stantly meditate on the divine nature of the soul, CHAP. for by such meditation he will attain happiness.

259. THUS has been declared the mode, by which a Bráhmen, who keeps house, must continually subsist, together with the rule of devotion ordained for a pupil returned from his preceptor; a laudable rule, ' which increases the best of the three qualities.

260. A priest, who lives always by these rules, 'who knows the ordinances of the Veda, who is freed 'from the bondage of sin, shall be absorbed in the 'divine essence.

IV.

CHAP. V.

On Diet, Purification, and Women.

CHAP.

V.

1. THE sages, having heard those laws delivered for the conduct of house-keepers, thus addressed the highminded BHRIGU, who proceeded in a former birth from the genius of fire.

2. How, Lord, can death prevail over Bráhmens, 'who know the scriptural ordinances, and perform their 'duties as they have been declared?'

3. Then he, whose disposition was perfect virtue, even BHRIGU, the son of MENU, thus answered the great Rishis: Hear, from what sin proceeds the in'clination of death, to destroy the chief of the twiceborn:

4. Through a neglect of reading the Véda, through a desertion of approved usages, through supine re'missness in performing holy rites, and through various 'offences in diet, the genius of death becomes eager 'to destroy them.

5. Garlick, onions, leeks, and mushrooms (which no twice-born man must eat), and all vegetables 'raised in dung.

6. Red gums or resins, exuding from trees, and juices from wounded stems, the fruit sélu, and the 'thickened

ས.

'thickened milk of a cow within ten days after her CHAP. 'calving, a priest must avoid with great care.

7. Rice-pudding boiled with tila, frumenty, ricemilk, and baked bread, which have not been first 'offered to some deity, flesh-meat also, the food of gods, and clarified butter, which have not first been touched, while holy texts were recited,

.

8. Fresh milk from a cow, whose ten days are not passed, the milk of a camel, or any quadruped with a hoof not cloven, that of an ewe, and that ' of a cow in heat, or whose calf is dead or absent 'from her,

9. That of any forest-beast, except the buffalo, 'the milk of a woman, and any thing naturally sweet but acidulated, must all be carefully shunned:

10. But among such acids, buttermilk may be swallowed, and every preparation of buttermilk, and all acids extracted from pure flowers, roots, or fruit not cut with iron:

11. Let every twice-born man avoid carnivorous birds, and such as live in towns, and quadrupeds ' with uncloven hoofs, except those allowed by the Véda, and the bird called tittibha ;

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12. The sparrow, the water-bird plava, the phenicopteros, the chacraváca, the breed of the towncock, the sárasa, the rajjuvála, the woodpecker, and the parrot, male and female;

CHAP.

ར.

13.

Birds, that strike with their beaks, webfooted birds, the coyashti, those, who wound with strong 'talons, and those, who dive to devour fish; let him ' avoid meat kept at a slaughter-house, and dried 6 meat,

14. The heron, the raven, the c'hanjana, all amphi'bious fish-eaters, tame hogs, and fish of every sort, but those expressly permitted.

15. He, who eats the flesh of any animal, is called 'the eater of that animal itself; and a fish-eater is

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an eater of all flesh; from fish, therefore, he must diligently abstain :

16. Yet the two fish, called páťhína and róhita,

may be eaten by the guests, when offered at a re

past in honour of the gods or the manes; and so

may the rájíva, the sinhatunda, and the sasalca of every species.

17. Let him not eat the flesh of any solitary ani

mals, nor of unknown beasts or birds, though by

general words declared eatable, nor of any creature with five claws;

18. The hedgehog and porcupine, the lizard gódhá, 'the gandaca, the tortoise, and the rabbit or hare,

wise legislators declare lawful food among five-toed 'animals; and all quadrupeds, camels excepted, which have but one row of teeth.

19. The twice-born man, who has intentionally

' eaten

eaten a mushroom, the flesh of a tame hog, or a CHAP. 'town-cock, a leek, or an onion, or garlick, is de

C

graded immediately;

20. But having undesignedly tasted either of those

six things, he must perform the penance sántapana,

or the chándrayana, which anchorets practise; for

' other things he must fast a whole day.

21. One of those harsh penances, called prájápatya, 'the twice-born man must perform annually, to purify him from the unknown taint of illicit food; but he 'must do particular penance for such food intentionally

22. BEASTS and birds of excellent sorts may be slain by Bráhmens for sacrifice, or for the sustenance of those, whom they are bound to support; 'since AGASTYA did this of old.

23. No doubt, in the primeval sacrifices by holy men, and in oblations by those of the priestly and military tribes, the flesh of such beasts and birds, as may be legally eaten, was presented to the ' deities.

24. That, which may be eaten or drunk, when fresh, 'without blame, may be swallowed, if touched with oil, though it has been kept a whole night; and so may the remains of clarified butter:

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25. And every mess prepared with barley or wheat, or with dressed milk, may be eaten by the twice'born, although not sprinkled with oil.

V.