VI. 25. Then, having reposited his holy fires, as the CHAP. law directs, in his mind, let him live without ex'ternal fire, without a mansion, wholly silent, feeding on roots and fruit; 26. Not solicitous for the means of gratification, 'chaste as a student, sleeping on the bare earth, in 'the haunts of pious hermits, without one selfish affec'tion, dwelling at the roots of trees. 6 27. From devout Bráhmens let him receive alms to support life, or from other housekeepers of twice'born classes, who dwell in the forest: 6 28. Or the hermit may bring food from a town, having received it in a basket of leaves, in his naked hand, or in a potsherd; and then let him swallow eight mouthfuls. 29. These and other rules must a Bráhmen, who retires to the woods, diligently practise; and, for • the purpose of uniting his soul with the Divine Spirit, let him study the various Upanishads of scripture, or chapters on the essence and attributes of God, 6 6 30. Which have been studied with reverence by anchorites versed in theology, and by housekeepers, who dwelt afterwards in forests, for the sake of increasing their sublime knowledge and devotion, and for the purification of their bodies. 31. Or, if he has any incurable disease, let him ⚫ advance in a straight path, towards the invincible north eastern point, feeding on water and air, till • his CHAP. his mortal frame totally decay, and his soul become united with the Supreme. VI. 6 32. A Bráhmen, having shuffled off his body by any of those modes, which great sages practised, and becoming void of sorrow and fear, rises to 'exaltation in the divine essence. 33. HAVING thus performed religious acts in a forest during the third portion of his life, let him become a Sannyásí for the fourth portion of it, abandoning ' all sensual affections, and wholly reposing in the Supreme Spirit: 6 34. The man, who has passed from order to order, has made oblations to fire on his respective changes of state, and has kept his members in subjection, but, tired with so long a course of giving alms and making offerings, thus reposes himself entirely on GOD, shall be raised after death to glory. 35. When he has paid his three debts to the sages, 'the manes, and the gods, let him apply his mind to ' final beatitude; but low shall He fall, who presumes to seek beatitude, without having discharged those ' debts : 36. 6 After he has read the Védas in the form pre'scribed by law, has legally begotten a son, and has performed sacrifices to the best of his power, he has paid his three debts, and may then apply his heart to eternal bliss; 37. But if a Bráhmen have not read the Veda, if • he 6 6 VI he have not begotten a son, and if he have not CHAP. performed sacrifices, yet shall aim at final beatitude, he shall sink to a place of degradation. 38. Having performed the sacrifice of PRAJAPATI, accompanied with a gift of all his wealth, and having reposited in his mind the sacrificial fires, a Bráhmen may proceed from his house, that is, from the second order, or he may proceed even from the first, to the condition of a Sannyásí. 39. Higher worlds are illuminated with the glory of that man, who passes from his house into the fourth order, giving exemption from fear to all animated beings, and pronouncing the mystick words of 'the Véda: 40. To the Bráhmen, by whom not even the smallest dread has been occasioned by sentient creatures, there can be no dread from any quarter whatever, when he obtains a release from his mortal body. 41. Departing from his house, taking with him pure implements, his water-pot and staff, keeping silence, unallured by desire of the objects near him, let him enter into the fourth order. 42. Alone let him constantly dwell, for the sake 43. Let him have no culinary fire, no domicil; let VI. CHAP. let him patiently bear disease; let his mind be firm; 'let him study to know God, and fix his attention on God alone.' 44. An earthen water-pot, the roots of large trees, coarse vesture, total solitude, equanimity toward all 'creatures, these are the characteristicks of a Bráhmen set free. 6 45. Let him not wish for death; let him not wish 46. Let him advance his foot purified by looking 47. Let him bear a reproachful speech with pa- 48. With an angry man let him not in his turn be 49. 'ing VI. ing any thing earthly, without one sensual desire, CHAP. without any companion but his own soul, let him live in this world seeking the bliss of the next. 50. Neither by explaining omens and prodigies, nor by skill in astrology and palmestry, nor by casuistry and expositions of holy texts, let him at any time gain his daily support. 51. Let him not go near a house frequented by hermits, or priests, or birds, or dogs, or other beg6 gars. 6 52. His hair, nails, and beard being clipped, bearing with him a dish, a staff, and a water-pot, his whole mind being fixed on GOD, let him wander ' about continually, without giving pain to animal or vegetable beings. 6 6 53. His dishes must have no fracture, nor must they be made of bright metals: the purification ordained for them must be with water alone, like that of the vessels for a sacrifice. 54. A gourd, a wooden bowl, an earthen dish, or a basket made of reeds, has MENU, son of the Selfexisting, declared fit vessels to receive the food of Bráhmens devoted to God. 55. Only once a day let him demand food; let him not habituate him to eat much at a time; for an anchorite, habituated to eat much, becomes in'clined to sensual gratifications. 56. At the time when the smoke of kitchen fires • has 2A2 |