यः सर्वत्र विनिर्मुक्तो निर्द्वंद्वश्चैव निर्भयः । प्रोच्यते ज्ञानसंन्यासी आत्मन्येव व्यवस्थितः
He who is free from everything, beyond dualities, and fearless, is called a renunciant of knowledge, established solely in the Self.
वेदमेवाभ्यसेन्नित्यं निराशीर्निष्परिग्रहः । प्रोच्यते वेदसंन्यासी मुमुक्षुर्विजितेंद्रियः
He who studies the Veda daily, without hope or possessions, is called a renunciant of the Veda, desiring liberation and with conquered senses.
यस्त्वग्निमात्मसाकृत्वा ब्रह्मार्पणपरो द्विजः । ज्ञेयः स कर्मसंन्यासी महायज्ञपरायणः
He who makes the fire his own self and is devoted to offering to Brahman, the twice-born, should be known as a renunciant of action, dedicated to the great sacrifice.
त्रयाणामपि चैतेषां ज्ञानी त्वभ्यधिको मतः । न तस्य विद्यते कार्यं न लिंगं वा विपश्चितः
Among these three, the knower is considered superior; for him, there is no prescribed duty nor any external mark, being wise.
निर्ममो निर्भयः शांतो निर्द्वंद्वः पर्णभोजनः । जीर्णकौपीनवासाः स्यान्नग्नो वा ध्यानतत्परः
Without possessiveness, fearless, peaceful, beyond dualities, eating leaves, wearing worn loincloths, or even naked, absorbed in meditation.
ब्रह्मचारी जिताहारो ग्रामादन्नं समाहरेत् । अध्यात्मरतिरासीत निरपेक्षो निराशिषः
A celibate with controlled food intake should collect food from the village; he should dwell in the pursuit of the Self, without dependence or expectation.
आत्मनैव सहायेन सुखार्थं विचरेदिह । नाभिनंदेत मरणं नाभिनंदेत जीवनम्
With only himself as companion, he should wander here for the sake of happiness; he should neither rejoice in death nor in life.
कालमेव प्रतीक्षेत निर्देशं भृतको यथा । नाध्येतव्यं न वर्तव्यं श्रोतव्यं न कदाचन
He should wait for the appointed time, like a hired servant; he should never study, act, or listen.
एवं ज्ञानपरो योगी ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते । एकवासाथ वा विद्वान्कौपीनाच्छादनोपि वा
Thus, the yogi devoted to knowledge is fit to become Brahman; whether wearing a single garment or only a loincloth, the wise one.
मुंडी शिखी वाथ भवेत्त्रिदंडी निष्परिग्रहः । काषायवासाः सततं ध्यानयोगपरायणः
He may be shaven-headed or with a topknot, or a tridaṇḍī, without possessions, always wearing ochre robes, devoted to meditation and yoga.
ग्रामांते वृक्षमूले वा वसेद्देवालयेपि वा । समः शत्रौ तथा मित्रे तथा मानापमानयोः
He may dwell at the edge of a village, under a tree, or in a temple; equal towards enemy and friend, and towards honor and dishonor.
भैक्ष्येण वर्तयेन्नित्यं नैकान्नादी भवेत्क्वच्चित् । यस्तु मोहेन वान्यस्मादेकान्नादी भवेद्यतिः
He should always subsist by alms, never eating from a single household; if, out of delusion, he does so, he is not a true renunciant.
न तस्य निष्कृतिः काचिद्धर्मशास्त्रेषु दृश्यते । रागद्वेषवियुक्तात्मा समलोष्टाश्मकांचनः
For him, no expiation is found in the scriptures; his mind free from attachment and aversion, regarding earth, stone, and gold as equal.
प्राणिहिंसानिवृत्तश्च मौनी स्यात्सर्वनिस्पृहः । दृष्टिपूतं न्यसेत्पादं वस्त्रपूतं जलं पिबेत्
He refrains from harming living beings, is silent, free from all desires; he places his foot only after purifying his sight, and drinks water purified by cloth.
सत्यपूतां वदेद्वाणीं मनःपूतं समाचरेत् । नैकत्र निवसेद्देशे वर्षाभ्योन्यत्र भिक्षुकः
Let one speak words purified by truth and act with a mind purified; a mendicant should not reside in the same place for the rainy season, but elsewhere.
स्नात्वा शौचयुतो नित्यं कमंडलुकरः शुचिः । ब्रह्मचर्यरतो नित्यं वनवासरतो भवेत्
Having bathed, always endowed with cleanliness, carrying a water-pot, pure, devoted to celibacy, one should always delight in dwelling in the forest.
मोक्षशास्त्रेषु निरतो ब्रह्मसूत्री जितेंद्रियः । दंभाहंकारनिर्मुक्तो निंदापैशुन्यवर्जितः
Engaged in the scriptures of liberation, wearing the thread of Brahman, with senses subdued, free from deceit and pride, avoiding slander and malice.
आत्मज्ञानगुणोपेतो यदि मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् । अभ्यसेत्सततं देवं प्रणवाख्यं सनातनम्
Endowed with the qualities of self-knowledge, if one attains liberation, one should constantly practice the eternal deity known as Pranava.
स्नात्वाचम्य विधानेन शुचिर्देवालयादिषु । यज्ञोपवीती शांतात्मा कुशपाणिः समाहितः
Having bathed and performed purification according to the rules, pure in temples and similar places, wearing the sacred thread, with a peaceful mind, holding kusa grass, concentrated.
धौतकाषायवसनो तस्मिञ्छन्नतनूरुहः । अधियज्ञं ब्रह्मजपेदाधिदैविकमेव च
Wearing washed ochre garments, with body hair covered, one should recite the brahma texts relating to sacrifice and also those relating to the gods.
आध्यात्मिकं च सततं वेदान्ताभिहितं च यत् । पुत्रेषु चाथ निवसन्ब्रह्मचारी यतिर्मुनिः
And always recite the spiritual texts as taught in Vedanta; dwelling among sons, the ascetic, the sage, remains a celibate.
वेदमेवाभ्यसेन्नित्यं स याति परमां गतिम् । अहिंसासत्यमस्तेयं ब्रह्मचर्यं तपः परम्
He should always study the Veda; thus he attains the highest state. Non-violence, truth, non-stealing, celibacy, and supreme austerity.
क्षमादया च संतोषो व्रतान्यस्य विशेषतः । वेदांतज्ञाननिष्ठो वा पंचयज्ञान्समाहितः
Forgiveness, compassion, and contentment are especially his vows; established in Vedantic knowledge or devoted to the five sacrifices.
कुर्य्यादहरहः स्नात्वा भिक्षार्थे नैव तेन हि । होममंत्रान्जपेन्नित्यं कालेकाले समाहितः
He should bathe daily for the sake of alms, and never for any other reason; always recite the fire-offering mantras at the proper times, with concentration.
स्वाध्यायं चान्वहं कुर्य्यात्सावित्रीं संध्ययोर्जपेत् । ध्यायीत सततं देवमेकांतं परमेश्वरम्
He should perform daily study and recite the Savitri at the two twilights; always meditate upon the deity, alone, the supreme Lord.
एकान्नं वर्जयेन्नित्यं कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम् । एकवासा द्विवासा वा शिखी यज्ञोपवीतवान् । कमंडलुकरो विद्वांस्त्रिदंडो याति तत्परम्
He should always avoid eating alone, desire, anger, and possessions; wearing one or two garments, with a topknot and sacred thread, carrying a water-pot, learned, with three staffs, he attains that supreme state.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे यतिधर्मनिरूपणं नामैकोनषष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Padma Mahapurana, in the section on heaven, the fifty-ninth chapter named 'The Explanation of the Duties of Ascetics.'
व्यास उवाच- एवं त्वाश्रमनिष्ठानां यतीनां नियतात्मनाम् । भैक्ष्येण वर्तनं प्रोक्तं फलमूलैरथापि वा
Vyasa said: Thus, for those established in the ashramas, ascetics with controlled selves, living by alms is prescribed, or by fruits and roots.
एककालं चरेद्भैक्ष्यं न प्रसज्येत विस्तरम् । भैक्ष्ये प्रसक्तो हि यतिर्विषयेष्वपि सज्जति
He should seek alms at one time only, not indulge in excess; for an ascetic attached to alms becomes attached also to sense objects.
सप्तागारं चरेद्भैक्ष्यमलाभे न पुनश्चरेत् । गोदोहमात्रं तिष्ठेत कालं भिक्षुरधोमुखः
He should seek alms from seven houses, and if unsuccessful, not seek again; the mendicant should wait only as long as it takes to milk a cow, with head bowed.