7. He may either store up grain for three years; or CHAP.

garner up enough for one year or collect what may

last three days; or make no provision for the mor

row..

8. Of the four Bráhmens keeping house, who follow those four different modes, a preference is given to the last in order successively; as to him, who most completely by virtue has vanquished the world:

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9. One of them subsists by all the six means of livelihood; another by three of them; a third, by two only; and a fourth lives barely on continually teaching the Véda.

10. He, who sustains himself by picking up grains and ears, must attach himself to some altar of consecrated fire, but constantly perform those rites only, which end with the dark and bright fortnights and ' with the solstices.

11. Let him never, for the sake of a subsistence, have recourse to popular conversation; let him live by the conduct of a priest, neither crooked, nor artful, nor blended with the manners of the mercantile 'class.

12. Let him, if he seek happiness, be firm in per'fect content, and check all desire of acquiring more 'than he possesses; for happiness has its root in content, and discontent is the root of misery.

13. A Bráhmen keeping house, and supporting him'self by any of the legal means before-mentioned,

IV.

CHAP. 'must discharge these following duties, which conduce to fame, length of life, and beatitude.

IV.

14. Let him daily without sloth perform his pe

culiar duty, which the Véda prescribes; for he, who performs that duty, as well as he is able, attains the highest path to supreme bliss.

15. He must not gain wealth by musick or dancing, or by any art that pleases the sense; nor by any prohibited art; nor, whether he be rich or poor, must he receive gifts indiscriminately.

16. Let him not, from a selfish appetite, be strongly addicted to any sensual gratification; let him, by improving his intellect, studiously preclude an excessive attachment to such pleasures, even though lawful. 17. All kinds of wealth, that may impede his reading the Véda, let him wholly abandon, persisting by all means in the study of scripture; for that will be found his most beneficial attainment.

18. Let him pass through this life, bringing his apparel, his discourse, and his frame of mind, to a conformity with his age, his occupations, his property, his divine knowledge, and his family.

19. Each day let him examine those holy books, "which soon give increase of wisdom; and those, which teach the means of acquiring wealth; those, which are salutary to life; and those nigamas, which are ⚫ explanatory of the Véda;

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20. Since, as far as a man studies completely the 'system

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IV.

'system of sacred literature, so far only can he become CHAP. eminently learned, and so far may his learning shine

21. The sacramental oblations to sages, to the gods, 'to spirits, to men, and to his ancestors, let him constantly perform to the best of his power.

22. Some, who well know the ordinances for those oblations, perform not always externally the five great sacraments, but continually make offerings in 'their own organs of sensation and intellect :

23. Some constantly sacrifice their breath in their speech, when they instruct others, or praise God aloud, ' and their speech in their breath, when they meditate ' in silence; perceiving in their speech and breath, thus employed, the unperishable fruit of a sacrificial offering:

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24. Other Bráhmens incessantly perform those sacri'fices with scriptural knowledge only; seeing with the

eye of divine learning, that scriptural knowledge is 'the root of every ceremonial observance.

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25. Let a Bráhmen perpetually make oblations to consecrated fire at the beginning and end of day and night, and at the close of each fortnight, or at the conjunction and opposition:

26. At the season, when old grain is usually consumed, let him offer new grain for a plentiful har6 vest; and at the close of the season, let him per'form the rites called adhwara; at the solstices let him

CHAP. sacrifice cattle; at the end of the year, let his oblations be made with the juice of the moon-plant.

IV.

27. Not having offered grain for the harvest, nor cattle at the time of the solstice, let no Bráhmen, who

keeps hallowed fire, and wishes for long life, taste rice or flesh;

28. Since the holy fires, not being honoured with

new grain and with a sacrifice of cattle, are greedy ' for rice and flesh, and seek to devour his vital spirits.

29. Let him take care, to the utmost of his power, 'that no guest sojourn in his house unhonoured with a seat, with food, with a bed, with water, with escu'lent roots, and with fruit :

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30. But, let him not honour with his conversation. such as do forbidden acts; such as subsist, like cats, by interested craft; such as believe not the scripture; such as oppugn it by sophisms; or such as live like rapacious water-birds.

31.

With oblations to the gods and to ancestors, ' let him do reverence to Bráhmens of the second order, 'who are learned in theology, who have returned home from their preceptors, after having performed their religious duties and fully studied the Veda; but men of an opposite description let him avoid.

32. Gifts must be made by each house-keeper, as far as he has ability, to religious mendicants, though 'heterodox; and a just portion must be reserved, with

' out

out inconvenience to his family, for all sentient beings, CHAP. · animal and vegetable.

33. A priest, who is master of a family, and pines

' with hunger, may seek wealth from a king of the mi

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litary class, from a sacrificer, or his own pupil, but 'from no person else, unless all other helps fail: thus will he shew his respect for the law.

34. Let no priest, who keeps house, and is able to procure food, ever waste himself with hunger; nor, when he has any substance, let him wear old or sordid clothes.

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35. His hair, nails, and beard, being clipped; his passions subdued; his mantle, white; his body, pure; let him diligently occupy himself in reading the Veda, and be constantly intent on such acts, as may be salutary to him.

36. Let him carry a staff of Vénu, an ewer with water in it, a handful of cusa-grass, or a copy of the Veda; with a pair of bright golden rings in his ears.

37. He must not gaze on the sun, whether rising or 'setting, or eclipsed, or reflected in water, or advanced to the middle of the sky.

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38. Over a string, to which a calf is tied, let him not

step; nor let him run, while it rains; nor let him look ⚫ on his own image in water: this is a settled rule.

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39. By a mound of earth, by a cow, by an idol, by a Bráhmen, by a pot of clarified butter, or of honey,

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IV.