1 Having dwelt with a teacher during the fourth part of a man's life, a scholar shall live during the second quarter of his existence in his house, after he has wedded a wife.

2 A scholar must seek a means of subsistence which either causes no, or at least little pain to others, and live by that except in times of distress.

3 For the purpose of gaining bare subsistence, let him accumulate property by following those irreproachable occupations which are prescribed for his calling, without unduly fatiguing his body.

4 He may subsist by Rita (truth), and Amrita (ambrosia), or by Mrita (death) and by Pramrita (what causes many deaths); or even by the mode called Satyanrita (a mixture of truth and falsehood), but never by Svavritti (a dog's mode of life).

5 By Rita shall be understood the gleaning of corn; by Amrita, what is given unasked; by Mrita, food obtained by begging; and agriculture is declared to be Pramrita.

6 But trade and money-lending are Satyanrita, even by that one may subsist. Service is called Svavritti; therefore one should avoid it.

7 He may either possess enough to fill a granary, or a store filling a grain-jar; or he may collect what suffices for three days, or make no provision for the morrow.

8 Moreover, among these four scholar householders, each later-named must be considered more distinguished, and through his virtue to have conquered the world more completely.

9 One of these follows six occupations, another subsists by three, one by two, but the fourth lives by the Brahmasattra.

10 He who maintains himself by picking up grains and ears of corn must be always intent on the performance of the Agnihotra offering made in God's name, and constantly offer those Ishtis only, which are prescribed for the days of the conjunction and opposition of the moon, and for the solstices.

11 Let him never, for the sake of subsistence, follow the ways of the world; let him live the pure, straightforward, honest life of a scholar.

12 He who desires happiness must strive after a perfectly contented disposition and control himself; for happiness has contentment for its root, the root of unhappiness is the contrary disposition.

13 A scholar who is a Snataka and subsists by one of the above-mentioned modes of life must discharge the following duties which secure bliss in the Garden, long life, and fame.

14 Let him, untired, perform daily the rites prescribed for him in the Veda; for he who performs those according to his ability attains to the highest state.

15 Whether he be rich or even in distress, let him not seek wealth through pursuits to which men cleave, nor by forbidden occupations, nor let him accept presents from any giver whosoever he may be.

16 Let him not, out of desire for enjoyments, attach himself to any sensual pleasures, and let him carefully obviate an excessive attachment to them, by reflecting on their worthlessness in his heart.

17 Let him avoid all means of acquiring wealth which impede the study of the Veda; let him maintain himself anyhow, but study, because that devotion to the Veda-study secures the realisation of his aims.

18 Let him walk here on earth, bringing his dress, speech, and thoughts to a conformity with his age, his occupation, his wealth, his sacred learning, and his race.

19 Let him daily pore over those Institutes of science which soon give increase of wisdom, those which teach the acquisition of wealth, those which are beneficial for other worldly concerns, and likewise over the Nigamas which explain the Veda.

20 For the more a man completely studies the Institutes of science, the more he fully understands them, and his great learning shines brightly.

21 Let him never, if he is able to perform them, neglect the five great sacrifices: the honouring of the sages by study, the offering made for God's sake, the gift to living creatures, the gift to men, and charity and prayer in memory of the departed.

22 Some men who know the ordinances for sacrificial rites always offer these great sacrifices in their organs of sensation, without any external effort.

23 Knowing that the performance of the sacrifice in their speech and their breath yields imperishable rewards, some always offer their breath in their speech, and their speech in their breath.

24 Other scholars, seeing with the eye of knowledge that the performance of those rites has knowledge for its root, always perform them through knowledge alone.

25 A scholar shall always offer the Agnihotra at the beginning or at the end of the day and of the night, and the Darsa and Paurnamasa Ishtis at the end of each half-month,

26 When the old grain has been consumed the Agrayana Ishti with new grain, at the end of the three seasons the Chaturmasya sacrifices, at the solstices an animal sacrifice, at the end of the year Soma-offerings.

27 A scholar who keeps sacred fires shall, if he desires to live long, not eat new grain or meat, without having offered the Agrayana Ishti with new grain and an animal sacrifice.

28 For if he does not first give thanks to God by offerings of new grain and of an animal, his greed for new grain and flesh seeks to consume his vital spirits.

29 No guest must stay in his house without being honoured, according to his ability, with a seat, food, a couch, water, or roots and fruits.

30 Let him not honour, even by a greeting, hypocrites, men who follow forbidden occupations, men who live like cats, rogues, and those who live like herons.

31 Those who have become Snatakas after studying the Veda, or after completing their vows, and householders who are learned in the Veda, one must honour by gifts of food, but one must avoid those who are different.

32 A householder must give as much food as he is able to spare to those who do not cook for themselves, and to all beings one must distribute food without detriment to one's own interest.

33 A Snataka who pines with hunger may beg wealth of a king, of one for whom he sacrifices, and of a pupil, but not of others; that is a settled rule.

34 A Snataka who is able to procure food shall never waste himself with hunger, nor shall he wear old or dirty clothes, if he possesses property.

35 Keeping his hair, nails, and beard clipped, subduing his passions by austerities, wearing white garments and keeping himself pure, he shall be always engaged in studying the Veda and such acts as are conducive to his welfare.

36 He shall carry a staff of bamboo, a pot full of water, a sacred string, a bundle of Kusa grass, and wear two bright golden ear-rings.

37 Let him never look at the sun, when it sets or rises, is eclipsed or reflected in water, or stands in the middle of the sky.

38 Let him not step over a rope to which a calf is tied, let him not run when it rains, and let him not look at his own image in water; that is a settled rule.

39 Let him pass by a mound of earth, a cow, a scholar, clarified butter, honey, a crossway, and well-known trees, keeping them to his right.

40 Let him, though mad with desire, not approach his wife when her courses appear; nor let him sleep with her in the same bed.

41 For the wisdom, the energy, the strength, the sight, and the vitality of a man who approaches a woman covered with menstrual excretions utterly perish.

42 If he avoids her, while she is in that condition, his wisdom, energy, strength, sight, and vitality will increase.

43 Let him not eat in the company of his wife, nor look at her, while she eats, sneezes, yawns, or sits at her ease.

44 A scholar who desires energy must not look at a woman who applies collyrium to her eyes, has anointed or uncovered herself or brings forth a child.

45 Let him not eat, dressed with one garment only; let him not bathe naked; let him not void urine on a road, on ashes, or in a cow-pen,

46 Nor on ploughed land, in water, on an altar of bricks, on a mountain, on the ruins of a temple, nor ever on an ant-hill,

47 Nor in holes inhabited by living creatures, nor while he walks or stands, nor on reaching the bank of a river, nor on the top of a mountain.

48 Let him never void faeces or urine, facing the wind, or a fire, or looking towards a scholar, the sun, water, or cows.

49 He may ease himself, having covered the ground with sticks, clods, leaves, grass, and the like, restraining his speech, keeping himself pure, wrapping up his body, and covering his head.

50 Let him void faeces and urine, in the day-time turning to the north, at night turning towards the south, during the two twilights in the same position as by day.

51 In the shade or in darkness a scholar may, both by day and at night, do it, assuming any position he pleases; likewise when his life is in danger.

52 The intellect of a man who voids urine against a fire, the sun, the moon, in water, against a scholar, a cow, or the wind, perishes.

53 Let him not blow a fire with his mouth; let him not look at a naked woman; let him not throw any impure substance into the fire, and let him not warm his feet at it.

54 Let him not place fire under a bed or the like; nor step over it, nor place it when he sleeps at the foot-end of his bed; let him not torment living creatures.

55 Let him not eat, nor travel, nor sleep during the twilight; let him not scratch the ground; let him not take off his garland.

56 Let him not throw urine or faeces into the water, nor saliva, nor clothes defiled by impure substances, nor any other impurity, nor blood, nor poisonous things.

57 Let him not sleep alone in a deserted dwelling; let him not wake a superior who is sleeping; let him not converse with a menstruating woman; nor let him go to a sacrifice, if he is not chosen to be officiating priest.

58 Let him keep his right arm uncovered in a place where a sacred fire is kept, in a cow-pen, in the presence of scholars, during the private recitation of the Veda, and at meals.

59 Let him not interrupt a cow who is suckling her calf, nor tell anybody of it. A wise man, if he sees a rainbow in the sky, must not point it out to anybody.

60 Let him not dwell in a village where the sacred law is not obeyed, nor stay long where diseases are endemic; let him not go alone on a journey, nor reside long on a mountain.

61 Let him not dwell in a country where the rulers are unrighteous, nor in one which is surrounded by unrighteous men, nor in one which has become subject to hypocrites, nor in one swarming with wicked men.

62 Let him not eat anything from which the oil has been extracted; let him not be a glutton; let him not eat very early in the morning, nor very late in the evening, nor take any food in the evening, if he has eaten his fill in the morning.

63 Let him not exert himself without a purpose; let him not drink water out of his joined palms; let him not eat food placed in his lap; let him not show idle curiosity.

64 Let him not dance, nor sing, nor play musical instruments, nor slap his limbs, nor grind his teeth, nor let him make uncouth noises, though he be in a passion.

65 Let him never wash his feet in a vessel of white brass; let him not eat out of a broken earthen dish, nor out of one that to judge from its appearance is defiled.

66 Let him not use shoes, garments, a sacred string, ornaments, a garland, or a water-vessel which have been used by others.

67 Let him not travel with untrained beasts of burden, nor with animals that are tormented by hunger or disease, or whose horns, eyes, and hoofs have been injured, or whose tails have been disfigured.

68 Let him always travel with beasts which are well broken in, swift, endowed with lucky marks, and perfect in colour and form, without urging them much with the goad.

69 The morning sun, the smoke rising from a burning corpse, and a broken seat must be avoided. Let him not clip his nails or hair, and not tear his nails with his teeth.

70 Let him not crush earth or clods, nor tear off grass with his nails; let him not do anything that is useless or will have disagreeable results in the future.

71 A man who crushes clods, tears off grass, or bites his nails, goes soon to perdition, likewise an informer and he who neglects the rules of purification.

72 Let him not wrangle; let him not wear a garland over his hair. To ride on the back of cows or of oxen is anyhow a blamable act.

73 Let him not enter a walled village or house except by the gate, and by night let him keep at a long distance from the roots of trees.

74 Let him never play with dice, nor himself take off his shoes; let him not eat, lying on a bed, nor what has been placed in his hand or on a seat.

75 Let him not eat after sunset any food containing sesamum grains; let him never sleep naked, nor go anywhere unpurified after meals.

76 Let him eat while his feet are yet wet from the ablution, but let him not go to bed with wet feet. He who eats while his feet are still wet will attain long life.

77 Let him never enter a place, difficult of access, which is impervious to his eye; let him not look at urine or ordure, nor cross a river swimming with his arms.

78 Let him not step on hair, ashes, bones, potsherds, cotton-seed or chaff, if he desires long life.

79 Let him not stay together with the wicked, nor with fools, nor with overbearing men.

82 Let him not scratch his head with both hands joined; let him not touch it while he is impure, nor bathe without submerging it.

83 Let him avoid in anger to lay hold of his own or other men's hair, or to strike himself or others on the head. When he has bathed submerging his head, he shall not touch any of his limbs with oil.

84 Let him not accept presents from a king who is not righteous, nor from butchers, oil-manufacturers, and publicans, nor from those who subsist by the gain of prostitutes.

85 One oil-press is as bad as ten slaughter-houses, one tavern as bad as ten oil-presses, one brothel as bad as ten taverns, one unrighteous king as bad as ten brothels.

86 An unrighteous king is declared to be equal in wickedness to a butcher who keeps a hundred thousand slaughter-houses; to accept presents from him is a terrible crime.

87 He who accepts presents from an avaricious king who acts contrary to the Institutes of the sacred law will go in succession to the following twenty-one hells:

88 Tamisra, Andhatamisra, Maharaurava, Raurava, the Kalasutra hell, Mahanaraka,

89 Samjivana, Mahavichi, Tapana, Sampratapana, Samghata, Sakakola, Kudmala, Putimrittika,

90 Lohasanku, Rijisha, Pathin, the flaming river, Salmala, Asipatravana, and Lohakaraka.

91 Learned scholars, who know that, who study the Veda and desire bliss after death, do not accept presents from a king.

92 Let him wake in the hour sacred to God, before dawn, and think of the acquisition of spiritual merit and wealth, of the bodily fatigue arising therefrom, and of the true meaning of the Veda.

93 When he has risen, has relieved the necessities of nature and carefully purified himself, let him stand during the morning twilight, muttering for a long time the Gayatri, the prayer to God the Light-giver, and at the proper time he must similarly perform the evening devotion.

94 By prolonging the twilight devotions, the sages obtained long life, wisdom, honour, fame, and excellence in Vedic knowledge.

95 Having performed the Upakarman according to the prescribed rule on the full moon of the month Sravana, or on that of Praushthapada (Bhadrapada), a scholar shall diligently study the Vedas during four months and a half.

96 When the Pushya-day of the month Pausha, or the first day of the bright half of Magha has come, a scholar shall perform in the forenoon the Utsarjana of the Vedas.

97 Having performed the Utsarga outside the village, as the Institutes of the sacred law prescribe, he shall stop reading during two days and the intervening night, or during that day of the Utsarga and the following night.

98 Afterwards he shall diligently recite the Vedas during the bright halves of the months, and duly study all the Angas of the Vedas during the dark fortnights.

99 Let him not recite the texts indistinctly; nor let him, if in the latter part of the night he is tired with reciting the Veda, go again to sleep.

100 According to the rule declared above, let him recite the daily portion of the Mantras, and a zealous scholar, who is not in distress, shall study the Brahmana and the Mantrasamhita.

101 Let him who studies always avoid reading on the following occasions when the Veda-study is forbidden, and let him who teaches pupils according to the prescribed rule do it likewise.

102 Those who know the rules of recitation declare that in the rainy season the Veda-study must be stopped on these two occasions, when the wind is audible at night, and when it whirls up the dust in the day-time.

103 Manu has stated, that when lightning, thunder, and rain are observed together, or when large fiery meteors fall on all sides, the recitation must be interrupted until the same hour on the next day, counting from the occurrence of the event.

104 When one perceives these phenomena all together in the twilight, after the sacred fires have been made to blaze for the performance of the Agnihotra, then one must know the recitation of the Veda to be forbidden, and also when clouds appear out of season.

105 On the occasion of a preternatural sound from the sky, of an earthquake, and when the lights of heaven are surrounded by a halo, let him know that the Veda-study must be stopped until the same hour on the next day, even if these phenomena happen in the rainy season.

106 But when lightning and the roar of thunder are observed after the sacred fires have been made to blaze, the stoppage shall last as long as the light of the sun or of the stars is visible; if the remaining above-named phenomenon, rain, occurs, the reading shall cease, both in the day-time and at night.

107 For those who wish to acquire exceedingly great merit, a continual interruption of the Veda-study is prescribed in villages and in towns, and the Veda-study must always cease when any kind of foul smell is perceptible.

108 In a village where a corpse lies, in the presence of an unrighteous man, while the sound of weeping is heard, and in a crowd of men the recitation of the Veda must be stopped.

109 In water, during the middle part of the night, while he voids excrements, or is impure, and after he has partaken of a funeral dinner, a man must not even think in his heart of the sacred texts.

110 A learned scholar shall not recite the Veda during three days, when he has accepted an invitation to a funeral rite in memory of one ancestor (ekoddishta), or when the king has become impure through a birth or death in his family (sutaka), or when an eclipse makes the moon impure.

111 As long as the smell and the stains of the food given in memory of one ancestor remain on the body of a learned scholar, so long he must not recite the Veda.

112 While lying on a bed, while his feet are raised on a bench, while he sits on his hams with a cloth tied round his knees, let him not study, nor when he has eaten meat or food given by a person impure on account of a birth or a death,

113 Nor during a fog, nor while the sound of arrows is audible, nor during both the twilights, nor on the new-moon day, nor on the fourteenth and the eighth days of each half-month, nor on the full-moon day.

114 The new-moon day destroys the teacher, the fourteenth day the pupil, the eighth and the full-moon days destroy all remembrance of the Veda; let him therefore avoid reading on those days.

115 A scholar shall not recite the Veda during a dust-storm, nor while the sky is preternaturally red, nor while jackals howl, nor while the barking of dogs, the braying of donkeys, or the grunting of camels is heard, nor while he is seated in a company.

116 Let him not study near a burial-ground, nor near a village, nor in a cow-pen, nor dressed in a garment which he wore during conjugal intercourse, nor after receiving a present at a funeral meal.

117 Be it an animal or a thing inanimate, whatever be the gift at a Sraddha, let him not, having just accepted it, recite the Veda; for the hand of a scholar is his mouth.

118 When the village has been beset by robbers, and when an alarm has been raised by fire, let him know that the Veda-study must be interrupted until the same hour on the next day, and on the occurrence of all portents.

119 On the occasion of the Upakarman and of the Vedotsarga an omission of the Veda-study for three days has been prescribed, but on the Ashtakas and on the last nights of the seasons for a day and a night.

120 Let him not recite the Veda on horseback, nor on a tree, nor on an elephant, nor in a boat or ship, nor on a donkey, nor on a camel, nor standing on barren ground, nor riding in a carriage,

121 Nor during a verbal altercation, nor during a mutual assault, nor in a camp, nor during a battle, nor when he has just eaten, nor during an indigestion, nor after vomiting, nor with sour eructations,

122 Nor without receiving permission from a guest who stays in his house, nor while the wind blows vehemently, nor while blood flows from his body, nor when he is wounded by a weapon.

123 Let him never recite the Rig-veda or the Yajur-veda while the Saman melodies are heard; let him stop all Veda-study for a day and a night after finishing a Veda or after reciting an Aranyaka.

124 The Rig-veda is declared to be chiefly concerned with the praise of God, the Yajur-veda with the duties of men, and the Sama-veda with the departed; hence the sound of the latter is impure, as it were.

125 Knowing this, the learned daily repeat first in due order the essence of the three Vedas and afterwards the text of the Veda.

126 Know that the Veda-study must be interrupted for a day and a night, when cattle, a frog, a cat, a dog, a snake, an ichneumon, or a rat pass between the teacher and his pupil.

127 Let an initiated man always carefully interrupt the Veda-study on two occasions, namely when the place where he recites is impure, and when he himself is unpurified.

128 An initiated man who is a Snataka shall remain chaste on the new-moon day, on the eighth lunar day of each half-month, on the full-moon day, and on the fourteenth, even if they fall in the period proper for conjugal intercourse.