दानं च दद्याच्छूद्रोपि पाकयज्ञैर्यजेत च । पित्र्यादिकं च तत्सर्वं शुद्रः कुर्वीत तेन वै ॥ ३,८.
A Shudra may also give gifts and worship with domestic sacrifices; all rites such as ancestral offerings may be performed by him.
भृत्यादिभरणार्थाय सर्वेषां च परिग्रहः । ऋतुकालेभिगमनं स्वदारेषु महीपते ॥ ३,८.
For the support of servants and others, all may accept possessions; approaching one's own wives during the proper season, O King.
दया समस्तभूतेषु तितिक्षा नातिमानिता । सत्यं शौचमनायासो मङ्गलं प्रियवादिता ॥ ३,८.
Compassion toward all beings, forbearance, absence of arrogance, truthfulness, purity, lack of anxiety, auspiciousness, and speaking kindly—these are virtues.
मैत्र्यस्पृहा तथा तद्वदकार्पण्यंनरेश्वर । अनुसूया च सामान्यवर्णानां कथिता गुणाः ॥ ३,८.
Friendliness, non-covetousness, likewise non-miserliness, and absence of envy—these are said to be the virtues of all common classes, O lord of men.
आश्रमाणां च सर्वेषामेते सामान्यलक्षणाः । गुणांस्तथावद्धर्मांश्च विप्रादीनामिमाञ्छृणु ॥ ३,८.
And these are the general characteristics for all the āśramas as well; now hear, in the same manner, the virtues and duties specific to the Brāhmaṇa and others.
क्षात्त्रं कर्म द्विजस्योक्तं वैश्यं कर्म तथा पदि । राजन्यस्य च वैश्योक्तं शूद्रकर्म न चैतयोः ॥ ३,८.
The duty of a Kṣatriya is prescribed for a twice-born; the duty of a Vaiśya likewise in adversity; but the duty of a Śūdra is not for these two.
सामर्थ्ये सति तत्त्याज्यमुभाभ्यामपि पार्थिव । तदेवापदि कर्तव्यं न कुर्यात्कर्मसंकरम् ॥ ३,८.
If capable, both may abandon such duties even in distress, O king; only in adversity should they perform them, but they should not mix the duties of the classes.
इत्येते कथिता राजन्वर्णधर्मा मया तव । धर्मानाश्रमिणां सम्यग्ब्रुवतो मे निशामय ॥ ३,८.
Thus, O king, I have described to you the duties of the classes; now listen as I properly declare the duties of the orders of life.
और्व उवाच । बालः कृतोपनयनो वेदाहरणतत्परः । गुरुगेहे वसेद्भूप ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः
Aurva said: A boy who has undergone initiation, devoted to reciting the Veda, should reside with his teacher, O king, intent as a student.
शौचा चारव्रतं तत्र कार्य्यं शुश्रूषणं गुरोः । व्रतानि चरता ग्राह्यो वेदश्च कृतबुद्धिना
There, he should practice purity, good conduct, and vows, and serve his teacher; while observing the vows, he should learn the Veda with a determined mind.
उभे संध्ये रविं भूप तथैवाग्निं समाहितः । उपतिष्ठेत्तदा कुर्य्याद्गुरोरप्यभिवादनम्
At both twilights, O king, he should worship the sun and fire with concentration; then he should also salute his teacher.
स्थिते तिष्ठेद्व्रजेद्याते नीचैरासीत चासति । शिष्यो गुरोर्नृपश्रेष्ठ प्रतिकूलं न संचरेत्
When the teacher stands, he should stand; when he goes, he should follow; when the teacher is seated, he should sit below; O best of kings, the student should not act contrary to the teacher.
तेनैवोक्तं पठेद्वेदं नान्यचित्तः पुरस्स्थितः । अनुज्ञातश्च भिक्षान्नमश्नीयाद्गुरुणा ततः
He should recite the Veda only as instructed by the teacher, with his mind not distracted, in the teacher’s presence; and, having been permitted by the teacher, he should eat alms-food.
अवगाहेदपः पूर्वमाचार्य्येणावगाहितः । समिज्जलादिकं चास्य काल्यं काल्यमुपानयेत्
He should bathe after the teacher has bathed first; and he should bring water, firewood, and the like for the teacher at the proper times.
गृहीतग्राह्यवेदश्च ततोनुज्ञामवाप्य च । गार्हस्थ्यमाविश्त्प्रोआ!ज्ञो निष्पन्नगुरुनिष्कृतिः
Having learned and mastered the Veda, and having obtained permission, he should enter household life, having fulfilled the teacher’s due.
विधिनावाप्तदारस्तु धनं प्राप्य स्वकर्मणा । गृहस्थकार्य्यमखिलं कुर्य्याद्भूपाल शक्तितः
Having obtained a wife according to the prescribed rite, and wealth by his own work, he should perform all the duties of a householder, O protector of the earth, to the best of his ability.
निवापेन पितॄनर्चन्यज्ञैर्देवांस्तथातिथीन् । अन्नैर्मुनींश्च स्वाध्यायैरपत्येन प्रजापतिम्
He should honor the ancestors with offerings, the gods and guests with sacrifices, the sages with food, the Veda with study, and the Creator with offspring.
भूतानि बलिभिश्चैव वात्सल्येनाखिलं जगत् । प्राप्नोति लोकान्पुरुषो निजकर्मसमार्जितान्
He should offer oblations to beings, cherish the whole world with affection; a man attains the worlds earned by his own actions.
बिक्षाभुजश्च ये केचित्परिव्राड्ब्रह्मचारिणः । तेप्यत्रैव प्रतिष्ठंते गार्हस्थ्यं तेन वै परम्
Those who live on alms, whether wandering ascetics or students, are also established here; therefore, householdership is considered supreme.
वेदाहरणकार्य्याय तीर्थस्नानाय च प्रभो । अटंति वसुधां विप्राः पृथिवीदर्शनाय च
For the sake of reciting the Veda and bathing at sacred fords, O lord, the Brāhmaṇas wander the earth, and also to see the world.
अनिकेता ह्यनाहारा यत्र सायंगृहाश्च ये । तेषां गृहस्थः सर्वेषां प्रतिष्ठा योनिरेव च
Those who have no fixed abode, who do not eat regularly, and who dwell wherever evening finds them—the householder is the support and origin for all of them.
तेषां स्वागतदानादिवक्तव्यं मधुरं नृप । गृहागतानां दद्याच्च शयनासनभोजनम्
To such guests, O King, one should speak sweetly, welcoming them and offering gifts; and to those who come to the house, one should provide a bed, a seat, and food.
अतिथिर्यस्य भग्नाशो गृहात्प्रतिनिवर्त्तते । स दत्त्वा दुष्कृतं तस्मै पुण्यमादाय गच्छति
If a guest, whose hopes are disappointed, leaves a house, the householder gives him his sin and takes away his merit.
अवज्ञानमहंकारो दंभश्चैव गृह सतः । परितापोपघातौ च पारुष्यं च न शस्यते
For a householder, disrespect, pride, hypocrisy, distress, harm, and harshness are not to be approved.
यस्तु सम्यक्करोत्येवं गृहस्थः परमं विधिम् । सर्वबंधविनिर्मुक्तो लोकानाप्नोत्यनुत्तमान्
But the householder who properly follows this supreme rule becomes free from all bonds and attains the highest worlds.
वयःपरिणतो राजन्कृतकृत्यो गृहाश्रमी । पुत्रेषु भार्यां निक्षिप्य वनं गच्छेत्सहैव वा
When old age comes, O King, and the householder has fulfilled his duties, he should entrust his wife to his sons and go to the forest, either alone or with her.
पर्णमूलफलाहारः केशश्मश्रुजटाधरः । भूमिशायी भवेत्तत्र मुनिस्सर्वातिथिर्नृप
There, living on leaves, roots, and fruits, wearing matted hair and beard, and lying on the ground, he should become a sage, receiving all guests, O King.
चर्मकाशकुशैः कुर्य्यात्परिधानोत्तरीयके । तद्वत्त्रिषवणं स्नानं शस्तमस्य नरेश्वर
He should make his upper and lower garments from skin, bark, or grass; likewise, bathing three times a day is proper for him, O lord of men.
देवताभ्यर्चनं होमस्सर्वाभ्यागतपूजनम् । भिक्षाबलिप्रदानं च शस्तमस्य नरेश्वर
Worship of the deities, offering oblations, honoring all who come, and giving alms and offerings are proper for him, O lord of men.
वन्यस्नेहेन गात्राणामभ्यंगश्चास्य शस्यते । तपश्च तस्य राजेंद्र शीतोष्णादिसहिष्णुता
Anointing his body with forest oils is recommended for him, and, O king of kings, so too is asceticism and endurance of heat, cold, and the like.