The Philosophy of the Upanishads c12.s3.t2.48

c12.s3.t2.48

(2) The Gṛihastha. “He who returns home from the family of the teacher, after the prescribed study of the Veda in the time remaining over from work for the teacher, and pursues the private study of the Veda in (his own) household in a pure neighbourhood (where Brâhmans are permitted to live), trains up pious (sons and pupils), subdues all his organs in the âtman, and besides injures no living thing except on sacred ground (at the sacrifice), he in truth, if he maintains this manner of life all his days, enters into the world of Brâhman and does not return back.”⁴ According to this passage, the householder may remain in that state all his life long without doing injury to his soul. According to Chând. 5. 10, on the contrary, for those “who in the village observe the rites with the words—‘Sacrifice and works of piety are our service,’” for those therefore who continue in the householder’s state to the end of life, the transient reward in the moon is appointed and a return to a new earthly existence. The most imperative duty of the householder is to establish a family and to beget a son to continue his father's works. This subject has been already considered.¹ Several wives are permitted, as in fact Yâjñavalkhya himself had two.² Further duties of the grihastha are named,—sacrifice, study of the Veda, and almsgiving.³ How far the obligation of sacrifice suffered prejudice through the ideas of the Upanishads has been already discussed.⁴