ऋतुकालाभिगामी यः स्वदारनिरतश्च यः । स सदा ब्रह्मचारी हि विज्ञेयः स गृहाश्रमी
ṛtukālābhigāmī yaḥ svadāranirataśca yaḥ | sa sadā brahmacārī hi vijñeyaḥ sa gṛhāśramī
Sesiapa yang mendatangi (isterinya) hanya pada musim yang wajar (ṛtukāla) dan setia pada isteri yang sah menurut dharma—gṛhastha demikian hendaklah dikenal sebagai brahmacārī sepanjang masa.
Sūta (deduced, Brāhma Khaṇḍa dharma-narration context)
Scene: A householder with calm, ascetic-like aura—simple clothing, japa-mālā, household shrine—standing beside his wife with mutual respect; a subtle halo suggests ‘ever-brahmacārī’ purity within domestic life.
True brahmacarya is defined by disciplined, dharmic living—even within marriage—through fidelity and restraint.
No tīrtha is praised; the verse is an ethical definition within gṛhastha-dharma.
The rule is ṛtukāla-niyama (proper timing) and svadāra-niyama (exclusive devotion to one’s spouse).