accomplish whatever else thy reverend self may be
pleased to command.’ Having said all this,
and having duly offered himself unto him (thus), he
should accomplish whatever acts of his preceptor wait
for accomplishment, and having completed them inform
the preceptor once more of their completion.
Whatever scents or tastes the Brahmacharin may abstain
from while actually leading a life of Brahmacharya
may be used by him after his return from the preceptor’s
abode. This is consistent with the ordinance.
Whatever observances have been elaborately laid down
for Brahmacharins (in the scriptures) should all be
regularly practised by him. He should, again,
be always near his preceptor (ready within call).
Having contributed to his preceptor’s gratification
in this way to the best of his powers, the disciple
should, from that mode of life, pass into the others
(one after another) and practise the duties of each.
Having (thus) passed a fourth part of his life in
the study of the Vedas, and observance of vows and
fasts, and having given the preceptor the (final)
fee, the disciple should, according to the ordinance,
take his leave and return home (for entering into
a life of domesticity).[997] Then, having taken spouses,
obtaining them in the ways indicated in the ordinances,
and having carefully established the domestic fire,
he should, observant all the while of vows and fasts,
become a house-holder and pass the second period of
life.’”
“Vyasa said, ’Observant of meritorious
vows, the householder, for the second period of life,
should dwell in his house, having taken spouses according
to the ways indicated in the ordinance and having established
afire (of his own). As regards the domestic mode
of life, four kinds of conduct have been laid down
by the learned. The first consists of keeping
a store of grain sufficient to last for three years.
The second consists of keeping a store to last for
one year. The third consists of providing for
the day without thinking of the morrow. The fourth
consists of collecting grain after the manner of the
pigeon.[998] Of these, each succeeding one is superior
in point of merit to that which precedes it, according
to what has been laid down in the scriptures.[999]
A householder observing the first kind of conduct
may practise all the six well-known duties (viz.,
sacrifice on his own account, sacrifice on that of
others, teaching, learning, making gifts, and accepting
gifts). He who observes the second kind of conduct
should practise three only, of these duties (viz.,
learning, giving, and taking). He who observes
the third kind of conduct should practise only two
of the duties of domesticity (viz., learning and giving).
The householder practising the fourth kind of domesticity
should observe only one duty (viz., learning the scriptures).
The duties of the householder are all said to be exceedingly
meritorious. The householder should never cook
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