गृहाश्रमं समाश्रित्य यः पुनर्ब्रह्मचर्यभाक्
He who, after entering the householder stage, again undertakes brahmacharya—
अनाश्रमी न तिष्ठेत दिनमेकमपि द्विजः
A twice-born should not remain even a single day without belonging to an āśrama.
जपं होमं व्रतं दानं स्वाध्यायं पितृतर्पणम्
Recitation, fire-offering, vow, charity, self-study, and ancestral offerings—
मेखलाजिनदंडाश्च लिंगं स्याद्ब्रह्मचारिणः
The girdle, deer skin, and staff are the marks of a brahmachārin.
त्रिदंडादि यतेरुक्तमुपलक्षणमत्र वै
The staff and other requisites of an ascetic have been mentioned here as indicative.
जीर्णं कमंडलुं दंडमुपवीताजिने अपि
A worn-out water pot, staff, sacred thread, and deerskin as well.
विदध्यात्षोडशे वर्षे केशांतकर्म च क्रमात् 4.1.36.
In the sixteenth year, one should perform the rite of cutting the hair, in due order.
तपो यज्ञ व्रतेभ्यश्च सर्वस्माच्छुभकर्मणः
Austerity, sacrifice, and vows, and all auspicious actions.
वेदारंभे विसर्गे च विदध्यात्प्रणवं सदा
At the commencement and conclusion of Vedic study, one should always utter the sacred syllable Om.
वेदस्य वदनं प्रोक्तं गायत्री त्रिपदा परा
The recitation of the Veda is said to be the Gayatri, the supreme three-footed metre.
सहस्रं साधिकं किंचित्त्रिकमैतज्जपन्यमी
This is to be recited a little over a thousand times, three times daily.
अत्यब्दमिति योभ्यस्येत्प्रतिघस्रमनन्यधीः
He who practices this without distraction for more than a year—
त्रिवर्णमयमोंकारं भूर्भुवःस्वरिति त्रयम्
The threefold syllable Om, composed of three varnas, is Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, and Svaḥ.
एतदक्षरमेनां च जपेद्व्याहृतिपूर्विकाम्
One should recite this syllable, preceded by the vyāhṛtis, along with the Gayatri.
विधिक्रतोर्दशगुणं जपस्यफलमश्नुते
He attains the fruit of recitation ten times greater than that of ritual action.
उपांशुस्तच्छतगुणः सहस्रो मानसस्ततः
Recitation in a low voice yields a hundredfold result; mental recitation, a thousandfold.
अधीत्यवेदान्वेदौ वा वेदं वा शक्तितो द्विजः 4.1.36.
A twice-born should study the Vedas, or a Veda, or as much as he is able.
श्रुतिमेव सदाभ्यस्येत्तपस्तप्तुं द्विजोत्तमः
The best of twice-born should always practice recitation of the scripture to perform austerity.
हित्वा श्रुतेरध्ययनं योन्यत्पठितुमिच्छति
If, abandoning the study of scripture, one wishes to study something else—
उपनीय च वै शिष्यं वेदमध्यापयेद्द्विजः
And having initiated a student, the twice-born should teach him the Veda.
योध्यापयेदेकदेशं श्रुतेरंगान्यथापि वा
He should teach either a portion of the scripture or its auxiliaries, as appropriate.
यथाविधि निषेकादि यः कर्म कुरुते द्विजः
A twice-born who performs the rites from conception onwards according to the prescribed rule—
अग्न्याधेयं पाकयज्ञानग्निष्टोमादिकान्मखान्
The consecration of the sacred fire, the domestic sacrifices, and the Soma sacrifices such as the Agniṣṭoma—
उपाध्यायाद्दशाचार्य आचार्यात्तु शतं पिता
From the preceptor, ten times; from the teacher, a hundred times; from the father—
विप्राणां ज्ञानतो ज्यैष्ठ्यं बाहुजानां तु वीर्यतः
Among Brāhmaṇas, seniority is by knowledge; among warriors, it is by valor.
स्वप्ने सिक्त्वा ब्रह्मचारी द्विजः शुक्रमकामतः 4.1.36.
If a celibate twice-born, without desire, emits semen in a dream—
स्वधर्मनिरतानां च वेदयज्ञक्रियावताम्
For those devoted to their own duty and engaged in Vedic sacrifices and rites—
अकृत्वा भैक्ष्यचरणमसमिध्य हुताशनम्
Without practicing alms-begging, without kindling the sacred fire—
यथेष्टचेष्टो नभवेद्गुरोर्नयनगोचरे
One should not act as one pleases in the presence of the teacher.
गुरुनिंदाभवेद्यत्र परिवादस्तु यत्र च
Where there is slander of the teacher, or where there is reproach—