z:\ ambedkar\vol 04\vol4 05.indd MK SJ DK YS 23 9 2013/YS 8 11 2013 211
RIDDLE NO. 17
The Code for Vanaprastha The Code for Sannyasi
211
“He may either at once (after his daily meal) cleanse (his vessel for collecting food), or lay up a store sufficient for a month, or gather what suffices for six months or for a year.” VI-18.
“Having collected food according to his ability he may either eat at night (only) or in the daytime (only), or at every fourth mealtime, or at every eighth.” VI-19.
“Or, he may live according to the rule of the lunar penance (Kandrayana), daily diminishing the quality of his food in the bright (half of the month) and (increasing it in the dark (half); or he may eat on the last days of each fortnight once (a day only), boiled barleygruel.” VI-20.
“Or, he may constantly subsist on flowers, roots, and fruit alone, which have been ripened by time and have fallen spontaneously following the rule of the (Institutes) of Vikhanas. ” VI-21.
“Let him either roll about on the ground, or stand during the day on tiptoe, (or) let him alternately stand and sit down; going at the Savanas (at sunrise, at midday, and at sunset) to water in the forest (in order to bathe).” VI-22.
1 Manu Smriti Chap. VI 209.
“When no smoke ascends from (the kitchen), when the pestle lies motionless, when the members have been extinguished, when the people have finished their meal, when the remnants in the dishes have been removed, let the ascetic always go to beg.” Ch. VI-56.
“Let him not be sorry when he obtains nothing, nor rejoice when he obtains (something), let him (accept) so much only as will sustain life, let him not care about the (quality of his) utensils.” Ch. VI-57.
“Let him disdain all (food) obtained in consequence of humble salutations, (for) even an ascetic who has attained final liberation, is bound (with the fetters of the Samsara) by accepting (food given) in consequence of humble salutations.” Ch. VI-58.
“By eating little, and by standing and sitting in solitude, let him restrain his senses, if they are attracted by sensual objects.” Ch. VI-59.
“By the restraint of his senses, by the destruction of love and hatred, and by the abstention from injuring the creatures, he becomes fit for immortality.” Ch. VI-60.