Harita's Rule for the Wandering Ascetic

Verse 1 (12.284.1)

किंशीलः किंसमाचारः किंविद्यः किंपरायणः । प्राप्नोति ब्रह्मणः स्थानं यत्परं प्रकृतेर्ध्रुवम् ॥

kiṃśīlaḥ kiṃsamācāraḥ kiṃvidyaḥ kiṃparāyaṇaḥ | prāpnoti brahmaṇaḥ sthānaṃ yatparaṃ prakṛterdhruvam

"Of what character, what conduct, what learning and what resort is the man who reaches the abode of Brahman, the changeless state beyond Prakriti?"

Verse 2 (12.284.2)

मोक्षधर्मेषु निरतो लघ्वाहारो जितेन्द्रियः । प्राप्नोति परमं स्थानं यत्परं प्रकृतेर्ध्रुवम् ॥

mokṣadharmeṣu nirato laghvāhāro jitendriyaḥ | prāpnoti paramaṃ sthānaṃ yatparaṃ prakṛterdhruvam

"One who is devoted to the duties of liberation, eats lightly and has mastered his senses reaches the supreme abode, the changeless state beyond Prakriti."

Verse 3 (12.284.3)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । हारीतेन पुरा गीतं तं निबोध युधिष्ठिर ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | hārītena purā gītaṃ taṃ nibodha yudhiṣṭhira

"On this point people recall an ancient account, sung long ago by Harita. Listen to it, Yudhishthira."

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick opening the verse. Not in the critical edition's constituted text: both lines are the CE star passage 12.269.2d*0723_01-02 (atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam / hārītena purā gītaṃ tan nibodha yudhiṣṭhira), printed after 12.269.2.

Verse 4 (12.284.4)

स्वगृहादभिनिःसृत्य लाभेऽलाभे समो मुनिः । समुपोढेषु कामेषु निरपेक्षः परिव्रजेत् ॥

svagṛhādabhiniḥsṛtya lābhe'lābhe samo muniḥ | samupoḍheṣu kāmeṣu nirapekṣaḥ parivrajet

"The sage should leave his own house and wander forth, the same in gain and in loss, wanting nothing even when desires lie within his reach."

Verse 5 (12.284.5)

न चक्षुषा न मनसा न वाचा दूषयेत्परम् । न प्रत्यक्षं परोक्षं वा दूषणं व्याहरेत्क्वचित् ॥

na cakṣuṣā na manasā na vācā dūṣayetparam | na pratyakṣaṃ parokṣaṃ vā dūṣaṇaṃ vyāharetkvacit

"He should wrong no one with his eye, his mind or his speech, and should never voice a fault of another, whether to his face or behind his back."

Verse 6 (12.284.6)

न हिंस्यात्सर्वभूतानि मैत्रायणगतिश्चरेत् । नेदं जीवितमासाद्य वैरं कुर्वीत केनचित् ॥

na hiṃsyātsarvabhūtāni maitrāyaṇagatiścaret | nedaṃ jīvitamāsādya vairaṃ kurvīta kenacit

"He should harm no creature, and should journey on as the sun does, from place to place. Having come by this life, he should make an enemy of no one."

Verse 7 (12.284.7)

अतिवादांस्तितिक्षेत नाभिमन्येत कंचन । क्रोध्यमानः प्रियं ब्रूयादाक्रुष्टः कुशलं वदेत् ॥

ativādāṃstitikṣeta nābhimanyeta kaṃcana | krodhyamānaḥ priyaṃ brūyādākruṣṭaḥ kuśalaṃ vadet

"He should bear harsh words and slight no one. When people rage at him he should answer kindly, and when abused he should speak words of blessing."

Verse 8 (12.284.8)

प्रदक्षिणं च सव्यं च ग्राममध्ये च नाचरेत् । भैक्षचर्यामनापन्नो न गच्छेत्पूर्वकेतनम् ॥

pradakṣiṇaṃ ca savyaṃ ca grāmamadhye ca nācaret | bhaikṣacaryāmanāpanno na gacchetpūrvaketanam

"In the middle of a village he should behave in a way that neither courts people nor crosses them. When he is not out on his round for alms, he should not go to a house he has visited before."

Verse 9 (12.284.9)

अवकीर्णः सुगुप्तश्च न वाचाऽप्यप्रियं चरेत् । मृदुः स्यादप्रतीकारो विस्रब्धः स्यादरोषणः ॥

avakīrṇaḥ suguptaśca na vācā'pyapriyaṃ caret | mṛduḥ syādapratīkāro visrabdhaḥ syādaroṣaṇaḥ

"Though scorned, he should keep himself well guarded, and not utter even a word that displeases. He should be gentle, never retaliate, be trusting, and be free of anger."

Verse 10 (12.284.10)

विधूमे न्यस्तमुसले व्यङ्गारे भुक्तवज्जने । अतीते पात्रसंचारे भिक्षां लिप्सेत वै मुनिः ॥

vidhūme nyastamusale vyaṅgāre bhuktavajjane | atīte pātrasaṃcāre bhikṣāṃ lipseta vai muniḥ

"When the smoke has gone, the pestle is laid down, the embers are cold, the household has eaten and the vessels have ceased to pass about, then the sage should seek alms."

Verse 11 (12.284.11)

प्राणयात्रिकमात्रः स्यान्मात्रालाभेष्वनादृतः । अलाभे न विहन्येत लाभश्चैनं न हर्षयेत् ॥

prāṇayātrikamātraḥ syānmātrālābheṣvanādṛtaḥ | alābhe na vihanyeta lābhaścainaṃ na harṣayet

"He should take only what keeps life going, and make no account of how much or how little he gets. He should not be dashed when he gets nothing, nor delighted when he gains."

Verse 12 (12.284.12)

लाभं साधारणां नेच्छेन्न भुञ्जीताभिपूजितः । अभिपूजितलाभं हि जुगुप्सेतैव तादृशः ॥

lābhaṃ sādhāraṇāṃ necchenna bhuñjītābhipūjitaḥ | abhipūjitalābhaṃ hi jugupsetaiva tādṛśaḥ

"He should not wish for a gain that anyone might have, nor eat what is offered with honour. A man of this kind should shrink from a gain that comes with honour."

Verse 13 (12.284.13)

न चान्नदोषान्निन्देत न गुणानभिपूजयेत् । शय्यासने विविक्ते च नित्यमेवाभिपूजयेत् ॥

na cānnadoṣānnindeta na guṇānabhipūjayet | śayyāsane vivikte ca nityamevābhipūjayet

"He should neither blame food for its faults nor praise it for its merits; but he should always prize a secluded bed and seat."

Verse 14 (12.284.14)

शून्यागारं वृक्षमूलमरण्यमथवा गुहाम् । अज्ञातचर्यां गत्वाऽन्यां ततोऽन्यत्रैव संविशेत् ॥

śūnyāgāraṃ vṛkṣamūlamaraṇyamathavā guhām | ajñātacaryāṃ gatvā'nyāṃ tato'nyatraiva saṃviśet

"An empty house, the foot of a tree, a forest or a cave: having lived in one of these unknown, he should then lodge somewhere else altogether."

Verse 15 (12.284.15)

अनुरोधविरोधाभ्यां समः स्यादचलो ध्रुवः । सुकृतं दुष्कृतं चोभे नानुरुध्येत कर्मणि ॥

anurodhavirodhābhyāṃ samaḥ syādacalo dhruvaḥ | sukṛtaṃ duṣkṛtaṃ cobhe nānurudhyeta karmaṇi

"He should be the same toward compliance and opposition, steady and unmoved. In action he should follow neither the good deed nor the evil."

Verse 16 (12.284.16)

नित्यतृप्तः सुसंतृष्टः प्रसन्नवदनेन्द्रियः । विभीर्जप्यपरो मौनी वैराग्यं समुपाश्रितः ॥

nityatṛptaḥ susaṃtṛṣṭaḥ prasannavadanendriyaḥ | vibhīrjapyaparo maunī vairāgyaṃ samupāśritaḥ

"Ever satisfied, well content, serene in face and senses, fearless, intent on silent prayer, keeping silence, resting in dispassion,"

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines = the CE star passage 12.269.14d*0724_01-02 (nityatṛptaḥ susaṃtuṣṭaḥ prasannavadanendriyaḥ / dhyānajapyaparo maunī vairāgyaṃ samupāśritaḥ), printed after 12.269.14; Wikisource विभीर्जप्यपरो where the star reads dhyānajapyaparo (the page's footnote gives ध्यानजल्पपरो as a variant). Text kept.

Verse 17 (12.284.17)

अभ्यस्तं भौतिकं पश्यन्भूतानामागतिं गतिम् । विस्मितः सर्वदर्शी च पक्वापक्वेन वर्तयन् । आत्मारामः प्रशान्तात्मा लघ्वाहारो जितेन्द्रियः ॥

abhyastaṃ bhautikaṃ paśyanbhūtānāmāgatiṃ gatim | vismitaḥ sarvadarśī ca pakvāpakvena vartayan | ātmārāmaḥ praśāntātmā laghvāhāro jitendriyaḥ

"constantly contemplating the world made of the elements and the coming and going of beings, filled with wonder, seeing all alike, living on food cooked or uncooked, delighting in the self, tranquil in spirit, eating lightly and master of his senses,"

Note on the text: Three-line verse, as on the page (labelled 12-284-17a/b/c). Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines = the CE star passage 12.269.14d*0724_03-05 (asvantaṃ bhautikaṃ sargaṃ paśyan bhūtātmikāṃ gatim / niḥspṛhaḥ samadarśī ca pakvāpakvena vartayan / ātmārāmaḥ praśāntātmā laghvāhāro nirāmayaḥ), with Wikisource variants (अभ्यस्तं भौतिकं पश्यन्, विस्मितः सर्वदर्शी, जितेन्द्रियः). Text kept.

Verse 18 (12.284.18)

वाचो वेगं मनसः क्रोधवेगं । हिंसावेगमुदरोपस्थवेगम् । एतान्वेगान्विनयेद्वै तपस्वी । निन्दा चास्य हृदयं नोपहन्यात् ॥

vāco vegaṃ manasaḥ krodhavegaṃ | hiṃsāvegamudaropasthavegam | etānvegānvinayedvai tapasvī | nindā cāsya hṛdayaṃ nopahanyāt

"The urge of speech, the urge of the mind and of anger, the urge of violence, the urge of the belly and of the sexual organ: the ascetic should curb these urges, and blame should not wound his heart."

Verse 19 (12.284.19)

मध्यस्थ एव तिष्ठेत प्रशंसानिन्दयोः समः । एतत्पवित्रं परमं परिव्राजक आश्रयेत् ॥

madhyastha eva tiṣṭheta praśaṃsānindayoḥ samaḥ | etatpavitraṃ paramaṃ parivrājaka āśrayet

"He should stand in the middle, the same in praise and in blame. This supreme purifying practice the wandering monk should rely on."

Verse 20 (12.284.20)

महात्मा सर्वतो दान्तः सर्वत्रैवानपाश्रितः । अपूर्वचारकः सौम्यो ह्यनिकेतः समाहितः ॥

mahātmā sarvato dāntaḥ sarvatraivānapāśritaḥ | apūrvacārakaḥ saumyo hyaniketaḥ samāhitaḥ

"Great-souled, wholly self-controlled, attached nowhere, walking where none has walked before, gentle, homeless and collected,"

Verse 21 (12.284.21)

वानप्रस्थगृहस्थाभ्यां न संसृज्येत कर्हिचित् । अज्ञातलिप्सां लिप्सेत न चैनं हर्ष आविशेत् ॥

vānaprasthagṛhasthābhyāṃ na saṃsṛjyeta karhicit | ajñātalipsāṃ lipseta na cainaṃ harṣa āviśet

"he should never mix with forest-dwellers or householders. He should seek to gain without being known, and joy should not enter him."

Note on the text: Corrected अज्ञातलिप्सं → अज्ञातलिप्सां (misprint in Wikisource; the long ā of the accusative is dropped, so that लिप्सेत has no object; CE ajñātalipsāṃ).

Verse 22 (12.284.22)

विजानतां मोक्ष एष श्रमः स्यादविजानताम् । मोक्षयानमिदं कृत्स्नं विदुषां हारितोऽब्रवीत् ॥

vijānatāṃ mokṣa eṣa śramaḥ syādavijānatām | mokṣayānamidaṃ kṛtsnaṃ viduṣāṃ hārito'bravīt

"This liberation is for those who understand; for those who do not, it is mere toil. This whole vehicle of liberation was declared by Harita for the learned."

Verse 23 (12.284.23)

अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो दत्त्वा यः प्रव्रजेद्गृहात् । लोकास्तेजोमयास्तस्य तथाऽनन्त्याय कल्पते ॥

abhayaṃ sarvabhūtebhyo dattvā yaḥ pravrajedgṛhāt | lokāstejomayāstasya tathā'nantyāya kalpate

"He who goes forth from his home after granting freedom from fear to all creatures: radiant worlds are his, and he becomes fit for the Endless."