Arunika

Verse 1

ॐ आरुणिः प्राजापत्यः प्रजापतेर्लोकं जगाम। तं गत्वोवाच— केन भगवन् कर्माण्यशेषतो विसृजामीति। तं होवाच प्रजापतिः— तव पुत्रान् भ्रातॄन् बन्ध्वादीन् शिखां यज्ञोपवीतं यागं स्वाध्यायं भूर्लोकं भुवर्लोकं स्वर...

Oṁ. Āruṇi, a descendant of Prajāpati, went to the world of Prajāpati. Having gone, he said: “By what means, O Blessed One, may I abandon actions entirely?” Prajāpati said to him: “Let him relinquish his sons, brothers, and other relatives; the topknot (śikhā), the sacred thread (yajñopavīta), sacrifice, Vedic recitation and study; the worlds—Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ, Mahas, Jana, Tapas, Satya—and also Atala, Talātala, Vitala, Sutala, Rasātala, Mahātala, Pātāla, and the cosmic egg (brahmāṇḍa). Let him take up a staff, a covering-cloth, and a loincloth (kaupīna). Let him relinquish the rest.”

Verse 2

गृहस्थो ब्रह्मचारी वा वानप्रस्थो वा उपवीतं भूमावप्सु वा विसृजेत्। लौकिकाग्नीनुदराग्नौ समारोपयेत्। गायत्रीं च स्ववाचाग्नौ समारोपयेत्। कुटीचरो ब्रह्मचारी कुटुम्बं विसृजेत्। पात्रं विसृजेत्। पवित्रं विसृ...

A householder, or a celibate student, or a forest-dweller should cast off the sacred thread (yajñopavīta) either on the ground or in water. He should place the domestic fires into the fire of the belly. He should place the Gāyatrī into the fire of his own speech. The hut-dwelling celibate should abandon the household. He should abandon the begging-bowl; abandon the purifier (pavitra); abandon staffs and worlds—so he said. Thereafter he should act without (Vedic) mantras. He should abandon “going upward” (ritual aiming at higher worlds). He should take food as medicine. He should bathe at the three junctions (dawn, noon, dusk). He should practice the “junction” (sandhi) as samādhi in the Self. In all the Vedas he should repeatedly study the Āraṇyaka; he should repeatedly study the Upaniṣad—he should repeatedly study the Upaniṣad.

Verse 3

खल्वहं ब्रह्मसूचनात् सूत्रं ब्रह्मसूत्रमहमेव। विद्वान् त्रिवृत्सूत्रं त्यजेत्। विद्वान् य एवं वेद— संन्यस्तं मया, संन्यस्तं मया, संन्यस्तं मयेति— त्रिरुक्त्वाभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो (दद्यात्)। मत्तः सर्वं प्...

Indeed, by the indication of Brahman, the “thread” is a Brahma-thread; I myself am that. The knower should abandon the threefold thread. The knower who understands thus, having said three times, “Renounced by me, renounced by me, renounced by me,” should grant fearlessness to all beings. From me everything proceeds. “O friend, you are the unyoking (release); you are a friend. You are Indra’s thunderbolt, the slayer of Vṛtra. Be protection for me; ward off whatever sin there is”—thus. With this mantra, having prepared a bamboo staff, he should take up a loincloth (kaupīna). He should practice eating as medicine; he should partake of food as medicine; he should eat according to what is obtained. Celibacy, non-violence, non-possessiveness, and truth—protect, protect, protect these with effort.

Verse 4

अथातः परमहंसपरिव्राजकानामासनशयनादिकं भूमौ, ब्रह्मचर्यं, मृत्पात्रम् अलाम्बुपात्रं दारुपात्रं वा। यतीनां कामक्रोधहर्षरोषलोभमोहदम्भदर्पेच्छासूयाममत्वाहङ्कारादीनपि परित्यजेत्। वर्षासु ध्रुवशीलोऽष्टौ मासा...

Now, for the wandering renouncers of the “paramahaṁsa” type: their sitting, sleeping, and so forth are on the ground; they maintain celibacy; they may have an earthen bowl, a gourd bowl, or a wooden bowl. Renouncers should abandon even desire, anger, elation, rage, greed, delusion, hypocrisy, pride, craving, envy, possessiveness, egoism, and the like. In the rainy season, being steady in conduct, the ascetic should wander alone for eight months; or else two may wander; or else two may wander—so it is said.

Verse 5

स खल्वेवं यो विद्वान् सोपनयनादूर्ध्वमेतानि प्राग्वा त्यजेत्। पितरं पुत्रम् अग्निम् उपवीतं कर्म कलत्रं चान्यदपीह यत्। यतयो भिक्षार्थं ग्रामं प्रविशन्ति पाणिपात्रम् उदरपात्रं वा। ॐ हि ॐ हि ॐ हीत्येतदुपन...

Indeed, the knower thus instructed should abandon these, either after the initiation (upanayana) or even earlier: father, son, fire, sacred thread, ritual action, wife, and whatever else is here. Renouncers enter a village for alms with the hand as bowl or the belly as bowl. He should set down this Upaniṣad: “Oṁ hi, Oṁ hi, Oṁ hi.” Indeed, knowing this Upaniṣad thus, having abandoned a staff of palāśa, bilva, aśvattha, or udumbara wood, the muñja girdle, and the sacred thread, the hero who knows thus proceeds. “That highest step of Viṣṇu the seers always behold, like an eye extended in heaven. That (step) the inspired, the insightful, the wakeful kindle— that highest step of Viṣṇu.” Thus is the instruction on nirvāṇa; the instruction of the Veda; the instruction of the Veda.