ग्राम्याणि फलमूलानि फालजान्नं च संत्यजेत्
He should give up fruits and roots from villages, and food produced by ploughing.
सद्यः प्रक्षालको वा स्यादथवा माससंचयी
He may eat food immediately after washing it, or he may store it for a month.
नक्ताश्ये कांतराशी वा षष्ठकालाशनोपि वा ।।4.1.41.
He may eat only at night, or at intervals, or partake of food at the sixth period of the day.
वैखानस मतस्थस्तु फलमूलाशनोपि वा
Or, established in the Vaikhānasa rule, he may subsist on fruits and roots.
अग्निमात्मनि चाधाय विचरेदनिकेतनः
Placing the sacred fire within himself, he should wander without a fixed abode.
ग्रामादानीय वाश्नीयादष्टौ ग्रासान्वसन्वने
Or, bringing food from the village, he may eat eight mouthfuls while dwelling in the forest.
अतिवाह्यायुषोभागं तृतीयमिति कानने
In the forest, the third portion of life that exceeds the normal span should be spent.
ऋणत्रयमसंशोध्य त्वनुत्पाद्य सुतानपि
Without discharging the three debts, and without producing sons,
एक एव चरेन्नित्यमनग्निरनिकेतनः
He should always wander alone, without fire and without a fixed dwelling.
जीवितं मरणं वाथ नाभिकांक्षेत्क्वचिद्यतिः
He should never desire either life or death at any time.
सर्वत्र ममता शून्यः सर्वत्र समतायुतः
Free from possessiveness everywhere, endowed with equanimity in all situations.
ध्यानं शौचं तथा भिक्षा नित्यमेकांतशीलता 4.1.41.
Meditation, purity, alms, and always a solitary disposition.
वार्षिकांश्चतुरोमासान्विहरेन्न यतिः क्वचित्
A renunciant should never dwell anywhere for the four months of the rainy season.
गच्छेत्परिहरन्जन्तून्पिबेत्कं वस्त्रशोधितम्
He should walk, avoiding living beings, and drink water filtered through cloth.
चरेदात्मसहायश्च निरपेक्षो निराश्रयः
He should act with himself as his companion, without dependence, without support.
कुसुंभवासा दंडाढ्यो भिक्षाशी ख्यातिवर्जितः
Clad in coarse garments, carrying a staff, living on alms, avoiding fame.
न ग्राह्यं तैजसं पात्रं भिक्षुकेण कदाचन
A mendicant should never accept a vessel made of metal.
गोसहस्रवधं पापं श्रुतिरेषा सनातनी
This ancient scripture declares: such an act is as sinful as killing a thousand cows.
कोटिद्वयं ब्रह्मकल्पं कुंभीपाकी न संशयः
For two crores of Brahma's lifetimes, there is no doubt, one suffers in the Kumbhipaka hell.
विधूमेसन्न मुसले व्यंगारे भुक्तवज्जने
Without smoke, without a pestle, among embers, as if eating people.
अल्पाहारो रहःस्थायी त्त्विंद्रियार्थेष्वलोलुपः
Eating little, dwelling in solitude, not greedy for sense objects.
आश्रमे तु यतिर्यस्य मुहूर्तमपि विश्रमेत् 4.1.41.
If a renunciant rests even for a moment in an ashram,
संचितं यद्ग्रहस्थेन पापमामरणांतिकम्
The sin accumulated by a householder until death—
दृष्ट्वा जराभिभवनमसह्यं रोगपीडितम्
Seeing the overpowering of old age, the torment of disease,
नानायोनि निवासं च वियोगं च प्रियैः सह
The dwelling in various wombs and the separation from loved ones,
पुनर्निरयसंवासंनानानरकयातनाः
Again the company of hell, various torments of different hells,
देहेष्वनित्यतां दृष्ट्वा नित्यता परमात्मनः
Seeing impermanence in bodies and the eternity of the supreme self,
करपात्रीति विख्याता भिक्षापात्रविवर्जिता
Known as 'hand-bowl', without a mendicant's vessel.
आश्रमांश्चतुरस्त्वेवं क्रमादासेव्य पंडितः
In this way, the wise one should successively observe the four stages of life.
असंयतः कुबुद्धीनामात्मा बंधाय कल्पते
For those of uncontrolled and misguided minds, the self becomes a cause of bondage.