युधिष्ठिर उवाच आचारस्य विधिं तात प्रोच्यमानं त्वयानघ। श्रोतुमिच्छामि धर्मज्ञ सर्वज्ञो ह्यसि मे मतः॥
I think, O grandfather, that you know everything. O you, who are conversant with duties, I wish to hear you describe to me, O sinless one, the ordinances about conduct.
भीष्म उवाच दुराचारा दुर्विचेष्टा दुष्प्रज्ञाः प्रियसाहसाः। असंतस्विति विख्याताः संतश्चाचारलक्षणा:॥
Bhishma said Those are called wicked men who are of bad conduct, of bad acts, of wicked understanding, and great rashness, gusihed by purity of conduct and habit.
पुरीषं यदि वा मूत्रं ये न कुर्वन्ति मानवाः। राजमार्गे गवां मध्ये धान्यमध्ये च ते शुभाः॥
They are good men who never answer calls of nature on the high roads, in cowpens, or in fields filled with paddy.
शौचमावश्यकं कृत्वा देवतानां च तर्पणम्। धर्ममाहुर्मनुष्याणामुपस्पृश्य नदी तरेत्॥
One should, having finished the necessary rites, perform; his ablutions in river-water and gratify the gods with oblations of water. This is the duty of all men.
सूर्यं सदोपतिष्ठेत न च सूर्योदये स्वपेत्। सायं प्रातर्जपेत् संध्यां तिष्ठन् पूर्वां तथेतराम्॥
The Sun-god should be always adored. One should not sleep after sunrise. Morning and evening the prayers, should be said, sitting with face turned towards the East and towards the West respectively.
पञ्चाो भोजनं भुज्यात् प्राङ्मुखो मौनमास्थितः। न निन्द्यादन्नभक्ष्यांश्च स्वाद्वस्वादु च भक्षयेत्॥
One should, washing the five limbs, eal silently with face turned towards the East, One should never speak of the food which he is to eal. One should eat food which is good to the taste.
आर्द्रपाणिः समुत्तिष्ठेन्नार्द्रपादः स्वपेन्निशि। देवर्षिर्नारदः प्राह एतदाचारलक्षणम्॥
One should, washing the five limbs, cat silently with face turned towards the East. One should never speak of the food which he is to cal. One should eat food which is good to the taste.
शुचिं देशमनड्वाहं देवगोष्ठं चतुष्पथम्। ब्राह्मणं धार्मिकं चैन्य नित्यं कुर्यात् प्रदाक्षणम्॥
One should every day go round a sacred place, a bull, a sacred image, a cowpen, the crossing point of four roads, a pious Brahmana, and a sacred tree.
अतिथीनां च सर्वेषां प्रेष्याणां स्वजनस्य च। सामान्यं भोजनं भृत्यैः पुरुषस्य प्रशस्यते॥
One should make no distinctions between his guests and servants and kinsmen in matters of food. To treat servants equally in this matter is highly spoken of.
सायं प्रातर्मनुष्याणामशनं वेदनिर्मितम्। नान्तरा भोजनं दृष्टमुपवासी तथा भवेत्॥
Eating morning and evening is an ordinance of the gods. It is not sanctioned that one should eat at any intermediate period. He who cats according to this rule gains the merit of a fast.
होमकाले तथा जुह्वनृतकाले तथा व्रजन्। अनन्यस्त्रीजनः प्राज्ञो ब्रह्मचारी तथा भवेत्॥
One should pour libations, at the hours fixed for Homa, on the sacred fire. Without wishing to know other people's wives, the wisc man who seeks his own wife in her season, acquires the merit of Brahmacharya.
अमृतं ब्राह्मणोच्छिष्टं जनन्या हृदयं कृतम्। तज्जनाः पर्युपासन्ते सत्यं सन्तः समासते॥
The remnants of a Brahmana's food are like nectar. They are like the mother's milk. People highly value those remnants. The god, by cating them, attain to Brahma.
लोष्टमदा तृणच्छेदो नखवादी तु यो नरः। नित्योच्छिष्टः शंकुशुको नेहायुर्विन्दते महत्॥
He who pounds turf to clay or he who cuts grass, or he who uses his nails only for taking food, or he who always lives on the residue of Brahinana's dishes, or he who acts, actuated by desire for reward, has not to live long in the world.
यजुषा संस्कृतं मांसं निवृत्ता मांसभक्षणात्। न भक्षयेद् वृथामांसं पृष्ठमांस च वर्जयेत्॥
One who has abstained from meat, should not take meat even if it be sanctified with Mantras from the Yajurveda. One should also avoid the flesh of the vertebral column and the flesh of animals not killed in sacrifices.
स्वदेशे परदेशे वा अतिथि नोपवासयेत्। काम्यकर्मफलं लब्ध्वा गुरूणामुपपादयेत्॥
One should never make his guest to fast, whether at his own house or in a strange land. One should, having obtained alms, offer them of his elders.
गुरुभ्य आसनं देयं कर्तव्यं चाभिवादनम्। गुरूनभ्यर्च्य युज्यन्ते आयुषा यशसा श्रिया॥
One should offer seats to his elders and respectfully bow to them. One obtains long life, fame, and prosperity, by a doing his elders.
नेक्षेतादित्यमुद्यन्तं न च नग्नां परस्त्रियम्। मैथुनं सततं धर्म्यं गुह्ये चैव समाचरेत्॥
One should never see the Sun at the moment of rising, nor should one gaze at a naked woman who is another man's wife. Living with one's wife (in her season) is not sinful, but it is an act that should always be done secretly.
तीर्थानां हृदयं तीर्थं शुचानां हृदयं शुचिः। सर्वमार्यकृतं चौक्ष्यं वालसंस्पर्शनानि च।॥
The heart of all sacred places and shrines is the Preceptor. The heart of all pure and cleansing things is Fire. All acts done by a good and pious person are good and praiseworthy, including even the touching of the hair of a cow's tail.
दर्शने दर्शने नित्यं सुखप्रश्नमुदाहरेत्। सायं प्रातश्च विप्राणां प्रदिष्टमभिवादनम्॥
One should make polite enquiries every time he meets with another. One should salute Brahmanas every morning and evening.
देवागारे गवां मध्ये ब्राह्मणानां क्रियापथे। स्वाध्याये भोजने चैव दक्षिणं पाणिमुद्धरेत्॥
In temple of gods, amid cows, in performing the rites of religion sanctioned for Brahmanas, in studying, the Vedas, and in Brahmanas, in studying, the Vedas, and in eating, the right hand should be raised.
सु शृतं पायसे सायं प्रातश्च विप्राणां पूजनं च यथाविधि। पण्यानां शोभते पण्यं कृषीणां बाद्यते कृषिः॥ बहुकारं च सस्यानां बाह्ये वाहो गवां तथा।
The adoration of Brahmanas, morning and evening, according to due rites, yields great merit. Through such worship the stock of the merchant, and the produce of the agriculturist, become profuse. The produce of all sorts of corn and the supply of all articles of enjoyment also become profuse.
सम्पन्न भोजने नित्यं पानीये तर्पणं तथा॥ ब्रूयाद् यवाग्वां कृसरे तथा। श्मश्रुकर्मणि सम्प्राप्ते क्षुते स्नानेऽथ भोजने। व्याधितानां च सर्वेषामायुष्यमभिनन्दनम्॥
One should say, while giving food to another.-'Is it sufficient?' One should ask, when presenting drink,-Will it please?-One should ask, when giving sweetened milk and rice, or sugared gruel of barley, or milk with or pcas,-Has it fallen?-People should respectfully adore Brahmanas, after shaving, after spitting, after bathing, and after eating. Such adoration is sure to grant longlife to sickly men.
प्रत्यादित्यं न मेहेत न पश्येदात्मनः शकृत्। सह स्त्रियाथ शयनं सह भोज्यं च वर्जयेत्॥
One should not pass urine with face turned towards the Sun, nor should one see his own excreta. One should not lie on the same bed with a woman, nor eat with her.
त्वंकारं नामधेयं च ज्येष्ठानां परिवर्जयेत्। अवराणां समानानामुभयेषां न दुष्यति॥
One should never Thou-Thee their elders, while addressing them, nor take their names. Thou-,thee-,ing, or taking of names, is only allowable in addressing inferiors or one's compeers.
हृदयं पापवृत्तानां पापमाख्याति वैकृतम्। ज्ञानपूर्वं विनश्यन्ति गूहमाना महाजने॥
sesame The hearts of sinful men betray the sins committed by them. Those sinful men who conceal their conscious sins from good men meet with destruction.
ज्ञानपूर्वकृतं पापं छादयत्यबहुश्रुतः। नैनं मनुष्याः पश्यन्ति पश्यन्त्येव दिवौकसः॥
Only ignorant fools try to conceal the sins which they commit knowingly. It is true that men do not see those sins, but the gods see them.
पापेनापिहितं पापं पापमेवानुवर्तते। धर्मेणापिहितो धर्मो धर्ममेवानुवर्तते। धार्मिकेण कृतो धर्मो धर्ममेवानुवर्तते॥
A sin concealed by another sin begets fresh sins. Again, an act of merit increases the merit, if concealed by an act of merit. The acts of a virtuous man always follow Virtue.
पापं कृतं न स्मरतीह मूढो विवर्तमानस्य तदेति कर्तुः। राहुयथा चन्द्रमुपैति चापि तथाबुधं पापमुपैति कर्म॥
A man shorn of understanding never thinks of the sins committed by him. Those sins, however, overtake the doer who has disregarded the scriptures. As Rahu comes to Chandra, those sinful acts come to the foolish man.
आशया संचितं द्रव्यं दुःखेनैवोपभुज्यते। तद् बुधा न प्रशंसन्ति मरणं न प्रतीक्षते।॥
If the wealth is preserved with the hope of some desire, its end is painful. The wise are not in favour of that. The death does not wait for desire.
मानसं सर्वभूतानां धर्ममाहुर्मनीषिणः। तस्मात् सर्वेषु भूतेषु मनसा शिवमाचरेत्॥
The objects that are the righteousness of all creatures is a quality of the mind. One should, therefore, in his hand, do good to all.
एक एव चरेद् धर्मं नास्ति धर्मे सहायता। केवलं विधिमासाद्य सहायः किं करिष्यति॥
One should practise virtue alone. In the practice of virtue one need not seek the help of others. If one follows only the ordinances of the scriptures, what can companion do.
धर्मो योनिर्मनुष्याणां देवानाममृतं दिवि। प्रेत्यभावे सुखं धर्माच्छश्चत्तैरुपभुज्यते॥
Righteousness is the origin of mankind. Righteousness is the nectar of the gods. After death, men enjoy, through Righteousness, eternal felicity.