Ashtaka said: -
1. Those that are learned in the Vedas differ in opinions as regards the respective methods which should be practised by the Grihastas, Brahmacharis, Bhikshus and Vanaprasthas, so that they may acquire religious merits.
Ashtaka said: -
2. A Brahmachari must do the following. When he will live in the house of his preceptor, he must receive lessons only when his preceptor will call him to do it. He must serve his preceptor without waiting for his command. He must rise before his preceptor from his bed and go to bed after him. He must be humble, self-controlled, patient, vigilant and devoted to study.
3. It is said in the oldest Upanishad that he must perform sacrifices after acquiring wealth by honest means. He should spend it in charity; he should be hospitable to all that would come to his house; he should never use anything without giving a portion to others.
4. A Muni (Brahmachari) should live in the forest, depending on his own vigour and without searching for food. He should abstain from all vicious acts; he should give away in charity; he should never inflict pain upon any creatures. It is then only that he can gain success.
5. He is a true Bhikshu, who does not support himself by any manual labour, who possesses many accomplishments, who has his passions under complete control, who is thoroughly unconnected with all worldly concerns, who does not sleep under the shelter of a householder’s roof, who is without wife and who travels over many countries, going some distance every day.
6-7. A learned man should adopt the Vanaprastha mode of life, after the performance of the necessary rites. He should adopt it when he has been able to control his thirst for enjoyments and desire of acquiring wealth. When a man dies in the forest, leading the Vanaprastha mode of life, he mixes his ancestors and grand-children, numbering ten generations including himself, with the divine essence.
Ashtaka said: -
8. How many kinds of Munis are there and how many kinds of Munis (observers of vows)? We desire to hear all this.
Yayati said: -
9. O king, he is a true Muni, who possesses all things pertaining to a village though living in the forest and also possesses all things pertaining to the forest though living in a village.
Ashtaka said: -
10. How is it possible to possess all things pertaining to a village when living in the forest and all things pertaining to a forest when living in a village?
Yayati said: -
11. A Muni lives in the forest after withdrawing himself from all worldly objects. But though he never seeks to possess things pertaining to a village, he may yet get them by his ascetic powers.
12-14. A true Muni, withdrawn from all earthly objects, might live in a village, leading the life of a hermit. Chad in Kaupina (scantiest of robes,) he considers himself attired in the richest robe. He is content with food just sufficient to support life. He who abandons all desires, who has all his passions under complete control and who has given up all actions, is the man who attains success.
15. Why should you not revere the man who lives on pure food, who refrains from injuring others, whose heart is ever holy, who is effulgent in his ascetic merits, who is free from the leaden weight of desire and who abstains from injury even when it is sanctioned by the scriptures?
16. Emaciated by hard asceticism and reduced in marrow, blood and flesh, such a Muni not only conquers this world, but the highest world.
17. The Muni who sits in Yoga mediation and who becomes indifferent to happiness and misery, honour and insult, conquers this world and conquering it, he conquers the highest world.
18. The Muni who eats like the kine and other animals, without providing for it beforehand and without any relish, becomes identified with the whole universe.
Thus ends the ninty first chapter, the history of Yayati, in the Sambhava of the Adi Parva.