Devanagari
सावित्रं प्राजापत्यं च ब्राह्मं चाथ बृहत्तथा ।
वार्तासञ्चयशालीनशिलोञ्छ इति वै गृहे ॥ ४२ ॥
Verse text
sāvitraṁ prājāpatyaṁ ca
brāhmaṁ cātha bṛhat tathā
vārtā saṣcaya-śālīna-
śiloṣcha iti vai gṛhe
Synonyms
sāvitram
—
the thread ceremony of the twice-born
;
prājāpatyam
—
to execute the vow for one year
;
ca
—
and
;
brāhmam
—
acceptance of the Vedas
;
ca
—
and
;
atha
—
also
;
bṛhat
—
complete abstinence from sex life
;
tathā
—
then
;
vārtā
—
vocation in terms of Vedic sanction
;
saṣcaya
—
professional duty
;
śālīna
—
livelihood without asking anyone for cooperation
;
śila
—
uṣchaḥ — picking up rejected grains
;
iti
—
thus
;
vai
—
even though
;
gṛhe
—
in household life .
Translation
Then the thread ceremony for the twice-born was inaugurated, as were the rules to be followed for at least one year after acceptance of the Vedas, rules for observing complete abstinence from sex life, vocations in terms of Vedic injunctions, various professional duties in household life, and the method of maintaining a livelihood without anyone’s cooperation by picking up rejected grains.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The four types of brahmacarya –sāvitra, prājāpatya, brāhmana and bṛhat arose from Brahmā’s four mouths. The four occupations of the householder—vārtā, saṣcaya, śālīna and śiloṣcha arose from his four mouths.
After taking the sacred thread, remaining celibate for three nights is called sāvitra. Remaining celibate for a year is called prājāpatya. Remaining celibate until learning the Vedas is called brāhma. Brhāt means celibacy till death. Vārtā refers to occupations not forbidden such a s agriculture. Saṣcaya means performing sacrifices. Śālīna means taking alms without begging. Śiloṣchana means taking the fallen grains in the field. Śila and uṣccha are combined a dvandva in the singular as in the phrase ukāla jjhrasva-hīrgha-plutaḥ (Pāninī 1.2.27). They are combined together with the same meaning. These are the four types of occupation for the householder (gṛhe).
Purport
During student life the
brahmacārīs
were given full instructions about the importance of the human form of life. Thus the basic education was designed to encourage the student in becoming free from family encumbrances. Only students unable to accept such a vow in life were allowed to go home and marry a suitable wife. Otherwise, the student would remain a permanent
brahmacārī,
observing complete abstinence from sex life for his whole life. It all depended on the quality of the student’s training. We had the opportunity to meet an avowed
brahmacārī
in the personality of our spiritual master, Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Gosvāmī Mahārāja. Such a great soul is called a
naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī.