13. Let him eat vegetables that grow on dry land or in water, flowers, roots, and fruits, the productions of pure trees, and oils extracted from forest-fruits.

14. Let him avoid honey, flesh, and mushrooms growing on the ground (or elsewhere, the vegetables called) Bhûstrina, and Sigruka, and the Sleshmântaka fruit.

15. Let him throw away in the month of Åsvina the food of ascetics, which he formerly collected, likewise his worn-out clothes and his vegetables, roots, and fruit.

16. Let him not eat anything (grown on) ploughed (land), though it may have been thrown away by somebody, nor roots and fruit grown in a village, though (he may be) tormented (by hunger).

17. He may eat either what has been cooked with fire, or what has been ripened by time; he either may use a stone for grinding, or his teeth may be his mortar.

18. He may either at once (after his daily meal) cleanse (his vessel for collecting food), or lay up a

14. Bhûstrina, i.e. Andropogon Schoenanthus, Sigruka, according to Nâr., the same as the Sobhanâñgana, i. e. Moringa Pterygosperma, the horse-radish tree, the leaves of which are said to be used as a vegetable. According to Medh., these two vegetables are known among the Bâhîkas, in the Panjâb; according to Gov., Kull., Râgh., the former is found in Mâlvâ. Sleshmântaka, i.e. Cordia Myxa. According to Medh., bhaumâni, 'those which grow on or come from the ground,' has to be taken as a separate word, and denotes a plant, known to the woodmen, named Gogihvikâ, Phlomnis or Premna Esculenta. Gov., Nâr., and Kull. give the construction adopted above, and the latter two declare that mushrooms growing on trees are likewise forbidden.

16. Though he may be in distress,' i. e. 'tormented by hunger' (Gov., Kull.), or 'sick' (Nâr.).

18. He may either at once (after his daily meal) cleanse (his

store sufficient for a month, or gather what suffices for six months or for a year.

19. Having collected food according to his ability, he may either eat at night (only), or in the day-time (only), or at every fourth meal-time, or at every eighth.

20. Or he may live according to the rule of the lunar penance (Kândrâyana, daily diminishing the quantity of his food) in the bright (half of the month) and (increasing it) in the dark (half); or he may eat on the last days of each fortnight, once (a day only), boiled barley-gruel.

21. Or he may constantly subsist on flowers, roots, and fruit alone, which have been ripened by time and have fallen spontaneously, following the rule of the (Institutes) of Vikhanas.

22. Let him either roll about on the ground, or stand during the day on tiptoe, (or) let him alternately stand and sit down; going at the Savanas (at sunrise, at midday, and at sunset) to water in the forest (in order to bathe).

23. In summer let him expose himself to the heat of five fires, during the rainy season live under the open sky, and in winter be dressed in wet clothes, (thus) gradually increasing (the rigour of) his austerities.

vessel for collecting food),' (Nâr.), means he may either gather only as much as suffices for one day.' This mode of subsistence is apparently the same as that called Samprakshâlanî vriti by Baudhâyana, III, 2, 11.

21. All the commentators except Nâr. expressly state that the text refers to a particular set of Sûtras, ascribed to the Rishi Vikhanas, which contained rules for hermits. Medh. adds that the hermit is to learn other practices also from that work.

23. Five fires,' i.e. 'four fires and the sun from above.'

24. When he bathes at the three Savanas (sunrise, midday, and sunset), let him offer libations of water to the manes and the gods, and practising harsher and harsher austerities, let him dry up his bodily frame.

25. Having reposited the three sacred fires in himself, according to the prescribed rule, let him live without a fire, without a house, wholly silent, subsisting on roots and fruit,

26. Making no effort (to procure) things that give pleasure, chaste, sleeping on the bare ground, not caring for any shelter, dwelling at the roots of trees.

27. From Brâhmanas (who live as) ascetics, let him receive alms, (barely sufficient) to support life, or from other householders of the twice-born (castes) who reside in the forest.

28. Or (the hermit) who dwells in the forest may bring (food) from a village, receiving it either in a hollow dish (of leaves), in (his naked) hand, or in a broken earthen dish, and may eat eight mouthfuls.

29. These and other observances must a Brâhmana who dwells in the forest diligently practise, and in order to attain complete (union with) the (supreme) Soul, (he must study) the various sacred texts contained in the Upanishads,

24. Gov. says that these harsher austerities are those prescribed in the Vaikhânasa Sâstra. Medh. gives as instances, standing with uplifted arms, fasting for a month, and the Dvâdasarâtra.

25. 'According to the rule,' i. e. ' by swallowing ashes and so forth' (Medh., Gov., Kull.), which mode has to be learned from the Srâvanaka [Srâmanaka Sûtra] (Medh.), or by reciting the text 'Yâ te agne yagñiyâ,' Taitt. Samh. II, 5, 8, 8 (Nâr.).

29. Âtmasamsiddhaye, in order to attain complete (union with) the (supreme) Soul,' may also mean 'in order to make himself or his soul perfect.' Nâr. gives the correct etymology of Upanishad, explaining upanishannâ yokyata ity upanishat, 'Upanishad means (a text) which is recited (while the pupils are) seated near (the teacher).'

30. (As well as those rites and texts) which have been practised and studied by the sages (Rishis), and by Brâhmana householders, in order to increase their knowledge (of Brahman), and their austerity, and in order to sanctify their bodies;

31. Or let him walk, fully determined and going straight on, in a north-easterly direction, subsisting on water and air, until his body sinks to rest.

32. A Brâhmana, having got rid of his body by one of those modes practised by the great sages, is exalted in the world of Brahman, free from sorrow and fear.

33. But having thus passed the third part of (a

30. Gov. and Kull. separate the two words 'Brâhmana householders.' The former explains Brâhmana by hermit,' and the latter by acquainted with the Brahman, i.e. ascetic.' By 'householders' Kull. understands hermits in the forest.' Râgh. explains Brahmana by 'those who know Brahman.'

31. Gov. and Kull. take yukta, firmly resolved' (Nâr., Râgh.), in the sense of intent on the practice of Yoga.' Gov. and Kull. (see also Medh. on the next verse) say that a man may undertake the Mahaprasthâna, or 'Great Departure,' on a journey which ends in death, when he is incurably diseased or meets with a great misfortune, and that, because it is taught in the Sâstras, it is not opposed to the Vedic rules which forbid suicide. From the parallel passage of Âp. II, 23, 2, it is, however, evident that a voluntary death by starvation was considered the befitting conclusion of a hermit's life. The antiquity and general prevalence of the practice may be inferred from the fact that the Gaina ascetics, too, consider it particularly meritorious.

32. By one of those modes,' i. e. 'drowning oneself in a river, precipitating oneself from a mount, burning oneself or starving oneself to death' (Medh.); or 'by one of those modes of practising austerities, mentioned above, verse 23' (Gov., Kull., Nâr., Nand.). Medh, adds a long discussion, trying to prove that 'the world of Brahman,' which the ascetic thus gains, is not the real complete liberation.

33-85. Âp. II, 21, 2−17 ; Gaut. III, II-25 ; Vas. VI, 19-20; X;

man's natural term of) life in the forest, he may live as an ascetic during the fourth part of his existence, after abandoning all attachment to worldly objects.

34. He who after passing from order to order, after offering sacrifices and subduing his senses, becomes, tired with (giving) alms and offerings of food, an ascetic, gains bliss after death.

35. When he has paid the three debts, let him apply his mind to (the attainment of) final liberation; he who seeks it without having paid (his debts) sinks downwards.

36. Having studied the Vedas in accordance with the rule, having begat sons according to the sacred law, and having offered sacrifices according to his ability, he may direct his mind to (the attainment of) final liberation.

37. A twice-born man who seeks final liberation, without having studied the Vedas, without having begotten sons, and without having offered sacrifices, sinks downwards.

38. Having performed the Ishti, sacred to the Lord of creatures (Pragâpati), where (he gives) all his property as the sacrificial fee, having reposited the sacred fires in himself, a Brâhmana may depart from his house (as an ascetic).

39. Worlds, radiant in brilliancy, become (the portion) of him who recites (the texts regarding) Brahman and departs from his house (as an ascetic), after giving a promise of safety to all created beings.

Baudh. II, 11, 16-26; 17, 1-18, 27; Vi. XCVI-XCVII; Yâgñ. III, 56-63.

33. Nâr. takes âsanga, attachment' (Gov., Kull.), in the sense of 'possessions.'

38. The description of the rites to be performed on entering the order of ascetics is given in detail in Baudh. II, 17.