अष्टक उवाच चरन् गृहस्थः कथमेति धर्मान् कथं भिक्षुः कथमाचार्यकर्मा। वानप्रस्थः सत्पथे संनिविष्टो बहून्यस्मिन् सम्प्रति वेदयन्ति॥
Ashtaka said: Those that are learned in the Vedas differ in opinions as regards the respective methods which should be practised by the Grihastas, Brahmacharis, Bhikshus and Vanaprasthas, so that they may acquire religious merits.
ययातिरुवाच आहूताध्यायी गुरुकर्मस्वचोद्यः पूर्वोत्थायी चरमं चोपशायी। मृदुर्दान्तो धृतिमानप्रमत्तः ध्यायशील: सिध्यति ब्रह्मचारी॥
Yayati said: A Brahmachari must do the following. When he will live in the house of his preceptor, he must receive lessons only when his preceptor will call him to do it. He must serve his preceptor without waiting for his command. He must rise before his preceptor from his bed and go to bed after him. He must be humble, self-controlled, patient, vigilant and devoted to study.
धर्मागतं प्राप्य धनं यजेत दद्यात् सदैवातिथीन् भोयजेच्च। अनाददानश्च परैरदत्तं सैषा गृहस्थोपनिषत् पुराणी॥
It is said in the oldest Upanishad that he must perform sacrifices after acquiring wealth by honest means. He should spend it in charity; he should be hospitable to all that would come to his house; he should never use anything without giving a portion to others.
स्ववीर्यजीवी वृजिनान्निवृत्तो दाता परेभ्यो न परोपतापी। तादृङ्मुनिः सिद्धिमुपैति मुख्यां वसन्नरण्ये नियताहारचेष्टः॥
A Muni (Brahmachari) should live in the forest, depending on his own vigour and without searching for food. He should abstain from all vicious acts; he should give away in charity; he should never inflict pain upon any creatures. It is then only that he can gain success.
अशिल्पजीवी गुणवांश्चैव नित्यं जितेन्द्रियः सर्वतो विप्रयुक्तः। श्चरन् देशानेकचरः स भिक्षुः॥
He is a true Bhikshu, who does not support himself by any manual labour, who possesses many accomplishments, who has his passions under complete control, who is thoroughly unconnected with all worldly concerns, who does not sleep under the shelter of a householder's roof, who is without wife and who travels over many countries, going some distance every day.
रात्र्या यया वाभिजिताच लोका भवन्ति कामाभिजिताः सुखाचा नरण्यसंस्थो भवितुं यतात्मा॥ दशैव पूर्वान् दश चापरांश्च ज्ञातीनथात्मानमथैकविंशम्। अरण्यवासी सुकृते दधाति विमुच्यारण्ये स्वशरीरधातून्॥
A learned should adopt the Vanaprastha mode of life, after the performance of the necessary rites. He should adopt it when he has been able to control his thirst for enjoyments and desire of acquiring wealth. When a man dies in the forest, leading the Vanaprastha mode of life, he mixes his ancestors and grand-children, numbering ten generations including himself, with the divine man essence.
अष्टक उवाच कतिस्विदेव मुनयः कति मौनानि चाप्युत। भवन्तीति तदाचक्ष्व श्रोतुच्छिामहे वयम्॥
Ashtaka said : How many kinds of Munis are there and how many kinds of Munis (observers of vows)? We desire to hear all this.
ययातिरुवाच अरण्ये वसतो यस्य ग्रामो भवति पृष्ठतः। ग्रामे वा वसतोऽरण्यं स मुनिः स्याजनाधिप॥
Yayati said: O king, he is a true Muni, who possesses all things pertaining to a village though living in the forest and also possesses all things pertaining to the forest though living in a village.
अष्टक उवाच कथंस्विद् वसतोऽरण्ये ग्रामो भवति पृष्ठतः। ग्रामे वा वसतोऽरण्यं कथं भवति पृष्ठतः॥
Ashtaka said : How is it possible to possess all things pertaining to a village when living in the forest and all things pertaining to a forest when living in a village?
ययातिरुवाच न ग्राम्यमुपयुञ्जीत य आरण्यो मुनिर्भवेत्। तथास्य वसतोऽरण्ये ग्रामो भवति पृष्ठतः॥
Yayati said : A Muni lives in the forest after withdrawing himself from all worldly objects. But though he never seeks to possess things pertaining to a village, he may yet get them by his ascetic powers.
अनग्निरनिकेतश्चाप्यगोत्रचरणो मुनिः। कौपीनाच्छादनं यावत् तावदिच्छेच चीवरम्॥ यावत् प्राणाभिसंधानं तावदिच्छेच भोजनम्। तथास्य वसतो ग्रामेऽरण्यं भवति पृष्ठतः॥ यस्तु कामान् परित्यज्य त्यक्तकर्मा जितेन्द्रियः। आतिष्ठेच मुनिर्मीनं स लोके सिद्धिमाप्नुयात्॥
A true Muni, withdrawn from all earthly objects, might live in a village, leading the life of a hermit. Chad in Kaupina (scantiest of robes,) he considers himself attired in the richest robe. He is content with food just sufficient to support life. He who abandons all desires, who has all his passions under complete control and who has given up all actions, is the man who attains success.
धौतदन्तं कृत्तनखं सदा स्नातमलंकृतम्। असितं सितकर्माणं कस्तमर्हति नार्चितुम्॥
Why should you not revere the man who lives on pure food, who refrains from injuring others, whose heart is ever holy, who is effulgent in his ascetic merits, who is free from the leaden weight of desire and who abstains from injury even when it is sanctioned by the scriptures?
तपसा कर्शितः क्षामः क्षीणमांसास्थिशोणितः। स च लोकमिमं जित्वा लोकं विजयते परम्॥
Emaciated by hard asceticism and reduced in marrow, blood and flesh, such a Muni not only conquers this world, but the highest world.
यदा भवति निर्द्वन्द्वो मुनिर्मौनं समास्थितः। अथ लोकमिमं जित्वा लोकं विजयते परम्॥
The Muni who sits in Yoga mediation and who becomes indifferent to happiness and misery, honour and insult, conquers this world and conquering it, he conquers the highest world.
आस्येन तु यदाहारं गोवन्मृगयते मुनिः। अथास्य लोकः सर्वोऽयं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते॥
The Muni who eats like the kine and other animals, without providing for it beforehand and without any relish, becomes identified with the whole universe.