Chapter 17
मेखलाजिनदण्डाक्षब्रह्मसूत्रकमण्डलून् । जटिलोऽधौतदद्वासोऽरक्तपीठ: कुशान् दधत् ॥ २३ ॥
Transliteration
mekhalājina-daṇḍākṣa- brahma-sūtra-kamaṇḍalūn jaṭilo ’dhauta-dad-vāso ’rakta-pīṭhaḥ kuśān dadhat
Synonyms (Word-for-Word)
mekhalā — belt; ajina — deerskin; daṇḍa — staff; akṣa — bead necklace; brahma-sūtra — brāhmaṇa thread; kamaṇḍalūn — and waterpot; jaṭilaḥ — with matted, unruly hair; adhauta — without polishing, bleaching or ironing; dat-vāsaḥ — the teeth and clothes; arakta-pīṭhaḥ — without accepting a luxurious or sensuous seat; kuśān — kuśa grass; dadhat — carrying in his hand.
Translation
“The brahmacārī should regularly dress with a belt of straw and deerskin garments. He should wear matted hair, carry a rod and waterpot and be decorated with akṣa beads and a sacred thread. Carrying pure kuśa grass in his hand, he should never accept a luxurious or sensuous sitting place. He should not unnecessarily polish his teeth, nor should he bleach and iron his clothes.”