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| ''sāyaṁ prātarupāsīta gurvagnyarkasurottamān । ubhe sandhye ca yatavāgjapan brahma samāhitaḥ ॥ 2॥''</blockquote>According to the Agni Purana, offering to the fire also should be made both in the morning and evening. And further states that one should abstain from offering impure things or offering with separated hands.<ref name=":10" /><blockquote>सायं प्रातश्च जुहुयान्नामेध्यं व्यस्तहस्तकं ।१५३.१५<ref name=":11" /> sāyaṁ prātaśca juhuyānnāmedhyaṁ vyastahastakaṁ ।153.15</blockquote>Another important duty of a brahmachari is Veda Adhyayana. The Bhagavata Purana states that when called by his preceptor, a brahmachari should study the Vedas at his guru's feet with perfect concentration, in a disciplined manner. And should bow down to his teacher's feet both, at the beginning and completion of the lesson.<ref name=":3" /><blockquote>छन्दांस्यधीयीत गुरोराहूतश्चेत्सुयन्त्रितः । उपक्रमेऽवसाने च चरणौ शिरसा नमेत् ॥ ३॥<ref name=":4" /> ''chandāṁsyadhīyīta gurorāhūtaścetsuyantritaḥ । upakrame'vasāne ca caraṇau śirasā namet ॥ 3॥''</blockquote>Summarising these various facets of a brahmachari's dinacharya or daily routine, Swami Sivananda says,<blockquote>"''He rises early, bathes and does Sandhya and Gayatri Japa. He studies scriptures. He takes simple food in moderation and takes plenty of exercise. He sleeps on a hard mat and does not use soft beds and pillows. He is humble and obedient. He serves and respects elders. He attempts to be chaste in thought, word and deed.''"<ref name=":6" /></blockquote> | | ''sāyaṁ prātarupāsīta gurvagnyarkasurottamān । ubhe sandhye ca yatavāgjapan brahma samāhitaḥ ॥ 2॥''</blockquote>According to the Agni Purana, offering to the fire also should be made both in the morning and evening. And further states that one should abstain from offering impure things or offering with separated hands.<ref name=":10" /><blockquote>सायं प्रातश्च जुहुयान्नामेध्यं व्यस्तहस्तकं ।१५३.१५<ref name=":11" /> sāyaṁ prātaśca juhuyānnāmedhyaṁ vyastahastakaṁ ।153.15</blockquote>Another important duty of a brahmachari is Veda Adhyayana. The Bhagavata Purana states that when called by his preceptor, a brahmachari should study the Vedas at his guru's feet with perfect concentration, in a disciplined manner. And should bow down to his teacher's feet both, at the beginning and completion of the lesson.<ref name=":3" /><blockquote>छन्दांस्यधीयीत गुरोराहूतश्चेत्सुयन्त्रितः । उपक्रमेऽवसाने च चरणौ शिरसा नमेत् ॥ ३॥<ref name=":4" /> ''chandāṁsyadhīyīta gurorāhūtaścetsuyantritaḥ । upakrame'vasāne ca caraṇau śirasā namet ॥ 3॥''</blockquote>Summarising these various facets of a brahmachari's dinacharya or daily routine, Swami Sivananda says,<blockquote>"''He rises early, bathes and does Sandhya and Gayatri Japa. He studies scriptures. He takes simple food in moderation and takes plenty of exercise. He sleeps on a hard mat and does not use soft beds and pillows. He is humble and obedient. He serves and respects elders. He attempts to be chaste in thought, word and deed.''"<ref name=":6" /></blockquote> |
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− | == ब्रह्मचर्यधर्मः || Brahmacharya Dharma == | + | == वेदाध्ययनम् ॥ Vedic Studies == |
− | A child is said to have been initiated into Brahmacharyashrama with a chief goal of veda adhyayana and has to follow the rules laid down for them. Many texts such as Grhyasutras, Dharmasutras, Puranas and Itihasas describe the ashrama dharmas. For example,
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− | *Yajnavalkya Smrti (Acharadhyaya, Brahmachari Prakarana)
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− | *[https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%AB%E0%A5%A9 Agni Purana Adhyaya 153 (ब्रह्मचर्याश्रमधर्मः)]
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− | *Bhagavata Purana (Skanda 7 Adhyaya 12 - ब्रह्मचर्यवानप्रस्थाश्रमयोर्धर्माः)
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− | *Manusmrti
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− | Manusmrti elaborates both on the personal as well as social duties of brahmachari.
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− | === अध्ययनम् ॥ Learning activities ===
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| * Adhyayana or self study is the primary duty of a student in the Brahmacharyashrama. Hence, it is said, <blockquote>चोदितो गुरुणा नित्यं अप्रचोदित एव वा । कुर्यादध्ययने यत्नं आचार्यस्य हितेषु च । । २.१९१ । ।<ref name=":1" /> codito guruṇā nityaṁ apracodita eva vā । kuryādadhyayane yatnaṁ ācāryasya hiteṣu ca । । 2.191 । ।</blockquote>Meaning: Both when ordered by his teacher, and without a (special) command, (a student) shall always exert himself in studying (the Veda), and in doing what is serviceable to his teacher. (2.191)<ref name=":0">The Laws of Manu, Translated by G.Buhler, [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/manu/manu02.htm Chapter 2]</ref> | | * Adhyayana or self study is the primary duty of a student in the Brahmacharyashrama. Hence, it is said, <blockquote>चोदितो गुरुणा नित्यं अप्रचोदित एव वा । कुर्यादध्ययने यत्नं आचार्यस्य हितेषु च । । २.१९१ । ।<ref name=":1" /> codito guruṇā nityaṁ apracodita eva vā । kuryādadhyayane yatnaṁ ācāryasya hiteṣu ca । । 2.191 । ।</blockquote>Meaning: Both when ordered by his teacher, and without a (special) command, (a student) shall always exert himself in studying (the Veda), and in doing what is serviceable to his teacher. (2.191)<ref name=":0">The Laws of Manu, Translated by G.Buhler, [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/manu/manu02.htm Chapter 2]</ref> |
| *The Bhagavata Purana enumerates that having stayed in the preceptor's house, a dvija should study and understand to the best of his ability and to the extent of his requirements, the meaning of three Vedas (Rk, Saman and Yajus), along with their (six) auxilliaries (namely, Shiksha, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Nirukta, Chandas and Jyotish) and the Upanishads (Vedanta or philosophical treatises).<ref name=":5">Ganesh Vasudeo Tagare, The Bhagavata Purana (Part III), Ancient Indian Tradition & Mythology (Volume 9), Edited by J.L.Shastri, New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, P.no.[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.150116/page/n101 970].</ref> | | *The Bhagavata Purana enumerates that having stayed in the preceptor's house, a dvija should study and understand to the best of his ability and to the extent of his requirements, the meaning of three Vedas (Rk, Saman and Yajus), along with their (six) auxilliaries (namely, Shiksha, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Nirukta, Chandas and Jyotish) and the Upanishads (Vedanta or philosophical treatises).<ref name=":5">Ganesh Vasudeo Tagare, The Bhagavata Purana (Part III), Ancient Indian Tradition & Mythology (Volume 9), Edited by J.L.Shastri, New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, P.no.[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.150116/page/n101 970].</ref> |
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| त्रिर्वित्तपूर्णपृथिवी दानस्य फलं अश्नुते । तपसश्च परस्येह नित्यं स्वाध्यायवान्द्विजः । । १.४८ । ।<ref name=":9" /> | | त्रिर्वित्तपूर्णपृथिवी दानस्य फलं अश्नुते । तपसश्च परस्येह नित्यं स्वाध्यायवान्द्विजः । । १.४८ । ।<ref name=":9" /> |
− | === Begging for Alms === | + | == भैक्षम् ॥ Living by Bhiksha == |
| <blockquote>भैक्षेण वर्तयेन्नित्यं नैकान्नादी भवेद्व्रती । भैक्षेण व्रतिनो वृत्तिरुपवाससमा स्मृता । । २.१८८ । ।<ref name=":1" /> | | <blockquote>भैक्षेण वर्तयेन्नित्यं नैकान्नादी भवेद्व्रती । भैक्षेण व्रतिनो वृत्तिरुपवाससमा स्मृता । । २.१८८ । ।<ref name=":1" /> |
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| == आचारधर्मः || Code of Conduct == | | == आचारधर्मः || Code of Conduct == |
| + | A child is said to have been initiated into Brahmacharyashrama with the chief goal of Veda Adhyayana and has to follow the rules laid down for them that are enlisted in various shastra texts. These texts that describe the rules as part of the ashrama dharmas include, |
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| + | * Grhyasutras like Paraskara and Khadira |
| + | * Dharmasutras like Baudhayana |
| + | * Smrti texts like Manusmrti and Yajnavalkya Smrti |
| + | * Itihasa and Puranas like Mahabharata, Bhagavata Purana, Agni Purana, etc. |
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| + | They elaborates on both the personal as well as social duties of a brahmachari. |
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| The Bhagavata Purana describes the ideal nature of a brahmachari as follows:<blockquote>सुशीलो मितभुग्दक्षः श्रद्दधानो जितेन्द्रियः । यावदर्थं व्यवहरेत्स्त्रीषु स्त्रीनिर्जितेषु च ॥ ६॥<ref name=":4" /> | | The Bhagavata Purana describes the ideal nature of a brahmachari as follows:<blockquote>सुशीलो मितभुग्दक्षः श्रद्दधानो जितेन्द्रियः । यावदर्थं व्यवहरेत्स्त्रीषु स्त्रीनिर्जितेषु च ॥ ६॥<ref name=":4" /> |
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