Chapter 18 - Description of Karmas liable to be adopted and abandoned in Code of righteous conduct for householder

Description of Karmas liable to be adopted and abandoned in Code of righteous conduct for householder. 

Shri Narayan muni said:- 

O Brahmin! A householder (Grahastha), after performing daily rituals of bath and Sandhya, must bow down with respect to his teacher: Guru, and accept his blessings. 1. 

He must bow down with respect to his own family-religious teachers, father and mother, as his Gurus. He must also bow down with respect, to those elderly people and who are religiously knowledgeable. A teacher from whom either Vedic or worldly knowledge is received, must also be honoured. 2. 

If a teacher is a pagan, non-religious, sinful, hateful to hermits and sages and if he is ungrateful, he must not be respected and honoured, though he is a teacher. 3. 

A man/teacher going or running hastily, taking bath, brushing teeth, vomiting or evacuating faces, also must not be greeted or respected. 4. 

If the teacher is reciting Japa, observing vow, performing sacrifices, collecting or arranging Samidhas, flowers or Kusa grass, must not be respected at that time. 5 - 6.

If one is passing through a street and happens to see an image of God, a hermit Sadhu or a Vaisnava, he must respect and bow down to him. Failure in doing so should be followed, by taking atonement. 7. 

In this way a woman: mother-in-law and the teacher’s wife must also be respected and honoured by bowing down before them, but if she is in polluting days (menstruation) or if such a woman is sinful, she may not be respected. 8. 

The men, who always honours and bows down to teachers, elders, knowledgeable persons gains fame, success, strength and wisdom and lives long. 9. 

Ten Karmas to be abandoned invariably by Grihastha. 

One should avoid ten courses of action: threefold action by body, fourfold by speech and threefold by mind. 10. 

One should totally and physically avoid the following three acts: 1. killing animals, 2. theft and 3. Lustful wish towards another’s wife. 11. 

One should, also with effort avoid four oral acts: 1. using evil language, 2. harsh words, 3. villainy and 4. speaking lie. 12. 

One should abandon the following three acts: 1. contemplating over other’s wealth; 2. thinking ill of others and 3. disbelief towards Vedic learning. 13.

Proper hospitality should be offered, even to an enemy, when he has arrived at your home. Compare the case of a tree that spreads its shade on a man who has come to cut it down. 14. 

A married person should not keep sexual relations with his wife on forbidden lunar date, nor when she is in her menstruation; and not at all with the wife, who has not yet attained puberty; and not also if she is abiding by a religious vow or if she is ill. 15. 

The married householder, who enforces breach of vow of one’s own wife, observing a vow, being infatuated by lust, is cooked in the kumbhipaka hell. 16. 

An intelligent Twice-born should not eat garlic, onion, white bringal, hemp and also kaling (water melon). 17. 

He must not see the rising sun, the setting sun and also the mid day sun. He must not also see the sun eclipsed by Rahu and the reflection of the sun in water. 18. 

A Brahmin must circumambulate: a temple, a Brahmin, honey, clarified butter, a person senior in cast, senior in age, senior in learning , a hermit, banyan tree, a religious fig tree, a spiritual guide, a pot filled with water, cooked food, curds and sacred unbroken rise, if confronted while passing. 19 - 20. 

Way should be given to old man , over-burdened man, a king, a bathed woman, a patient, a bride-groom, wheeled cart-man, drunken person, mad man and renunciate. 21.

One should serve food with deep regard and pay respect to a traveller, Vedic scholar, renunciate and a hungry person as per priority. The person, whose food in stomach is digested by Vedic study, spiritually uplifts the donor upto ten generations: ascending and descending. 22. 

After feeding the devotees and unscheduled guest, one should escort them up to the village limit. Humility should be practiced everywhere, especially with pious devotees. 23 - 24. 

One should avoid over-liking in alien food, accepting blameable invitation; and fickleness of speech, hands and feet and also overeating. 25. 

While taking meals, a Mandal-diagram: square, triangle and circle, should be drawn under the plate, by a Brahmin and others (Ksatriya and Vaisa), in respective orders. 26. 

At first, one should give six oblations, by the ritual procedure of sacred fire, oblation in the form of vital breaths, beginning with Om and ending with ‘Svaha’ by uttering the names prana etc, of oneself (1. Om Pranaya Svaha 2. Om Apanaya Svaha 3. Om Vyanaya Svaha 4. Om Udanaya Svaha 5. Om Samanaya Svaha and 6. Om Brahmane Svaha). 27. 

The modes of offering oblations (with morsels picked by) are 1. The index finger, middle finger and thumb for Prana: 2. the little finger, ring finger and thumb for Apana: 3. middle finger, ring finger and other for Udana, and for 4.samana are all (five) the fingers. The Twice-born should eat these (morsels) without touching with teeth; but swallow only with tongue. 28 - 30. 

After serving meals to: Ascetics, old people, bachelors, pregnant woman, sick person, children, guests and servants, the householder couple; husband and wife should take meals. 31. 

On, Krisna-Janmastami, Rama-navmi, Vamana-Dvadasi, all the eleven lunar dates (Ekadashis) and (Maha) Shivaratri, a householder should not take meals, except in some indisposition. 32. 

On such days of vow, no worldly activity should be done by the Vaishnavas anywhere, except for the calamity of dependence on others. 33. 

General rules of behaviour for all - Do’s and Don’ts. 

He should not dine with wife; so also he should not see her while taking meals, sneezing or yawning, also when sitting comfortably, when anointing her eyes with collieries, after oil massage, uncovered. So also, he should never look at her while delivering a child, or when passing urine. 34 - 35. 

He should not sleep during morning and evening, during day time and at night, during first and last quarters; nor anywhere when he is impure. He should not eat during both twilight times. 36. 

One who remembers Ram, Skanda i.e. Kartikey, Hanuman, Garuda i.e. the sun of Vinata and Bhima before sleeping, does not see bad dreams or night-mares. 37.

One should not see a cow being sucked by the calf; should not show the rainbow to others; should not sleep alone in desolate place; nor travel alone on road. 38. 

One should not speak to a woman in menses, should not talk with alien woman in privacy, and should not talk with her when she is going alone. 39. 

One should nowhere take prohibited drink; so also, he should never eat prohibited food, should not give prohibited gift and should never perform any prohibited actions. 40. 

One should not speak words which are disapproved; should not sell things that are prohibited; should not sacrifice things that are disallowed; should not sit among those who are degraded. 41. 

One should never despise those who are: one eyed, blind, hunch back, squinted, cripple with withered arm, lame, mute, deaf and distressed. 42. 

One should not go between a husband and wife; between Brahmin and sacred fire; Lord Siva and Nandi bull; Lord Vishnu and Garuda (in respective temples); between two woman and teacher and student. 43. 

One should not, at all sit by keeping one leg on other thigh (Praudha-pada), at the time of : giving alms, sipping waters; offering oblations in sacred fire, taking meals and performing deity-worship, doing self-study, sitting in front of spiritual guide and God (image of God). 44.

Praudha-pada means: one who has mounted on the seat by folding legs; or who has kept his feet either on both knees, both shanks and both thighs. 45. 

One who desires long life, should not (publically) utter: the name of oneself, the name of spiritual guide, the name of wretched person, and of eldest child and wife. 46. 

One should not rudely address the teacher, sage practicing penance, elderly person, learned and virtuous man, a king and a Vaishnava, by singular vocative: you. 47. 

A man should not inform about a cow grazing in the field of someone else (to the owner of that field). He should not tie the cattle, anywhere at night without serving them drinking water. 48. 

He should not prevent, offering being given to God, spiritual guide and Brahmins. He should never boast of himself and should avoid abuse of others. 49. 

He should never play with a weapon or snake; should not jump across a well; he should not wash one leg with the other. 50. 

He should not throw fire in another fire; and should not reveal teachers misconducts. He should also not inform about death or illness of far friend to others. 51. 

A wise man should not consume salt directly in his meals. If he happens to see a man engaged in mal-practices, he should look at the sun and remember Lord Vishnu. 52.

A man should discard from a distance, that scriptural text which is opposed to or is against the Vedas (Sruti) and religious law books (the Smruti), and which are non-believer of God. 53. 

One should not at all eat: the food, which is touched by dog or half eaten by birds, infested by hair, insects etc; so also the food pretested by one’s own wife or smelt by cow. 54. 

One should discard and should not eat: the food that is polluted by the contact with meat and wine, or touched by a menstruating woman, and also vegetable grown in filth. 55. 

One should not cut down a religious fig tree or a shade spreading tree that has grown on the road. Similarly one should not overstep both: bed and coach of superior as well as inferior person. 56. 

One should not cultivate bad conduct or inauspicious language: and should not grab anyone’s wealth, by preaching pseudo religion. 57. 

He should not cheat labourer, by fulfilling his own selfish interests; nor entice any woman. He should not at all consume intoxicant. 58. 

A learned person should not publicize religious charity. So also he should not conceal his sin. He should declare it in front of devotees of Shri Krishna and saint. 59. 

He should perform atonement as per his capacity for his sinful act immediately. He should always practice it for his own welfare and out of compassion of all living beings. 60. 

One should do activity which is suitable to one’s age, conduct, economic and family status, learning body, speech, and intelligence. 61. 

He should never grab wealth of a Brahmin or Deity even at the cost of life, because it is assessed to be worse than a deadly poison. 62. 

He should not take anybody’s object which is not previously given to him. There is no sin like theft, which is giving severe pain, when compared to others. 63. 

One may take away wood, fruits, grass, flowers in public place occasionally, only for the purpose of religious rituals. Otherwise one would become morally degraded. 64. 

A man should not speak ill, about anyone at any cost, if he talk so would fall in Puyoda Naraka (hell), as long as the sun and the moon exist. 65. 

One should speak always the truth; provided it does not cost harm to others. Prajapati said that, there is no merit equal to truth. 66. 

In the past, one thousand horse sacrifices (Asvamedha), and truth were suspended by Brahma, in a weighing balance in two scales. Therein truth alone excelled in weight. 67.

Speaking lie does not become blameable (in exceptional cases): on the occasions of merriment with women, for lively-hood, matrimonial dealings, during danger to life, while performing duties towards cows, Brahmins and spiritual guide. 68. 

One must always speak good, think good and keep contact with pious people and not with impious people. 69. 

One should not make friendship with: those who are impudent, frantic, intoxicated and impolite, at any costs. One should also not, keep company with those who are: characterless, who are guilty of theft etc; with those habituated to extravagance, with those who are greedy, having too many enemies, with liars, with cruel, with those having lust for women and habituated to defaming people, with those addicted to gambling, with destitute, with prostitute-visitors, and also with bankrupts and people believing in destiny. 70 - 72. 

One should, make friendship with saintly people and those, who have adopted virtuous behaviour, who are endowed with learning and modesty and who are always industrious. 73. 

One should not dive in unfathomable water; should not enter a burning house; should not climb a top of the tree and never grind their teeth. 74. 

One should always avoid visiting traffic square, religious fig tree, cremation ground, pleasure-park and wanton women close contact at night. 75. 

Even financial loss should be suffered: but one should avoid monetary income by inviting enmity. One should not sit on a high seat in front of the Guru. 76. 

One who behaves modestly with others, calms down those who are caught in anger, avoids natured and doesn’t envy any one, consoles and encourages against fears and dangerous situations; for him, the heaven is a very small reward. 77. 

One whose tongue, wife, sons, brothers, friends and servants, dependants are rich in modesty, then he would be honoured everywhere. 78. 

One must not walk, while looking upwards/ or away. He should walk while glancing at the surface of the earth equal to the length of a yoke. 79. 

When one has family descendants, one should not give away, all his wealth in alms. He should attend to his wife, a person who has taken shelter in him, his sons and for the means of family maintenance at any cost even in calamity. 80. 

An intelligent person should not at all conceal: repayment of loans, one’s family-lineage, purchase and sales of commodities, giving daughter in marriage (Kanyadana), merit excellence. 81. 

A householder should not eat food that is prepared for sacrament ritual, nor should take food in funeral obsequy (of others), having performed Shraddha rite at home, one should not go out to take meals in other’s house. 82. 

A householder should not show any interest in folk music and dance. He must not eat meals upto satiety at night, should not ride on the back of bullocks and should not swim across a river. 83. 

He must not camp in a town or village thickly inhabited by irreligious, heretic people; harassed by wicked king and also , which is devoid of means of a livelihood. 84. 

He should stay in a town where the king has religious faith, the river is full with water; where Brahmins are learned; where merchants are generous money-lenders and medical practitioners are available. Where the citizens are well cultured, co-operative, always law abiding, such a place is an ideal to stay in. 85. - 86. 

One should avoid clipping his nails with teeth, clipping nails with nails, pulling out his hair and plucking grass with his nails. 87. 

One should with effort avoid such action, which is not for good in the future. One should not go in between the other’s house and own house through an unofficial door. 88. 

A man should never play dice, nor sit in the company of antireligious and non-religious people, nor sleep naked, nor enter water naked. 89. 

One should not touch his body apertures without reason, unless he is sick; and also the hair on his private parts, by touching which, he will become impure. 90. 

He should throw water, after washing feet, urine, tested water, waste food articles, mucus, spitting, etc. away from house. 91. 

He should not scratch or beat his head with both hands; and also not pluck hair, and also not scream loudly. 92. 

A householder should not reproach himself after being deprived of his previous wealth since riches as well as learning is not unobtainable for those who are always industrious. 93. 

One should always speak the truth, the truth that is agreeable; and should not speak truth that is unpleasant , so also he should not speak untruth which is pleasant. O honourable! These is the religious ethics. 94. 

A householder should not drink unfiltered milk, should not water in a big water current while standing and should avoid using his left hand expect while taking meals. 95. 

Milk of one hoofed animal, as well as that of she-camel, sheep should be avoided. Likewise, cow’s tender milk should be avoided, and having supper with curd should be avoided. 96. 

Liquor should not at all be consumed by a person belonging to the three social orders (Brahmin, ksatriya and Vaisya). Nor should meat be eaten by them because animal-slaughter leads to hell. 97. 

The person who kills animals, for one’s nourishment is weak in knowledge. For such evil doer, neither in this world nor in the next happiness would result. 98. 

A person indulging in violence is deemed to be eightfold: 1. killer, 2. permeate, 3. dresser, 4. consumer, 5. purchaser, 6. seller, 7. carrier and 8. agent. 99.

If the measures of meat are covered with wet cloth and roasted without being removed from the chaff, they should not be eaten by men and women, because of the danger of the presence of subtle germs in it. 100. 

A householder (Grhastha) should never commit suicide even at the holy, pilgrim fords (like Prayaga, to get place in the heaven); nor in a fit of anger, by consuming poison. 101. 

He should enquire Brahmin about his welfare (Kushal), to a Ksatriya about his health, to a Vaisya about his happiness and to a Shudra about his satisfaction. 102. 

He should totally give up wickedness, lust for others’ wives, anger, treachery, lie, theft, hatred, fraud and jugglery. 103. 

A man should carefully guard birth constellation, intercourse (conduct with his wife), his mantra, domestic secrets, fraud, age, property insults by others’ wives. 104. 

A man should never speak abusively: about the Vedas, Brahmins, Gods, king, hermits, practitioners of penance and wives loyal to their husbands at any cost. 105. 

He should not praise human beings and he must not blame himself. He should avoid oral acceleration, mental acceleration and verbal acceleration. 106. 

Whatever monetary help is given to any person in the event of great calamity, that would be eternal and meritorious in this and next world. 107.

One who helps a child who is an orphan for his thread ceremony and other religious rituals or marriage ceremony by spending his own money - such a person’s act is worth infinite merit. 108. 

The spiritual-merit, that one gets by helping a Brahmin, to become a twice-born is of more value than the merit gained by ‘Agnistoma’ and other sacrifices. 109. 

One who helps a Brahmin who has no parents to perform marriage ceremony, such a charitable person gets extreme happiness in this world and thereafter attains permanent heaven. 110. 

A man should live in a good ruled land, should develop friendship with a good friend, should reside with a good wife in a house and should teach good disciple a secret lore. 111. 

How will one experience fearless life in a bad kingdom? How will one protect his self-interesting the company of bad friends? How would there be mental satisfaction with a bad wife? Where will there be happiness by teaching a bad disciple? 112. 

Thus ends the eighteenth chapter entitled, ‘the discourse on the items to be abandoned and the items to be accepted,’ in the fifth Prakaran of Satsangi jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as Dharmashastra (the rules of the code of conduct). 18