Vayu Purana

नियुक्तो वाऽनियुक्तो वा पंक्त्‌या हरति दुष्कृतम्। पापेन गृह्यते क्षिप्रमिष्टापूर्त्तं च नश्यति ।। १७.

Whether appointed or not appointed, one who arranges the line for food incurs sin; he is quickly seized by evil, and his accumulated merit from sacrifices and charity is destroyed.

यतिस्तु सर्व्वविप्राणां सर्व्वेषामग्र्य उत्सवे। इतिहासपञ्चमान् वेदान् यः पठेत्तु द्विजोत्तमः ।। १७.

But among all Brahmins, the foremost at a festival is he who recites the Vedas along with the Itihasas and the fifth Veda, O best of twice-born.

अनन्तरं यथायोग्यं नियोक्तव्यो विजानता। त्रिवेदोऽनन्तरस्तस्य द्विवेदस्तदनन्तरः ।। १७.

Immediately after him, as appropriate, the knowledgeable should appoint the one who knows three Vedas; after him, the one who knows two Vedas.

एकवेदस्तथा पश्चान्न्यायाध्यायी ततः परम्। पावनायैव पंक्त्या वै तान् प्रवक्ष्ये निबोधत ।। १७.

Next, one who knows one Veda, then one who studies logic, and after that others in order; I will now explain to you those who purify the line.

य एते पूर्व्वनिर्द्दिष्टाः सर्व्वे ते ह्यनुपूर्व्वशः। षडङ्गी विनयी योगी सर्व्वतन्त्रस्तथैव च ।। १७.

All those previously mentioned, in their proper order—the one versed in the six limbs, the disciplined, the yogi, and likewise the one skilled in all rituals—

यायावरश्च पञ्चैते विज्ञेयाः पङ्क्तिपावनाः । अष्टादशानां विद्यानामेकस्मिन् पारगोऽपि यः ।। १७.

And the wandering mendicant—these five are to be known as purifiers of the line; and anyone who has mastered even one of the eighteen branches of knowledge.

यथावद्वर्त्तमानश्च सर्वे ते पङ्क्तिपावनाः। त्रिणाचिकेतास्त्रैविद्यो यश्च धर्म्मान् पठेद्द्विजः ।। १७.

All those who conduct themselves properly are purifiers of the line; the one who knows the three Naciketas fires, the one who knows the three Vedas, and the twice-born who recites the Dharmas.

बार्हस्पत्ये तथा शास्त्रे पारं यश्च द्विजो गतः। सर्व ते पावना विप्राः पङ्क्तीनां समुदाहृताः ।। १७.

And the Brahmin who has mastered the Barhaspatya Shastra—indeed, all these Brahmins are declared to be purifiers of the line.

आमन्त्रितस्तु यः श्राद्धे योषितं सेवते द्विजः। पितरस्तस्य तं मासं तस्य रेतसि शेरते ।। १७.

If a twice-born, invited to a śrāddha, has intercourse with a woman, his ancestors remain in his semen for that month.

श्राद्धं दत्त्वा च भुक्त्वा च मैथुनं यो निषेवते। पितरस्तस्य तं मासं रेतःस्था नात्र संशयः ।। १७.

He who, after giving and eating at a śrāddha, engages in sexual union—his ancestors remain in his semen for that month; of this there is no doubt.

तस्मादतिथये देयं भोजयेद्ब्रह्मचारिणम्। ध्याननिष्ठाय दातव्यं सानुक्रोशाय धार्मिकम् ।। १७.

Therefore, one should give to a guest, feed a celibate student, and give to one devoted to meditation, to one compassionate and righteous.

यतिं वा वालखिल्यान् वा भोजयेच्छ्राद्धकर्म्मणि। वानप्रस्थोपकुर्व्वाणः पूजामात्रेण तोषितः ।। १७.

One may feed an ascetic or the Vālakhilyas at a śrāddha; the forest-dweller, if present, is satisfied with mere honor.

गृहस्थं भोजयेद्यस्तु विश्वेदेवास्तु पूजिताः। वानप्रस्थेन ऋषयो वालखिल्यैः पुरन्दरः ।। १७.

He who feeds a householder causes the Viśvedevas to be worshipped; by the forest-dweller, the sages are satisfied, and by the Vālakhilyas, Indra.

यतीनां पूजने चापि साक्षाद्ब्रह्मा तु पूजितः। आश्रमाः पावनाः पञ्च उपधाभिरनाश्रमाः ।। १७.

And in the worship of ascetics, Brahma himself is worshipped; the five āśramas are purifying, but those outside the āśramas, with false marks, are not.

चत्वार आश्रमाः पूज्याः श्राद्धे दैवे तथैव च। चतुराश्रमबाह्येभ्यः श्राद्धं नैव प्रदापयेत् ।। १७.

The four āśramas are to be honored at śrāddhas and also at divine rites; one should not have śrāddha performed by those outside the four āśramas.

स तिष्ठेद्वा बुभुक्षुस्तु चतुराश्रमबाह्यतः। अयति र्मोक्षवादी च उभौ तौ पङ्क्तिदूषकौ ।। १७.

If someone, though hungry, remains outside the four āśramas, or is an undisciplined or false renouncer, both are defilers of the line.

वृथामुण्डाश्च जटिलाः सर्वे कार्प्पटिकास्तथा। निर्घृणान् भिन्नवृत्तांश्च सर्वभक्षान् विवर्जयेत् ।। १७.

One should avoid all those who are shaven-headed in vain, those with matted hair, all who wear rags, the cruel, those of deviant conduct, and those who eat anything.

कारुकादीननाचारान् सर्ववेदबहिष्कृतान्। गायनान् देववृत्तांश्च हव्यकव्येषु वर्जयेत् ।। १७.

One should avoid, in offerings to gods and ancestors, those who are singers, dancers, actors, those excluded from all the Vedas, and those who recite divine stories.

द्विजेष्वपि कृतं नित्यं श्राद्धकर्म्मणि वर्जयेत् ।। १७.

Even if they are twice-born, those who perform such acts should always be excluded from the śrāddha rite.

एतेषु वर्त्तते यश्च कृत्स्ववर्णं स गच्छति। योऽश्नाति सह शूद्रेण सर्वे ते पङ्क्तिदूषकाः ।। १७.

Whoever engages in these practices loses their entire caste status; and all who eat together with a Śūdra are defilers of the ritual line.

व्यापादनं शक्तिनिबर्हणं कृषिर्वाणिज्यकार्य्यं पशुपालनं च। शुश्रूषणं वाप्यगुरो रहो वा कार्य्यं नैतद्विद्यते ब्राह्मणस्य ।। १७.

For a brāhmaṇa, there is no proper occupation in killing, restraining by force, agriculture, trade, cattle-keeping, serving a non-brāhmaṇa, or secret work.

ये तु विप्राः स्थिता नित्यं ज्ञानिनो ध्यानिनस्तथा। मिथ्यासङ्कल्पिनः सर्वे दुर्वृत्ता वा द्विजातयः ।। १७.

Those brāhmaṇas who are always established in knowledge and meditation, but are false in resolve or of bad conduct, are all to be considered fallen twice-born.

मिथ्यातत्त्वविदो वर्ज्ज्यास्तथा दम्भविषूचकाः। उपपातकसंयुक्ताः पातकैश्च विशेषतः ।। १७.

Those who know false doctrines, who are hypocrites and deceivers, who are associated with minor or major sins, are to be avoided.

वेदे नियोगदातारो लोभमोहफलार्थिनः। ब्रह्मविक्रयिणश्चैव श्राद्धकर्म्मणि वर्जिताः ।। १७.

Those who assign Vedic recitation for hire, who seek gain from greed or delusion, and those who sell the Veda, are to be excluded from the śrāddha rite.

न नियोगोऽस्ति वेदानां यो नियुङ्क्ते स पापकृत्। भोक्ता वेदफलाद्भ्रश्येद्दाता दानफलात्तथा ।। १७.

There is no hiring out of the Vedas; whoever does so commits sin. The one who enjoys the fruit of the Veda loses its reward, and the giver loses the merit of his gift.

भृतोऽध्यापयते यस्तु भृतकाध्यापितस्तु यः । नार्हतस्तावपि श्राद्धं ब्रह्मणः क्रियविक्रयी ।। १७.

He who teaches for hire, and he who learns for hire, both are unfit for the śrāddha; for they make a trade of sacred rites.

क्रयविक्रयिणौ चैव जीवितार्थं विगर्हितौ। वृत्तिरेषा तु वैश्यस्य ब्राह्मणस्य तु पातकम् ।। १७.

Both buyer and seller, when doing so for livelihood, are to be condemned; this is the occupation of a Vaiśya, but for a brāhmaṇa it is a sin.

प्राहुर्वेदान् वेदविदो वेदान् यश्चोपजीवति १७.

Those who know the Vedas declare that whoever lives off the Vedas is likewise condemned.

वृथा दारांश्च यो गच्छेद्यो यजेत वृथाध्वरे। नार्हतस्तावपि श्राद्धं द्विजो यश्चैव नास्तिकः ।। १७.

Whoever approaches another's wife without reason, or performs a sacrifice without purpose, is unfit for the śrāddha, as is the twice-born who is an atheist.