Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.2558.3

c4.2558.3

A Brahmacārī could sit with his teacher only when they are in a vehicle, or on a camel or in a tower or on the steps or on rocks or in a boat. He should consider the his teacher as his teacher. He should not address his parents who visit the house of the teacher, without the permission of his teacher. He should respect learned men, holymen, sons of the teacher and those who are born of his family, as a teacher. If the wife of the teacher is of the caste of the teacher, the brahmacārī should consider her as his teacher. If the wife is not of the same caste the brahmacārī needs only to stand up and make obeisance to her. A brahmacārī should not apply oil to the body of his teacher’s wife, wash her, massage her body, and comb her hair. A brahmacārī may either shave his head or grow matted hair. He should never be asleep at sunrise or sunset. For learning Vedas etc. the student should not give the teacher cows, clothes etc. as free gifts beforehand. On completion of education, when the student asks the teacher for permission to get married, he should give the teacher what he demands. A brahmacārī who has fully complied with the rules mentioned above, will attain heaven after his death.