Description of the Āśramas
Chapter Twelve
Description of the Āśramas
|| 7.12.1 ||
śrī-nārada uvāca
brahmacārī guru-kule
vasan dānto guror hitam
ācaran dāsavan nīco
gurau sudṛḍha-sauhṛdaḥ
Nārada said: A student, controlling his senses, living in the guru-kula, acting only for the benefit of the guru, should be submissive to the guru like a servant, with firm faint and friendship towards him.
In the Twelfth Chapter the normal duties of the āśramas for a person in a varṇa and the rules for giving up the body for the vanāprastha are described. The verb of the sentence upāsīta “he should worship” is in the next verse.
|| 7.12.2 ||
sāyaṁ prātar upāsīta
gurv-agny-arka-surottamān
sandhye ubhe ca yata-vāg
japan brahma samāhitaḥ
In the early morning and in the evening at the sandhyas, silently, chanting the gāyatrī mantra with attention, he should worship the guru, fire, the sun-god and Lord Viṣṇu.
Brahma means gāyatrī.
|| 7.12.3 ||
chandāṁsy adhīyīta guror
āhūtaś cet suyantritaḥ
upakrame 'vasāne ca
caraṇau śirasā namet
Being called by the guru, the student should carefully study the Vedic mantras and at the beginning his studies and the end of his studies, the disciple should respectfully offer obeisances to the guru’s feet with his head.
|| 7.12.4 ||
mekhalājina-vāsāṁsi
jaṭā-daṇḍa-kamaṇḍalūn
bibhṛyād upavītaṁ ca
darbha-pāṇir yathoditam
With kuśa ring and matted locks, the brahmacārī should dress with a belt of straw, deerskin garments, and sacred thread, and carry a rod and water pot, as recommended in the scriptures.
|| 7.12.5 ||
sāyaṁ prātaś cared bhaikṣyaṁ
gurave tan nivedayet
bhuñjīta yady anujñāto
no ced upavaset kvacit
The brahmacārī should go out in the morning and evening to collect alms, and should offer all that he collects to the guru. He should eat only if ordered to take food by the guru; otherwise, if the spiritual master does not give this order, he should fast.
|| 7.12.6 ||
suśīlo mita-bhug dakṣaḥ
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