* Daily rituals and other rules to be observed by a life- long celibate and atonement for lapses.
Daily rituals and other rules to be observed by a life-long celibate and atonement for lapses.
Shri Narayan muni said:-
A Brahmachari should, without fail perform his daily rituals towards God and manes. 1.
Shri Nar-narayan is Himself, the teacher of the Brahmacharins, having performed extremely hard penances for the welfare of others. 2.
When the God himself suffers and performs penance, why should a Brahmachari, not perform penance for God and manes? 3.
A Brahmachari should, perform the worship of the Sun God for three times a day. Thereafter, he should perform Sandhya, recite and repeat the Gayatri mantra regularly. 4.
A celibate should offer the oblation, in sacred fire, every morning and evening. Moreover, he should offer a handful of water. If he is ill or unable to do so, he should then, offer water into water. 5.
He should give uncooked food to Brahmins, as alms; and should cook food to offer as Naivedya to God Vishnu. 6.
A Brahmachari (celibate) should take bath, three times a day; and worship God Vishnu. He should perform five sacrifices by offering oblations into fire, every day. 7.
He should always wear the sacred thread, and must always bind his lock of hair, on his head. In addition, he should perform the death anniversary rite of his fore-fathers (manes), according to the rituals. 8.
He should wear a waist-band, sacred hide, sacred stick and a pot. Besides, he should change those, when they are out of use. 9.
If he happens to touch a butcher, a cobbler, a pagan, a Yavana (a non- Hindu), or any other sinful man; or he goes to cremation ground, he should bathe with his clothes on. 10.
If by any chance; he touches unholy or impure animals (donkey, pig and others), touches meat, or if he gets unholy food, in his begging or if he vomits, he should take a bath as an atonement. So also, he should also take a bath, after visiting toilet or seeing an ominous dream or a nightmare. 11.
A Brahmachari should take bath as expiation, if he touches a woman or woman’s clothes, even unknowingly. 12.
He should observe all Ekadashi (eleventh digit of the moon) days; and observe fast also on Janmashtami according to the tradition. 13.
A Brahmachari, being in a holy state, should first offer food to Lord Vishnu, perform daily Vaisvadeva and thereafter take the remnant of the offered food. 14.
He should only eat the good holy food, observe the Kruchhra and Chandrayana vows, just to sustain his body, made of flesh, skin and blood. 15.
He should be the student of knowledge, science; he must be an ascetic, not at all interested in worldly pleasures; and he must win over, all the passions and emotions. He must devote himself continuously, solemnly and in solitude to Shri Hari. 16.
He must remain, like a servant, with his Guru; and must not keep himself far away from him, during their journey and whilst in sleep. 17.
He must be silent, quiet, and peaceful and passionless. He must be courageous and must look upon clay, gold, stone with neutral feeling. So also, he must have an equal attitude towards friend and foe. 18.
He should be virtually afraid of snakes, women and his own brothers. Likewise, he should virtually fear a corpse, sweets, like hell. 19.
He must always wish good for the Brahmins, praise them in open and in public meetings. He must honour and adore the devotees of Lord Vishnu. 20.
A Brahmachari must live, only for religion; and must not expect any gain or benefit for his good deeds. Moreover, he must not think of enjoying petty pleasures. 21.
He must show fearlessness to all creatures and must offer his service and himself to all the living beings. He must listen only to God and His praise all the time. 22.
He must be silent and speechless; whilst having a bath, taking meals, offering sacrifices in fire, performing Sandhya twice and during evacuation of faeces. 23.
If at all he fails to abide by these rules, he should observe a day’s fast, for the purification of these misconducts. 24.
Knowledge, truth, giving alms, non-hatred, suppression of wants, sacrifice, penance and modesty are all the types of virtues. 25.
Furthermore; lust, anger, sadness, greed, hatred, contradiction and desires are all deemed to be faults. 26.
There are twelve virtues and twelve vices. The devotee of Lord Krishna should have all the virtues; and he must also serve his teacher. Who does all that, as mentioned above, becomes specially virtuous celibate. 27.
Thus ends the fifty-second chapter entitled, ‘narration of code of conduct prescribed for life-long celibates,’ in the fifth Prakaran of Satsangi jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as Dharmashastra. (the rules of the code of conduct). 52