The four manners of life

The divine Brahman for the advantage of the world, and for the protection of righteousness, laid down four modes of life, of them to live in the house of the preceptor is the first (in order of time). In this mode of life one should have his soul made cleaned by purity of conduct, by Vedic rites, by restrictions, by pledges and humility. He should adore the morning and evening twilights, the sun, his own sanctified hearth, and the gods. He should shake off procrastination and laziness. He should purify his soul by saluting his preceptor, by studying the Vedas, and by attending to his preceptor’s information. He should perform his ablutions three times. He should lead a life of unmarried state, attend to his consecrated hearth, serve his preceptor dutifully, go out daily for alms and give ungrudgingly to his preceptor the whole of what is got in alms. Carrying out willingly the commands of his preceptor, he should be ready to receive such Vedic teachings as his preceptor may give him as a favour.

There is a verse on this subject.

“guruṃ yastu samārādhya dvijo vedamavāpnuyāt |
tasya svargaphalāvāptiḥ sidhyate cāsya mānasamiti || ”^[1]

That Brāhmaṇa who receives his Veda by attending respectfully upon his preceptor, attains heaven and acquires the final result of all his desires. He who practices it suitably attains Brahma, he who practices it half and half, attains the status of the gods, while he who practises it indifferently is born among Brāhmaṇas and possessed of learning attains lofty position. A Brahmacāri should always speak the truth and by always following wisdom and by going to his wife only in her season and never at other times. By never eating meat of animals not killed for sacrifice, he will become a strict vegetarian. By his commendable generosity he will become ever pure, and by refraining from sleep during the day he will become one who is always awake. The abandonment of acts and modesty form the highest penance. It is higher than all kinds of penance. He who performs such penance is considered as one who is considered as one who is always fasting and who is always leading a life of Brahmacarya.

Such a Brahman will become a muni who is very cautious about his diet. Ceaseless sleeplessness helps him follow truth and virtue if at all he is amongst family members, kith and kin. He will become a vegetarian always and pure forever. He will always become an eater of ambrosia, and always a worshipper of gods and guests. Indeed, he will be considered as one living on sacrificial remainder, as one ever devoted to the duty of hospitality as one full of faith, and as one adoring gods and guests. If a person becomes captive of cupid and desirous of woman, he should observe the vow called krichcchra and also spend three days in water. If desire is formed even in a dream, one should dive in water mentally, repeat three times the three risks Aghamarshana.^[2] What is called Brahmacarya is considered as the means of attaining Brahma that is the foremost of all religions. It is by the practice of those religions that one acquires the highest end. Brahmacarya has no connection with the five vital airs, mind, understanding, the five senses of perception and the five senses of action. It is therefore free from all the perceptions that the senses give. It is heard only as a word and its form is not seen but can only be conceived. It is a state of existence only in the mind. It has no connection with the senses. That pure state should be attained by understanding alone.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Śāntiparva , 191-9.

[2]:

rāgotpannaścaret kṛcchraṃ mahārtiḥ praviśedapaḥ |
magnaḥ svapne ca manasā trirjapedaghamarṣaṇam || Śāntiparva 214-13.