The Agni Purana
by N. Gangadharan | 1954 | 360,691 words | ISBN-10: 8120803590 | ISBN-13: 9788120803596
This page describes Duties of a Householder (grihastha) which is chapter 152 of the English translation of the Agni Purana, one of the eighteen major puranas dealing with all topics concerning ancient Indian culture, tradition and sciences. Containing roughly 15,000 Sanskrit metrical verses, subjects contained in the Agni-Purana include cosmology, philosophy, architecture, iconography, economics, diplomacy, pilgrimage guides, ancient geography, gemology, ayurveda, etc.
Chapter 152 - Duties of a Householder (gṛhastha)
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Puṣkara said:
1. A brahmin should live following the code of conduct laid down for him or those of the kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra. But he should never live by doing such acts exclusively (laid down) for a śūdra.
2. A brahmin may engage himself in agriculture, trade, keeping cows and usury. But he should abstain from taking milk, jaggery, salt and meat and using red-dye.
3. One gets purified from the sin accruing from ploughing the earth and cutting the plants and killing insects and ants by doing a sacrifice. The cultivator (gets free from the sin) by worshipping the god.
4. A virtuous man (should yoke) eight bullocks, one who lives by any means six bullocks, wicked men four bullocks and those who have transgressed rightful living two bullocks.
5. One should live by picking grains in the field and on alms got without solicitation. (One may live) on alms got by solicitation or got without solicitation a second time. Otherwise (one may live) by truth and false (i.e., trade). But (one should never live) on servitude.