Brahmacharyashrama (ब्रह्मचर्याश्रमः)
Brahmacharya Dharma (ब्रह्मचर्यधर्मः)
Manusmrti elaborates on both the personal as well as social duties of brahmacharya.
Guru Seva (गुरुसेवा)
- Respectful behavior towards gurus is one of the foremost duties of a brahmachari. Talking of respecting superiors, Manu says, one must not sit down on a couch or seat which a superior occupies; and he who occupies a couch or seat shall rise to meet a (superior), and (afterwards) salute him. For the vital airs of a young man mount upwards to leave his body when an elder approaches; but by rising to meet him and saluting he recovers them. [2.119 and 120][1]
शय्यासनेऽध्याचरिते श्रेयसा न समाविशेत् । शय्यासनस्थश्चैवैनं प्रत्युत्थायाभिवादयेत् । । २.११९ । ।
ऊर्ध्वं प्राणा ह्युत्क्रामन्ति यूनः स्थविर आयति । प्रत्युत्थानाभिवादाभ्यां पुनस्तान्प्रतिपद्यते । । २.१२० । ।[2]
śayyāsane'dhyācarite śreyasā na samāviśet । śayyāsanasthaścaivainaṁ pratyutthāyābhivādayet । । 2.119 । ।
ūrdhvaṁ prāṇā hyutkrāmanti yūnaḥ sthavira āyati । pratyutthānābhivādābhyāṁ punastānpratipadyate । । 2.120 । ।
He further adds that he who habitually salutes and constantly pays reverence to the aged obtains an increase of four (things), (viz.) length of life, knowledge, fame, (and) strength. [2.121.][1]
अभिवादनशीलस्य नित्यं वृद्धोपसेविनः । चत्वारि तस्य वर्धन्ते आयुर्धर्मो यशो बलम् । । २.१२१ । ।[2]
abhivādanaśīlasya nityaṁ vr̥ddhopasevinaḥ । catvāri tasya vardhante āyurdharmo yaśo balam । । 2.121 । ।
- The Brahmachari is also ordained to fetch a pot full of water, flowers, cowdung, earth and Kusa grass, as much as may be required (by his teacher), and daily go to beg food. [2.182.][1]
उदकुम्भं सुमनसो गोशकृन्मृत्तिकाकुशान् । आहरेद्यावदर्थानि भैक्षं चाहरहश्चरेत् । । २.१८२ । ।[2]
udakumbhaṁ sumanaso gośakr̥nmr̥ttikākuśān । āharedyāvadarthāni bhaikṣaṁ cāharahaścaret । । 2.182 । ।
Personal habits
According to Manusmrti, a student who resides with his teacher must observe the following restrictive rules, duly controlling all his organs, in order to increase his spiritual merit. [2.175.]
- Every day, having bathed, and being purified, he must offer libations of water to the gods, sages and manes, worship (the images of) the gods, and place fuel on (the sacred fire). [2.176.][1]
नित्यं स्नात्वा शुचिः कुर्याद्देवर्षिपितृतर्पणम् । देवताभ्यर्चनं चैव समिदाधानं एव च । । २.१७६ । ।[2]
nityaṁ snātvā śuciḥ kuryāddevarṣipitr̥tarpaṇam । devatābhyarcanaṁ caiva samidādhānaṁ eva ca । । 2.176 । ।
- Let him abstain from honey, meat, perfumes, garlands, substances (used for) flavouring (food), women, all substances turned acid, and from doing injury to living creatures; From anointing (his body), applying collyrium to his eyes, from the use of shoes and of an umbrella (or parasol), from (sensual) desire, anger, covetousness, dancing, singing, and playing (musical instruments); From gambling, idle disputes, backbiting, and lying, from looking at and touching women, and from hurting others. [2.177,178 and 179.][1]
वर्जयेन्मधु मांसं च गन्धं माल्यं रसान्स्त्रियः । शुक्तानि यानि सर्वाणि प्राणिनां चैव हिंसनम् । । २.१७७ । ।
अभ्यङ्गं अञ्जनं चाक्ष्णोरुपानच्छत्रधारणम् । कामं क्रोधं च लोभं च नर्तनं गीतवादनम् । । २.१७८ । ।
द्यूतं च जनवादं च परिवादं तथानृतम् । स्त्रीणां च प्रेक्षणालम्भं उपघातं परस्य च । । २.१७९ । ।[2]
varjayenmadhu māṁsaṁ ca gandhaṁ mālyaṁ rasānstriyaḥ । śuktāni yāni sarvāṇi prāṇināṁ caiva hiṁsanam । । 2.177 । ।
abhyaṅgaṁ añjanaṁ cākṣṇorupānacchatradhāraṇam । kāmaṁ krodhaṁ ca lobhaṁ ca nartanaṁ gītavādanam । । 2.178 । ।
dyūtaṁ ca janavādaṁ ca parivādaṁ tathānr̥tam । strīṇāṁ ca prekṣaṇālambhaṁ upaghātaṁ parasya ca । । 2.179 । ।
- Let him always sleep alone, let him never waste his manhood; for he who voluntarily wastes his manhood, breaks his vow. However, a twice-born student, who has involuntarily wasted his manly strength during sleep, must bathe, worship the sun, and afterwards thrice mutter the Rik-verse (which begins), “Again let my strength return to me.” [2.180 and 181.][1]
एकः शयीत सर्वत्र न रेतः स्कन्दयेत्क्व चित् । कामाद्धि स्कन्दयन्रेतो हिनस्ति व्रतं आत्मनः । । २.१८० । ।
स्वप्ने सिक्त्वा ब्रह्मचारी द्विजः शुक्रं अकामतः । स्नात्वार्कं अर्चयित्वा त्रिः पुनर्मां इत्यृचं जपेत् । । २.१८१ । ।[2]
ekaḥ śayīta sarvatra na retaḥ skandayetkva cit । kāmāddhi skandayanreto hinasti vrataṁ ātmanaḥ । । 2.180 । ।
svapne siktvā brahmacārī dvijaḥ śukraṁ akāmataḥ । snātvārkaṁ arcayitvā triḥ punarmāṁ ityr̥caṁ japet । । 2.181 । ।
Begging for Alms
भैक्षेण वर्तयेन्नित्यं नैकान्नादी भवेद्व्रती । भैक्षेण व्रतिनो वृत्तिरुपवाससमा स्मृता । । २.१८८ । ।[2]
bhaikṣeṇa vartayennityaṁ naikānnādī bhavedvratī । bhaikṣeṇa vratino vr̥ttirupavāsasamā smr̥tā । । 2.188 । ।
It is said that, He who performs the vow (of studentship) shall constantly subsist on alms, (but) not eat the food of one (person only); the subsistence of a student on begged food is declared to be equal (in merit) to fasting.[2.188.][1]
Some of the guidelines stated in this regard are,
- A student, being pure, shall daily bring food from the houses of men who are not deficient in (the knowledge of) the Veda and in (performing) sacrifices, and who are famous for (following their lawful) occupations. [2.183.][1]
वेदयज्ञैरहीनानां प्रशस्तानां स्वकर्मसु । ब्रह्मचार्याहरेद्भैक्षं गृहेभ्यः प्रयतोऽन्वहम् । । २.१८३ । ।[2]
vedayajñairahīnānāṁ praśastānāṁ svakarmasu । brahmacāryāharedbhaikṣaṁ gr̥hebhyaḥ prayato'nvaham । । 2.183 । ।
- Let him not beg from the relatives of his teacher, nor from his own or his mother’s blood-relations; but if there are no houses belonging to strangers, let him go to one of those named above, taking the last-named first; Or, if there are no (virtuous men of the kind) mentioned above, he may go to each (house in the) village, being pure and remaining silent; but let him avoid Abhishastas (those accused of mortal sin). However, at his pleasure he may eat, when invited, the food of one man at (a rite) in honour of the gods, observing (however the conditions on his vow), or at a (funeral meal) in honor of the manes, behaving (however) like a hermit. [2.184, 185 and 189.][1]
गुरोः कुले न भिक्षेत न ज्ञातिकुलबन्धुषु । अलाभे त्वन्यगेहानां पूर्वं पूर्वं विवर्जयेत् । । २.१८४ । ।
सर्वं वापि चरेद्ग्रामं पूर्वोक्तानां असंभवे । नियम्य प्रयतो वाचं अभिशस्तांस्तु वर्जयेत् । । २.१८५ । ।
व्रतवद्देवदैवत्ये पित्र्ये कर्मण्यथ र्षिवत् । कामं अभ्यर्थितोऽश्नीयाद्व्रतं अस्य न लुप्यते । । २.१८९ । ।[2]
guroḥ kule na bhikṣeta na jñātikulabandhuṣu । alābhe tvanyagehānāṁ pūrvaṁ pūrvaṁ vivarjayet । । 2.184 । ।
sarvaṁ vāpi caredgrāmaṁ pūrvoktānāṁ asaṁbhave । niyamya prayato vācaṁ abhiśastāṁstu varjayet । । 2.185 । ।
vratavaddevadaivatye pitrye karmaṇyatha rṣivat । kāmaṁ abhyarthito'śnīyādvrataṁ asya na lupyate । । 2.189 । ।
- Having brought sacred fuel from a distance, let him place it anywhere but on the ground, and let him, unwearied, make with it burnt oblations to the sacred fire, both evening and morning. [2.186.][1]
दूरादाहृत्य समिधः सन्निदध्याद्विहायसि । सायंः प्रातश्च जुहुयात्ताभिरग्निं अतन्द्रितः । । २.१८६ । ।[2]
dūrādāhr̥tya samidhaḥ sannidadhyādvihāyasi । sāyaṁḥ prātaśca juhuyāttābhiragniṁ atandritaḥ । । 2.186 । ।
- He who, without being sick, neglects during seven (successive) days to go out begging, and to offer fuel in the sacred fire, shall perform the penance of an Avakirnin (one who has broken his vow). [2.187.][1]
अकृत्वा भैक्षचरणं असमिध्य च पावकम् । अनातुरः सप्तरात्रं अवकीर्णिव्रतं चरेत् । । २.१८७ । ।[2]
akr̥tvā bhaikṣacaraṇaṁ asamidhya ca pāvakam । anāturaḥ saptarātraṁ avakīrṇivrataṁ caret । । 2.187 । ।