Karma-Yoga: The Snataka's Graduation and Householder Dharma

Verse 1 (padma.3.54.1)

व्यास उवाच । वेदं वेदौ तथा वेदान्वेदांगानि तथा द्विजाः । अधीत्य चाधिगम्यार्थं ततः स्नायाद्द्विजोत्तमः ।

vyāsa uvāca vedaṁ vedau tathā vedānvedāṁgāni tathā dvijāḥ adhītya cādhigamyārthaṁ tataḥ snāyāddvijottamaḥ

Vyasa said: Having studied a Veda, or two Vedas, or all the Vedas, and likewise the Vedangas, O twice-born ones, and having grasped their meaning, the best of the twice-born should then perform the ritual bath of graduation.

Verse 2 (padma.3.54.2)

गुरवे तु धनं दत्वा स्नायीत तदनुज्ञया । तीर्णव्रतोथ युक्तात्मा शक्तो वा स्नातुमर्हति ।

gurave tu dhanaṁ datvā snāyīta tadanujñayā tīrṇavratotha yuktātmā śakto vā snātumarhati

Having given wealth to the guru, he should bathe with his permission. One whose vow is completed, self-controlled, or otherwise capable, is fit to take the graduation bath.

Verse 3 (padma.3.54.3)

वैणवीं धारयेद्यष्टिमंतर्वासस्तथोत्तरम् । यज्ञोपवीतद्वितयं सोदकं च कमंडलुम् ।

vaiṇavīṁ dhārayedyaṣṭimaṁtarvāsastathottaram yajñopavītadvitayaṁ sodakaṁ ca kamaṁḍalum

He should carry a bamboo staff, a lower garment and an upper one, two sacred threads, and a water-pot with water.

Verse 4 (padma.3.54.4)

छत्रं चोष्णीषममलं पादुके चाप्युपानहौ । रौक्मे च कुंडले धार्ये कृत्तकेशनखः शुचिः ।

chatraṁ coṣṇīṣamamalaṁ pāduke cāpyupānahau raukme ca kuṁḍale dhārye kṛttakeśanakhaḥ śuciḥ

An umbrella, a spotless turban, sandals and shoes; golden earrings should be worn; his hair and nails cut, he should be pure.

Verse 5 (padma.3.54.5)

अन्यत्र कांचनाद्विप्रो न रक्तां बिभृयात्स्रजम् । शुक्लांबरधरो नित्यं सुगंधः प्रियदर्शनः ।

anyatra kāṁcanādvipro na raktāṁ bibhṛyātsrajam śuklāṁbaradharo nityaṁ sugaṁdhaḥ priyadarśanaḥ

Apart from gold, a Brahmin should not wear a red garland; he should always wear white garments, be fragrant, and pleasant to behold.

Verse 6 (padma.3.54.6)

न जीर्ण मलवद्वासा भवेद्वै विभवे सति । न रक्तमुल्बणं चान्य धृतं वासो न कुंडलम् ।

na jīrṇa malavadvāsā bhavedvai vibhave sati na raktamulbaṇaṁ cānya dhṛtaṁ vāso na kuṁḍalam

He should not, when he has the means, wear worn-out or dirty clothing; nor should he wear a garment dyed red or of extravagant color, nor another's discarded garment or earrings.

Verse 7 (padma.3.54.7)

नोपानहौ स्रजं चाथ पादुके च प्रयोजयेत् । उपवीतमलंकारं दर्शयन्कृष्णमाजिनम् ।

nopānahau srajaṁ cātha pāduke ca prayojayet upavītamalaṁkāraṁ darśayankṛṣṇamājinam

He should not use another's shoes, garland, or sandals. He should display his sacred thread, his ornaments, and his black antelope skin.

Verse 8 (padma.3.54.8)

नापसव्यं परीदध्याद्वासो न विकृतं वसेत् । आहरेद्विधिवद्दारान्सदृशानात्मनः शुभान् ।

nāpasavyaṁ parīdadhyādvāso na vikṛtaṁ vaset āharedvidhivaddārānsadṛśānātmanaḥ śubhān

He should not wear his garment reversed, nor put on clothing in an unusual fashion. He should duly take a wife suited and auspicious to himself,

Verse 9 (padma.3.54.9)

रूपलक्षणसंयुक्तान्योनिदोषविवर्जितान् । अपितृगोत्रजभवामन्यमानुषगोत्रजाम् ।

rūpalakṣaṇasaṁyuktānyonidoṣavivarjitān apitṛgotrajabhavāmanyamānuṣagotrajām

endowed with beauty and good marks, free from any defect of birth, not born of his father's gotra, nor of a different, non-human lineage.

Verse 10 (padma.3.54.10)

आहरेद्ब्राह्मणो भार्यां शीलशौचसमन्विताम् । ऋतुकालाभिगामी स्याद्यावत्पुत्रोभिजायते ।

āharedbrāhmaṇo bhāryāṁ śīlaśaucasamanvitām ṛtukālābhigāmī syādyāvatputrobhijāyate

A Brahmin should take a wife endowed with good character and purity. He should approach her only during the fertile season, until a son is born.

Verse 11 (padma.3.54.11)

वर्जयेत्प्रतिषिद्धानि प्रयत्नेन दिनानि तु । षष्ठ्यष्टमीं पंचदशीं द्वादशीं च चतुर्दशीम् ।

varjayetpratiṣiddhāni prayatnena dināni tu ṣaṣṭhyaṣṭamīṁ paṁcadaśīṁ dvādaśīṁ ca caturdaśīm

He should carefully avoid the forbidden days — the sixth, eighth, fifteenth, twelfth, and fourteenth lunar days.

Verse 12 (padma.3.54.12)

ब्रह्मचारी भवेन्नित्यं तद्वज्जन्मत्रयाहनि । आदधीत विवाहाग्निं जुहुयाज्जातवेदसम् ।

brahmacārī bhavennityaṁ tadvajjanmatrayāhani ādadhīta vivāhāgniṁ juhuyājjātavedasam

He should remain celibate always on these days, and likewise for three days after a birth. He should establish the marriage-fire and offer oblations to the fire.

Verse 13 (padma.3.54.13)

एतानि स्नातको नित्यं पावनानि च पावयेत् । वेदोदितं स्वकं कर्म्म नित्यं कुर्यादतंद्रितः ।

etāni snātako nityaṁ pāvanāni ca pāvayet vedoditaṁ svakaṁ karmma nityaṁ kuryādataṁdritaḥ

A snataka should always perform these purifying rites. He should perform his own duty, as taught in the Veda, daily, without laziness.

Verse 14 (padma.3.54.14)

अकुर्वाणः पतत्याशु नरकानतिभीषणान् । अभ्यसेत्प्रयतो वेदं महायज्ञान्न हापयेत् ।

akurvāṇaḥ patatyāśu narakānatibhīṣaṇān abhyasetprayato vedaṁ mahāyajñānna hāpayet

One who fails to do so quickly falls into most terrible hells. He should diligently continue to recite the Veda, and should not neglect the great sacrifices.

Verse 15 (padma.3.54.15)

कुर्याद्गृह्याणि कार्याणि संध्योपासनमेव च । सख्यं समाधिकैः कुर्यादुपेयादीश्वरं सदा ।

kuryādgṛhyāṇi kāryāṇi saṁdhyopāsanameva ca sakhyaṁ samādhikaiḥ kuryādupeyādīśvaraṁ sadā

He should perform the household rites, and likewise the twilight worship. He should form friendship with equals or superiors, and always draw near to the Lord.

Verse 16 (padma.3.54.16)

दैवतान्यभिगच्छेत कुर्य्याद्भार्य्याभिपोषणम् । न धर्मं ख्यापयेद्विद्वान्न पापं गूहयेदपि ।

daivatānyabhigaccheta kuryyādbhāryyābhipoṣaṇam na dharmaṁ khyāpayedvidvānna pāpaṁ gūhayedapi

He should visit the deities, and should support and nourish his wife. A learned man should not proclaim his own righteousness, nor should he conceal his own sin.

Verse 17 (padma.3.54.17)

कुर्वीतात्महितं नित्यं सर्वभूतानुकंपकः । वयसः कर्म्मणोऽर्थस्य श्रुतस्याभिजनस्य च ।

kurvītātmahitaṁ nityaṁ sarvabhūtānukaṁpakaḥ vayasaḥ karmmaṇo'rthasya śrutasyābhijanasya ca

He should always do what is good for himself, being compassionate to all beings. Suitable to his age, his occupation, his wealth, his learning, and his lineage —

Verse 18 (padma.3.54.18)

देशवाग्बुद्धिसारूप्यमाचरन्विचरेत्सदा । श्रुतिस्मृत्युदितं सम्यक्साधुभिर्यश्च सेवितः ।

deśavāgbuddhisārūpyamācaranvicaretsadā śrutismṛtyuditaṁ samyaksādhubhiryaśca sevitaḥ

he should always conduct himself in a manner appropriate to place, speech, and understanding. Whatever conduct is rightly declared in the Shruti and Smriti, and is resorted to by the virtuous —

Verse 19 (padma.3.54.19)

तमाचारं निषेवेत नेहेतान्यत्र कर्हिचित् । येनास्य पितरो याता येन याताः पितामहाः ।

tamācāraṁ niṣeveta nehetānyatra karhicit yenāsya pitaro yātā yena yātāḥ pitāmahāḥ

he should adopt that proper conduct, and should never desire otherwise. By the path which his fathers went, by which his grandfathers went —

Verse 20 (padma.3.54.20)

तेन यायात्सतां मार्गं तेन गच्छन्न दुष्यति । नित्यं स्वाध्यायशीलः स्यान्नित्यं यज्ञोपवीतवान् ।

tena yāyātsatāṁ mārgaṁ tena gacchanna duṣyati nityaṁ svādhyāyaśīlaḥ syānnityaṁ yajñopavītavān

by that same path of the virtuous he should go; going by it, he is not defiled. He should ever be devoted to self-study, and ever wear the sacred thread.

Verse 21 (padma.3.54.21)

सत्यवादी जितक्रोधो लोभमोहविवर्जितः । सावित्रीजाप निरतः श्राद्धकृन्मुच्यते गृही ।

satyavādī jitakrodho lobhamohavivarjitaḥ sāvitrījāpa nirataḥ śrāddhakṛnmucyate gṛhī

A speaker of truth, one who has conquered anger, free of greed and delusion, devoted to the recitation of the Savitri, and performing the shraddha rites — such a householder is liberated.

Verse 22 (padma.3.54.22)

मातापित्रोर्हिते युक्तो ब्राह्मणस्य हिते रतः । दाता यज्वा देवभक्तो ब्रह्मलोके महीयते ।

mātāpitrorhite yukto brāhmaṇasya hite rataḥ dātā yajvā devabhakto brahmaloke mahīyate

One devoted to the welfare of his mother and father, delighting in the welfare of Brahmins, a giver, a sacrificer, a devotee of the gods — he is glorified in the world of Brahma.

Verse 23 (padma.3.54.23)

त्रिवर्गसेवी सततं देवानां च समर्चनम् । कुर्यादहरहर्नित्यं नमस्येत्प्रयतः सुरान् ।

trivargasevī satataṁ devānāṁ ca samarcanam kuryādaharaharnityaṁ namasyetprayataḥ surān

One who pursues the threefold aim constantly should worship the gods daily, without fail, and should reverently bow to the deities.

Verse 24 (padma.3.54.24)

विभागशीलः सततं क्षमायुक्तो दयालुकः । गृहस्थस्तु समाख्यातो न गृहेण गृही भवेत् ।

vibhāgaśīlaḥ satataṁ kṣamāyukto dayālukaḥ gṛhasthastu samākhyāto na gṛheṇa gṛhī bhavet

Always inclined to share, endowed with patience, and compassionate — this is called the true householder; one does not become a true householder merely by having a house.

Verse 25 (padma.3.54.25)

क्षमा दया च विज्ञानं सत्यं चैव दमः शमः । अध्यात्मनित्यता ज्ञानमेतद्ब्राह्मणलक्षणम् ।

kṣamā dayā ca vijñānaṁ satyaṁ caiva damaḥ śamaḥ adhyātmanityatā jñānametadbrāhmaṇalakṣaṇam

Patience, compassion, discernment, truth, self-control, calmness of mind, constancy in spiritual pursuit, and knowledge — these are the marks of a Brahmin.

Verse 26 (padma.3.54.26)

एतस्मान्न प्रमाद्येत विशेषेण द्विजोत्तमः । यथाशक्ति चरन्धर्म्मं निंदितानि विवर्जयेत् ।

etasmānna pramādyeta viśeṣeṇa dvijottamaḥ yathāśakti carandharmmaṁ niṁditāni vivarjayet

The best of the twice-born should especially not be negligent in these. Practicing dharma according to his ability, he should avoid whatever is censured.

Verse 27 (padma.3.54.27)

विधूय मोहकलिलं लब्ध्वा योगमनुत्तमम् । गृहस्थो मुच्यते बंधान्नात्र कार्याविचारणा ।

vidhūya mohakalilaṁ labdhvā yogamanuttamam gṛhastho mucyate baṁdhānnātra kāryāvicāraṇā

Having shaken off the mire of delusion, and having attained the unsurpassed yoga, a householder is freed from bondage — there should be no doubt about this.

Verse 28 (padma.3.54.28)

विगर्हित जय क्षेप हिंसा बंधवधात्मनाम् । अन्यमन्यु समुत्थानां दोषाणां मर्षणं क्षमा ।

vigarhita jaya kṣepa hiṁsā baṁdhavadhātmanām anyamanyu samutthānāṁ doṣāṇāṁ marṣaṇaṁ kṣamā

Patience is the forbearance of faults arising from another's anger — faults such as reproach, defeat, abuse, harm, binding, and threats of slaying.

Verse 29 (padma.3.54.29)

स्वदुःखेष्वेव कारुण्यं परदुःखेषु सौहृदम् । दयेति मुनयः प्राहुः साक्षाद्धर्मस्य साधनम् ।

svaduḥkheṣveva kāruṇyaṁ paraduḥkheṣu sauhṛdam dayeti munayaḥ prāhuḥ sākṣāddharmasya sādhanam

Compassion at one's own suffering, and sympathetic affection toward the suffering of others — this the sages call 'daya,' the direct means of dharma.

Verse 30 (padma.3.54.30)

चतुर्दशानां विद्यानां धारणा हि परार्थतः । विज्ञानमिति तद्विद्याद्येन धर्मो विवर्धते ।

caturdaśānāṁ vidyānāṁ dhāraṇā hi parārthataḥ vijñānamiti tadvidyādyena dharmo vivardhate

The retention of the fourteen branches of knowledge for the benefit of others — that should be known as vijñāna, by which dharma is increased.

Verse 31 (padma.3.54.31)

अधीत्य विधिवद्विद्यामर्थं चैवोपलभ्यते । धर्मकार्याणि कुर्वीत ह्येतद्विज्ञानमुच्यते ।

adhītya vidhivadvidyāmarthaṁ caivopalabhyate dharmakāryāṇi kurvīta hyetadvijñānamucyate

Having duly studied learning and thereby obtained wealth, one should perform acts of dharma — this indeed is called vijñāna.

Verse 32 (padma.3.54.32)

सत्येन लोकं जयति सत्यं तत्परमं पदम् । यथा भूता प्रमादं तु सत्यमाहुर्मनीषिणः ।

satyena lokaṁ jayati satyaṁ tatparamaṁ padam yathā bhūtā pramādaṁ tu satyamāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ

By truth one conquers the world; truth is that supreme state. The wise declare truth to be speaking exactly as things actually are, without distortion.

Verse 33 (padma.3.54.33)

दमः शरीरोपरतिः शमः प्रज्ञाप्रसादतः । अध्यात्ममक्षरं विद्या यत्र गत्वा न शोचति ।

damaḥ śarīroparatiḥ śamaḥ prajñāprasādataḥ adhyātmamakṣaraṁ vidyā yatra gatvā na śocati

Restraint is the cessation of bodily desires; calmness is attained through clarity of intellect. Knowledge of the imperishable self is that knowledge, having attained which one grieves no more.

Verse 34 (padma.3.54.34)

यया स देवोभगवान्विद्यया विद्यते परः । साक्षादेव हृषीकेशस्तज्ज्ञानमिति कीर्तितम् ।

yayā sa devobhagavānvidyayā vidyate paraḥ sākṣādeva hṛṣīkeśastajjñānamiti kīrtitam

By which that blessed, supreme god — that is, directly, Hrishikesha, the lord of the senses — is known, this is declared to be true knowledge.

Verse 35 (padma.3.54.35)

तन्निष्ठस्तत्परो विद्वान्नित्यमक्रोधनः शुचिः । महायज्ञपरो विप्रो लभते तदनुत्तमम् ।

tanniṣṭhastatparo vidvānnityamakrodhanaḥ śuciḥ mahāyajñaparo vipro labhate tadanuttamam

Established in that, devoted to that, ever free from anger, pure, a Brahmin devoted to the great sacrifices attains that unsurpassed state.

Verse 36 (padma.3.54.36)

धर्मस्यायतनं यत्नाच्छरीरं परिपालयेत् । नहि देहं विना विष्णुः पुरुषैर्विद्यतेपरः ।

dharmasyāyatanaṁ yatnāccharīraṁ paripālayet nahi dehaṁ vinā viṣṇuḥ puruṣairvidyateparaḥ

The body is the vessel of dharma; it should be diligently protected. For without the body, Vishnu the Supreme is not attainable by men.

Verse 37 (padma.3.54.37)

नित्यं धर्मार्थकामेषु युज्येत नियतो द्विजः । न धर्मवर्जितं काममर्थं वा मनसा स्मरेत् ।

nityaṁ dharmārthakāmeṣu yujyeta niyato dvijaḥ na dharmavarjitaṁ kāmamarthaṁ vā manasā smaret

A disciplined twice-born should always engage in dharma, artha, and kama together. He should never even think in his mind of desire or wealth devoid of dharma.

Verse 38 (padma.3.54.38)

सीदन्नपि हि धर्मेण न त्वधर्मं समाचरेत् । धर्मो हि भगवान्देवो गतिः सर्वेषु जंतुषु ।

sīdannapi hi dharmeṇa na tvadharmaṁ samācaret dharmo hi bhagavāndevo gatiḥ sarveṣu jaṁtuṣu

Even while suffering, through dharma, he should never practice adharma. For dharma is the blessed god, the refuge of all creatures.

Verse 39 (padma.3.54.39)

भूतानांप्रियकारीस्यान्नपरद्रो हकर्मधीः । न वेददेवतानिंदां कुर्य्यात्तैश्च न संवसेत् ।

bhūtānāṁpriyakārīsyānnaparadro hakarmadhīḥ na vedadevatāniṁdāṁ kuryyāttaiśca na saṁvaset

He should be one who acts pleasingly toward all beings, his mind never bent on harming others. He should not revile the Veda or the gods, nor dwell together with those who do.

Verse 40 (padma.3.54.40)

यस्त्विमं नियतो मर्त्यो धर्माध्यायं पठेच्छुचिः । अध्यापयेच्छ्रावयेद्वा ब्रह्मलोके महीयते ।

yastvimaṁ niyato martyo dharmādhyāyaṁ paṭhecchuciḥ adhyāpayecchrāvayedvā brahmaloke mahīyate

Whatever disciplined, pure mortal recites this chapter on dharma, or teaches it, or has it recited to others, is glorified in the world of Brahma.