2. for married women and widows, general code for all females, code for Brahmacharies (celibates) and
code for saints etc.
Shikshapatri thus lays down commandments which can lead to ideal physical and mental
development, can keep a person away from all the evils corroding the whole humanity. Shikshapatri
was studied before 200 years by British officers including Sir John Malcolm, the collector of Gujarat
and who became the Governor of Western India later on. He admired it greatly for its content and
which is now preserved in the library of Oxford University. This scene of presentation of this Holy
Scripture is painted or sculptured inside the dome of many Swaminarayan Temple.
Shastri Swami Suvratvallabhdasji
Gurukul Kandari
SHIKSHAPATRI
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1) I, Sahajanand Swami, meditate in my heart upon Lord Shri Krihsna, on whose left stands
Radhikaji, on whose heart stands Laxmiji, and who plays with His Bhaktas (devotees) in
Vrindavan.
2) I, Sahajanand Swami, write this Shikshapatri from Vadtal to all my followers, residing in
various parts of country.
3) I have adopted Ayodhyaprasadji and Raghuvirji, the sons of my brothers, Rampratapji, and
Ichharamji, born of Shri Dharmadev and established them as the Acharyas of my Sampraday
(sect)
4) All Naishtic Brahmacharis, (celibates) Mukundanand and others and all house-holders,
Mayaram Bhatt and others, all who have become My followers.
5) All females, married and widows and all sadhus, muktanand and others all who have
become my followers.
6) All those mentioned above, shall accept My Divine Blessings, which protect their Dharmas,
which carry with them the memory of ShrimanNarayan and which are authorized by the
scriptures.
7) All the above shall contemplate deeply in their mind upon My purpose in writing this
Shikshapatri, which is to guarantee ultimate excellence for all living beings.
8) All those who follow the rules of good conduct as prescribed by the Shastras such as
Shrimad Bhagavat, shall indeed attain happiness both in this world and the world beyond.
9) And all those who ignore them and behave according to their own whims are indeed evil-
minded and shall without doubt meet with great miseries in this life and the life beyond.
10) Therefore, you all, My followers, shall always follow the doctrine of this Shikshapatri with
caution and with love and sincerity.
3. 11) My followers shall never kill any living creatures under any circumstances, nor shall they
kill even the smallest insects such as lice, bugs, etc.
12) My followers shall never kill goats or other living creature for offering as a sacrifice to
deities or ancestors, because non-violence is declared as the highest Dharma by all the
Shastras.
13) None shall ever kill a human being for obtaining woman, wealth or even sovereignty.
14) None shall ever commit suicide even in a place of pilgrimage or through anger or on
account of some problematic action by taking poison or by hanging or by falling into a well or
from a hill-top or by any other means.
15) None shall ever eat meat, even if it be an offering in sacrifice or shall never drink liquor or
wine even if it be offered to a deity.
16) When some unpleasant action is committed either by one self or by others, none shall
through anger cut or injure one’s body or body of other persons by means of any king of
weapon.
17) None shall ever commit theft, even for the sake of performing an act of Dharma. Even
items such as firewood, flowers, etc. owned by others shall never be taken without their
permission.
18) All My followers, males and females, shall never perform adultery or gambling and such
other bad habits nor shall eat or drink intoxicants like hemp, opium, etc.
19) One shall not take food or water from someone whom one is not to under the restraints of
the cast system, even if it is the Prasad from the offering of Lord Krishna, except as
Jagannathpuri.
20) No one shall bring false accusations against anyone, even for the sake of achieving some
self interest or shall utter indecent words to others.
21) None shall ever speak or hear ill of deities, places of pilgrimage, Brahmins, chaste women,
Saints and the Vedas.
22) None shall ever accept Prasad of a deity to whom offerings of meat and liquor-wine or
offerings mixed with meat and liquor-wine are offered and before whom goats or other living
beings are sacrificed.
23) When My followers, on their way, come across temples of Shiva and other deities they
shall bow down to them and have their darshan respectfully.
24) None shall abandon one’s own Dharma as ordained by one’s own Varna (class) and
Ashram; nor shall one practice a course of conduct prescribed for others or follow a faith
which is pretentious and fictitious.
4. 25) No one shall ever hear religious discourses or philosophical talks from a person whose
words are likely to lead one astray from the path of devotion to Lord Shri Krishna or from the
path of one’s own Dharma.
26) None shall speak even truth which is likely to cause fatal misery to one self or to others,
and shall avoid company of ungrateful persons or shall never accept illegal gratification from
anybody.
27) No one shall ever associate with a thief, a sinner, an addict, a hypocrite, a debauch, and a
dishonest person.
28) No one shall also associate with persons, who under the garb of Bhakti (devotion) and
Jnan (knowledge) indulge in committing sins, themselves being after women, wealth and
attachments objects of worldly pleasures, delicious dishes etc.
29) None shall ever hear or believe in the Scriptures which cleverly refute Lord Shri Krishna
and His incarnations.
30) None shall ever drink water, milk, or edible oils, etc. unfiltered, nor shall use water
containing many insects for purposes of bath, etc.
31) None shall ever take medicines which are mixed with meat or liquor-wine or with both; or
take medicines given by a physician whose antecedents are not known.
32) One shall never pass urine or answer call of nature or even spit, in places, prohibited for
such use, by people and by the scriptures (i.e. roads, trees, bank of river of pond, garden etc.)
33) No one shall enter in or go out through a door, not meant for the purpose or camp in a
private place without the permission of its landlord.
34) Male followers shall not hear religious or philosophical discourses from females nor shall
they enter into arguments with them or with a king or with his men.
35) None shall insult one’s Guru, a very great person, person highly placed in society, a
scholarly man and a man with arms.
36) One shall never act under sudden impulse in hurriedness, but an act pertaining to
Dharma shall be done at once. One shall instruct knowledge, acquired by oneself, to others
and shall always associate with saintly persons.
37) None shall go with empty hands for darshan of a Guru, or of a deity or of a king or shall
ever commit break of trust or shall praise oneself.
38) My followers shall never wear clothes so thin and fine, that it would expose their body for
such clothes are considered indecent.
39) None shall ever practice Bhakti (devotion) of Lord Shri Krishna devoid of Dharma or shall
never give up His devotion, from the fear of criticism of bad-mannered people.
5. 40) When My followers go to the temple of Lord Shri Krishna for darshan either daily or on
days of festivals, male followers shall not touch females and vice versa (but when they come
out of the temple grounds, they may behave with each other according to their relations and
social customs).
41) My disciples, who are twice-born (belong to the first three classes-Brahmin, Kshatriya,
and Vaishya) and who have been initiated as such by their Acharya, shall wear on their neck,
double-lined necklace prepared from Tulsi beads and shall put on their forehead and a tilak
(vertical mark).
42) This vertical mark shall be made of either with Gopichandan or with sandal paste with
saffron, etc. received as Prasad after the Puja of Lord.
43) And in the middle of this mark shall put on a round mark, either with Gopichandan or
with Kum Kum (red powder) received as Prasad of Shir Radha or Laxmiji.
44) Persons, who are classed as higher Shudras and who are Bhaktas of Lord Shri Krishna
and who do follow their Dharmas properly, shall wear necklace on their neck and put on
marks on their forehead, etc, in the same way as twice born disciples do.
45) All other Bhaktas shall wear on their neck a double-lined necklace prepared from
sandalwood or other such wood and shall put on their forehead round mark only but shall
not put on vertical mark.
46) Brahmin and other followers who are required on account of their family tradition, to put
on horizontal mark on their forehead and to wear on their neck a necklace prepared from
Rudraksh beads shall not give up wearing them, even after becoming My followers.
47) All shall realize that Narayan and Mahesh are one, for as Brahman they have been
described as one in the Vedas.
48) My followers shall not adopt rules of exigency prescribed in Shastras as ordinary routine
ones when they exigency is light.
49) My followers shall get up daily before sunrise, offer prayers to Lord Shri Krishna and then
shall go to take bath and other daily work.
50) Afterward, sitting in one place, shall clean teeth, then shall take bath with filtered and
clean water and then wear one washed cloth and put on another such cloth on top.
51) Next shill, facing either north or east, on a pure and comfortable seat, placed on pure
ground and untouched by any other object.
52) Thereafter, all male followers shall put on their forehead and on bosom or cheat and on
two arms also a round mark in the middle of a vertical one and all married women shall put
on their forehead the round mark only with red powder.
53) All female followers who are widows shall not put on their forehead either the round mark
or the vertical one.
6. 54) Thereafter, all shall have darshan of and shall pay obeisance respectfully to the image of
Lord Shri Krishna with Radha, then shall chant His mantra according to their ability and
then shall attend to jobs.
55) My disciples, who are like Ambarish, have dedicated their lives completely to Lord Shri
Krishna, shall also similarly go through all procedure of worship of Lord Shri Krishna up to
mental worship.
56) These Bhaktas, shall worship the idol of Lord Shri Krishna, made either from stone or
metal or Shaligram with offerings like flowers, sandal paste, fruits, etc., according to time,
place and their means and then shall repeatedly chant His eight-syllable mantra.
57) Thereafter, they shall chant according to their ability, the Stotras in praise of Lord Shri
Krishan and those who do not know Sanskrit, shall sing His name and glory.
58) Then they shall offer food to Him and then shall partake of it as His Prasad. They shall
thus always remain in service of Lord Shri Krishna with love.
59) Scriptures proclaim these Bhaktas as Nirgun (free from mundane qualities) since Lord
Shri Krishna is free from mundane qualities. Because of their intimate relation with Him, all
their actions also become Nirgun.
60) These Bhaktas shall never drink even water nor shall eat leaves, fruits, root etc., with out
first offering them to Lord Shri Krishna.
61) All devotees of mine, who are incapacitated by old age or by some great adverse
circumstance and who are, therefore, unable to perform worship of Lord Shri Krishna
themselves, shall give over the idol of some other Bhaktas for worship, etc. and then shall
offer Puja according to their abilities.
62) All shall worship with singular devotion only that form of Lord Shri Krishna which is
installed by the Acharya and which is given to them for the purpose by him. All other forms of
Lord Shri Krishna shall only be bowed and respected.
63) All my followers shall daily go to the temple of Lord Shri Krishna, in the evening and there
shall sing loudly the name of Lord Shri Krishna.
64) And shall read or listen to with deep veneration, the narratives of His glories and shall
celebrate all festivals, with His songs, in accompaniment of Lord Shri Krishan.
65) All My followers shall act daily as laid down above, shall study the Shastras either in
Sanskrit or regional language according to their abilities.
66) One shall always assign, after proper consideration, a person with work just suitable to
his ability but shall not act other wise.
67) One shall always provide one’s servants with food, clothing, etc. according to one’s means
and according to their worth.
7. 68) One shall always speak to a person just befitting one’s person and position and just in
accordance with the time and place; but shall not act otherwise.
69) All My followers who are prudent shall receive their Guru, a king, a very old person, a
person who has renounced the world, a learned man and an ascetic, respectfully, by rising
from their seats going forward, by offering them proper seat and by sweet words.
70) In the presence of a Guru, deity or in an assembly none shall sit with one leg raised and
placed on anther or with knees raised and tied with a piece of cloth.
71) None shall ever enter into arguments with his Acharya. All shall treat him with respect by
offering him food grains, money, clothes, etc. according to their means.
72) My followers, on hearing about his arrival shall without delay go forward to receive him
and when he departs shall also go upto the outskirts of their village to give him a worthy send
off.
73) None shall ever perform an act, which is likely to yield great advantages but which is
devoid of or is against Dharma, for Dharma alone is capable of fulfilling the four
Purusharthas.
74) Actions of past great men which are not in conformity with Dharma shall never be
accepted and followed as example; but those actions which conform with Dharma shall only
be adopted.
75) None shall ever disclose secrets of other persons anywhere and to anyone. Others shall be
treated as they deserve. This rule shall not be violated in the name of equality.
76) All My followers shall practice as additional rules, which are explained below during the
period of four months. Those who are weak, however, shall practice them only for the month
of Shravan.
77-78) (1) Listening to and (2) reading narratives of glories of Lord Shri Krishna. (3) singing
his name and songs (4) performing His worship with elaborate rites (5) repeating His Mantras
(6) chanting His hymns (7) going round his image and (8) lying down prostrate before Him.
These eight rules are considered best by Me. My followers shall adopt anyone of them as
additional rule with devotion.
79) All shall observe devoutly and with proper festivities, the Vratas of all Ekadashi days of
every month as well as the birth day of Shri Krishna and of Shiv.
80) All shall avoid with care sleeping by day time on such days, for such an act destroys
merits of the fast just as sexual intercourse does on such days.
81) Shri Vitthalnathiji, son of Shri Vallabhacharaya, a king among the Vaishnavas, has given
decisions regarding all Vratas and festivals.
82) All shall observe them accordingly. The mode of worship of Lord Shri Krishna, as
explained by him shall also be followed.
8. 83) All followers shall undertake pilgrimage to place like Dwarika and others, observing all
rituals properly , and shall always be kind to the poor according to their means.
84) My followers shall regard the five deities named here with reverence – Vishnu, Shiva,
Ganapati, Parvati and the Sun.
85) In times of troubles caused by evil spirits like ghosts etc, none shall invoke inferior deities
by shall repeat the Mantra, known as Narayan Kavach or of Hanuman.
86) Whenever an eclipse of the Sun or of the Moon takes place, all followers shall immediately
postpone all work and after purifying themselves shall repeat the mantra of Lord Shri
Krishna.
87) And when it is over, all shall take bath together with all clothes worn at that time, and
thereafter, those who are householders shall give alms according to their means and others
shall perform worship of Lord Shir Krishna.
88) All My followers belonging to the four varnas (i.e.) who are Brahmins, Kshtiryas, Vaishyas,
and Shudras shall observe days of impurity consequent upon birth or death , as the case may
be, according to their social relations and as prescribed for them by the Shastras.
89) The followers, who are Brahmins, shall acquire the qualities of tranquility, self-restraint,
tolerance and contentment, the kshatriyas shall acquire the qualities of courage, fortitude
etc.
90) The Vaishyas shall go in for agriculture, trade, banking, etc., and the Shudras shall take
to service of the above three varnas.
91) The followers, who are twice born, shall perform as occasion requires, all sanskaras with
daily ceremonial offerings to deities and the Shraddhas of the
92) Whenever an untoward action or sin is knowingly or unknowingly committed, all
concerned shall make amends for it is as best as they can.
93) The Vedas, the Vyas Sutras, the Puran named Shirmad Bhagawat, Shri
Vishnusahasranam
94) Shri Bhagwad-Gita and Vidur-Niti all these from the Mahabharat, Shri Vasudev-
mahatmya, contained in vishnukhand of Skand Puran.
95) The Yajnavalkya-smruti from among the Dharma Shastras, these eight are my preferred
shastras.
96) All My followers who desire to secure their welfare shall hear them and those who are
twice born shall study them, teach them to others and shall read them.
97) Of these eight Sastras, the Yajnavalkya-smruti with the Mitakshara commentary thereon
shall be followed while taking decision on matters relating to the conduct of life, social and
legal matters and expiation.
9. 98) And for realizing glory and greatness of Lord Krihsna, the tenth and the fifth canto of
Shrimad Bhagawat shall be pre-eminently followed.
99) The tenth and the fifth canto of Shrimad Bhagawat and the yajnavalkya smruti shall be
treated as My favorit Bhakti Shastra, Yogashastra and Dharmashastra respectively.
100) The commentary on Vyas-sutras and Shri Bhagawad-Gita by Shri Ramanujacharya
shall be treated as My favorite Shastras on philosophy.
101) Those portion of these Shastras which clarify the merits of knowledge of the form of Lord
Shri Krishna, of Dharma, of Bhakti and of Vairagya (non-attachment) in highest terms only.
102) Shall be treated as taking precedence over all other portions. The sum and substance of
all these Shastras is Bhakti of Lord Shri Krishna with Dharma.
103) Dharma means the path of good conduct as enjoined by the Smrutis and the Shrutis.
Bhakti of Lord Shri Krishna means profound love for Him accompanied by knowledge of Hiss
glorious greatness.
104) Vairagya means absence of love for object of other than Lord Shri Krishna, and
knowledge means clear comprehension of the nature and form of Jiva, Maya and Ishvar.
105) Jiva is one who, is installed in the heart, is atomic and subtle, is all consciousness, is
the knower, is spread through all over the body by means of his power of knowledge and
bears characterization such as indivisibility, invulnerability, eternality, and so on.
106) Maya is one which constitutes the three qualities – Satva, Raja, and Tama, is ignorance,
incarnate, is power of Lord Shri Krishna and is the cause prima of ego and personal
attachment for body physic and everything else related to it, on the part of Jiva.
107) Just as Jiva is installed in the heart, so does Ishvar abides in the heart of Jiva as the
inner controller, is absolutely independent and is the Judge Supreme of all actions of all
Jivas.
108) This Ishvar is Lord Shri Krishna, is Supreme Brahman, is Bhagawan, is Purushottam, is
our Lord Supreme and is the source of all incarnation.
109) When Lord Shri Krishna is with Radha, He is known as Radhakrishna, when He is with
Rukmini, Rama i.e. Laxmiji, he is known as Lami-Narayan.
110) When He is with Arjun, He is known as Nar-Narayan and when he is with Balbhadra
and others, He is named and known accordingly.
111) These Bhaktas, Radha and others, sometimes stay by His aside, and some times on
account of love par-excellence stay in His Body Divine then He is described as alone.
112) Therefore, none shall draw lines of differentiation between His various forms, be it four-
armed, eight-armed, thousand-armed, and so forth , for He always has two arms and
assumes all these forms according to His will.
10. 113) All persons on earth, therefore shall with ardent devotion worship Him alone. All shall
know that in this world there is nothing more beneficial to the realization of salvation than
His Bhakti.
114) Bhakti of Lord Shri Krishna and association with saintly persons are the highest
achievements for persons gifted with merits like learning etc. Without these two qualities even
the most learned shall decay and degenerate.
115) Lord Shri Krishna, His incarnations and His forms only shall form the objects for
meditation. One shall never meditate upon Jivas, men as well as deities, however great as
Bhaktas and knowers of Brahman they may be.
116) One shall first consider oneself as distinctly different from the three bodies (viz. gross
(sthool) subtle (sukshma) and causal (karan) then shall identify oneself with Brahman and
then with that form sublime shall always worship Lord Shri Krishna.
117) All shall hear with respects, daily or once a year the tenth canto of Shirmad Bhagwat.
Those who are learned shall read it daily or once a year.
118) And shall perform Purushcharan of the tenth division of Shrimad Bhagwat and of Shri
Vishnusahasranam and such other books, in holy places, according to their means, for the
performance of such Purushcharan always brings in desired results.
119) In times of difficulties, caused by forces of nature or by human beings or by diseases, all
shall behave in a way so as to protect themselves and others but shall not act otherwise.
120) Aahcar (conduct), Vyavahar (behaviour) and Prayaschit (expiation) in life shall always be
adopted according to place, time, age, monentary condition, varna (class) and physical ability.
121) Know you all, qualified monotheism, Vishishtadwait is the doctrine of philosophy, favor,
Golok is the Abode Divine dear to Me, and in the Abode with Body Divine, to be in Service
Divine of Lord Shri Krishna, is the final beautiful according to Me.
122) So far are described general Dharmas for all the followers, males and females, Tyagis
and householders. All alike shall act accordingly I now proceed to describe hereunder their
special Dharmas.
123) Ayodhyaprasad and Raghuvir, sons of My elder and younder brother (who have been
installed by Me as Acharya) shall never preach to females except those who are their nearest
relatives.
124) They shall never touch nor speak with them. They shall not be cruel to any living being
not shall they accept deposits from anyone.
125) They shall never stand as surety for any person in social dealing and in times of
distress, shall maintain themselves on alms but shall never lay yourself open debt.
126) They shall not sell food-grains received by them from their followers but old food grains
may be exchanged with new ones, for such an exchange is not considered as sale.
11. 127) They shall perform worship of Shri Ganapati and Hanuman, on the 4th day of the bright
half of the month of Bhadrapad and on the 14th day of the dark half of the month of Ashwin
respectively.
128) They are installed as Acharyas with a view to guide all the followers in their respective
Dharmas. They therefore, shall initiate into discipleship all male aspirants.
129) They shall see that all-followers act in conformity with their respective Dharmas and
shall employ them in a way just befitting their merits. They shall treat saintly persons with
respect and shall study the Sat-Shastras with reverence.
130) They shall perform with proper rites and ceremonies, the worship of Shri lasmi-Narayan
and other icons of Lord Shri Krishna, installed by Me in big temples.
131) They shall courteously and according to their means give food-grains and alms to a
person who has come to seek food to the temple of Lord Shri Krishna.
132) They shall establish an institution with a learned Brahmin as a teacher, and through it
shall propagate sadvidya (right knowledge) on earth for the promotion of such learning in this
world is indeed a highly meritorious act.
133) The wives of these Acharyas with the concurrence of their husbands shall initiate and
give Mantra of Lord Shri Krishna to females only but never to any male.
134) They shall never touch not speak with nor show their faces to any male who is not their
nearest relative.
135) My male followers who are householders shall not touch widows who are not their
nearest relatives.
136) They shall never stay alone in a secluded place even with their mother, young sister or
daughter, except in emergencies and shall never give away in alms their wives to anybody.
137) They shall never keep close relation with a woman who has any kind of relation with a
king.
138) Whenever a guest comes to their house, they shall treat him courteously with food etc.
and shall perform all rites and ceremonies pertaining to deities and pitris (ancestors)
according to their means.
139) All My followers during their life-time shall serve their parents, Guru and an ailing
person, according to their ability.
140) They shall follow a occupation just befitting their class and Ashram. Those who follow
agriculture for maintenance shall not castrate their bullocks.
141) They shall make provision for food grains and money, according to their requirements
and according to the time and their capacity and those who own cattle shall also store up
sufficient fodder according to their means.
12. 142) Cows and other cattle shall be maintained only if they can take their care properly with
fodder, water etc. but not otherwise.
143) They shall never enter into any transaction regarding land and/or money even with their
sons and friends, without putting it in writing with proper attestation.
144) They shall make transactions regarding money to be paid in connection with marriage of
themselves or of others, in writing with proper attestation, but shall never do it orally.
145) Expenses shall always be in proportion to the income but shall never exceed it. All shall
clearly understand that those who spend more than what they earn shall verily land
themselves in great miseries.
146) Recollecting their income and expenses incurred during routine and special
transactions, they shall daily write clearly in their own hands, and account thereof.
147) They shall offer to Lord Shri Krishna one tenth part of food-grains or money, derived as
income from their vocation, but those who are financially week shall offer one twentieth part
instead.
148) They shall perform ceremonial observance of all vratas, such as Eladashi and others
according to their means as laid down in the shastras, for such observance yields desired
results.
149) They themselves or through someone else shall perform or get performed with live the
worship (puja) of Shri Mahadev with leaves of Bilva tree in the months of shrawan.
150) They shall never borrow money from their Acharyas or from the temple of Lord Shri
Krishna and shall never bring utensils, ornaments, ferments and such other articles, for use
in social occasion from them.
151) Whenever they go for darshan of Lord Shri Krishna, their Guru or Sadhu, they shall not
partake enroot or at their places food etc. belonging to others, for partaking such food
deprives them of religious merit. Therefore they shall partake their own food.
152) They shall pay in full whatever remuneration either in cash or in food-grain or both as
promised to persons employed for the work, but shall never give less. They shall never
conceal an act of repayment of debt, family lineage, matrimony of their daughters etc. and
shall never deal with wicked persons.
153) When loss of prestige or estate or life is threatened in a place where they reside either
due to very bad time like famines or by enemies or by a king.
154) My followers, who are wise and discreet shall immediately leave that place, even if it be
their native place or a place received as gift and shall move to a place where such calamities
do not exist and live there in place and happiness.
155) Those who are rich, shall perform nonviolent sacrifices like Vishnu-yag, and shall feed
Brahmins and Sadhus in place of pilgrimage and on auspicious days like twelfth day of each
half of a month and such other days.
13. 156) They shall also celebrate big festivals in temples of Lord Shri Krishna and shall give
various kinds of alms to deserving Brahmins.
157) The rulers who are My followers shall treat their subjects as their own children
according to Dharmashastras and shall establish a rule of Dharma on earth.
158) They shall thoroughly acquaint themselves with the ways of administration of their state
159) Female followers who are married shall serve their husbands like God even if they be
blind, sick, poor or impotent and shall not speak harsh words to them.
160) They shall not even unintentionally maintain any relations with persons who are young,
handsome, or who may be well versed in learningb art etc.
161) All chaste women shall never expose their navel, breast and thigh to any other male and
shall not keep their bodies uncovered by a garment. Also they shall not go to see vulgar
shows nor shall they associate with immodest and immoral women.
162) When their husbands have gone out to another town or country they shall not wear line
clothes and ornaments, nor shall make merry and cut jokes with others nor shall pay visit to
houses of other persons.
163) Female followers who are widows shall serve Lord Shri Krishna as their husband and
shall always follow the advice of their father, son and such other relatives but shall never act
independently.
164) They shall never touch males who are not their close relatives and when they are young
shall never speak to young persons who are not their nearest relatives unless absolutely
necessary.
165) If they happen to touch a suckling accidentally no blemish attaches to them, just as
touching an animal carries no blemish for them in times for sheer necessity, if they touch or
speak with an old man, no blemish attaches to them.
166) They shall not receive lessons of any kind from males who are not their nearest relatives
and shall control their body and senses by frequent observances of various Vratas and fasts.
167) They shall not give any money even for religious and charitable purpose, if the money is
just sufficient for their maintenance, but if it be in excess, then only they may give some.
168) They shall take food once in a day only shall on the floor and shall never knowingly look
at any living beings in coitus.
169) They shall not wear dress like married women, not like a Sanyasini (a female ascetic) not
like a Vairagini (a nun) or shall they put on dress which is against the custom of the place
and the practice of their family.
170) They shall never associate with nor even touch women who practice abortion, nor shall
indulge in or hear amorous talks regarding males.
14. 171) Young widows shall never stay alone in a lonely place even with their close relatives, who
are also young, except in exigency.
172) They shall never play Holi nor shall ever put on ornaments and/or fine clothes
interspersed with thread of gold or such other metals.
173) All female followers, married and widows shall never bath naked not shall they ever
conceal the fact of their menstruation.
174) And when they come into menses they shall not touch any person or other clothes for
three days but on the fourth day, after taking bath, they may do so.
175) All Naishtic Brahmacharis who are My followers shall never touch nor speak with nor
even knowingly look at any females.
176) They shall never talk nor hear talks about them not shall go for bath etc. to places
frequented by them.
177) They shall never touch nor even knowingly look at idols of females made from wood,
stones etc. and pictures of females other than those of deities.
178) They shall never draw a facsimile of females nor shall touch clothes worn by them and
shall never knowingly look at any living being in coitus.
179) They shall not touch not look at nor speak with a male in guise of a female and shall not
deliver sermons or religious and philosophical discourse addressed directly or indirectly to
females.
180) They shall disregard commands even of their Guru, if such commands are likely to lead
to a branch of their vow off celibacy and shall always to patient, contented and humble
minded.
181) They shall instantly check a female who tries forcibly to come near them, either by
advising her or by administering reproaches, but shall not allow her to come near.
182) But when life of a female and/or their own is in danger they shall protect her and/or
themselves either by speaking to her or even by touching her.
183) They shall not smear their bodies with oil and shall not keep or carry arms and dress
which is not proper for them and shall control sense of taste.
184) They shall not go for taking food to a place of a Brahmin, where food is served by a
female but shall go to a place of another Brahmin where service is done by a male.
185) They shall study the Vedas, the Shastras, etc. and shall serve their Guru and shall
always avoid association with effeminate males just like females.
186) They shall never drink water carried in leather bags nor shall eat onion, garlic etc.
15. 187) They shall not take their meals without taking bath and without performing sandhya,
and chanting Gayatri Mantra, and worship of Shri Vishnu and Vaishvadev sacrifice.
188) All Sadhus like the Naishtic Brahmacharis shall avoid sight of speaking etc. to women
and effeminate males and shall master all inner enemies like lust, anger, greed etc.
189) They shall control all senses, specially the sense of taste and shall never receive or keep
money themselves or through others.
190) They shall not accept deposits from anyone, shall never lose patience and shall never
allow a female to enter their premises.
191) Except in emergency, they shall never go out alone without a companion at night or at
any other.
192) They shall never put on or use costly clothes with extravagant colors and designs or
valuable shawls even if they are willingly offered to them by others.
193) They shall never go to a place of a house holder except for the purpose of taking food or
religious assembly and shall never while away their time but shall pass it in devotion of Lord
Shri Krishna.
194) To the place of householder where food is served by a male and females are not likely to
be visible.
195) To such a house only, My sadhus shall go for taking food, if this be not possible, they
shall beg uncooked food stuffs only and then prepare food for themselves and partake it after
offering it to Lord Shri Krishna.
196) In remote past, Bharatji, son of Rishabhdev lived and behaved on earth like a detached
Brahmin, all My Paramahans and Sadhus here shall also live and behave similarly.
197) All Brahmacharis and Sadhus shall carefully abstain from the use of betel leaves,
opium, tobacco etc.
198) They shall not take food prepared in connection with the performance of Sanskaras like
conception, all rites of obsequies upto the eleventh and twelfth day after death.
199) Except in emergency like sickness they shall not sleep by day nor knowingly indulge in
or hear gossips.
200) Except in emergency like sickness they shall not sleep on a bed and shall always be
frank and straightforward with other Sadhus.
201) Whenever a wicked person abuses them or beats them they shall never abuse him nor
beat him in return, but shall pardon him and always wish good of him.
202) They shall not act as an agent for others nor shall they do back-biting nor shall they be
spies nor shall they have attachment to their body nor shall they entertain feelings of
intimacy with their relatives.
16. 203) I have thus described above in short general and special Dharmas of all My followers.
For further details, they shall refer to other Shastras of My sampradaya.
204) I have Myself extracted substance from all the Scriptures and then have written this
SHIKSHAPATRI which fulfills all desires of all men.
205) Therefore, all My followers shall always lead their lives with care in conformity with the
precepts of this Shikshapatri but shall never act according to their whims.
206) All male and female followers who act according to the precepts of this Shikshapatri
shall indeed attain all the four Purusharthas.
207) All male and female followers of My Sampradaya shall consider all the males and
females who live and behave against the precepts of this Shikshapatri as outcaste from My
sampradaya.
208) All My followers, shall dailly read this Shikshapatri. Those who are not able to read shall
hear it daily with respects.
209) And when a reader of Shikshapatri is not readily available, they shall worship it daily.
All followers shall honor My words as My personified form with deep reverence.
210) This Shikshapatri shall only be given to persons endowed with spiritual qualities but
shall never be given to persons with wicked tendency.
211) This Shikshapatri is written by Me on Vasant Panchimi (on the fifth day of the bright
half of the month of Maha) of VS 1882 and is indeed all auspicious.
212) May Lord Shri Krishna, destroyer of all miseries of His followers, protector of Bhakti with
Dharma and giver of all desired happiness to His Bhaktas, bestow on us all Bliss and Peace
Divine.
