Brahmanas that do not say their prayers at
the two twilights, a righteous king should set them to accomplish such
acts as are ordained for the Sudras. Persons of every order should never
have sexual congress with other people's wives. There is nothing that
shortens life so effectually as sexual congress with other people's
wives. For as many thousand years shall the adulterer have to live in
Hell as the number of pores on the bodies of the women with whom he may
commit the offence. One should dress one's hair, apply collyrium to one's
eyes, and wash one's teeth, as also worship the deities, in the forenoon.
One should not gaze at urine or faeces, or tread on it or touch it with
one's feet. One should not set out on a journey at early dawn, or at
midday, or in the evening twilight, or with a companion that is unknown,
or with a Sudra, or alone. While going along a road, one should, standing
aside, always make way to a Brahmana, to kine, to kings, to an old man,
to one that is weighted with a burden, to a woman quick with child, or to
one that is weak. When one meets a large tree that is known, one should
walk round it. One should also, when coming upon a spot where four roads
meet, walk round it before pursuing one's journey. At midday, or at
midnight, or at night in general, or at the two twilights, one should not
proceed to spots where four roads meet. One should never wear sandals or
clothes that have been worn by another. One should always observe the vow
of Brahmacharya, and should never cross one's legs. One should observe
the vow of Brahmacharya on the day of the new moon, as also on that of
the full moon, as also on the eighth lunar day of both fortnights. One
should never eat the flesh of animals not slain in sacrifice. One should
never eat the flesh of the back of an animal. One should avoid censuring
and calumniating others, as also all kinds of deceitful behaviour.[461]
One should never pierce others with wordy shafts. Indeed, one should
never utter any cruel speech. One should never accept a gift from a
person that is low and vulgar. One should never utter such words as
trouble other people or as are inauspicious or are as sinful. Wordy
shafts fall from the mouth. Pierced therewith, the victim grieves day and
night. The man of wisdom should never shoot them for piercing the vitals
of other people. A forest, pierced with shafts or cut down with the axe,
grows again. The man, however, that is pierced with words u