वैणवीं धारयेद्यष्टिमंतर्वासस्तथोत्तरम् । यज्ञोपवीतद्वितयं सोदकं च कमंडलुम्
He should wear a staff of bamboo, an upper and lower garment, two sacred threads, and carry a water-pot with water.
छत्रं चोष्णीषममलं पादुके चाप्युपानहौ । रौक्मे च कुंडले धार्ये कृत्तकेशनखः शुचिः
He should carry a clean umbrella and turban, sandals and shoes; he should wear golden earrings, have his hair and nails cut, and be pure.
अन्यत्र कांचनाद्विप्रो न रक्तां बिभृयात्स्रजम् । शुक्लांबरधरो नित्यं सुगंधः प्रियदर्शनः
Except for gold, a brāhmaṇa should not wear a red garland; he should always wear white garments, be fragrant, and pleasing in appearance.
न जीर्ण मलवद्वासा भवेद्वै विभवे सति । न रक्तमुल्बणं चान्य धृतं वासो न कुंडलम्
He should not wear old or dirty clothes if he has means; nor should he wear red, harsh, or other inappropriate garments or earrings.
नोपानहौ स्रजं चाथ पादुके च प्रयोजयेत् । उपवीतमलंकारं दर्शयन्कृष्णमाजिनम्
He should not use shoes, garlands, or sandals improperly; he should display the sacred thread as an ornament and wear a black antelope skin.
नापसव्यं परीदध्याद्वासो न विकृतं वसेत् । आहरेद्विधिवद्दारान्सदृशानात्मनः शुभान्
He should not wear his garment over the left shoulder, nor wear deformed clothes; he should, according to rule, take a wife suitable and auspicious for himself.
रूपलक्षणसंयुक्तान्योनिदोषविवर्जितान् । अपितृगोत्रजभवामन्यमानुषगोत्रजाम्
She should possess beauty and good marks, be free from any other defect, not born of the same paternal lineage, but of a different human lineage.
आहरेद्ब्राह्मणो भार्यां शीलशौचसमन्विताम् । ऋतुकालाभिगामी स्याद्यावत्पुत्रोभिजायते
A brāhmaṇa should take a wife endowed with good conduct and purity; he should approach her at the proper season until a son is born.
वर्जयेत्प्रतिषिद्धानि प्रयत्नेन दिनानि तु । षष्ठ्यष्टमीं पंचदशीं द्वादशीं च चतुर्दशीम्
One should carefully avoid the prohibited days: the sixth, eighth, fifteenth, twelfth, and fourteenth days.
ब्रह्मचारी भवेन्नित्यं तद्वज्जन्मत्रयाहनि । आदधीत विवाहाग्निं जुहुयाज्जातवेदसम्
He should always observe celibacy, and likewise on the three days of birth; he should establish the marriage fire and offer oblations to Jātavedas.
एतानि स्नातको नित्यं पावनानि च पावयेत् । वेदोदितं स्वकं कर्म्म नित्यं कुर्यादतंद्रितः
A student who has completed his studies should always perform these purifying acts, and purify himself; he should diligently perform his own duties as prescribed in the Vedas.
अकुर्वाणः पतत्याशु नरकानतिभीषणान् । अभ्यसेत्प्रयतो वेदं महायज्ञान्न हापयेत्
One who does not perform them quickly falls into terrible hells; he should diligently study the Veda and not neglect the great sacrifices.
कुर्याद्गृह्याणि कार्याणि संध्योपासनमेव च । सख्यं समाधिकैः कुर्यादुपेयादीश्वरं सदा
He should perform the domestic rites and the worship at twilight; he should cultivate friendship with those superior in concentration and always approach the Lord.
दैवतान्यभिगच्छेत कुर्य्याद्भार्य्याभिपोषणम् । न धर्मं ख्यापयेद्विद्वान्न पापं गूहयेदपि
He should worship the deities and provide for his wife; a wise man should not publicize his virtue nor conceal his sin.
कुर्वीतात्महितं नित्यं सर्वभूतानुकंपकः । वयसः कर्म्मणोऽर्थस्य श्रुतस्याभिजनस्य च
He should always act for his own welfare, showing compassion to all beings, considering age, action, wealth, learning, and lineage.
देशवाग्बुद्धिसारूप्यमाचरन्विचरेत्सदा । श्रुतिस्मृत्युदितं सम्यक्साधुभिर्यश्च सेवितः
He should always conduct himself with harmony in place, speech, and mind, following what is properly prescribed in the scriptures and practiced by the virtuous.
तमाचारं निषेवेत नेहेतान्यत्र कर्हिचित् । येनास्य पितरो याता येन याताः पितामहाः
He should observe that conduct and never pursue anything else, by which his fathers and grandfathers attained their goals.
तेन यायात्सतां मार्गं तेन गच्छन्न दुष्यति । नित्यं स्वाध्यायशीलः स्यान्नित्यं यज्ञोपवीतवान्
By following that path of the virtuous, he does not go astray; he should always be devoted to self-study and always wear the sacred thread.
सत्यवादी जितक्रोधो लोभमोहविवर्जितः । सावित्रीजाप निरतः श्राद्धकृन्मुच्यते गृही
He should speak the truth, control anger, be free from greed and delusion, devoted to reciting the Sāvitrī, performing ancestral rites—the householder is liberated.
मातापित्रोर्हिते युक्तो ब्राह्मणस्य हिते रतः । दाता यज्वा देवभक्तो ब्रह्मलोके महीयते
Engaged in the welfare of his parents and devoted to the good of the Brāhmaṇa, generous, performing sacrifices, devoted to the gods—he is honored in the world of Brahma.
त्रिवर्गसेवी सततं देवानां च समर्चनम् । कुर्यादहरहर्नित्यं नमस्येत्प्रयतः सुरान्
Always devoted to the three aims of life and the worship of the gods, he should worship the deities every day with devotion.
विभागशीलः सततं क्षमायुक्तो दयालुकः । गृहस्थस्तु समाख्यातो न गृहेण गृही भवेत्
Always inclined to sharing, endowed with forgiveness and compassion, such a householder is truly called a householder, not merely by having a house.
क्षमा दया च विज्ञानं सत्यं चैव दमः शमः । अध्यात्मनित्यता ज्ञानमेतद्ब्राह्मणलक्षणम्
Forgiveness, compassion, knowledge, truth, self-control, tranquility, constant spirituality, and wisdom—these are the marks of a Brāhmaṇa.
एतस्मान्न प्रमाद्येत विशेषेण द्विजोत्तमः । यथाशक्ति चरन्धर्म्मं निंदितानि विवर्जयेत्
A foremost twice-born should never be negligent in this; practicing dharma as best as he can, he should avoid what is censured.
विधूय मोहकलिलं लब्ध्वा योगमनुत्तमम् । गृहस्थो मुच्यते बंधान्नात्र कार्याविचारणा
Having dispelled the darkness of delusion and attained supreme yoga, the householder is freed from bondage—there is no doubt about this.
विगर्हित जय क्षेप हिंसा बंधवधात्मनाम् । अन्यमन्यु समुत्थानां दोषाणां मर्षणं क्षमा
Forgiving the faults arising from blame, defeat, insult, injury, and harm to relatives or oneself, and those faults arising from mutual anger—this is forgiveness.
स्वदुःखेष्वेव कारुण्यं परदुःखेषु सौहृदम् । दयेति मुनयः प्राहुः साक्षाद्धर्मस्य साधनम्
Compassion in one's own suffering and friendship in the suffering of others—this, say the sages, is called mercy, which is the direct means to righteousness.
चतुर्दशानां विद्यानां धारणा हि परार्थतः । विज्ञानमिति तद्विद्याद्येन धर्मो विवर्धते
The retention of the fourteen branches of knowledge is for the sake of others; that understanding by which righteousness increases is called true knowledge.
अधीत्य विधिवद्विद्यामर्थं चैवोपलभ्यते । धर्मकार्याणि कुर्वीत ह्येतद्विज्ञानमुच्यते
Having properly studied knowledge, one attains its purpose; performing acts of righteousness—this is declared to be true understanding.
सत्येन लोकं जयति सत्यं तत्परमं पदम् । यथा भूता प्रमादं तु सत्यमाहुर्मनीषिणः
By truth one conquers the world; truth is the supreme state. The wise declare that truth is as it is, free from error.