ऋतुकालाभिगमनं धर्मोऽयं गृहिणः परः । स्त्रीणां वरमनुस्मृत्याऽपत्यकामोथवा भवेत्
Approaching one's wife at the proper season is the highest dharma for a householder; remembering the rule for women, it is for the sake of offspring or as desired.
दिवाभिगमनं पुंसामनायुष्यकरं मतम् । श्राद्धाहः सर्वपर्वाणि यतस्त्याज्यानि धीमता
It is considered that intercourse by day shortens a man's life. The wise should always avoid forbidden days, such as śrāddha and festival days.
तत्र गच्छेत्स्त्रियं मोहाद्धर्मात्प्रच्यवते परात् । ऋतुकालाभिगामी यः स्वदारनिरतश्च यः
If one approaches a woman out of delusion at the wrong time, he falls from dharma; but he who approaches at the proper season and is devoted to his own wife is praised.
सर्वदा ब्रह्मचारी ह विज्ञेयः स गृहाश्रमी । ऋतुः षोडशयामिन्यश्चतस्रस्ता सुगर्हिताः
Such a householder, always observing self-restraint, should be known as a true brahmacārī. There are sixteen nights in a season, of which four are especially praised.
पुत्रदास्तासु या युग्मा अयुग्माः कन्यकाप्रदाः । त्यक्त्वा चंद्रमसं दुष्टं मघां मूलं विहाय च
Of these, those that are paired grant sons; the unpaired grant daughters. One should avoid the polluted night of the moon, as well as Maghā and Mūla.
शुचिः सन्निर्विशेत्पत्नीं पुंनामर्क्षे विशेषतः । शुचिं पुत्रं प्रसूयेत पुरुषार्थप्रसाधनम्
Being pure, a man should approach his wife especially under a male constellation; she will bear a pure son, a fulfiller of human aims.
आर्षे विवाहे गोद्वंद्वं यदुक्तं तत्प्रशस्यते । शुल्कमण्वपि कन्यायाः कन्याक्रेतुस्तु पापकृत्
In the ṛṣi marriage, the giving of a pair of cows is praised as the bride-price; but even a small price for a maiden in purchase-marriage is sinful.
वाणिज्यं नृपतेः सेवा वेदानध्ययनं तथा । कुविवाहः क्रियालोपः कुलपातनहेतवः
Trade, service to a king, study of the Vedas, improper marriage, and neglect of rites—all these cause the downfall of a family.
अन्नोदक पयो मूलफलैर्वापि गृहाश्रमी । गोदानेन तु यत्पुण्यं पात्राय विधिपूर्वकम्
A householder who gives food, water, milk, roots, or fruits, or who donates a cow according to prescribed rules, gains merit from such offerings to a worthy recipient.
अनर्चितोऽतिथिर्गेहाद्भग्नाशो यस्य गच्छति । आजन्मसंचितात्पुण्यात्क्षणात्स हि बहिर्भवेत्
If a guest, unhonored, leaves a house disappointed, then in an instant, the host loses the merit accumulated since birth.
पितृदेवमनुष्येभ्यो दत्त्वाश्नीतामृतं गृही । स्वार्थं पचत्यघं भुंक्ते केवलं स्वोदरंभरिः
The householder who, after offering to ancestors, gods, and humans, eats the food becomes immortal; but one who cooks only for himself eats sin and nourishes only his own belly.
षष्ठ्यष्टम्योर्विशेत्पापं तैले मांसे सदैव हि । चतुर्दश्यां तथामायां त्यजेत क्षुरमंगनाम्
One incurs sin by consuming oil or meat on the sixth or eighth lunar days, and likewise on the fourteenth or on the new moon; on these days, one should avoid shaving or massaging the body.
रजस्वलां न सेवेत नाश्नीयात्सह भार्यया । एकवासा न भुंजीत न भुंजीतोत्कटासने
One should not approach a menstruating woman, nor eat together with one's wife at that time; one should not eat while wearing only one garment, nor while sitting on a raised seat.
नाश्नंतीं स्त्रियमीक्षेत तेजःकामो नरोत्तमः । मुखेनोपधमेन्नाग्निं नग्नां नेक्षेत योषितम्
A noble man seeking spiritual power should not gaze at a woman who is eating; one should not blow on fire with the mouth, nor look at a naked woman.
नांघ्री प्रतापयेदग्नौ न वस्त्वशुचि निक्षिपेत् । प्राणिहिंसां न कुर्वीत नाश्नीयात्संध्ययोर्द्वयोः
One should not warm the feet by the fire, nor place impure objects into it; one should not commit violence against living beings, nor eat at either of the two twilights.
नाचक्षीत धयंतीं गां नेंद्रचापं प्रदर्शयेत् । न दिवोद्गतसारं च भक्षयेद्दधिनो निशि
One should not watch a cow being milked, nor display an arched bow; one should not eat curds that have separated, nor consume curds at night.
स्त्रीं धर्मिणीं नाभिवादेन्नाद्यादातृप्ति रात्रिषु । तौर्यत्रिकप्रियो न स्यात्कांस्ये पादौ न धावयेत्
One should not greet a virtuous woman at night, nor eat before being satisfied at night; one should not be fond of gambling, nor wash the feet in a bronze vessel.
न धारयेदन्यभुक्तं वासश्चोपानहावपि । न भिन्नभाजनेऽश्नीयान्नाश्नीतान्नं विदूषितम्
One should not wear clothes or shoes previously worn by another; one should not eat from a broken vessel, nor eat food that has been spoiled.
संविशेन्नार्द्रचरणो नोच्छिष्टः क्वचिदाव्रजेत् । शयानो वा न चाश्नीयान्नोच्छिष्टः संस्पृशेच्छिरः
One should not lie down with wet feet, nor go anywhere while unclean from eating; one should not eat while lying down, nor touch the head with unclean hands.
न मनुष्यस्तुतिं कुर्यान्नात्मानमवमानयेत् । अभ्युद्यतं न प्रणमेत्परमर्माणि नो वदेत्
One should not praise a human being, nor belittle oneself; one should not bow to someone who raises a weapon, nor speak about another's vital points.
एवं गार्हस्थ्यमाश्रित्य वानप्रस्थाश्रमं व्रजेत् । सस्त्रीको वा गतस्त्रीको विरज्येत ततः परम्
Thus, having fulfilled the duties of a householder, one should proceed to the forest-dweller stage, either with one's wife or alone, renouncing all else thereafter.
इत्येवमादयो धर्मा गदिता ऋषिभिस्तदा । श्रुता रामेण महता सर्वलोकहितैषिणा
Thus, these duties were spoken by the sages at that time, and were heard by the great Rāma, who desired the welfare of all worlds.
शेष उवाच। इत्थं संशृण्वतो धर्मान्वसंतः समुपस्थितः । यत्र यज्ञ क्रियादीनां प्रारंभः सुमहात्मनाम्
Śeṣa said: While he was listening to these duties, the season arrived for commencing the sacrifices and rituals of the great souls.
दृष्ट्वा तं समयं धीमान्वसिष्ठः कलशोद्भवः । रामचंद्रं महाराजं प्रत्युवाच यथोचितम्
Seeing that time, the wise Vasiṣṭha, born from a pot, appropriately addressed King Rāma.
वसिष्ठ उवाच। रामचंद्र महाबाहो समयः पर्यभूत्तव । हयो यत्र प्रमुच्येत यज्ञार्थं परिपूजितः
Vasiṣṭha said: O Rāma, mighty-armed one, the time has come for you to release the horse, honored for the sake of the sacrifice.
सामग्री क्रियतां तत्र आहूयंतां द्विजोत्तमाः । करोतु पूजां भगवान्ब्राह्मणानां यथोचिताम्
Let the necessary materials be prepared there; let the best of the twice-born be summoned; let the Lord perform the proper worship of the brāhmaṇas.
दीनांधकृपणानां च दानं स्वांते समुत्थितम् । ददातु विधिवत्तेषां प्रतिपूज्याधिमान्य च
Let one give, with proper respect and honor, gifts that arise from one's own heart to the poor, the blind, and the destitute, according to prescribed rules.
भवान्कनकसत्पत्न्या दीक्षितोऽत्र व्रतं चर । भूमिशायी ब्रह्मचारी वसुभोगविवर्जितः
You, consecrated here with a noble wife and gold, should observe the vow: sleeping on the ground, practicing celibacy, and abstaining from enjoyment of wealth.
मृगशृंगधरः कट्यां मेखलाजिनदंडभृत् । करोतु यज्ञसंभारं सर्वद्रव्यसमन्वितम्
Let him wear a girdle of deer horn at his waist, carry a staff and a skin, and prepare all the necessary materials for the sacrifice, complete with every required item.
इति श्रुत्वा महद्वाक्यं वसिष्ठस्य यथार्थकम् । उवाच लक्ष्मणं धीमान्नानार्थपरिबृंहितम्
Hearing these great and truthful words of Vasiṣṭha, the wise one addressed Lakṣmaṇa, speaking words filled with many meanings.