Chapter 113 - Conduct of the Good

Vyāsa said:

1. Thus the Deities and Manes are to be duly worshipped by the householder by means of the Havya and Kavya offerings. The guests and kinsmen should be honoured with cooked rice.

2. The living beings, the servants, animals, birds and even ants; the mendicants who beg for alms and all other travellers who come to the house are to be received hospitably.

3. Brahmins observing the disciplined conduct of life of the good should be honoured by the good householder.

The sages said:

4-5. O brahmin, the Nitya and Naimittika rites have been recounted by you. Human activities are three-fold: Nitya, Naimittika and Kāmya. O sage, even as you recount we wish to hear the rules of good conduct by pursuing which a man attains happiness here and hereafter.

Vyāsa said:

6. Good conduct should always be preserved by a householder. There is no welfare here or hereafter to one who is devoid of good conduct.

7. Sacrifices, charitable gifts and austerities are not conducive to the prosperity of the person who transgresses the rules of good conduct.

8. A person who maintains good conduct attains the longevity of Brahmā (?) Virtue and good conduct should always be maintained. Virtue is the symbol of good conduct.

9-10. O brahmins, I shall recount the form and general outline of good conduct. One shall maintain it with great concentration. Endeavour should be made by a householder in achieving the three-fold aim of life. The achievement of the householder here and hereafter depends on the realisation thereof.

11-12. With one-fourth of one’s wealth the self-possessed man shall achieve the other-worldly welfare. With half of his wealth he shall sustain himself as well as perform the Nitya and Naimittika rites. With the remaining one-fourth one shall increase one’s original capital. O brahmins, if one pursues thus, one’s wealth becomes fruitful.

13-16. Similarly, for the sake of dispelling sins, virtuous rites should be performed by a learned man. Thus the other Dharma which has the fruit of welfare in the next world should be made fruitful here itself. The three (Dharma, Artha and Kāma) are of two types each. One type causes sinful offence; the other type is not antagonistic. One shall think about these as mutually complementary. O excellent brahmins, know them to be conducive to the contrary result. (For example) the wealth that is conducive to virtue is intrinsically virtuous. That which does not afflict the soul is virtue. Kāma (Desire) is split into two (?) by the other two: Dharma and Artha; and the other two are split into two by it (i.e. Kāma).

17-18. One shall get up in the Brāhma Muhūrta and think about virtue and wealth. After getting up, one shall perform the Ācamana rite. After taking both and making himself pure one shall worship the Sandhyās. The early Sandhyā (i.e. dawn) he shall worship even when the stars are seen. He shall worship the late Sandhyā (i.e. dusk) even when the sun is visible. He shall perform Sandhyā prayers duly. Unless in extreme case of emergency he shall not forsake it.

19. O brahmins, one shall avoid evil utterances, falsehoods and harsh words. He shall eschew ignoble scriptures, evil arguments and service of ignoble persons.

20. One shall perform Homa both in the evening and in the morning, with perfect restraint over the self. He shall not see sunrise and sunset directly.

21. The following activities should be performed in the forenoon:—Washing the teeth, applying collyrium, embellishing the hair, looking into the mirror and the Tarpaṇa rite to the deities.

22. Faeces should not be discharged on the path leading to the rural residences, holy centres and fields, nor in a ploughed field, nor in a cowpen.

23. One shall not look at the naked wife of another man; one shall not look at one’s own ordure. (One shall avoid) seeing, touching and talking to a women in her menses.

24. One shall not discharge urine or faeces into the waters (of a tank etc.). Nor should one indulge in sexual intercourse under water. One shall not stand on faeces and urine nor on hairs or ashes. One shall not stand over the sharp edge of any cutting instrument.

25. An intelligent man shall not stand on scattered husk, burning coal, bits of ropes, clothes etc. on the road or in a ground.

26. After performing the rite of worship of the Pitṛs, Devas, human beings and other living beings, the householder deserves to take food in accordance with his affluence.

27. After performing the Ācamana rite, after restricting unnecessary talk, the man shall remain pure. He shall sit facing the East or the North and take food with the mind therein. He shall keep the hands between the knees.

28. Except in the case of utter destruction of food, the wise man shall not complain about the defects of food at the time of taking it. One shall avoid taking salt directly (i.e. salt should be mixed with food and then taken in). He shall avoid the leavings of food also.

29-31. The self-possessed man shall not discharge urine or faeces, while standing or walking. He shall not eat anything defiled by the leavings of food. If one is defiled by the leavings of food, one shall not speak anything. He shall avoid reciting the Vedas too. One shall not look at the sun, moon or the stars as one pleases. One should avoid using a seat, bed or a vessel if it is broken. One should honour and greet elderly persons by standing up and offering them seats.

32. An intelligent man shall talk in a way favourable to them (i.e. elderly persons). He shall follow them. He shall not act against them.

33-34. No intelligent man shall take food, worship the deities or invoke them with a single cloth on. O brahmins, no intelligent man shall perform a sacrifice, if there is no fire. No man shall take bath or lie down completely naked. One shall not scratch head simultaneously with both hands.

35. Head-bath should not be repeatedly undertaken by the intelligent men without cause. One who has already had head-bath should not touch any limb with oil.

36. One shall avoid studying the Vedas during the holidays. One shall never disregard or insult brahmins, fires, cows and the sun.

37. One shall discharge faeces and urine facing the north during the day and facing the south during the night. During distress he shall discharge them as he pleases.

38. One shall not speak out the misdeeds of the preceptor. If he is angry, one shall propitiate him. One shall not listen to others who slander him.

39-41. Priority in access to the path shall be given to the brahmins, to the king, to one who is miserable, to one of superior learning, to a pregnant woman, to one who is afflicted by sickness, to a greater person, to the deaf, mute or blind, to one who is elated and to one who has become mad.

A learned man shall circumambulate a temple, a tree in a monastery, cross-roads, and the preceptor who is of superior learning. One shall never wear shoes, clothes, garlands etc. worn by others.

42. One shall avoid taking oil bath or indulging in sexual intercourse with women on the eighth, fourteenth and fifteenth lunations as well as on Parvan days.

43. No wise man shall ever stand with arms and upper leg (?) raised up. One shall not throw up the feet. One shall not keep one leg over another.

44. One shall avoid reviling, wounding the sensitive spots of and slandering an unchaste woman or a boy who has indulged in an unworthy act (?) or a fallen fellow.

45-46. A clever man shall never be arrogant, proud and harsh. One shall not laugh at or find fault with a fool, a mad fellow, a person in distress, ugly persons, persons with deficient limbs or poor people. One shall not lift up another man’s stick to chastise a disciple or a son.

47. A wise man should not drag a seat with his leg and sit thereon. One shall not prepare a cake of wheat flour or a dish of rice and peas mixed together or meat solely for oneself.

48-52. Food should be taken in the evening and in the morning after worshipping the guests.

O brahmins, one shall always clean the teeth sitting silently facing the east or the north. One shall avoid the forbidden creeper. No man shall ever sleep with his head placed towards the north or the west. One shall place one’s head towards the south or the east.

One should never take one’s bath in scented water, especially in the morning. If at all, one has to take one’s bath at other times during the day it should be only during the eclipse. The limbs should not be wiped off with the edges of cloths or with one’s hands.

One shall never shake tresses or the clothes. No learned man shall ever apply unguents before taking bath.

53. One shall never wear a red, or a black cloth nor one of variegated colour. No one shall exchange clothes or ornaments (with others).

54. A cloth should be abandoned if it is excessively worn out and the threads come off, if it is defiled by worms and hairs or if it is touched by dogs.

55. One shall avoid the following types of meat: if it is licked by a dog; if it is defiled after the essence has been taken away; the meat of the back; or the forbidden meat.

56. A man shall never take in salt directly. O brahmins, a foodstuff that has been left over for a long time, that has become dry or that has become stale should be eschewed.

57. O excellent brahmins, the resultant products of sugarcane juice, milk, vegetable and flour as well as the products of gravy need not be abandoned even if they are left over for a long time.

58-59. One shall avoid lying down at the times of sunrise and sunset. A man shall never take food: if he has not taken his bath; if he is sleeping; if his mind dwells on other things; if he is seated on the bed or on the bare ground or if he has not given a part of it to his servants. While taking food he shall not make sounds.

60-63. One shall take food only after taking bath in the morning as well as in the evening.

Other men’s wives should not be carnally approached by a learned man. Sexual intercourse with other men’s wives destroys the merits of Iṣṭāpūrta and also longevity. A thing so destructive of the span of life of a man does not exist in the world, so destructive as the outraging of the modesty of other men’s wives.

It is only after duly performing the rite of Ācamana that one should perform the holy rites of Devas, Pitṛs and fire-god. The obeisance to the preceptor as well as the routine of taking food shall be performed only after the Ācamana rite. The water used for the Ācamana rite should be clear. It should be devoid of smell and foam. No sound should be made at that time. It should be eagerly performed.

64-68. One shall sit facing the east or the north and then perform the rite of Ācamana. Before that rite one shall wash his hands and feet after applying clay. The clay taken for this purpose shall not be any of these five: Clay taken from under the water; that taken from residential localities; that taken from the ant-hill; the clay from the rats’ den and the clay that remains after performing the purificatory rites. One shall avoid these five types of clay. With great concentration and keeping the hands between knees, one shall perform the Ācamana rite three or four times. After wiping off the limbs and whirling the water round the head, and after performing the Ācamana rite perfectly, the pure man shall perform the other holy rites. One shall perform the Ācamana rite after sneezing, licking, breaking the wind, spitting etc. After touching what should not be touched, (and as an expiation thereof) one shall look at the sun or touch the right ear.

69. These rites are in accordance with their availability. If the previous one is not available the later one is sought; when the previous is present the later is not used.

70. One shall not grind one’s teeth, nor beat one’s own body. While sleeping, meditating or taking food, one shall eschew the self-study of the Vedas.

71-72. One shall avoid sexual intercourse and journey during Sandhyā (Dusk). One shall perform Tarpaṇa rite unto the Pitṛs with full faith, in the early afternoon. The head bath and the holy rites unto Devas and Pitṛs also shall be done in the afternoon. One shall get the shaving done facing the east or the north.

73. For matrimony one shall avoid a girl with crippled limbs or one wanting a limb even if she is free from ailments or born of a noble family. One shall marry a girl removed by (not less than) seven generations on his father’s side and (not less than) five generations on his mother’s side.

74. One shall protect one’s wife. One shall avoid jealousy as well as sleeping and indulgence in sexual intercourse during the day. One shall eschew infliction of pain on animals, and all other activities that cause distress and sorrow to others.

75. In the case of the people of all castes, a woman in her monthly course should be avoided for the first four nights. To prevent the birth of a female child, one shall avoid the fifth night also.

76. Thereafter he shall carnally approach her on the sixth night or other excellent nights even in number. Boys will be born (if intercourse is carried out) on even nights and girls on nights odd in number.

77. Unrighteous persons indulge in sexual intercourse on Parvan and other days and impotent persons during dusk time. A clever man shall avoid Riktā days.

78. Even if rude people speak a lot, one shall never listen to them.

An honourable seat should not be offered to a person who is not magnificent.

79. After shaving, vomitting or sexual intercourse with a woman an intelligent person shall take bath along with the clothe worn. He shall take bath also after going to the cremation ground.

80-84. O brahmins, one shall not make slanderous remarks about the following nor laugh at them: Devas, Vedas, brahmins, noble and truthful persons, preceptor, chaste women, Brahman, Yajñas and ascetics.

One shall be in perfectly auspicious dress, clad in white garments and embellished with white flowers. One shall never be inauspicious in dress and features. He shall not be in friendly terms with arrogant persons, mad fellows, the foolish and impolite, persons of no good conduct, those who are defiled by the defects of age and caste, those who habitually spend much, those who are enemies, those who are censured, those who are inefficient in their work, those who are in contact with lecherous persons, those who have no money, those who are solely interested in arguing and other base men.

85. One shall stand up while meeting friends, persons who are initiated, kings, religious students who have finished studies and become householders and the father-in-law. When they come to one’s house one shall greet them in accordance with one’s affluences.

86. O brahmins, after honouring and worshipping them in accordance with his capacity he shall bid them farewell to their respective places, after they had stayed for a year.

87-94. One shall then offer worship. He shall offer oblations into the fire in due order. The first oblation shall be offered to Brahmā; then to Prajāpati; the third to the Gṛhyas; next to Kaśyapa. After offering oblation to Anumati he shall offer the (domestic oblation).

The holy rite that had been recounted by me before at the time of laying down the rules regarding the Nitya rites, shall be performed then. The Vaiśvadeva rite shall be done thereafter. O brahmins, even as I recount it, listen. After allotting the different divisions in the abodes (and places) in regard to Devas the devotee shall offer three oblations in the water jar to Parjanya, Āpaḥ (waters) and Dharitrī (Earth) (?). To Vāyu he shall offer oblation in every quarter; he shall offer to the quarters beginning with the east and in due order. Then he shall offer to Brahmā, to the firmament and to the sun in due order. Subsequently, with purity he shall offer oblations to the Viśvedevas, to ail living beings, to Uṣas (dawn) and to the Bhūtapati (the lord of living beings). In the south he shall offer oblation to the Pitṛs after saying “Svadhā ca namaḥ” making it anticlockwise. He shall duly offer the water mixed with the remnant of cooked rice in the south-east, uttering “Yakṣma etat te”. Thereafter he shall perform the rite of obeisance to Devas and to Brahmins.

95-98. The line at the root of the thumb of the right hand is known as the Brāhma Tīrtha for the rite of Ācamana.

The spot between the index finger and the thumb is cited as the Pitṛ Tīrtha. Except in the case of Nāndīmukha type of Pitṛs, water libation shall be offered by means of this spot to the Pitṛs. The Tīrtha pertaining to Devas is at the tip of fingers. The holy rite unto Devas is by means of Pitṛtīrtha. The Tīrtha of Prajāpati should be assigned at the root of the little finger. Thus by means of these Tīrthas alone should all the rites be performed to the respective deities along with the Pitṛs. They should never be performed through the Tīrthas of others.

99-100. The rite of Ācamana by means of Brāhma Tīrtha is excellent. The rites of Pitṛs shall always be performed by means of Pitṛ Tīrtha; the rites of Devas by means of Deva Tīrtha and the rite of Prajāpati by means of the Tīrtha of Prajāpati. With the same one shall perform the rites of water libation and offering the ball of rice unto the Nāndīmukha variety of Pitṛs. Everything connected with Prajāpati shall be performed by means of Prājāpatya Tīrtha.

101. No shrewd man shall hold water and fire together. One shall not stretch one’s legs in front of one’s preceptors, Devas, Pitṛs and brahmins.

102. One should not look at a cow suckling her calf; one should not drink water with the palms joined together to form a cup; an intelligent man shall not cause delay in the short and long periods of cleaning. One shall not blow fire with the mouth.

103. O brahmins, one should not stay in a place where the following four are not present, viz. one who offers debt; a physician, a brahmin well-versed in the Vedas and a river abounding in water.

104. An intelligent man shall always stay there where the king is strong, interested in virtue and has conquered his servants. Whence can one have happiness if the king is bad.

105. It is conducive to happiness to stay at a place where the citizens are united, where they abide by justice, where they are peaceful and where they rival with one another (to work for the welfare of all).

106. A shrewd man shall live in that country where the husbandmen are generally not very arrogant and where all medicines are available.

107. O brahmins, one shall not stay in that place where the following three exist together: one who is eager to conquer; a previous enemy and people who continuously celebrate the festivals.

108. A learned man shall stay among his fellow travellers of very good conduct. One shall always stay at a place where the king cannot be thwarted and where the earth yields plenty of vegetables.

109. Thus, O brahmins, everything has been mentioned by me for the welfare of you all. Henceforth I shall state the rules of procedure regarding the food-intake.

110. Cooked rice, though stale, can be taken in if it is soaked in oil. It can be kept thus for a long time. Wheat products, barley products and milk products, kept for a long time can be eaten even if they are devoid of oiliness.

111. The following can be eaten: hare, tortoise, alligator, porcupine and the fish with darts (?) The village boar and the cock should be avoided.

112. In the following circumstances, even if one cats meat, one is not defiled: if it is the remnant of offerings unto the Pitṛs, Devas etc. or if it is cooked in Śrāddha at the request of the brahmins and is sprinkled with holy water or if it is taken as a medicine.

113-114. The following articles can be cleaned with water: conch, rock, gold, silver, rope, garments, vegetables, roots, fruits, baskets of split bamboos, hides, jewel-studded cloth, coral pearl, (ordinary) vessels and vessels used for drinking Soma juice.

115. The cleansing of stony vessels may be with water or by scrubbing with a stone. The cleansing of oily vessels is by means of hot water.

116-117. The sieves, deer skins, mortars and pestles, or clothes in a bundle are cleaned by just sprinkling (water over the bundle). The cleansing of all types of bark-garments is by means of clay and water. The cleansing of wool and all types of hairs is done in this manner:—

118-119. It shall be cleansed with the Kalka (paste) after being boiled well of white mustard or sesamum seeds. The purification of all articles likely to get destroyed is always thus. The cleansing of cotton dress shall be with water and ash; that of wood, ivory, bones and horns is through paring.

120-122. The purity of pots made of clay is effected by baking it again. What is received by way of alms, the hand of an artisan and the mouth of the harlot—these are pure. The following are pure: the perfect knowledge and passage through the street, that which is consecrated by the servants, that which, is praised at the outset, that which is past after a long time, that which is hidden by many, that which is light, that which has many boys within, that in which old people are active, the chambers of barn and storage for sugarcane, grain etc. and the two breasts of a woman.

123. The flowing waters devoid of odour are pure. A plot of land becomes pure by the efflux of time, by being burnt, by being swept or when herds of cows pass over it.

124-136. (The ground becomes purified) by smearing (with cowdung), by scraping, by sprinkling (with water), by sweeping. Clay, water and ash must be put over cooked rice in the following circumstances for the sake of purity: if it is defiled by hairs or worms, if it is sniffed at by a cow or if flies settle on it.

The purity of (a vessel) made of Udumbara tree, tin or lead is effected by means of alkaline water (?). The purity of bell, metal vessels is effected by means of water mixed with Bhasman (ashes). If a liquid is defiled by contact with impurities, it is to be filtered or its foul smell is to be dispelled by means of clay and water. One shall remove the colour and the (bad) odour of other materials too (similarly). The (piece of) meat dropped down by a Caṇḍāla, beasts and birds of prey etc. is pure (intrinsically). Oil etc. that is spilt on the street is pure. The water that gives satisfaction to a cow is pure. Dust particles, fire, the shadow of horses and cows, rays (of the sun), wind, earth, sprays (of water) flies etc. are not defiled by means of their contact with (other) defiled things. Goats and horses are pure in their mouths but not the mouths of cows and calves. The flow of milk of the mother is pure. A bird felled down by an arrow is pure. Seats, beds, vehicles, river banks, grasses etc. are purified by the rays of the sun and the moon, and by the wind like the articles of trade.

One shall duly perform the rite of Ācamana after traversing through streets, after a bath and during the activities of hunger and drinking. One shall perform Ācamana after wearing a cloth.

The purity of those who are touched by the foul marshy water of the street is effected by contact with wind. So also the purity of platform built of baked bricks.

One shall take away the upper part of the cooked food defiled much, and leave it off and sprinkle the remaining part with water along with clay (?). The means of purity of the person who partakes of a defiled food is fasting for three nights and performing the rite of Ācamana by means of water. This atonement is prescribed when the partaking is due to ignorance. If it were to be with full knowledge that defect does not subside.

After touching a woman in her monthly course or a woman who has come into contact with her or a woman who has given birth to a child and persons belonging to the meanest caste, one shall take bath for purity. So also one shall take bath after touching persons who have borne a dead body. If a brahmin touches a human bone he can become pure by taking an oil bath.

137-138. If he does not take oil bath he shall perform the Ācamana rite, touch a cow and look at the sun. (He shall then become pure.)

One shall not tread on spittle or vomitted matter.

The leavings after food, faeces, urine, and water used for washing the feet shall be cast out of the house.

Without concluding the rite of offering five Piṇḍas one shall not take bath in the water belonging to others.

139. One shall take bath in natural water reservoirs (literally, those dug by gods), in eddies and Gaṅgā (and other) rivers.

An intelligent man shall never remain in gardens and other places at wrong times.

140-147. One shall never converse with those persons who are hated by the people as well as women bereft of sons.

One becomes purified by looking at the sun if one touches or converses with the persons who speak in contempt of deities, manes, scriptures, performance of sacrifice and saintly persons.

This selfsame purificatory rite should be performed by intelligent persons after looking at the following persons etc.: a woman in her monthly course, a dead body that has been left abandoned and lying (unattended), persons devoid of righteousness or persons of other religions, a woman who has given birth to a child, a eunuch, a naked man, a man of the lowest caste, persons who have carried a dead body and those who are enamoured of other men’s wives.

A person who is conversant with righteousness becomes purified by taking a bath if he touches these: a mendicant who is not worthy of being fed (?), a heretic, a cat, an ass, a cook, a fallen man, an outcaste(a person ostracised), a Caṇḍāla and those who bear dead bodies, a country pig and a woman in her monthly course. Similarly one has to take bath for purification if one touches any one of these: persons defiled by a woman who has given birth to a child or a person who has the pollution due to child birth or a person who fails to perform his daily round of duties at home or he who is abandoned by brahmins or the meanest man who commits sins by his (indiscriminate) eating.

One shall never fail to perform the daily duty of observing rituals. I shall mention the occasions when they need not be performed. On the occurrence of a death or a birth (in his family) a brahmin shall refrain from the rites of performing sacrifice, offering sacrificial fee, etc.

148. (In similar circumstances) a Kṣatriya shall remain without performing the Nitya rites for twelve days, a Vaiśya for half a month and a Śūdra for a month.

149-150. Thereafter all these shall perform their duties duly.

Water (libation) should be offered to the dead man by the members of his Gotra after going out of the house. The bones of a dead person shall be collected on the first, fourth, seventh or the ninth day. They should be gathered by the members of his Gotra on the fourth day.

151. After the rite of Sañcayana (collection of bones after cremation) the touch of their limbs is laid down in the Śāstras. The rites should be performed by the members of the Gotra, after the rite of Sañcayana.

152-156. (Defective) On the day of death two Sapiṇḍas can touch each other, for they are related to each other. If death takes place due to weapons, hanging, fire or enemy the prescription is the same as mentioned afore. If death takes place due to protest fasts or starvation, men are purified immediately. But the Sapiṇḍas will have pollution for three days. When a Sapiṇḍa dies after the death of another (i.e. immediately thereafter), a single purificatory rite is sufficient. The routine daily rites should be performed there. The same is the procedure when a birth takes place during the postnatal pollution due to a person’s birth in the case Sapiṇḍas and Sodakas.

According to injunctions the father shall take bath at the birth of a son. He shall take bath along with clothes he is wearing at the time of the birth.

157-158. Even in the case of (post-natal pollution) if another birth taken place while a pollution is current, the purity is mentioned as having been effected in the course of days of the previous birth. The castes shall duly perform their duties and rituals after ten, twelve, fifteen or thirty days have passed.

159. Thereafter the rite of Ekoddiṣṭa Śrāddha should be performed by learned men in regard to the dead man and gifts should be given to the brahmins.

160. Whatever was pleasing unto, whatever was liked by him in the house, should be given to a worthy Brahmin by the person who wishes that the same should be inexhaustible.

161. When the days are completed the people shall touch water by their vehicles and weapons. After giving water libations and Piṇḍas to the dead men people of all castes would have fulfilled all their due rites.

162. They shall perform all rites maintaining purity for prosperity here and hereafter. The Vedas should be studied everyday. One should try to be a learned scholar.

163-167. One should earn and amass wealth righteously. One should assiduously perform sacrifices whereby the Ātman will not be infuriated. O brahmins, it shall not be treated with contempt. Without hesitation one shall perform that rite which need not be concealed by great men.

O brahmins, if a householder practises the foregoing conduct of life thus, he attains virtue, wealth and love. It is splendid for him here and hereafter.

This is an esoteric secret. It is conducive to longevity and affluence. It increases intellect. It dispels sins. It is meritorious. It bestows glory, health and nourishment. It is auspicious. It confers fame and renown. It increases splendour and strength. It is a means of attainment of heaven. It should always be practised by men, O excellent sages. It should be practised by Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas and Śūdras.

168-170. This should be known carefully by those who desire prosperity. He who understands and practises it on all occasions shall be rid of sins. He is honoured in the heavenly world. O excellent brahmins, this is the essence of all essences that has been related. It is the virtuous path mentioned in Śrutis and Smṛtis. This secret should not be imparted to anyone, least to an atheist, a defiled mind. Nor should it be imparted to an arrogant fellow, a foolish person or a prattler of unsound arguments.