Vedaarambha sanskaara

In the place of असौ (asau) say the name of the Initiate:

ब्रह्मचार्यसी असौ॥

Brahmacharyasee asau.

You are now in the Brahmacharya Stage of life 

अपोऽशाण॥

Apo’shaṇa

Sip fresh, clean water before meals

आपस् water अन्न 

कर्म कुरु॥

Karma kuru

Perform such acts with positive karma. Do good.

दिवा मा स्वाप्सीः॥

Divaa maa svaapseeh.

Do not sleep in the daytime

दिवा day मा not स्वाप्सीः sleep, slumber

आचार्यधीनो वेदमधीष्वा॥

Aacharyadheeno vedamadheeṣvaa¹

Follow your teacher’s guidance of the Vedas.

आचार्यधीनो Acharya’s guidance, follow your teacher वेदमधीष्वा teaching/instruction of Veda

द्वादश वर्षाणि प्रतिवेदं ब्रह्मचर्यं गृहाण वा ब्रह्मचर्य चर ॥

Dvaadasha varṣhaaṇi prativedam brahmacharyam
grihaaṇa vaa brahmacharya chara.

You have up to 12 years to study and master each Veda as you relinquish usual comforts and follow the instructions of your teacher.

द्वादश twelve years वर्षाणि sacrifice, bidding प्रतिवेदं for each Veda ब्रह्मचर्यं brahmacharya गृहाण relinquishing comfort of home वा or ब्रह्मचर्य brahmacharya चर living

आचार्यधीनो भवान्यत्राधर्माचरणात्॥

Aachaarya-dheeno bhavaanyatra-adharma-acharaṇaat.

Follow your Acharya to the extent that dharma is maintained. If there is any unrighteousness, adharma or problematic character or behavior, that must not be followed.

आचार्यधीनो Follow your Acharya भवान् you इयत् only so much, of such extent अधर्म untruth, unrighteous अचरणात् behavior, character 

क्रोधानृते वर्जय॥

Krodhaanrite varjaya.

Abstain from anger and untruth.

क्रोध anger अनृत false, untruth वर्जय shun, avoid

मैथुनं वर्जय॥

Maithunam varjaya.²

Avoid sexual activity.

मैथुनं intimacy, sexual activity वर्जय shun, avoid

ऊपरि शय्यां वर्जय॥

Oopari shayyaam varjaya.³

Avoid luxurious beds

ऊपरि above, top, on शय्यां bed, sofa वर्जय shun, avoid

कौशीलवगन्धांजनानि वर्जय॥

Kausheela-vagandhaam-janaani.⁴

Avoid being engaged and overcome with social activities, parties and such activities that lure you away from studies.

कौशील dancing and acting वगन् singing धाम music जनानि causing, immersing in वर्जय shun, avoid

अत्यन्तं स्नानं भोजनं निद्रां जागरणं निन्दां लोभमोहभयशोकान् वर्जय॥

Atyantam snaanam bhojanam nidram jaagaraṇam
nindaam lobha moha bhaya shokaana⁵

Avoid any excessiveness, whether sleeping too much, being awake too much, too much food, bad food, reproach and blame, impatience and covetousness, distraction and infatuation, fear and sorrow.

अत्यन्तं endless, exceedingly स्नानं bathing भोजनं food निद्रां sleep जागरणं awake निन्दां reproach, blame लोभ covetiousness, impatience, impatience मोह distraction, infatuation भय fear शोकान् sorrow, grief

प्रतिदिनं रात्रेः पश्चिमे यामे चोत्थायावश्यकं कृत्वा
दन्तधावनस्नानसन्ध्योपासनेश्वरस्तुतिप्रार्थनोपासनायोगाभ्यासान्नित्यमाचर॥

Pratidinam roteh pashchema yaame
chottha-ayaavashyakam kritvaa
dantadhaavana-snaana-sandhya-upaasana-
eshvar-stuti-prarthana-upasanaa-
yoga-abhaya-aasaan-nityam-aachara.

Practice and maintain a daily routine of waking at 3 a.m. Engage in habitual acts as follows: brush teeth, take a bath, practice Yoga, and perform Sandhya and Havan.

प्रतिदिनम् daily, every day रात्रेः nightly पश्चिमे westerly याम quarter/time of day or night चोत्थ fourth अयावश्यकं dutifully कृत्वा having done दन्तधावन brushing teeth स्नान bath सन्ध्योपासन Sandhya prayers ईश्वरस्तुतिप्रार्थनोपासना Havan योग Yoga अभ्यास practise habit नित्यम् constant आचरित act

क्षुरकृत्यं वर्जय॥

Kshura-krityam varjaya⁶

Avoid shaving

क्षुरकृत्यं blade/razor used for shaving वर्जय avoid

मांसरूक्षाहारं मद्यादिपानं च वर्जय॥

Maamsarookshaahaaram madyaadipaanam cha varjaya

Avoid flesh and meat. Avoid dried foods, intoxicants and stimulants.

मांस flesh रूक्ष course, hard, dry आहारं food मद्य alcoholic or intoxicating items दीपन stimulants च and वर्जय avoid

गावाश्च हस्त्युष्ट्रादियां वर्जय॥

Avoid abusing animals

Jaavaashcha hastyuṣhṭaadiyaan varjaya.

गाव cattle हस्त्युष्ट्रा animals (elephants, horses, bullock, camel, etc) दियां ride, fly वर्जय avoid

अन्तर्ग्रामनिवासो पानच्छत्रधारणं वर्जय॥

Antar-graama-nivaaso paanach-chhatra-dhaaraṇ varjaya⁷

Avoid excessive people, villages and houses. Avoid shoes and umbrella.

अन्तर् amidst ग्राम village, cluster, community निवास residence, abode पानच्छत्र shoes and umbrella धारणं wearing/using वर्जय

अकामतः स्वयमिन्द्रियस्पर्शेन वीर्यस्खलनं विहाय वीर्यं शरीरे संरक्ष्योर्ध्वरेताः सततं भव॥

Akaamatah svayam-indriya-sparshena veerya-skhalanam
vihaaya veeryam shareere samrakshyor-dhvaaretaah satatam bhava

Avoid touching your private parts except for cleaning and discharge. Protect and preserve your chastity.

अकामतः unintentional स्वयम् self, private इन्द्रियस्पर्श parts of the body वीर्य virility स्खलनं touch विहाय except वीर्यं vitality शरीरे body संरक्ष्य guard and protect from अर्ध्वरेताः chastity सततं constant भव you 

तैलाभ्यङ्गमर्दनात्यम्लातितिक्तकषायक्षाररेचनद्रव्याणि मा सेवस्व ॥

Tailaabhyanga-mardana-atyamal-ati-tikta-kashaaya-kshaara-rechana-dravyaaṇi maa sevasva.

 Avoid cosmetics and other attention to the body, like massages, etc. Avoid bitter, sour, salty and similar foods that are bad for the stomach.

तैलाभ्यङ्ग annointing with oil मर्दन massage अत्यम्ल acidic, sour अति very तिक्तक bitter अषाय stomach  क्षाररस alkaline, salty क्षार acrid , caustic चनस् hurtful द्रव्याणि things, objects मा not सेवस्व take, accept

नित्यं युक्ताहारविहारवान् विद्योपार्जने य यत्नवान् भव ॥

Nityam yuktaa-haara-vihaaravaan vidyo-paarjane ya yatnavaan bhava.

Maintain constant and appropriate meals and perform duties appropriately in your continued acquisition of knowledge.

नित्यं constant युक्त sensible, appropriate, right युक्ताहारविहार moderate in diet and pleasure अवान appropriately wet or dry विद्य wisdom उपार्जन acquiring, gaining य abandon, restrain यत्नवान् making effort, strenuously भव you

सुशीलो मितभाषी सभ्यो भव ॥

Susheelo mitabhaaṣhee sabhyo bhava.

Always be well-behaved with good, timely and appropriate speech.

सुशील affable, good, amicable मितभाषी good and polite speech सभ्यो civilized, refined, polite भव you

मेखलादण्डधारणभैक्ष्यचार्यसमिदाधानोदकस्पर्शनाचार्याचरणप्रियाचरणप्रातः
सायमभिवादनविद्यासंचयजितेन्द्रियत्वादीन्येते ते नित्यधर्माः ॥

Mekhalaa-daṇḍa-dhaaraṇa-bhaikshya-chaarya-
samidaa-dhaano-daka-sparshana-achaaraṇ-priyaacharaṇa-prataah.
Saayam-abhivaadana-vidyaasam-chaya-
jitendriya-tvaadeen-yete te nitya-dharmaah.⁸

Daily, wear your uniform of studenthood. Live off charity and kindness. Respectfully greet your Acharya morning and evening. Follow the advice of your teacher. Perform your daily prayers and agnihotra. Control your senses and abstain from what is improper and prohibited.

मेखला girdle, belt, cloth दण्ड stick धारण wearing भैक्ष subsisting on charity, begging आचार्य acharya, teacher समिदाधान kindling for fire, agnigotra offering अनाद not consuming स्पर्श touch आचरणं behavior प्रातः first, morning सायम् evening अभिवाद greeting विधासं reject जितेन्द्रियत्व control of senses आदीयन stimulation नित्यधर्माः constantly righteous action

The initiate responds:

I hereby humbly accept.

भिक्षा दे…..

Bhikshaa de

Please be kind to my request for alms.