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.
न धर्मशास्त्रेष्वन्येषु सर्वाण्येतानि वर्जयेत् । एष धर्मः समासेन कीर्तितो ब्रह्मचारिणः
In other treatises on dharma, one should not omit all these; this is the dharma of the brahmacārin, declared in summary.
ब्रह्मणाऽभिहितः पूर्वमृषीणां भावितात्मनाम् । योऽन्यत्र कुरुते यत्नमनधीत्य श्रुतिं द्विजः
This was formerly spoken by Brahmā to the sages of purified mind; a twice-born who exerts himself elsewhere, without studying the Veda,
स संमूढो न संभाष्यो वेदबाह्यो द्विजातिभिः । न वेदपाठमात्रेण संतुष्टो वै भवेद्द्विजः
He is deluded, not to be spoken with, considered outside the Veda by the twice-born; a twice-born should not be satisfied with mere recitation of the Veda.
पाठमात्रावसानस्तु पंके गौरिव सीदति । योऽधीत्य विधिवद्वेदं वेदार्थं न विचारयेत्
One who ends with mere recitation sinks like a cow in the mud; he who, having properly studied the Veda, does not reflect on its meaning,
स संमूढः शूद्रकल्पः पात्रतां न प्रपद्यते । यदित्वात्यंतिकं वासं कर्तुमिच्छति वै गुरौ
He is deluded, like a Śūdra, and does not attain worthiness; if he wishes to dwell long with the teacher,
युक्तः परिचरेदेनमाशरीरविमोक्षणम् । गत्वा वनं च विधिवज्जुहुयाज्जातवेदसम्
He should serve him properly until the release from the body; and, having gone to the forest according to rule, he should offer oblations to the fire.
अधीयीत तथा नित्यं ब्रह्मनिष्ठः समाहितः । सावित्रीं शतरुद्रीयं वेदांतांश्च विशेषतः । अभ्यसेत्सततं युक्तो भिक्षाशनपरायणः
He should study thus constantly, steadfast in Brahman and concentrated; especially he should repeatedly practice the Sāvitrī, the Śatarudrīya, and the Upaniṣads, devoted to subsisting on alms.
एतद्विधानं परमं पुराणं वेदागमे सम्यगिहोदितं वः । पुरा महर्षिप्रवराभिपृष्टः स्वायंभुवो यन्मनुराह देवः
This supreme, ancient ordinance is properly declared to you in the Purāṇa and the Veda; formerly, when asked by the foremost great sages, the god Manu, son of Svāyambhuva, spoke this.
व्यास उवाच- वेदं वेदौ तथा वेदान्वेदांगानि तथा द्विजाः । अधीत्य चाधिगम्यार्थं ततः स्नायाद्द्विजोत्तमः
Vyāsa said: Having studied the Veda, both Vedas, and the Vedāṅgas, and having understood their meaning, then the best of the twice-born should bathe.
गुरवे तु धनं दत्वा स्नायीत तदनुज्ञया । तीर्णव्रतोथ युक्तात्मा शक्तो वा स्नातुमर्हति
Having given wealth to the teacher, he should bathe with his permission; having completed his vows and being self-controlled, or if able, he is fit to bathe.