षट्कर्मवर्त्तकस्त्वेकस्त्रिभिरन्यः प्रसर्पते। द्वाभ्यां चैव चतुर्थस्तु द्विजः स ब्रह्मणि स्थितः
One householder observes six duties, another three, and another two; but the fourth, the twice-born, remains established in Brahman.
गृहमेधिव्रतादन्यन्महत्तीर्थं न चक्षते। नात्मार्थे पाचयेदन्नं न वृथा घातयेत्पशुम्
No sacred place is considered greater than the householder’s vow; he should not cook food for himself alone, nor kill an animal needlessly.
प्राणी वा यदि वाप्राणी संस्काराद्यज्ञमर्हति। न दिवा प्रस्वपेज्जातु न पूर्वापररात्रयोः
Whether living or non-living, all are worthy of sacrifice and ritual; one should never sleep during the day, nor in the early or late night.
न भुंजीतांतराकाले नानृतं तु वदेदिह। न चाप्यश्नन्वसेद्विप्रो गृहे कश्चिदपूजितः
One should not eat at inappropriate times, nor speak falsehood here; nor should a Brahmin, unhonored, remain in a house without eating.
तथास्यातिथयः पूज्या हव्यकव्यवहाः स्मृताः। वेदविद्याव्रतस्नाता श्रोत्रिया वेदपारगाः
Likewise, guests are to be honored; offerings to ancestors and gods are prescribed; those learned in the Vedas, devoted to vows, and versed in Vedic knowledge.
स्वकर्मजीविनोदांताः क्रियावंतस्तपस्विनः। तेषां हव्यं च कव्यं चाप्यर्हणार्थं विधीयते
Those who live by their own duties, who are steadfast in rituals and ascetic practices; for them, offerings to gods and ancestors are to be made as acts of honor.
नश्वरैस्संप्रयातस्य स्वधर्मापगतस्य च। अपविद्धाग्निहोत्रस्य गुरोर्वालीककारिणः
For one who is transient, who has abandoned their own duty, who has neglected the sacred fire, or who acts against the teacher's instructions—
असत्याभिनिवेशस्य नाधिकारोस्ति कर्मणोः। संविभागोत्र भूतानां सर्वेषामेव शिष्यते
For one attached to falsehood, there is no right to ritual action; here, the sharing among all beings alone remains.
तथैवापचमानेभ्यः प्रदेयं गृहमेधिना। विघसाशी भवेन्नित्यं नित्यं चामृतभोजनः
In the same way, to those who are cooking, the householder should give; one who always eats leftovers is called a vighasāśī, and always partakes of ambrosial food.
अमृतं यज्ञशेषं स्याद्भोजनं हविषा समम्। संभुक्तशेषं योश्नाति तमाहुर्विघसाशिनम्
The remainder of the sacrifice is considered ambrosial, equal to food offered in the ritual; one who eats what is left after sharing is called a vighasāśī.
स्वदारनिरतो दांतो दक्षोत्यर्थं जितेंद्रियः। ऋत्विक्पुरोहिताचार्यमातुलातिथिसंहतैः
Devoted to his own wife, self-controlled, skilled in action, with senses conquered; surrounded by officiants, priests, teachers, maternal uncles, and guests—
वृद्धबालातुरैर्वैद्यैर्ज्ञातिसंबंधि बांधवैः। मात्रा पित्रा च जामात्रा भ्रात्रा पुत्रेण भार्यया
With elders, children, the sick, physicians, relatives, kin, and friends; with mother, father, brother-in-law, brother, son, and wife—
दुहित्रा दासवर्गेण विवादं न समाचरेत्। एतान्विमुच्य संवादान्सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
With daughter and servants, one should not engage in disputes; by avoiding arguments with these, one is freed from all sins.
एतैर्जितैस्तु जयति सर्वलोकान्न संशयः। आचार्यो ब्रह्मलोकेशः प्राजापत्य प्रभुः पिता
By conquering with these, one conquers all worlds—there is no doubt; the teacher is lord of the Brahma world, the father is lord of the Prajapati world.
अतिथिः सर्वलोकेश ऋत्विग्वेदाश्रयः प्रभुः। जामाताप्सरसांलोके ज्ञातयो वैश्वदेविकाः
The guest is lord of all worlds, the officiant is lord of the Vedic world; the brother-in-law is lord among the Apsaras, relatives are lords of the Vaiśvadeva world.
संबंधि बांधवा दिक्षु पृथिव्यां मातृमातुलौ। वृद्धबालातुराश्चैव आकाशे प्रभविष्णवः
Kin and friends are lords of the directions on earth; mother and maternal uncle, elders, children, and the sick are powerful in the sky.
पुरोधा ऋषिलोकेशः संश्रितास्साध्यलोकपाः। अश्विलोकपतिर्वैद्यो भ्राता तु वसुलोकपः
The priest is lord among the sages, those who take refuge are guardians of the Sādhyas' world; the physician is lord of the horse world, the brother is guardian of the Vasus' world.
चंद्रलोकेश्वरी भार्या दुहिताप्सरसां गृहे। भ्राता ज्येष्ठः समः पित्रा भार्या पुत्र स्वकातनुः
The wife is queen in the moon's world, the daughter among the Apsaras in the house; the eldest brother is equal to the father, the wife and son are one's own body.
कायस्था दासवर्गाश्च दुहिता कृपणं परम्। तस्मादेतैरधिक्षिप्तः सहेन्नित्यमसंज्वरः
The scribes and servants, and the daughter, are especially to be shown compassion; therefore, one who is reproached by these should always endure without distress.
गृहधर्मरतो विद्वान्धर्मनिष्ठो जितक्लमः। नारभेद्बहुकार्याणि धर्मवान्किंचिदारभेत्
A wise man devoted to household duties, steadfast in righteousness, who has conquered fatigue, should not undertake many tasks; the righteous should begin only a few.
गृहस्थवृत्तयस्तिस्रस्तासां निश्रेयसं परं। परस्परं तथैवाहुश्चातुराश्रम्यमेव च
There are three modes of household life, each leading to the highest good; likewise, it is said that the fourfold division of life is supreme.
ये चोक्तानि यमास्तेषां सर्वं कार्यं बुभूषुणा। कुंभधान्यैरुंच्छशिलैः कापोतीं वृत्तिमाश्रितैः
All the restraints previously mentioned must be observed by one who desires fulfillment, including those who follow the pot-carrying, gleaning, and pigeon-like ways of living.
यस्मिंश्चैते वसंत्यर्थास्तद्राष्ट्रमभिवर्धते। पूर्वापरान्दशपरान्पुनाति च पितामहान्
Where these means of livelihood are found, that region prospers; it purifies ancestors of ten generations before and after.
गृहस्थवृत्तिमप्येतां वर्तयेद्यो गतव्यथः। स चक्रधरलोकानां समानाम्प्राप्नुयाद्गतिम्
Whoever, free from affliction, practices even this household mode of life, attains the same realm as those who bear the discus.
जितेंद्रियाणामथवा गतिरेषा विधीयते। स्वर्गलोको गृहस्थानां प्रतिष्ठा नियतात्मनां
For those who have mastered their senses, this path is prescribed; the world of heaven is the established abode for householders of disciplined mind.
ब्रह्मणाभिहता श्रेणी ह्येषा यस्याः प्रमुच्यते। द्वितीयां क्रमशः प्राप्य स्वर्गलोके महीयते
This order, established by Brahma, when left behind, leads one to the second stage, where one is honored in the heavenly world.
तृतीयामपि वक्ष्यामि वानप्रस्थाश्रमं शृणु। गृहस्थस्तु यदा पश्येद्वलीपलितमात्मनः
I will now speak of the third, the forest-dweller stage; listen: when a householder perceives wrinkles and gray hair upon himself—
अपत्यस्यैव चापत्यं वनमेव तदाश्रयेत्। गृहस्थव्रतखिन्नानां वानप्रस्थाश्रमौकसां
And when his children have children, then he should resort to the forest; for householders weary of their vows, the forest-dweller stage is prescribed.
श्रूयतां भीष्म भद्रं ते सर्वलोकाश्रयात्मनां। दीक्षापूर्वं निवृत्तानां पुण्यदेशनिवासिनां
Hear, O Bhishma, blessings to you, about those who are the refuge of all worlds: those who, after initiation, dwell in holy places, having withdrawn from worldly life.
प्रज्ञाबलयुजां पुंसां सत्यशौचक्षमावतां। तृतीयमायुषो भागं वानप्रस्थाश्रमे वसन्
Those men endowed with wisdom and strength, possessing truth, purity, and patience, spend the third portion of their lives in the forest-dweller stage.