Duty and Procedure of Study

अध्ययनविधिः The Duty of Study

तपोविशेषैर्विविधैः व्रतैश्च विधिचोदितैः।

वेदैः कृत्स्नोऽधिगन्तव्यस्सरहस्यो द्विजन्मना।। (2.165)

A Dvija should study the Veda intact along with all the secrets along with various kinds of Tapas and Austerities that are suggested in the Sastras.

वेदमेव सदाभ्यस्येत् तपस्तप्स्यन् द्विजोत्तमः।

वेदाभ्यासो हि विप्रस्य तपः परमिहोच्यते।। (2.166)

A Dvija should practise Veda while doing Tapas.  Indeed, the Practice of Veda is said to be the greatest Tapas itself. 

स्वाध्यायः leads to Purification of body:

स्वाध्यायेन व्रतैर्होमैः त्रैविद्येनेज्यया सुतैः।

महायज्ञैश्च यज्ञैश्च ब्राह्मीयं क्रियते तनुः।। (2.28)

The following do purify the body of a Dvija:

01	स्वाध्यायः	Vedadhyayana
02	व्रतानि	Following restrictions such as avoiding meet and wine etc.
03	होमाः	Homas, Upasanas during Sandhyas
04	त्रैविद्यः	Traividya austerity
05	इज्याः	Devarshi Tarpanam, Pitri Tarpanam
06	सुताः	Sons
07	महायज्ञाः	Pancha Maha Yajnas
08	यज्ञाः	Yajnas such as Jyotishtoma

How to practice?

एकाकी चिन्तयेन्नित्यं विविक्ते हितमात्मनः।

एकाकी चिन्तयानो हि परं श्रेयोऽधिगच्छति।। (4.258)

Staying alone in a place where no one is present, one should think what is favourable to oneself.  By doing so, one will get the highest benefit.

उपनीय गुरुश्शिष्यं शिक्षयेच्छौचमादितः।

आचारमग्निकार्यं च सन्ध्योपासनमेव च।।  (2.69)

Guru should perform Upanayana to his disciple.  Right from the beginning, he should explain Saucha, Achara, Agnikarya and Sandhyopasana and make him practise them.

अध्येष्यमाणस्त्वाचान्तो यथाशास्त्रमुदङ्मुखः।

ब्रह्माञ्जलिकृतोऽध्याप्यो लघुवासा जितेन्द्रियः।। (2.70)

The Guru should teach the disciple who:

01	अध्येष्यमाणः	Has a desire to study
02	आचान्तः	Performs Achamana
03	यथाशास्त्रमुदङ्मुखः	Sits by facing towards north
04	ब्रह्माञ्जलिकृतः	Sits with Brahmanjali
05	लघुवासाः	Sits with Pure garment
06	जितेन्द्रियः	Has control over senses

The following is the process of offering Brahmanjali:

ब्रह्मारम्भेऽवसाने च पादौ ग्राह्यौ गुरोस्सदा।

संहत्य हस्तावध्येयं स हि ब्रह्माञ्जलिः स्मृतः।। (2.71)

01	सदा ब्रहामारम्भे ब्रह्मावसाने क्रियते	Always done before the beginning and at the end of Vedadhyayana
02	गुरोः पादौ ग्राह्यौ	Feet of Guru must be touched
03	हस्तयोः संहननम् कार्यम्	Palms must be joint together
04	अध्येयम्	In the posture, Study must be done

व्यत्यस्तपाणिना कार्यमुपसंग्रहणं गुरोः।

सव्येन सव्यः स्प्रष्टव्यो दक्षिणेन च दक्षिणः।। (2.72)

While touching the feet of Guru, right foot must be touched with right palm and left foot must be touched with left palm.

अध्येष्यमाणं तु गुरुर्नित्यकालमतन्द्रितः।

अधीष्व भो इति ब्रूयात् विरामोऽस्त्विति चारमेत्।। (2.73)

The teacher should say:

अधीष्व भोः	Now, you study	Before starting Adhyayana every day
विरामोऽस्तु	Now, there be a break	At the end, every day

ब्रह्मणः प्रणवं कुर्यात् आदावन्ते च सर्वदा।

स्रवत्यनोंकृतं पूर्वं परस्ताच्च विशीर्यते।। (2.74)

ॐ must be pronounced before the beginning of study and at the end of the study every time.  Otherwise, whatever that is studied will be vanished.

प्राक्कूलान् पर्युपासीनः पवित्रैश्चैव पावितः।

प्राणायामैस्त्रिभिः पूतस्तत ओङ्कारमर्हति।। (2.75)

One should sit on a mat of Darbhas.  The woven ends of the mat must be facing east.  The disciple must hold Darbhas in the hand and perform Pranayama thrice.  Then, he should pronounce ॐ।।

How did the Death happen?

अनभ्यासेन वेदानामाचारस्य च वर्जनात्।

आलस्यादन्नदोषाच्च मृत्युर्विप्रान् जिघांसति।। 5.4

अनभ्यासेन वेदानाम्	By not studying and practising Vedas
आचारस्य वर्जनात्	By avoiding the practice of Achara
आलस्यात्	By laziness
अन्नदोषात्	By defect in the food taken

Eligibility and Ineligibility

आचार्यपुत्रः शुश्रूषुर्ज्ञानदो धार्मिकः शुचिः।

आप्तः शक्तोऽर्थदः साधुः स्स्वाध्याप्या दश धर्मतः।। 2.109

1	आचार्यपुत्रः	Son of the teacher
2	शुश्रूषुः	One who offers service/ One who is interested
3	ज्ञानदः	One who offers another branch of learning
4	धार्मिकः	Follower of Dharma
5	शुचिः	Honest person
6	आप्तः	Intimate friend
7	शक्तः	Capable person
8	अर्थदः	One who offers money
9	साधुः	Well wisher
10	स्वकीयः	Relative

नापृष्टः कस्यचिद्ब्रूयान्न चान्यायेन पृच्छतः।

जानन्नपि हि मेधावी जडवल्लोक आचरेत्।। 2.110

Without being asked, the teacher should not teach anybody.  The teacher should refuse to teach a person if the later demands it by unlawful means.  An intelligent teacher remains silent and acts like a naive in the society, though he has good knowledge.

अधर्मेण च यः प्राह यश्चाधर्मेण पृच्छति।

तयोरन्यतरः प्रैति विद्वेषं वाऽधिगच्छति।। 2.111

One who teaches by unworthy means or one who demands by unworthy means may die or develop abhorrence against the other.

धर्मार्थौ यस्य न स्यातां शुश्रूषा वाऽपि तद्विधा।

तत्र विद्या न वप्तव्या शुभं बीजमिवोषरे।। 2.112

One should not teach a person who lacks Dharma and Artha.  A person who does not like even to offer service also should not be taught.  Indeed, a good seed should not be sown in a saline land.

विद्ययैव समं कामं मर्तव्यं ब्रह्मवादिना।

आपद्यपि हि घोरायां न त्वेनामिरिणे वपेत्।। 2.113

If a Brahmavadi finds no body eligible, he may die without offering his knowledge to anybody, even in a perilous situation.  However, the seed of knowledge should not be sown in an infertile land.

विद्या ब्राह्मणमेत्याह शेवधिस्तेऽस्मि रक्ष माम्।

असूयकाय मा मादास्तथा स्यां वीर्यवत्तमा।। 2.114

Once, the knowledge approached the Brahmin and told him – “I am a treasure for you.  Kindly save me.  Please do not offer me to an envious person.  If you do so, I will remain competent forever.”

यमेव तु शुचिं विद्यान्नियतं ब्रह्मचारिणाम्।

तस्मै मां ब्रूहि विप्राय निधिपायाप्रमादिने।। 2.115 (निधिपाय + अप्रमादिने)

You may offer me to a genuine learner who is honest and who can protect me without any negligence.