर्वाह्णे प्रथमेऽहनि
In the month of Puṣya, the twice-born should perform the external expulsion of the chandas; or when the bright fortnight arrives, on the first day in the morning.
छदांसि च द्विजोऽभ्यस्येच्छुक्लपक्षे तु वै द्विजः । वेदांगानि पुराणानि कृष्णपक्षेषु मानवः
The twice-born should practice the chandas during the bright fortnight; in the dark fortnight, a man should study the Vedāṅgas and Purāṇas.
इमान्नित्यमनध्यायानधीयानो विवर्जयेत् । अध्यापनं च कुर्वाणोऽभ्यस्यन्नपि प्रयत्नतः
He should always avoid these prohibited days for study; even while teaching or practicing, he must do so with care.
कर्णश्रवेऽनिले रात्रौ दिवापांसुसमूहने । विद्युत्स्तनितवर्षेषु महोल्कानां च संप्लवे
When hearing with the ear, during wind at night, or when dust is gathered in the day; during lightning, thunder, rain, or the appearance of great meteors.
अकालिकमनध्यायमेतेष्वाह प्रजापतिः । एतानभ्युदिनान्विद्याद्यदा प्रादुष्कृताग्निषु
Prajāpati declared these as occasions for suspension of study, regardless of time; when these arise, one should not recite the Veda if the sacred fires have been extinguished.
तदा विद्यादनध्यायमनृतौ चाभ्रदर्शने । निर्घाते भूमिचलने ज्योतिषां चोपसर्जने
Then, study is to be suspended during the wrong season, at the sight of clouds, during thunder, earthquakes, and when there are omens among the stars.
एतानकालिकान्विद्यादनध्यायानृतावपि । प्रादुष्कृतेष्वग्निषु च विद्युत्स्तनितनिस्वने
These are the untimely occasions for suspension of study, even in the wrong season, when the sacred fires are extinguished, and at the sound of lightning and thunder.
सज्योतिः स्यादनध्यायः शेषे रात्रौ यथा दिवा । नित्यानध्याय एव स्याद्ग्रामेषु नगरेषु च
When there is lightning, study is to be suspended at night just as during the day; and in villages and cities, there is always a suspension of study.
धर्मनैपुण्यकामानां पूतिगंधे च नित्यशः । अंतः शवगतेग्रामे वृषलस्य च सन्निधौ
For those desiring virtue and skill, study is always suspended where there is a foul smell, when a corpse is within the village, or in the presence of an outcaste.
अनध्यायोरुद्यमाने समये जलदस्य च । उदके चार्धरात्रे च विण्मूत्रं च विसर्जयन्
Study is suspended when clouds are rising, at the time of rain, in water, at midnight, and while passing urine or feces.
उच्छिष्टः श्राद्धभुक्चैव मनसापि न चिंतयेत् । प्रतिगृह्य द्विजो विद्वानेकोद्दिष्टस्य वेतनम्
One who is impure, or has eaten at a śrāddha, should not even think of study; and a learned Brāhmaṇa, having accepted the fee for a specific rite, should not recite.
त्र्यहं न कारयेद्ब्रह्म राज्ञो राहोश्च सूतके । यावदेकान्ननिष्ठा स्यात्स्नेहालोपश्च तिष्ठति
For three days, one should not recite the Veda after the birth of a king or during an eclipse; nor while only one kind of food remains, or when oil is lacking.
विप्रस्य विदुषो देहे तावद्ब्रह्म न कीर्तयेत् । शयानः प्रौढपादश्च कृत्वा चैवावसक्थिकाम्
As long as a learned Brāhmaṇa's body is impure, he should not recite the Veda; nor while lying down, with legs stretched out, or sitting with thighs raised.
नाधीयीतामिषं जग्ध्वा शूद्रश्राद्धान्नमेव च । नीहारे बाणशब्दे च संध्ययोरुभयोरपि
One should not study after eating meat or food from a śūdra's śrāddha; nor during fog, the sound of arrows, or at either of the twilights.
अमावास्या चतुर्दश्योः पौर्णमास्यष्टमीषु च । उपाकर्मणि चोत्सर्गे त्रिरात्रं क्षपणं स्मृतम्
On new moon, fourteenth, full moon, and eighth days, and at the beginning and end of the upākarma, a three-night suspension is prescribed.
अष्टकासु अहोरात्रमृत्वंतासु च रात्रिषु । मार्गशीर्षे तथा पौषे माघमासे तथैव च
On the aṣṭakā days, for a day and night, and during those nights; in the months of Mārgaśīrṣa, Pauṣa, and Māgha as well.
तिस्रोऽष्टकाः समाख्याता कृष्णपक्षेषु सूरिभिः । श्लेष्मातकस्य च्छायायां शाल्मलेर्मधुकस्य च
Three aṣṭakās are declared by the wise in the dark fortnights; also, in the shade of the śleṣmātaka, śālmalī, and madhuka trees.
कदाचिदपि नाध्येयं कोविदारकपित्थयोः । समानविद्ये च मृते तथा सब्रह्मचारिणि
One should never study under the kovidāra or kapittha trees; nor when a fellow student or celibate has died.
आचार्ये संस्थिते चापि त्रिरात्रं क्षपणं स्मृतम् । छिद्राण्येतानि विप्राणामनध्यायाः प्रकीर्तिताः
When the teacher has died, a three-night suspension is prescribed; these are the interruptions to study declared for Brāhmaṇas.
हिंसंति राक्षसास्तेषु तस्मादेतान्विवर्जयेत् । नैत्यकेनास्त्यनध्यायः संध्योपासनमेव च
Rākṣasas cause harm during these times; therefore, one should avoid them. There is no suspension for daily rites or for the worship at twilight.
उपाकर्म्मणि होमांते होममध्ये तथैव च । एकामृचमथैकं वा यजुः सामानि वा पुनः
At the beginning of upākarma, at the end of a sacrifice, and in the midst of a sacrifice, one may recite a single ṛc, or one yajus, or one sāman again.
नाष्टकाद्यास्वधीयीत मारुते चाभिधावति । अनध्यायस्तु नांगेषु नेतिहासपुराणयोः
One should not study on aṣṭakā and similar days, nor when the wind is blowing violently; but there is no suspension for the limbs of the Veda, nor for Itihāsa and Purāṇa.