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.
यस्त्वेतां नियतश्चर्यां वानप्रस्थश्चरेन्मुनिः । स दहत्यग्निवद्दोषाञ्जयेल्लोकांश्च शाश्वतान्
The forest-dweller who practices this regulated conduct burns away faults like fire and attains eternal worlds.
चतुर्थश्चाश्रमो भिक्षोः प्रोच्यते यो मनीषिभिः । तस्य स्वरूपं गदतो मम श्रोतुं नृपार्हसि
The fourth stage, that of the renunciant, is declared by the wise; you should hear from me, O king, the nature of that state.
पुत्रद्र व्यकलत्रेषु त्यक्तस्नेहो नराधिप । चतुर्थमाश्रमस्थानं गच्छेन्निर्धूतमत्सरः
Having abandoned affection for sons, relatives, and wife, and free from envy, one should enter the fourth stage, O ruler of men.
त्रैवर्गिकांस्त्यजेत्सर्वानारंभानवनीपते । मित्रादिषु समो मैत्रस्समस्तेष्वेव जंतुषु
He should renounce all undertakings related to the three aims of life, O lord of the earth, and be equal toward friends and others, maintaining friendliness toward all beings.
जरायुजांडजादीनां वाड्मनःकायकर्मभिः । युक्तः कुर्वीत न द्रो हं सर्वसंगांश्च वर्जयेत्
Engaged in right action by speech, mind, and body toward all creatures—whether born from womb, egg, or otherwise—he should not harm anyone and should avoid all attachments.
एकारात्रस्थितिर्ग्रामे पंचरात्रस्थितिः पुरे । तथा तिष्ठेद्यथाप्रीतिर्द्वेषो वा नास्य जायते
He should stay in a village for one night, in a city for five nights, and remain in such a way that neither attachment nor aversion arises in him.
प्राणयात्रानिमित्तं च व्यंगारे भुक्तवज्जने । काले प्रशस्तवर्णानां भिक्षार्थं पर्यटेद्गृहान्
For the sake of sustaining life, he may eat food obtained without request, and at the proper time, he should go from house to house for alms among those of good conduct.
कामः क्रोधस्तथा दर्पमोहलोभादयश्च ये । तांस्तु सर्वान्परित्यज्य परिव्राण्निर्ममो भवेत्
Desire, anger, pride, delusion, greed, and the rest—having abandoned all these, the wandering renunciant should become free from possessiveness.
अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो दत्त्वा यश्चरते मुनिः । तस्यापि सर्वभूतेभ्यो न भयं विद्यते क्वचित्
A sage who, having granted fearlessness to all beings, lives accordingly—such a one has nothing to fear from any being, anywhere.
कृत्वाग्निहोत्रं स्वशरीरसंस्थं शारीरमग्निं स्वमुखे जुहोति । विप्रस्तु भैक्ष्योपहितैर्हविर्भिश्चिताग्निकानां व्रजति स्म लोकान्
Having established the sacred fire within his own body, he offers oblations into his own mouth as the bodily fire; but a Brahmin, with offerings obtained by alms, attains the worlds of those who have kindled the funeral fire.