Institutes of VIshnu 66

1921.

1. He must not make an oblation to the gods or to the manes with water collected at night.

2. He must not give any other fragrant substance than sandal, or musk, or (fragrant) wood (of the odoriferous Devadâru tree), or camphor, or saffron, or the wood of the G âtîphala tree;

3. Nor a garment dyed with indigo;

4. Nor an ornament made of factitious jewels or gold;

5. Nor (a flower) having a nasty odour;

6. Nor one that has no odour at all;

7. Nor one grown upon a thorny plant.

8. But he may give even a flower grown upon a thorny plant, if it is white and sweet-smelling.

9. He may give even a red flower, if it is saffron, or a water-flower (such as the red lotus).

10. (He must) not (give) any animal substance (such as claws or horns) for the incense.

11. (He must) not (give) anything but clarified butter or oil for the lamp.

12. (He must) not (give) forbidden food at the offering of eatables;

13. Nor the milk of goats or female buffalos, though it is lawful food (otherwise);

14. Nor the flesh of five-toed animals, of fishes, and of boars.

15. Fully prepared for the sacrifice and pure, he must announce (and offer up to Vish n u) all the oblations, with his mind fixed upon the deity, with a cheerful heart, and free from precipitation or anger.

 

 

The Insitutes of Vishnu CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO

Divisions 1936-1960

 

I

INSTITUTES OF VISHNU 67

1936.

1. After having swept the place around the (kitchen) fire, sprinkled it with water all around, strewed (Ku s a grass) all around, and sprinkled (the latter) with water all around, he must take out of all dishes the uppermost part and offer it:

2. To Vâsudeva, to Sa n karsha n a, to Pradyumna, to Aniruddha, to Purusha, to Satya, to A k yuta, to Vâsudeva.

3. Afterwards (he must offer twelve burnt-oblations) to Agni, to Soma, to Mitra, to Varuna, to Indra, to Indra and Agni united, to the Vi s vedevâs, to Pra g âpati, to Anumati, to Dhanvantari, to Vâstoshpati, and to Agni Svish t ak ri t (the god of the fire who causes the proper performance of the sacrifice).

4. Then let him make a Bali-offering with that which has been left of the dishes.

5. To (the serpent demons) Taksha and Upataksha,

6. (Strewing the two Balis) on both sides of the fire, to the east of it (on the north-eastern side first, and on the south-eastern side afterwards).

7. (Then let him offer other seven Balis) to all (the seven Ish t akâs or goddesses of the bricks of the altar, also to the east of the fire, while pronouncing the Mantras), 'Thy name is Ambâ; thy name is Dulâ; thy name is Nitatnî (Nitatnir); thy name is K upu n îkâ (and so on).'

8. (He must offer four Balis with the Mantras), 'O Nandinî; O Subhagâ; O Suma n galî; O Bhadra n karî,' (placing the Balis) in the corners (beginning with the south-eastern corner and proceeding) towards the south.

9. (He must place two Balis), addressed to S ri Hira n yakesî and to the trees, near the firm pillar.

10. (He must place two Balis), addressed to Dharma and Adharma and to M ri tyu, near the door.

11. (He must place one Bali), addressed to Varu n a, in the water-jar.

12. (With the words, 'Adoration be) to Vish n u,' (he must place one Bali) in the mortar.

13. (With the words, 'Adoration be) to the Maruts,' (he must place one Bali) on the mill-stone.

14. (In the apartment) on the roof (let him place two Balis) addressed to Vai s râva n a (Kubera) the king, and to all created beings.

15. (With the words, 'Adoration be) to Indra and to Indra's ministers,' (he must place two Balis). in the eastern part (of the house).

16. (With the words, 'Adoration be) to Yama and to Yama's ministers,' (he must place two Balis) in the southern part..

17. (With the words, 'Adoration be) to Varuna and to Varu n a's ministers,' (he must place two Balis) in the western part.

18. (With the words, 'Adoration be) to Soma and to Soma's ministers,' (let him place two Balis) in the northern part.

19. (With the words, 'Adoration be) to Brahman and to Brahman's ministers,' (let him place two Balis) in the centre (of the house).

20. (Let him throw) in the air (a Bali) addressed to Âkâ s a (the air).

21. (With the words, 'Adoration be) to the goblins roaming by day,' (let him place a Bali) on the sacrificial ground.

22. (With the words, 'Adoration be to the goblins) roaming by night,' (let him offer a Bali in the same place at the Vaisvadeva which takes place) at night.

23. Afterwards he must offer upon blades of Ku s a grass, having the points turned towards the south, balls of rice to his father, to his grandfather, and to his great-grandfather, to his mother, to his grandmother, and to his great-grandmother, proclaiming at the same time their name and race (and adding the word Svadhâ, 'reverence').

24. Along with the balls of rice let him give ointments, flowers, incense, eatables, and the like.

 

 

The Insitutes of Vishnu CHAPTER SEVENTY THREE

Divisions 1961-1985

 

I

INSTITUTES OF VISHNU 67

1961.

25. After having fetched a jar with water, let him cause a Brâhma n a to say the benediction (and give him the jar).

26. (The share) of dogs, crows, and Svapa k as let him strew upon the earth.

27. And let him give (a mouthful of food as) alms.

28. By honouring guests he obtains the highest reward.

29. Let him assiduously honour a guest who arrives in the evening (after the Vai s vadeva is over).

30. Let him not suffer a guest to stay at his house unfed.

31. As the Brâhma n as are lords over all other castes, and as a husband is lord over his wives, a guest is the lord of a householder.

32. By honouring a guest he obtains heaven.

33. (One who has arrived as) a guest and is obliged to turn home disappointed in his expectations, takes away from the man, to whose house he has come, his religious merit, and throws his own guilt upon him.

34. A Brâhma n a who stays for one night only as a guest, is called atithi (a guest); because he does not stay for a long time, therefore is he termed atithi.

35. Let him not consider a Brâhma n a fellow-villager or an acquaintance as his guest, though he has come to the house where his wife and his fires are.

16. But if a Kshatriya has come to his house in the way of a guest, let him hospitably entertain him also, to his heart's desire, after the Brâhma n a guests have eaten.

37. Should a Vai s ya or a S ûdra come to his house as guests, he must even give food to them (at the same time and) with his servants, and treat them with kindness (but not like guests in the proper sense of the term).

38. To (members of) other castes (such as Mûrdhâvasiktas) and to friends (or relatives or) other such persons, who have come to his house out of attachment, let him offer such food as happens to be there, to the best of his power, at the time when his wife takes her meal.

39. One recently married (but not yet delivered to her husband), an unmarried damsel, a sick woman, and a pregnant woman: to these let him give food unhesitatingly, even before his guests.

40. The foolish man who eats first himself, without having offered food to those (persons that have been mentioned), is not aware that he will himself be food (after death) for dogs and vultures.

41. After the Brâhma n as, (the Kshatriyas who have come as guests), the friends and relatives, (the parents and others) whom he is bound to maintain, (and the servants) have made their repast, let man and wife eat the leavings themselves.

42. Having shown honour to the gods, to the manes, to men, to those whom he is bound to maintain, and to the household deities (as well as to dogs, crows, and the rest), let a householder enjoy that which has been left.

43. He who cooks food for himself only, cats nothing but sin: for that alone is considered as fit food for the virtuous, which is left, after the (customary) oblations have been offered.

44. By the daily recitation of the Veda, by the Agnihotra, by sacrificing, and by austerity, a householder does not obtain such excellent places of abode (after death) as by honouring a guest.

45. Whether he arrives in the evening or in the morning, he must offer a seat and water to his guest, and food, to the best of his ability, after having shown him marks of honour as the law directs.

46. By giving (to a guest) shelter, a bed, ointments for his feet, and a lamp: for each of these gifts singly he reaps the same reward as for the gift of a cow.

 

 

The Insitutes of Vishnu CHAPTER SEVENTY FOUR

Divisions 1986-2010

 

I

INSTITUTES OF VISHNU 68

1986.

1. He must not eat during an eclipse of the moon or of the sun.

2. He shall eat, after having previously bathed, when the eclipse is over.

3. If (the sun or moon) have set before the eclipse was over, he must bathe, and on the next day he may eat again, after having seen (the sun or moon rise),

4. A cow or a Brâhma n a having met with a calamity, he must not eat on that day.

5. If the king has met with an accident, (he must not eat on that day).

6. An Agnihotrin, who is absent on a journey, must eat at that time of the day when the Agnihotra is supposed to be over.

7. He may also eat at that time of the day when the Vai s vadeva is supposed to be over.

8. On the days of new and full moon (he may eat at that time) when he supposes the sacrifice customary on those days to have been performed.

9. He must not eat during an indigestion;

10. Nor at midnight; 11. Nor at noon;

12. Nor in the twilight;

13. Nor dressed in wet clothes;

14. Nor without his upper garment;

15. Nor naked;

16. Nor in water (nor in a boat)

17. Nor lying stretched out on the back;

18. Nor sitting on a broken stool;

19. Nor reclining on a couch;

20. Nor from a broken dish;

21. Nor having placed the food on his lap;

22. Nor (having placed the food) upon the ground;

23. Nor from the palm of his hand.

24. That food which has been seasoned with salt (after having been cooked) he must not eat.

25. He must not abuse children (eating in the same row with him).

 

 

The Insitutes of Vishnu CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVE

Divisions 2011-2035

 

I

INSTITUTES OF VISHNU 68

2011.

26. (He must) not (eat) dainties alone.

27. (He must) not (eat) substances from which the fat has been extracted.

28. Nor (must he eat) roasted grain in the daytime.

29. At night (he must not eat) anything mixed with sesamum-seeds.

30. Nor (must he eat at night) sour milk or ground barley.

31. Nor (must he eat) the leaves of the mountain ebony, or of the banyan, or of the holy fig-tree, or of the hemp plant.

32. (He must) not (eat) without having first given to eat (to the gods and to the Brâhma n as); Nor without having made a burnt-offering first

34. Nor without having sprinkled his feet;

35. Nor without having sprinkled his hands and his face;

36. While having the remains of food en his mouth or hands, he must not take clarified butter.

37. Nor must he look at the moon, or at the sun, or at the stars (while unclean).

38. Nor must he touch his head (while unclean).

39. Nor must he recite the Veda (while unclean).

40. He must eat facing the east;

41. Or facing the south;

42. And after having honoured his food;

43. And cheerfully, adorned with a garland of flowers, and anointed with unguents.

44. He must not eat up his food completely;

45. Unless it consist of sour milk, or honey, or (clarified) butter, or milk, or ground barley, or meat, or sweetmeats.

46. He must not eat together with his wife, nor in the open air, nor standing, nor in the presence of many (hungry spectators), nor must many eat in the presence of one (hungry spectator).

47. Let him never eat in an empty house, in a house where the sacred fires are preserved, or in a temple dedicated to the gods. Neither must he drink water out of his joined hands, or satiate himself to repletion.

48, Let him not take a third meal (over and above the two regular meals in the mornings and evenings), nor let him ever take unwholesome food. He must eat neither too early, nor too late, and he must take no food in the evening, after having fully satiated himself in the morning.

49. He must not eat bad food (whether injurious to health or otherwise reprehensible), nor from a bad dish (which is similar to the dishes used by barbarians, or which has been defiled by a wicked man eating from it), nor lying on the ground, nor with his feet raised upon a bench, nor sitting on his hams with a cloth tied round his legs and knees.

 

The Insitutes of Vishnu CHAPTER SEVENTY SIX

Divisions 2036-2070

 

I

INSTITUTES OF VISHNU 69-70

2036.

1. He must not have connection with his wife on the eighth, or fourteenth, or fifteenth day of the half-month.

2. And (he must avoid connubial intercourse) after having partaken of a S râddha;

3. And after having given (a S râddha);

4. And after having been invited to a S râddha;

5. And while performing a vow of abstinence (such as that to be kept on the day before a S râddha, or the fast to be observed on the eleventh day of the half-month);

6. And one who has performed the initiatory ceremony of a Soma-sacrifice;

7. And in a temple, in a burial-ground, and in an empty house;

8. And at the root of a tree (or shrub);

9. And in the day-time; 10. And in the twilight;

11. And with one unclean (or in her courses);

12. And while he is unclean himself; 13. And with one anointed with unguents; 14. And being anointed himself; 15. And with one sick; 16. And while he is sick himself,

17. He must not have connection, if he wishes to enjoy a long life, with a woman who has a limb too little, nor with one who has a limb too much, nor with one older than himself, nor with a pregnant woman.

 

INSTITUTES OF VISHNU 70

2051.

1. He must not sleep with his feet wet;

2. Nor facing the north or the west;

3. Nor naked; 4. Nor on wet (fresh) bamboo;

5. Nor in the open air;

6. Nor on a bedstead made of Palâ s a-wood;

7. Nor on one made of the wood of five trees;

8. Nor on one made of the wood of a tree which has been split by an elephant;

9. Nor on a bedstead made of the wood of a tree that has been kindled by lightning;

10. Nor on a broken bedstead;

11. Nor on one made of scorched wood;

12. Nor on one made of the wood of a tree that used to be watered with a jar;

13. Nor in a burial-ground, nor in an empty house, nor in a temple;

14. Nor with people who are restless of limb;

15. Nor with women;

16. Nor on grain, nor (in a stable of) cows, nor (on the couch of any of his) Gurus, nor on the fireplace, nor (in a building dedicated to the) gods.

17. He must not sleep while the remnants of food are on his hands or face, nor in the day-time, nor in the twilight, nor upon ashes, nor in a place soiled (by excrements and the like), nor in a wet place, nor on the top of a mountain.

 

 

The Insitutes of Vishnu CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVEN

Divisions 2071-2100

 

I

INSTITUTES OF VISHNU 71

2071.

1. Now he must not condemn anybody(whether of equal rank, or of higher or lower rank than himself).

2. He must not mock those who have a limb too little or a limb too much, who are ignorant, or who are poor.

3. He must not serve low people.

4. Let him not engage in work that may keep him from repeating (or teaching) the Veda.

5. Let him wear such a dress as becomes his age,

6. And his sacred knowledge, his descent, his means, and his country.

7. He must not be overbearing.

8. He must constantly consult the holy laws and other (salutary precepts, relating to the acquisition of wealth, wisdom, and freedom from disease).

9. He must not wear a worn-out or filthy dress, if he has means (enough to procure a new one).

10. (Even though he lacks firewood or the like necessaries) he must not say to another man,

(I) have got none.'

11. He must not wear a garland of flowers which has no smell at all, or an offensive smell, or which is red.

12. Let him wear a garland of water-flowers even though they be red.

13. And (he must wear) a staff made of bamboo;

14. And a jar with water;

15. And a sacrificial string made of cotton thread;

16. And two golden ear-rings.

 

17. He must not look at the morning sun when it is rising;

18. Nor at the evening sun when it is setting;

19. Nor (must he look at the sun) shining through an awning of cloth (under which he is lying).

20. Nor at the sun reflected in a looking-glass or in water;

21. Nor at the midday sun;

22, Nor at the face of any of his Gurus while hie is angry;

23. Nor at his own image reflected in oil or in water;

24. Nor reflected in a dirty looking-glass;

25. Nor at his wife eating;

26. Nor at a naked woman;

27. Nor at a man in the act of discharging urine (or voiding excrements);

28. Nor at an elephant (or other dangerous animal) broken loose from the rope that ties him;

29. Nor at a fight between bulls (or elephants or buffalos) or the like animals, while he is standing in a (crowd or any other) place, from which it would be difficult for him to effect his escape;

30. Nor at one insane;

 

The Insitutes of Vishnu CHAPTER SEVENTY EIGHT

Divisions 2101-2130

 

I

INSTITUTES OF VISHNU 71

2101.

32. He must not throw any impure substances into the fire;

33. Nor blood; 34. Nor poison;

35. Neither (must he throw any of those substances) into water.

36. He must not step over a fire.

37. He must not warm his feet (by the fire).

38. He must not wipe (the dirt from his feet) with blades of Ku s a grass.

39. He must not wash (his feet) in a vessel of white copper.

40. He must not (wash) one foot with the other,

41. He must not scratch the ground (with a piece of wood or the like).

42. He must not crush clods of earth.

43. He must not cut grass.

44. He must not tear his nails or the hairs (of his beard or others) with his teeth.

45. He must avoid gambling;

46. And the heat of the sun just risen.

47. He must not wear a garment, or shoes, or a garland, or a sacrificial string which had before been worn by another.

48. He must not give advice to a S ûdra;

49. Nor (must he give him) the leavings of his food, nor the residue of an oblation (unless he is his own servant);

50. Nor (must he give him) sesamum;

51. Nor (must he point out) the sacred law to him;

52. Nor (must he prescribe) a penance (for him for atonement of a sin).

53. He must not scratch his head or his belly, with both hands joined.

54. He must not reject sour milk or the Sumanas flower (when offered to him).

55. He must not take off his garland (from his head) himself (but he may cause another to do so).

56. Let him not rouse (a superior) from sleep.

57. He must not (by harsh speeches and the like) render disaffected one who is well affected towards him.

58. He must not speak to a woman in her courses;

59. Nor to barbarians or low-caste persons.

60. When a sacred fire, or an idol, or a Brâhma n a is near, he must stretch forth his right hand (from his upper garment).

61. If he sees a cow trespassing upon another man's field, he must not announce it (to the owner of that field).

62. And if he sees a calf sucking (at the udder of a cow [not its mother], he must not announce it

 

The Insitutes of Vishnu CHAPTER SEVENTY NINE

Divisions 2131-2155

 

I

INSTITUTES OF VISHNU 71:63-88

2131.

63. He must not endeavour to please overbearing men (by flattering their pretensions).

64. He must not dwell in a kingdom governed by a S ûdra king;

65. Nor in one abounding with wicked people;

66. And he must not live (in a kingdom) in which there are no physicians;

67. Nor in one afflicted (with a disease or other calamity).

68. And (he must not stay) long on a mountain.

69. He must not (walk or otherwise) exert himself without a purpose.

70. He must not dance or sing.

71. He must not make a noise by slapping (his left arm, after having placed it upon his right shoulder, with his right hand).

72. He must not make vulgar speeches.

73. He must not tell an untruth.

74. He must not say disagreeable things.

75. He must not strike any one upon a vital part.

76. He must not despise himself if he wishes to enjoy long life.

77. He must often repeat his prayers at each twilight (if he wishes to live long).

78. He must not play with (venomous) serpents or with weapons.

79. He must not touch the cavities of his body without a cause.

80. He must not raise a stick against another man.

81. One who deserves punishment he must strike in order to punish him.

82. (He must strike) him upon his back with a shoot of bamboo or with a rope.

83. He must take care not to revile a god, a Brâhmana, the S âstras, or the high-minded (Ri shis).

84. And (he must avoid) gain and pleasure repugnant to duty.

85. (He must avoid) even lawful acts which may give offence to mankind.

86. On the days of new and full moon let him make a propitiatory offering.

87. He must not cut even grass (on those two days).

88. He must adorn himself (with garlands, sandal, and the like).

 

The Insitutes of Vishnu CHAPTER EIGHTY

Divisions 2156-2170

 

I

INSTITUTES OF VISHNU 71:89-72

2156.

89. Thus he must observe established customs.

90. Those customs, which have been explicitly ordained in revealed and in traditional texts, and which are practised by the virtuous, must always be observed by a righteous man with subdued passions.

91. By adhering to established usage he attains to old age; this is the way to obtain that state in the next life which he desires, and imperishable riches, this is the way to destroy the effect of (bodily) marks foreboding future misfortunes.

92. He who observes the usages established among the virtuous, who is a believer in revelation, and free from ill-will, lives a hundred years, even though he does not possess any external marks of prosperity.

I

INSTITUTES OF VISHNU 72

2161.

1. He must persist in keeping his mind and his organs of sense under restraint.

2. Restraint of the mind implies restraint of the senses.

3. One who has acquired complete command over himself, gains this world and the next.

4. One who has no command over himself, reaps no fruit from any of his acts (whether worldly or tending to the acquisition of spiritual merit).

5. Self-restraint is the best instrument of purification; self-restraint is the best of auspicious objects; by self-restraint he obtains anything he may desire in his heart.

6. The man who rides (as it were) in a chariot drawn by his five senses and directed by his mind (as the charioteer), who keeps it on the path of the virtuous, can never be overcome by his enemies (lust, wrath, and greed), unless the horses (unrestrained by the charioteer) run away with the chariot.

7. As the waters (of all streams) are stored up (and reabsorbed) in the ocean, which, though being filled with them, remains unmoved and tranquil, even so that man, in whose mind the passions are stored up (and dissolved), obtains perfect calmness but not he who strives after the gratification of his desires.

 

The Insitutes of Vishnu CHAPTER EIGHTY ONE

Divisions 2171-2195