Lord Krishna His Teachings

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Service to the twice-born, to the cows, to the gods, to be contended with what he gets
therefrom these are the characteristics of the Sudra.
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TEACHINGS
Uncleanliness, falsehood, theft, lack of faith, atheism, quarrelsomeness without cause, lust,
anger, greed these are the characteristics of a fifth class who are beyond the pale of the four castes.
Harmlessness, truthfulness, freedom from theft, lust, anger, covetousness and an effort to
do what is agreeable and beneficial to all beings this is the course of Dharma or common duty of
all castes.
Having had the regular course of purificatory rites and the second birth of initiation known
as the sacred thread ceremony, a Dvija or twice-born should dwell in the house of his preceptor with
control over his senses, and study the Vedas when called upon to do so by him.
He should wear a girdle or waist-band made of sacred grass, deerskin as upper garment,
rosary of Rudraksha beads and the holy thread and carry a staff, water pot and some Kusa grass. He
should wear matted hair, must not waste his time in beautifying his face and body and avoid
coloured seats.
He should observe silence while bathing, eating, offering oblations to the fire, repeating His
Mantra and answering calls of nature. He should not cut his hair in the arm-pits and private parts.
He should observe strict Brahmacharya and never make any conscious break. If he becomes
unconsciously impure, he should have a bath and repeat the Gayatri, controlling the breath or
practising Pranayama.
After attending to cleanliness in the morning and evening, he should silently repeat his
Mantra with concentration and offer his worship to the fire, the Sun, the preceptor, cows, Brahmins,
superiors, elderly people and the gods.
He should regard the preceptor as Myself and never disregard or look down upon him as a
man. He should not find out defects in the preceptor taking him to be a man, for the preceptor
represents all the gods and he is the abode of all the gods.
In the morning and evening he should bring his alms or whatever else he may have received,
to his preceptor and eat with moderation whatever is permitted by the preceptor.
He should always worship the preceptor serving him as a servant, by following him when he
is going somewhere, resting near him when he is asleep, sitting by his side to shampoo his limbs
when he is tired and being near him with folded palms ready to carry out his commands.
Conducting himself thus he should live in the house of his preceptor shunning comforts and
maintaining perfect celibacy till the course of learning is finished.
[Note: There are two types of Brahmacharins the Upakurvana and the Naishthika. The
former enters the household life after the completion of his study. He generally gives presents to his
preceptor, returns to his house and enters the Grihasthasrama. The Naishthika maintains life-long
celibacy. The above is the description of the duties of the former. Now the duties of a Naishthika
Brahmachari are described.]
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LORD KRISHNA, HIS LILAS AND TEACHINGS
If he wishes to attain the Brahmaloka, he should observe rigid celibacy and surrender his
body to his preceptor as a tribute for the instructions he received from him.
Being sinless and possessed of the lustre of Brahman, he should worship Me, the Supreme
Being, in the fire, the preceptor, his own Self, and in all beings with a feeling of identity or oneness.
He who is not a householder should avoid seeing, touching, conversing or joking etc., with
women and also seeing other animals in sexual intercourse.
Cleanliness, the sipping of water preparatory to religious functions (Achamana), bathing,
offering prayers in the morning, noon and evening, straightforwardness, visiting of holy places,
repetition of the Mantra, avoidance of things not to be touched or eaten, and of persons not to be
talked to, devotion to Me present in all beings, and control of mind, speech and body these, O
Uddhava, are the observances or rules of discipline (Niyamas) which are common for all the orders
of life.
Thus, the Brahmin who practises rigid celibacy shines like fire, and if he is unselfish, his
desires are burnt by intense austerities and he attains devotion to Me.
Then, if he desires to enter the life of a householder after having properly studied the Vedas,
he should offer his Dakshina (presents) to his preceptor and with his permission perform the usual
ablution or bath i.e., perform the rite of concluding the student-life or Brahmacharya Ashram.
Next, he may enter the life of a householder, the hermit s life in the forest, or the life of a
Sannyasi. He may pass from one Ashram to another with his mind intent on Me. He should not give
up the Ashrams altogether.
If he wishes to lead the life of a householder, he should marry an unblemished girl of the
same caste free from defects of birth, habits and qualities, who must be younger in age, and if he
desires to marry any other he should do so after the above marriage in the due or succeeding order
i.e., a Brahmin could marry in the three other castes; a Kshatriya in the two lower; Vaishya in the
Sudra caste; the Sudra in his own caste. It should not be done in the inverse order.
To perform sacrifices, to study the Vedas, and to distribute charitable gifts are duties
common to all the twice-born. To accept gifts, to teach the Vedas, and to help others to perform
sacrifices are duties of the Brahmins only.
If a Brahmin thinks that the acceptance of gifts would deprive him of his Tapas, spiritual
power and glory, he should try to live by the other two means viz., teaching and helping others to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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