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The Duties of the Brahmacharin and the Householder
A king who does his duty in this manner shakes of all his sins on earth, goes to heaven in a celestial car resplendent like the sun, and enjoys in the company of Indra, the king of the gods.
In adversity a Brahmin may try to get over it by taking to the Vaishya’s trade, by selling only the permitted articles. If he is still overtaken by misfortune, he may live by the sword, but never resort to dog-like servility by serving the low.
In adversity a king or a Kshatriya may live by the Vaishya’s pursuits (agriculture) or by hunting, or by going out like a Brahmin but never by serving the low.
A Vaishya in adversity may lead the life of a Sudra. A Sudra may adopt the pursuit of making mats and the like. But when he is out of difficulty he should not wish to maintain himself by a despicable profession.
A householder should according to his means daily worship the Rishis, the Pitris, the gods, the lower animals and men considering them as forms of Mine, with the study of the Vedas, Svadha and Svaha offerings, food and the like respectively. This is the Pancha Maha Yajna. Every householder should perform this daily.
With the wealth that is obtained by chance or is acquired by honest means, he should perform the above sacrifices only in the just course without putting his servants to trouble and without taxing his dependents. He should maintain himself and his dependents and perform sacrifices. He should not starve his family in order to perform his sacrifices.
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