* Codes for ascetics, while asking for alms. * The Various types of Brahmin.
Codes for ascetics, while asking for alms.
Shri Narayan Muni said:-
An ascetic should always seek alms to a forest-dwelling hermit (Vanaprastha), who is firm in observing his duties. Because of purity of such food, ascetic’s mind becomes pure and he attains perfection in self-knowledge. 1.
If the hermits are not available, an ascetic can ask for food from the foremost Brahmins or the local villager Brahmins and if this is also not possible, then he can ask from any other Brahmins. 2.
An ascetic should enter a city or a village disinterestedly and in such a way that he is not noticed. He should not unnecessarily look here and there at the wealth and decorated houses of the people. 3.
He should not listen to indecent stories, should not even look at ladies passionately and should think of them to be just like his mother or sister while going for alms. 4.
It is said that a begging-vessel should be made of earth, wood, gourd, and bamboo, threads of creepers, stone, leaves, grass or silk cloth. 5.
Such vessels could be cleansed with a cow’s hairs and water. An ascetic observing his own duties should never touch vessels made of metal. 6.
An ascetic should ask for holy alms at the house of a Brahmin, Kshatriya or Vaishya; in absence of previous one, he should approach the next one. Furthermore, he should always avoid going to any house of a sinner. 7.
Purity of food is an important factor for the purity of mind for everybody. An ascetic should not go for alms to a Brahmin engaged in unholy activities even if he is learned in Vedas. 8.
Medhatithi has stated that, if an ascetic does not get alms from a Brahmin due to unavailability of Brahmin (house) and had to remain hungry for two days, he can then have alms from a Shudra. 9.
In kali age, an ascetic should ask for alms only from Brahmins of four types. This division is based on their way of life and that also in a case; if former one is not available then only the later one should be preferred. He should never go to cunning Brahmin of vile tendency (Bidal). 10.
The Various types of Brahmin:- The first type of Brahmin is one who is consecrated by all purificatory rites (Sanskaras), a pious one having studied in the Vedas, performing the six duties regularly, truth speaking, having control over his mind and senses and non-jealous, kind, compassionate, a devout, one observing penance. Such a person is worthy to be called as a Brahmin according to the Smriti texts. 11-12.
The second type of Brahmin is called a Kshatriya- Brahmin. He is one who has studied Vedas, holds weapons, generous, interested in politics, kind, interested in horse riding and warfare, brave and courageous. 13.
A Brahmin, who maintains himself on agriculture, commercial transactions, animal husbandry or money lending, has studied Vedas and is munificent, is called a Vaishya type of Brahmin. 14.
A Brahmin who is always fond of eating any kind of food; sells liquor, oil, a kind of red die (Lakshya), salt, etc; misbehaving and has not studied Vedas, is called a Shudra type of Brahmin. 15.
A Brahmin who is always greedy, grabbing somebody’s interests, hypocrite, engaged in entertaining ordinary people, inclined towards cruel acts, is called a cunning Brahmin (Bidal). 16.
A Brahmin who destroys a stepped well, other type of (small) well, lakes, agricultural farm, a pond and gardens; not doing bath, Sandhya and other rites is called a barbarian type of Brahmin (Mlencha). 17.
A Brahmin who eats banned food, a fool, lustful i.e. desiring for another’s wife, impure, having no discrimination about what to do and what not, such a Brahmin is called a beast. 18.
One who is merciless, negligent, has crossed the limits laid down by scriptures; inclined to drinking liquor, eating meat; such a Brahmin is called a Chandal type of Brahmin. 19.
An ascetic should ask for food only at three, five or seven houses of pious Brahmins. Moreover, he should never go to the house of cunning or accused Brahmin. 20.
An ascetic should never ask for food from a physician, one dominated by woman, one living on hunting, using lance, a woman who is unchaste / a prostitute, an eunuch, one using a noose or fetters (to trap animals). 21.
The alms named ‘Madhukari’ is recommended for an ascetic. He should ask for alms, enough to fill his belly and not more. 22.
If he asks for five or seven times in the same house and does not get alms, then he should ever abandon that house just like a Chandala’s house. 23.
He should not go to the same house again and again for alms out of greed; unless there are no other houses to beg; he should go there on alternate days. 24.
An ascetic should always go for begging holy alms, when the house is without smoke (the cooking is finished), when the work of pestle is stopped, when the fire is ceased and people are about to eat i.e. in the later part of midday, 25.
This is a general rule but in kali age, he can ask at any of the seven houses for holy alms in the later part of the midday. 26.
He should specially go to a place where food is cooked in profuse; people give respect to ascetics and offer without any hesitation. 27.
An ascetic should avoid the house of Brahmins who are undergoing the defilement because of birth or death. He should never go to a house where the Shraddha rite is going on. 28.
An ascetic desiring alms, should never peep into a house from the hole in the door, never shout loudly or never knock the door. 29.
He should hold staff in the right armpit with his hand and hold the vessel of alms in the left hand and then cover the vessel with his right hand. 30.
If an ascetic comes in contact of any impure thing while going for alms, he should take a bath with proper rites along with the vessel and perform Pranayama (control the breath) for six times. 31.
If the alms (the food) is polluted, touched by a lady who is in her menstrual course or by a dead body, a Chandala, a thief, or a naked on, a Kapalika, he should abandon those alms and take bath with the clothes on. 32.
The sin does not occur by touching the following entities - wall, wood, chariot, bed, boat, an elephant, and tree, a heap of grass, lake and flowing water. 33.
Having returned from begging alms that ascetic should put that vessel with the food inside (for a moment) in water, then on a clean place. Thereafter, he should wash his hands and feet and clean himself, sit and eat silently. He should avoid the food that will agitate or disturb primary fluid (semen) in the body. 34-35.
He should eat food got in Bhiksha, (from Vaishnavite house) which is offered to Lord Vishnu only and no other God. The sage should perform the Aposhana rite (sipping of water before eating) then eat the food minding it as nectar (without likes or dislikes). While putting Pranahuti in the mouth he should eat that little food without touching it by lips and teeth; and the remaining part he should eat as a medicine, just for his survival. 36-37.
He should hold the vessel in the left hand and eat by his right hand. He should eat that much of food enough to survive i.e. to fill half the stomach. Evils like lust and arrogance do not pollute a person who eats limited. He should always eat once a day and the alms should not be stored. 38-39.
He should all the time study, think and meditate on the supreme Brahmana. Sanyasa is prescribed for this purpose alone for those born of Brahmins, in this world. 40.
An ascetic should not make any provision of food for the journey unless there is an emergency. In that case, he should accept only that much cooked food that he can finish on the same day. 41.
O Brahmin! If an ascetic eats the food of the same house continuously for three days without any emergency, he should perform Pranayam for hundred times. It is said that, if he eats such food again, against the rule, without any compelling reason, he should perform the vow called Taptakruchhra to undo that sin. 42-43.
If a weak ascetic eats fruits and roots, etc for his sustenance twice and takes medicines, brushes teeth, it doesn’t bring blemish to him. 44.
If it is not possible for him to beg alms due the adversity of the time and place, then he is allowed to eat at the residence of a householder. 45.
An ascetic should mix the food and vegetables, sprinkle it with sacred water, and then eat as if he is taking medicine and should not utter a word while he is eating. An old or sick ascetic need not mix the eatables. 46.
If an ascetic asks or speaks to a Brahmin lady for soil, water or alms when a host is not nearby, but it is not so in a solitary place. 47.
Thus ends the fortieth chapter entitled, ‘narration of procedure of begging alms in the code for renunciates,’ in the fifth Prakaran of Satsangi jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as Dharmashastra. (the rules of the code of conduct). 40