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.
भिक्षेत्युक्त्वा सकृत्तूष्णीमादद्याद्वाग्यतः शुचिः । प्रक्ष्याल्य पाणी पादौ च समाचम्य यथाविधि
Having said 'alms' once, he should silently take it, restrained in speech, pure; he should wash his hands and feet and perform purification as prescribed.
आदित्यं दर्शयित्वान्नं भुंजीत प्राङ्मुखो नरः । हुत्वा प्राणाहुतीः पंच ग्रासानष्टौ समाहितः
Having shown the food to the sun, a man should eat facing east; having offered the five vital airs, he should eat eight morsels, with concentration.
आचम्य देवं ब्रह्माणं ध्यायेत परमेश्वरम् । आलाबुदारुपात्रे च मृण्मयं वैणवं तथा
Having sipped water, one should meditate upon the divine Brahman, the supreme lord, and also upon the earthen Vaiṣṇava vessel in the form of an alābu gourd.
चत्वारि यतिपात्राणि मनुराह प्रजापतिः । प्राग्रात्रे मध्यरात्रे च पररात्रे तथैव च
Manu, the progenitor, declares that there are four vessels for ascetics: for the early night, the middle night, and likewise for the late night.
संध्यासूक्तिविशेषेण चिंतयेन्नित्यमीश्वरम् । कृत्वा हृत्पद्मनिलये विश्वाख्यं विश्वसंभवम्
With the special recitation of the twilight hymns, one should always contemplate the Lord, placing the universal source, called Viśva, in the lotus of the heart.
आत्मानं सर्वभूतानां परस्तात्तमसः स्थितम् । सर्वस्याधारमव्यक्तमानंदं ज्योतिरव्ययम्
That self, established beyond darkness, is the foundation of all beings, unmanifest, blissful, the imperishable light of all.
प्रधानपुरुषातीतमाकाशं दहनं शिवम् । तदंतं सर्वभावानामीश्वरं ब्रह्मरूपिणम्
Transcending both Pradhāna and Puruṣa, it is space, fire, auspiciousness; the end of all existences, the lord, the embodiment of Brahman.
ॐकारांतेथवात्मानं समाप्य परमात्मनि । आकाशे देवमीशानं ध्यायीताकाशमध्यगम्
Having merged oneself with the supreme self at the end of the syllable 'Om', one should meditate upon the lord, the ruler, situated in the midst of space.
कारणं सर्वभावानामानंदैकसमाश्रयम् । पुराणपुरुषं विष्णुं ध्यायन्मुच्येत बंधनात्
Meditating upon Viṣṇu, the ancient person, the cause of all beings, the sole refuge of bliss, one is freed from bondage.
यद्वा गुहादौ प्रकृतौ जगत्संमोहनालये । विचिंत्य परमं व्योम सर्वभूतैककारणम्
Or, contemplating the supreme sky within the cave of nature, the abode of the world's bewilderment, as the sole cause of all beings.
जीवनं सर्वभूतानां यत्र लोकः प्रलीयते । आनंदं ब्रह्मणः सूक्ष्मं यत्पश्यंति मुमुक्षवः
That which is the life of all beings, where the worlds dissolve, the subtle bliss of Brahman, which the seekers of liberation perceive.
तन्मध्ये निहितं ब्रह्म केवलं ज्ञानलक्षणम् । अनंतं सत्यमीशानं विचिंत्यासीत वाग्यतः
In its midst is established Brahman alone, characterized by knowledge, infinite, true, the lord; one should contemplate it, remaining silent.
गुह्याद्गुह्यतमं ज्ञानं यतीनामेतदीरितम् । योवतिष्ठेत्सदानेन सोश्नुते योगमैश्वरम्
This knowledge, most secret among secrets, is spoken of for ascetics; whoever always abides in it, attains the yoga of lordliness.
तस्माज्ज्ञानरतो नित्यमात्मविद्यापरायणः । ज्ञानं समभ्यसेद्ब्रह्म येन मुच्येत बंधनात्
Therefore, one who is always devoted to knowledge and self-realization should diligently practice knowledge of Brahman, by which one is freed from bondage.
मत्वा पृथक्त्वमात्मानं सर्वस्मादेव केवलम् । आनंदमक्षरं ज्ञानं ध्यायेत च ततः परम्
Having considered the self as distinct from everything, as solely blissful, imperishable, and knowledge, one should then meditate upon the supreme.
यस्माद्भवंति भूतानि यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह जायते । स तस्मादीश्वरो देवः परस्ताद्योधितिष्ठति
From whom beings arise, and knowing whom nothing is born here; he, therefore, is the lord, the deity, established beyond all.
यदंतरे तद्गमनं शाश्वतं शिवमव्ययम् । य इदं स्वपरोक्षस्तु स देवः स्यान्महेश्वरः
That eternal, auspicious, imperishable presence within, whose attainment is hidden; he alone is the great lord.
व्रतानि यानि भिक्षूणां तथैवायं व्रतानि च । एकैकातिक्रमेणैव प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते
The vows prescribed for mendicants, and likewise these vows, for each transgression, expiation is prescribed.
उपेत्य च स्त्रियं कामात्प्रायश्चित्तं समाहितः । प्राणायामसमायुक्तं कुर्य्यात्सांतपनं शुचिः
If, out of desire, one approaches a woman, one should perform expiation with concentration, practicing prāṇāyāma and the sāntapana penance, remaining pure.
ततश्चरेत नियमात्कृच्छ्रं संयतमानसः । पुनराश्रममागम्य चरेद्भिक्षुरतंद्रितः
Then, observing discipline, undertaking the kṛcchra penance with a controlled mind, one should return to the order and practice the mendicant's vow without negligence.