6 ' and maternal kinswomen need only be greeted on CH AP. his return from a journey. 133. With the sister of his father and of his mo ther, and with his own elder sister, let him demean himself as with his mother; though his mother be more venerable than they. 134. Fellow citizens are equal for ten years; dancers and singers, for five; learned theologians, for 'less than three; but persons related by blood, for a short time: that is, a greater difference of age destroys • their equality. 135. The Student must consider a Bráhmen, though but ten years old, and a Cshatriya, though aged a hundred years, as father and son; as between those two, the young Bráhmen is to be respected as the 'father. 6 136. Wealth, kindred, age, moral conduct, and, fifthly, divine knowledge, entitle men to respect; but 'that which is last mentioned in order, is the most respectable. 137. Whatever man of the three highest classes possesses the most of those five, both in number and degree, that man is entitled to most respect; even a Sidra, if he have entered the tenth decad of • his age 138. 6 Way must be made for a man in a wheeled carriage, or above ninety years old, or afflicted with II. disease, or carrying a burthen; for a woman; for a priest just returned from the mansion of his preceptor; for a prince, and for a bridegroom: 139. Among all those, if they be met at one time, the priest just returned home and the prince are most to be honoured; and of those two, the priest just returned, should be treated with more respect than • the prince. 140. That priest who girds his pupil with the sacri'ficial cord, and afterwards instructs him in the whole Veda, with the law of sacrifice and the sacred Upanishads, holy sages call an áchárya: 141. But, he, who for his livelihood, gives instruction in a part only of the Veda, or in grammar, and ' in other Védángas, is called an upádhyaya, or sub' lecturer. 142. The father, who performs the ceremonies on conception and the like, according to law, and 'who nourishes the child with his first rice, has the 'epithet of guru, or venerable. 143. He, who receives a stipend for preparing the holy fire, for conducting the páca and agnishtóma, and for performing other sacrifices, is called in this code the ritwij of his employer. 144. 6 II. 145. A mere áchárya, or a teacher of the gayatrì CHAP. only, surpasses ten upadhyayas; a father, a hundred 'such ácháryas; and a mother, a thousand natural fa'thers. 146. Of him, who gives natural birth, and him, 'who gives knowledge of the whole Véda, the giver of 'sacred knowledge is the more venerable father; since the second or divine birth ensures life to the twice born both in this world and hereafter eternally. 147. Let a • man consider that as a mere human birth, which his parents gave him for their mutual gratification, and which he receives after lying in the womb ; 148. But that birth which his principal áchárya, "who knows the whole Vida, procures for him by his 'divine mother the gayatrì, is a true birth: that birth is exempt from age and from death. 149. Him, who confers on a man the benefit of sacred learning, whether it be little or much, let him know to be here named guru, or venerable father, in consequence of that heavenly benefit. 150. A Bráhmen, who is the giver of spiritual birth, the teacher of prescribed duty, is by right called the 'father of an old man, though himself be a child. 151. CAVI, or the learned, child of ANGIRAS, taught his paternal uncles and cousins to read the Véda, and, excelling them in divine knowledge, said to them, 6 "little sons :" 6 CHAP. II. 6 6 6 152. They, moved with resentment, asked the Gods 'the meaning of that expression; and the Gods, being assembled, answered them: "The child has addressed you properly; 153. For an unlearned man is in truth a child; and he who teaches him the Véda, is his father: holy sages have always said child to an ignorant man, and father to a teacher of scripture." 154. Greatness is not conferred by years, not by gray hairs, not by wealth, not by powerful kindred: the divine sages have established this rule ; "Whoever has read the Vedas and their Angas, he among us is great." 155. The seniority of priests is from sacred learning; of warriours from valour; of merchants from ' abundance of grain; of the servile class only from priority of birth. 156. A man is not therefore aged, because his head is gray him, surely, the Gods considered as aged, who, though young in years, has read and un•derstands the Véda. 157. As an elephant made of wood, as an antelope 'made of leather, such is an unlearned Bráhmen: those 'three have nothing but names. 158. As an eunuch is unproductive with women, as cow with a cow is unprolifick, as liberality to a fool is fruitless, so is a Bráhmen useless, if he read not the 159. Good instruction must be given without pain CHAP. to the instructed; and sweet gentle speech must be ' used by a preceptor, who cherishes virtue. 160. He, whose discourse and heart are pure, and ever perfectly guarded, attains all the fruit arising from his complete course of studying the Véda. 161. Let not a man be querulous even though in pain; let him not injure another in deed or in thought; let him not even utter a word, by which his fellow creature may suffer uneasiness; since that 'will obstruct his own progress to future beatitude. 6 162. A Bráhmen should constantly shun worldly honour, as he would shun poison; and rather constantly 'seek disrespect, as he would seek nectar; 163. For though scorned, he may sleep with plea6 sure; with pleasure may he awake; with pleasure 6 may he pass through this life but the scorner utterly perishes. 6 164. Let the twice-born youth, whose soul has 'been formed by this regular succession of prescribed acts, collect by degrees, while he dwells with his preceptor, the devout habits proceeding from the study of scripture. 165. With various modes of devotion, and with au'sterities ordained by the law, must the whole Véda be read, and above all the sacred Upanishads, by him, who has received a new birth. II. |