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.
श्रुति स्मृति पुराणं च विद्योपनिषदस्तथा
The Vedas, the Smṛtis, the Purāṇas, and likewise the Upaniṣads of knowledge—
वेदानुवचनं ज्ञात्वा ब्रह्मचर्य तपो दमः 4.1.41.
Having learned the recitation of the Vedas, one should practice celibacy, austerity, and self-restraint.
स हि सर्वैर्विजिज्ञास्य आत्मैवाश्रमवर्तिभिः
For all who dwell in the stages of life, the self alone is to be realized.
आत्मज्ञानेन मुक्तिः स्यात्तच्च योगादृते नहि
Liberation comes through knowledge of the self, and that is not possible without yoga.
नारण्यसंश्रयाद्योगो न नानाग्रंथ चिंतनात्
Yoga is not attained by dwelling in the forest, nor by pondering many treatises.
न च पद्मासनाद्योगो न वा घ्राणाग्रवीक्षणात्
Nor is yoga achieved by the lotus posture, nor by fixing the gaze at the tip of the nose.
अभियोगात्सदाभ्यासात्तत्रैव च विनिश्चयात्
But through dedicated effort, constant practice, and unwavering resolve therein.
आत्मक्रीडस्य सततं सदात्ममिथुनस्य च
By always delighting in the self and ever uniting with the self.
अत्रात्मव्यतिरेकेण द्वितीयं यो न पश्यति
Here, whoever does not see a second apart from the self—
संयोगस्त्वात्ममनसोर्योग इत्युच्यते बुधैः
Union of the self and the mind is called yoga by the wise.