VISHNU PURANA. - BOOK
III. CHAP. XI.
CHAP. XI.--Of the
Sadacharas, or perpetual obligations of a householder. Daily purifications,
ablutions, libations, and oblations: hospitality: obsequial rites: ceremonies
to be observed at meals, at morning and evening worship, and on going to rest.
Of the Sadacharas,
or perpetual obligations of a householder. Daily purifications, ablutions, libations,
and oblations: hospitality: obsequial rites: ceremonies to be observed at
meals, at morning and evening worship, and on going to rest.
SAGARA again said to
Aurva, "Relate to me, Muni, the fixed observances of the householder, by
attending to which he will never be rejected from this world or the next."
Aurva replied to him
thus: "Listen, prince, to an account of those perpetual observances, by
adhering to which both worlds are subdued. Those who are called Sadhus (saints)
are they who are free from all defects; and the term Sat means the same, or
Sadhu: those practices or observances (Acharas) which they follow are therefore
called Sadacharas, the institutions or observances of the pious.' The seven
Rishis, the Manus, the patriarchs, are they who have enjoined and who have
practised these observances. Let the wise man awake in the Muhurtta of Brahma.
(or in the third Muhurtta, about two hours before sunrise), and with a composed
mind meditate on two of the objects of life (virtue and wealth), and on topics
not incompatible with them. Let him also think upon desire, as not conflicting
with the other two; and thus contemplate with equal indifference the three ends
of life, for the purpose of counter- acting the unseen consequences of good or evil
acts. Let him avoid wealth and desire, if they give uneasiness to virtue; and
abstain from virtuous or religious acts, if they involve misery, or are
censured by the world. Having risen, he must offer adoration to the sun; and
then, in the south-east quarter, at the distance of a bowshot or more, or anywhere
remote from the village, void the impurities of nature. The water that remains
after washing his feet he must throw away into the courtyard of the house. A
wise man will never void urine on his own shadow, nor on the shadow of a tree,
nor on a cow, nor against the sun, nor on fire, nor against the wind, nor on
his Guru, nor men of the three first castes; nor will he pass either excrement
in a ploughed field, or pasturage, or in the company of men, or on a high road,
or in rivers and the like, which are holy, or on the bank of a stream, or in a
place where bodies are burnt; or anywhere quickly. By day let him void them
with his face to the north, and by night with his face to the south, when he is
not in trouble. Let him perform these actions in silence, and without delay;
covering his head with a cloth, and the ground with grass. Let him not take,
for the purposes of cleanliness, earth from an ant-hill, nor a rat-hole, nor
from water, nor from the residue of what has been so used, nor soil that has
been employed to plaster a cottage, nor such as has been thrown up by insects,
or turned over by the plough. All such kinds of earth let him avoid, as means
of purification. One handful is sufficient after voiding urine; three after
passing ordure: then ten handfulls are to be rubbed over the left hand, and
seven over both hands. Let him then rince his mouth with water that is pure,
neither fetid, nor frothy, nor full of bubbles; and again use earth to cleanse
his feet, washing them well with water. He is to drink water then three times,
and twice wash his face with it; and next touch with it his head, the cavities
of the eyes, ears, and nostrils, the forehead, the navel, and the heart. Having
finally washed his mouth, a man is to clean and dress his hair, and to decorate
his person, before a glass, with unguents, garlands, and perfumes. He is then,
according to the custom of his caste, to acquire wealth, for the sake of
subsistence; and with a lively faith worship the gods. Sacrifices with the acid
juice, those with clarified butter, and those with offerings of food, are
comprehended in wealth: wherefore let men exert themselves to acquire wealth
for these purposes.
"As preparatory
to all established rites of devotion the householder should bathe in the water
of a river, a pond, a natural channel, or a mountain torrent; or he may bathe
upon dry ground, with water drawn from a well, or taken from a, river, or other
source, where there is any objection to bathing on the spot. When bathed, and
clad in clean clothes, let him devoutly offer libations to the gods, sages, and
progenitors, with the parts of the hand severally sacred to each. He must
scatter water thrice, to gratify the gods; as many times, to please the Rishis;
and once, to propitiate Prajapati: he must also make three libations, to
satisfy the progenitors. He must then present, with the part of the hand sacred
to the manes, water to his paternal grandfather and great-grandfather, to his
maternal grandfather, great-grandfather, and his father; and at pleasure to his
own mother and his mother's mother and grandmother, to the wife of his
preceptor, to his preceptor, his maternal uncle, and other relations, to a dear
friend, and to the king. Let him also, after libations have been made to the
gods and the rest, present others at pleasure for the benefit of all beings,
reciting inaudibly this prayer; 'May the gods, demons, Yakshas, serpents,
Rakshasas, Gandharbas, Pisachas, Guhyakas, Siddhas, Kushmandas, trees, birds,
fish, all that people the waters, or the earth, or the air, be propitiated by
the water I have presented to them. This water is given by me for the
alleviation of the pains of all those who are suffering in the realms of hell.
May all those who are my kindred, and not my kindred, and who were my relations
in a former life, all who desire libations from me, receive satisfaction from
this water. May this water and sesamum, presented by me, relieve the hunger and
thirst of all who are suffering from those inflictions, wheresoever they may be.'
Presentations of water, given in the manner, oh king, which I have described,
yield gratification to all the world: and the sinless man, who in the sincerity
of faith pours out these voluntary libations, obtains the merit that results
from affording nutriment to all creatures.
"Having then
rinced his mouth, he is to offer water to the sun, touching his forehead with
his hands joined, and with this prayer; 'Salutation to Vivaswat, the radiant,
the glory of Vishnu; to the pure illuminator of the world; to Savitri, the
granter of the fruit of acts.' He is then to perform the worship of the house,
presenting to his tutelary deity water, flowers, and incense. He is next to
offer oblations with fire, not preceded by any other rite, to Brahma. Having
invoked Prajapati, let him pour oblations reverently to his household gods, to
Kas'yapa and to Anumati, in succession. The residue of the oblation let him
offer to the earth, to water, and to rain, in a pitcher at hand; and to Dhatri
and Vidhatri at the doors of his house, and in the middle of it to Brahma. Let
the wise man also offer the Bali, consisting of the residue of the oblations,
to Indra, Yama, Varuna, and Soma, at the four cardinal points of his dwelling,
the east and the rest; and in the north-east quarter he will present it to
Dhanwantari. After having thus worshipped the domestic deities, he will next
offer part of the residue to all the gods (the Vis'wadevas); then, in the
north-west quarter, to Vayu (wind); then, in all directions, to the points of
the horizon, to Brahma, to the atmosphere, and to the sun; to all the gods, to
all beings, to the lords of beings, to the Pitris, to twilight. Then taking
other rice, let the householder at pleasure cast it upon a clean spot of
ground, as an offering to all beings, repeating with collected mind this
prayer; 'May gods, men, animals, birds, saints, Yakshas, serpents, demons,
ghosts, goblins, trees, all that desire food given by me; may ants, worms,
moths, and other insects, hungered and bound in the bonds of acts; may all
obtain satisfaction from the food left them by me, and enjoy happiness. May
they who have neither mother, nor father, nor relations, nor food, nor the
means of preparing it, be satisfied and pleased with the food presented for
their contentment. Inasmuch as all beings, and this food, and I, and Vishnu are
not different, I therefore give for their sustenance the food that is one with
the body of all creatures. May all beings, that are comprehended in the
fourteen orders of existent things, be satisfied with the food bestowed by me
for their gratification, and be delighted.'
Having uttered this
prayer, let the devout believer cast the food upon the ground, for the
nourishment of all kinds of beings; for the householder is thence the supporter
of them all. Let him scatter food upon the ground for dogs, outcasts, birds,
and all fallen and degraded persons.
"The
householder is then to remain at eventide in his courtyard as long as it takes
to milk a cow, or longer if he pleases, to await the arrival of a guest. Should
such a one arrive, he is to be received with a hospitable welcome; a seat is to
be offered to him, and his feet are to be washed, and food is to be given him
with liberality, and he is to be civilly and kindly spoken to; and when he
departs, to be sent away by his host with friendly wishes. A householder should
ever pay attention to a guest who is not an inhabitant of the same village, but
who comes from another place, and whose name and lineage are unknown. He who feeds
himself, and neglects the poor and friendless stranger in want of hospitality,
goes to hell. Let a householder who has a knowledge of Brahma reverence a
guest, without inquiring his studies, his school, his practices, or his race.
"A householder
should also at the perpetual S'raddha entertain another Brahman, who is of his
own country, whose family and observances are known, and who performs the five
sacramental rites. He is likewise to present to a Brahman learned in the Vedas
four handfulls of food, set apart with the exclamation Hanta; and he is to give
to a mendicant religious student three handfulls of rice, or according to his
pleasure when he has ample means. These, with the addition of the mendicant
before described, are to be considered as guests; and he who treats these four
descriptions of persons with hospitality acquits himself of the debt due to his
fellow men. The guest who departs disappointed from any house, and proceeds
elsewhere, transfers his sins to the owner of that mansion, and takes away with
him such a householder's merits. Brahma, Prajapati, Indra, fire, the Vasus, the
sun, are present in the person of a guest, and partake of the food that is
given to him. Let a man therefore be assiduous in discharging the duties of
hospitality; for he who eats his food without bestowing any upon a guest feed
only upon iniquity.
"In the next
place the householder must provide food for a married damsel, remaining in her
father's dwelling; for any one who is ill; for a pregnant woman; for the aged
and the infants of his house; and then he may eat himself. He who eats whilst
these are yet unfed is guilty of sin in this life, and when he dies is
condemned in hell to feed upon phlegm. So he who eats without performing
ablutions is fed in hell with filth; and he who repeats not his prayers, with
matter and blood: he who eats unconsecrated food, with urine; and he who eats
before the children and the rest are fed is stuffed in Tartarus with ordure.
Hear therefore, oh king of kings, how a householder should feed, so that in
eating no sin may be incurred, that invariable health and increased vigour may
be secured, and all evils and hostile machinations may be averted. Let the
householder, having bathed, and offered libations to the gods and manes, and
decorated his hand with jewels, proceed to take his meal, after having repeated
the introductory prayers, and offered oblations with fire, and having given
food to guests, to Brahmans, to his elders, and to his family. He must not eat
with a single garment on, nor with wet hands and feet, but dressed in clean
clothes, perfumed, and wearing garlands of flowers: he must not eat with his
face to any intermediate point of the horizon, but fronting the east or the
north: and thus, with a smiling countenance, happy and attentive, let him
partake of food, of good quality, wholesome, boiled with clean water, procured
from no vile person nor by improper means, nor improperly cooked. Having given
a portion to his hungry companions, let him take his food without reproach out
of a clean handsome vessel, which must not be placed upon a low stool or bed.
He must not eat in an unfit place or out of season, nor in an incommodious
attitude; nor must he first cast any of his meal into the fire. Let his food be
made holy with suitable texts; let it be good of its kind; and it must not be
stale, except in the case of fruit or meat; nor must it be of dry vegetable
substances, other than jujubes or preparations of molasses; but never must a
man eat of that of which the juices have been extracted. Nor must a man eat so
as to leave no residue of his meal, except in the case of flour, cakes, honey,
water, curds, and butter. Let him, with an attentive mind, first taste that
which has a sweet flavour: he may take salt and sour things in the middle
course, and finish with those which are pungent and bitter. The man who
commences his meal with fluids, then partakes of solid food, and finishes with
fluids again, will ever be strong and healthy. In this manner let him feed
without fault, silent, and contented with his food; taking, without uttering a
word, to the extent of five handfulls, for the nutriment of the vital
principle. Having eaten sufficiently, the householder is then to rinse his
mouth, with his face turned towards the east or the north; and having again
sipped water, he is to wash his hands from the wrist downwards. With a pleased
and tranquil spirit he is then to take a seat, and call to memory his tutelary
deity; and then he is thus to pray: 'May fire, excited by air, convert this
food into the earthly elements of this frame, and in the space afforded by the
etherial atmosphere cause it to digest, and yield me satisfaction! May this
food, in its assimilation, contribute to the vigour of the earth, water, fire,
and air of my body, and afford unmixed gratification! May Agasti, Agni, and
submarine fire effect the digestion of the food of which I have eaten; may they
grant me the happiness which its conversion into nutriment engenders; and may
health ever animate my form! May Vishnu, who is the chief principle of all
invested with bodily structure and the organs of sense, be propitiated by my faith
in him, and influence the assimilation of the invigorating food which I have
eaten! For verily Vishnu is the eater and the food and the nutriment: and
through this belief may that which I have eaten be digested.'
"Having
repeated this prayer, the householder should rub his stomach with his hand, and
without indolence perform such rites as confer repose, passing the day in such
amusements as are authorized by holy writings, and are not incompatible with
the practices of the righteous; until the Sandhya, when he must engage in pious
meditation. At the Sandhya, at the close of the day he must perform the usual
rites before the sun has quite set; and in the morning he must perform them
before the stars have disappeared. The morning and evening rites must never be
neglected, except at seasons of impurity, anxiety, sickness, or alarm. He who
is preceded by the sun in rising, or sleeps when the sun is setting, unless it
proceed from illness and the like, incurs guilt which requires atonement; and
therefore let a man rise before the sun in the morning, and sleep not until
after be has set. They who sinfully omit both the morning and the evening
service go after death to the hell of darkness. In the evening, then, having
again dressed food, let the wife of the householder, in order to obtain the
fruit of the Vais'wadeva rite, give food, without prayers, to outcasts and
unclean spirits. Let the householder himself, according to his means, again
shew hospitality to any guest who may arrive, welcoming him with the salutation
of evening, water for his feet, a seat, a supper, and a bed. The sin of want of
hospitality to a guest who comes after sunset is eight times greater than that
of turning away one who arrives by day. A man should therefore most especially
shew respect to one who comes to him in the evening for shelter, as the
attentions that gratify him will give pleasure to all the gods. Let the
householder, then, according to his ability, afford a guest food, potherbs,
water, a bed, a mat, or, if he can do no more, ground on which to lie.
"After eating
his evening meal, and having washed his feet, the householder is to go to rest.
His bed is to be entire, and made of wood: it is not to be scanty, nor cracked,
nor uneven, nor dirty, nor infested by insects, nor without a bedding: and he
is to sleep with his head either to the east or to the south; any other
position is unhealthy. In due season a man should approach his wife, when a
fortunate asterism prevails, in an auspicious moment, and on even nights, if
she is not unbathed, sick, unwell, averse, angry, pregnant, hungry, or
over-fed. He should be also free from similar imperfections, should be neatly
attired and adorned, and animated by tenderness and affection. There are
certain days on which unguents, flesh, and women are unlawful, as the eighth
and fourteenth. lunar days, new moon and full moon, and the entrance of the sun
into a new sign. On these occasions the wise will restrain their appetites, and
occupy themselves in the worship of the gods, as enjoined by holy writ, in
meditation, and in prayer; and he who behaves differently will fall into a hell
where ordure will be his food. Let not a man stimulate his desires by
medicines, nor gratify them with unnatural objects, or in public or holy
places. Let him not think incontinently of another's wife, much less address
her to that end; for such a man will be born in future life as a creeping
insect. He who commits adultery is punished both here and hereafter; for his
days in this world are cut short, and when dead he falls into hell. Thus
considering, let a man approach his own wife in the proper season, or even at
other times."
VISHNU
PURANA. - BOOK III. CHAP. X
VISHNU
PURANA. - BOOK III. CHAP. IX
VISHNU
PURANA. - BOOK III. CHAP. VIII
VISHNU
PURANA. - BOOK III. CHAP. VII.
VISHNU
PURANA. - BOOK III. CHAP. VI
VISHNU
PURANA. - BOOK III. CHAP. V
VISHNU
PURANA. - BOOK III. CHAP. IV
VISHNU
PURANA. - BOOK III.- CHAP. III
VISHNU
PURANA. - BOOK III.- CHAP. II.
चंद्रकांता
(उपन्यास) पहला अध्याय : देवकीनन्दन खत्री
खूनी औरत का
सात खून (उपन्यास) : किशोरी लाल गोस्वामी
ब्राह्मण की
बेटी : शरतचंद्र चट्टोपाध्याय (बांग्ला उपन्यास)
SELF-SUGGESTION AND
THE NEW HUNA THEORY OF MESMERISM AND HYPNOSIS – chapter-1, BY- MAX FREEDOM LONG
VISHNU PURAN-BOOK I
- CHAPTER 11-22
VISHNU PURANA. -
BOOK I. CHAP. 1. to 10
THE ROLE OF PRAYER.
= THOUGHT: CREATIVE AND EXHAUSTIVE. MEDITATION EXERCISE.
HIGHER REASON AND
JUDGMENT= CONQUEST OF FEAR.
QUEEN CHUNDALAI, THE
GREAT YOGIN
THE POWER OF
DHARANA, DHIYANA, AND SAMYAMA YOGA.
THE POWER OF THE
PRANAYAMA YOGA.
KUNDALINI,
THE MOTHER OF THE UNIVERSE.
TO THE KUNDALINI—THE
MOTHER OF THE UNIVERSE.
Yoga Vashist part-1
-or- Heaven Found by Rishi Singh Gherwal
Shakti and Shâkta
-by Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe),
Mahanirvana Tantra-
All- Chapter -1 Questions relating to
the Liberation of Beings
Tantra
of the Great Liberation
श्वेतकेतु और
उद्दालक, उपनिषद की कहानी, छान्द्योग्यापनिषद,
GVB THE UNIVERSITY OF VEDA
यजुर्वेद
मंत्रा हिन्दी व्याख्या सहित, प्रथम अध्याय 1-10,
GVB THE UIVERSITY OF VEDA
उषस्ति की
कठिनाई, उपनिषद की कहानी, आपदकालेमर्यादानास्ति,
_4 -GVB the uiversity of veda
वैराग्यशतकम्, योगी
भर्तृहरिकृत, संस्कृत काव्य, हिन्दी
व्याख्या, भाग-1, gvb the university of Veda
G.V.B. THE
UNIVERSITY OF VEDA ON YOU TUBE
इसे भी पढ़े-
इन्द्र औ वृत्त युद्ध- भिष्म का युधिष्ठिर को उपदेश
इसे भी पढ़े
- भाग- ब्रह्मचर्य वैभव
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