12.061
Library: Ashrama dharmas elaborated by referencing Nārāyaṇa Gīta
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said:
āśramāṇāṃ mahābāho śṛṇu satyaparākrama। caturṇām iha varṇānāṃ karmāṇi ca yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-61-1॥
O mighty-armed Yudhishthira, listen, O truly valiant one, to the duties of the four varṇas and āśramas here.
vānaprasthaṃ bhaikṣacaryāṃ gārhasthyaṃ ca mahāśramam। brahmacaryāśramaṃ prāhuścaturthaṃ brāhmaṇairvṛtam ॥12-61-2॥
The forest-dwelling, alms-begging, and householder's stages are great āśramas; the Brāhmaṇas call the āśrama of celibacy the fourth, which they have adopted.
jaṭākaraṇasaṃskāraṃ dvijātitvam avāpya ca। ādhānādīni karmāṇi prāpya vedam adhītya ca ॥12-61-3॥
After performing the sacrament of making matted hair, attaining the status of a twice-born, completing rites such as initiation, and studying the Veda;
sadāro vāpyadāro vā ātmavān saṃyatendriyaḥ। vānaprasthāśramaṃ gacchet kṛtakṛtyo gṛhāśramāt ॥12-61-4॥
Whether with his wife or alone, a self-controlled man who has fulfilled his duties should leave the householder's life and enter the stage of a forest-dweller.
tatrāraṇyakaśāstrāṇi samadhītya sa dharmavit। ūrdhvaretāḥ prajāyitvā gacchatyakṣarasātmatām ॥12-61-5॥
There, after thoroughly studying the forest treatises, the knower of dharma, having become celibate after begetting offspring, attains the state of the imperishable self.
etānyeva nimittāni munīnām ūrdhvaretasām। kartavyāni iha vipreṇa rājan ādau vipaścitā ॥12-61-6॥
O King, these indeed are the causes for the sages of ascetic discipline; these duties should be performed here by the Brāhmaṇa, at the beginning, by the wise.
caritabrahmacaryasya brāhmaṇasya viśāṃ pate। bhaikṣacaryāsvadhikāraḥ praśasta iha mokṣiṇaḥ ॥12-61-7॥
O lord of men, for a Brāhmaṇa who has completed the vow of celibacy, the eligibility for the life of mendicancy is recommended here for those who seek liberation.
yatrāstamitaśāyī syānniragniranikētanaḥ। yathōpalabdhajīvī syānmunirdāntō jitēndriyaḥ ॥12-61-8॥
A sage who is self-restrained and has conquered his senses may sleep wherever the sun sets, without a fixed home or fire, and lives on whatever is obtained.
nirāśīḥ syātsarvasamo nirbhogo nirvikāravān। vipraḥ kṣemāśramaṃ prāpto gacchatyakṣarasātmatām ॥12-61-9॥
A brāhmaṇa, having attained the āśrama of security, should be without expectation, equal to all, free from enjoyment and change, and should proceed to the state of the imperishable self.
adhītya vedān kṛta-sarva-kṛtyaḥ; santānam utpādya sukhāni bhuktvā। samāhitaḥ pracaret duścaraṃ taṃ; gārhasthya-dharmaṃ muni-dharma-dṛṣṭam ॥12-61-10॥
After studying the Vedas, fulfilling all duties, begetting children, and enjoying life's pleasures, one should, with a focused mind, practice that challenging householder's dharma as prescribed by the sages.
svadāratūṣṭa ṛtukālagāmī; niyogasevī naśaṭho najihmaḥ. mitāśano devaparaḥ kṛtajñaḥ; satyo mṛduścānṛśaṃsaḥ kṣamāvān ॥12-61-11॥
He is content with his own wife, approaches at the proper time, performs his duties, is neither deceitful nor crooked, is moderate in food, devoted to the gods, grateful, truthful, gentle, compassionate, and forbearing.
dānto vidheyo havyakavye'pramatto; annasya dātā satataṃ dvijebhyaḥ. amatsarī sarvaliṅgipradātā; vaitānanityaśca gṛhāśramī syāt ॥12-61-12॥
He should be self-restrained, obedient, vigilant in sacrificial offerings, always giving food to the twice-born, free from envy, generous to all, constantly performing Vaitāna rites, and established as a householder.
athātra nārāyaṇagītam āhur maharṣayas tāta mahānubhāvāḥ। mahārtham atyartha-tapaḥ-prayuktam; tad ucyamānaṃ hi mayā nibodha ॥12-61-13॥
Now, O dear one, the great sages, who are great souls, have called this the Nārāyaṇa Gīta, which is of profound meaning and practiced with intense austerity; listen carefully as it is being spoken by me.
satyārjavaṃ cātithipūjanaṃ ca; dharmastathārthaśca ratiśca dāre| niṣevitavyāni sukhāni loke; hyasminpare caiva mataṃ mamaitat ॥12-61-14॥
Truthfulness, straightforwardness, honoring guests, righteousness, wealth, and delight in one's wife are pleasures to be enjoyed in this world; indeed, in this and the next world, this is my opinion.
bharaṇaṃ putradārāṇāṃ vedānāṃ pāraṇaṃ tathā। satāṃ tamāśramaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ vadanti paramarṣayaḥ ॥12-61-15॥
The supreme sages say that the āśrama where one supports sons and wives and completes the recitation of the Vedas is the best among the virtuous.
evaṃ hi yo brāhmaṇo yajñaśīlo; gārhasthyam adhyāvasate yathāvat। gṛhasthavṛttiṃ praviśodhya samyak; svarge viśuddhaṃ phalam āpnute saḥ ॥12-61-16॥
Thus, the brāhmaṇa who is devoted to sacrifice and properly lives the life of a householder, having thoroughly purified his conduct as a householder, attains the pure reward in heaven.
tasya deha-parityāgād iṣṭāḥ kāmākṣayā matāḥ। ānantyāyopatiṣṭhanti sarvatokṣi-śiro-mukhāḥ ॥12-61-17॥
When he abandons his body, those desired by Kāmākṣā are regarded as such. For eternity, beings with eyes, heads, and mouths on all sides attend him.
khādanneko japannekaḥ sarpanneko yudhiṣṭhira। ekasminneva ācārye śuśrūṣurmalapaṅkavān ॥12-61-18॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, one was eating, one was reciting, one was moving; those covered with filth and mud served only one teacher.
brahmacārī vratī nityaṃ nityaṃ dīkṣāparo vaśī। avicārya tathā vedaṃ kṛtyaṃ kurvanvasetsadā ॥12-61-19॥
A brahmacārī, who is an observer of vows, always devoted to consecration, self-controlled, should always live performing his Vedic duties without deliberation.
śuśrūṣāṃ satataṃ kurvan guroḥ sampraṇameta ca। ṣaṭkarmasvanivṛttaś ca na pravṛttaś ca sarvaśaḥ॥12-61-20॥
One should always serve and bow to the teacher, and in all six duties, neither be completely withdrawn nor fully engaged in any of them.
na caratyadhikāreṇa sevitaṃ dviṣato na ca। eṣo''śramapadastāta brahmacāriṇa iṣyate ॥12-61-21॥
It is not practiced by authority nor by one who hates; this stage of life, O dear, is considered the āśrama of the brahmacārin (student of sacred knowledge).
