In days of old, it was taught that one who sincerely follows the prescribed path to liberation—maintaining purity, contentment, and a tranquil mind—becomes peaceful like a flame that has exhausted its fuel. Such a twice-born soul, composed and serene, attains the world of Brahma. King Sagara, eager for wisdom, approached the sage Aurva and said, “O best of the twice-born, you have described the duties of the four stages of life and the actions of the four classes. Now, I wish to hear about the rites that a man must perform. Please explain fully the obligatory, occasional, and desire-motivated rites, O sage of the Bhrigu lineage, for I consider you all-knowing.” Aurva replied, “You have asked about the rites that are obligatory and occasional. Listen carefully as I explain them to you. For every newborn, the father should perform all the birth rites and related ceremonies, including the auspicious śrāddha. He should feed Brahmins in pairs, seating them facing east, and make offerings to the gods and ancestors according to the satisfaction of the twice-born. With curd mixed with barley and other ingredients, using sacred water, the father should joyfully offer balls of food to those facing the Nandi direction as a divine offering. Alternatively, he may perform the prājāpatya rite, conducting all ceremonies in a clockwise manner, and do so at all times of increase. On the tenth day, the father should give the child a name, beginning with a divine prefix and ending with a human one, joined with ‘śarma’, ‘varma’, or similar suffixes. ‘Śarma’ is prescribed for a Brahmin, ‘Varma’ for a Kshatriya, while names indicating protection or service are suitable for Vaiśyas and Śūdras. The name should not be meaningless, inauspicious, harsh, or unwholesome; it must be complete and free from reproach. It should be neither too long nor too short, nor have excessively heavy syllables, and must be easy to pronounce, containing a syllable from the sacred ‘praṇava’. After these sacraments, the child should, following proper rules, undertake the acquisition of knowledge in the teacher’s house. Once the student has gained knowledge and given the teacher his due fee, if he desires household life, he should take a wife. Alternatively, with prior resolve, he may remain a celibate for some time, serving his teacher or the teacher’s son and others. If he wishes, he may become a forest-dweller or a renunciant; whatever was previously resolved, that he should do. When choosing a wife, a man should marry someone younger by one third of his age. She should not have hair that is too scanty or too abundant, nor should she be too dark or tawny in complexion. He should avoid marrying a woman whose limbs are naturally excessive or deficient, who is impure, excessively hairy, born from a mixed caste, or afflicted with disease. He should not marry a wicked woman, one who speaks harshly, is deformed from birth, is the mother of a son, has a beard or masculine features, or appears manly. Likewise, he should avoid marrying a woman with a harsh, hoarse, thin, or crow-like voice, or one with eyes set too close or too round. He should not marry a woman with hairy shins, prominent ankles, hollow cheeks, or one who laughs excessively. A wise man should not marry a girl with excessively rough skin, pigeon-red eyes, or thick hands and feet. He should avoid marrying one who is too short or too tall, whose eyebrows are joined, whose teeth are widely spaced, or whose mouth is misshapen. A householder should marry a maiden from the fifth generation on the mother’s side and the seventh on the father’s side, according to proper rule and law. There are eight recognized forms of marriage: Brāhma, Daiva, Ārṣa, Prājāpatya, Āsura, Gāndharva, Rākṣasa, and Paiśāca. Of these, whichever form is prescribed for his class by the great sages, that alone should a man perform to take a wife, avoiding the others. Having obtained a wife who follows the same dharma, one should enter household life together with her; this union, properly concealed, yields great fruit. Parāśara, the sage, later recounted, “Thus did the venerable Aurva speak to the great-souled Sagara when he inquired about the conduct of the virtuous. I too have told you all this in full, O twice-born, about supreme good conduct; who does not attain excellence by following it?” Maitreya, the disciple, then asked, “O venerable one, I have understood about the six heretical sects and others, as well as those like the Udākyas; but I wish to know about the Nagras. Who is a Nagra? What is their conduct? How does one acquire the designation of Nagra? Please explain the true nature of a Nagra, O best of the righteous; nothing is unknown to you.” Parāśara replied, “Whoever, out of delusion, abandons the injunctions of the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas, though belonging to the three varṇas, is called a Nagra and is considered sinful. The three Vedas are the protection of all the varṇas, O twice-born; when one abandons them, he becomes a Nagra—there is no doubt. Now hear another account, which the wise Vasiṣṭha, our ancestor, told to the great-souled Bhīṣma. I too heard this from him, as he spoke about the connection of the city, just as you have now asked me. Once, O twice-born, there was a celestial battle between the gods and the asuras. In that conflict, the gods were defeated by the daityas led by Hṛāda. The gods went to the northern shore of the Milk Ocean and performed austerities there, desiring to worship Viṣṇu. At that time, they recited this hymn: ‘Today, the Blessed One will speak the words by which Viṣṇu, Lord of the worlds, may be propitiated; may Viṣṇu be pleased by them. From whom all beings arise, in whom they all dissolve—who in this world is capable of praising that Supreme Lord? Yet, though our strength is destroyed by ignorance and desire, we who seek liberation will praise you only as far as your qualities can be grasped.’ Thus, the story unfolds, teaching the duties, rites, and conduct prescribed for men, the nature of those who stray from the Vedas, and the devotion of the gods in times of need.