cient of any
limb. A maiden too, if such, should also be avoided. A woman of the same
Pravaras should also be avoided; as also one that has any malformation;
as also one that has been born in the race to which one's mother
belongs.[480] One possessed of wisdom should never have sexual congress
with a woman that is old, or one that has abandoned the domestic mode of
life for entering the forest mode, or one that is true to her lord, or
one whose organs of generation are not healthy or well-formed.[481] It
behoveth thee not to wed a woman that is of a yellow complexion, or one
that is afflicted with leprosy, or one born in a family in which there
has been epilepsy, or one that is low in birth and habits, or one that is
born in a family in which the disease called Switra (leprosy) has
appeared, or one belonging by birth to a race in which there are early
deaths. Only that maiden who is endued with auspicious indications, and
who is accomplished for qualifications of diverse kinds, who is agreeable
and handsome, should be wedded. One should wed, O Yudhishthira, in a
family that is higher or at least equal to one's own. One who is desirous
of one's own prosperity, should never wed a woman that is of an inferior
order or that has fallen away from the order of her birth. Carefully
igniting the fire, one should accomplish all those acts which have been
ordained and declared in the Vedas or by the Brahmanas.[482] One should
never seek to injure women. Spouses should always be protected. Malice
always shortens life. Hence, one should always abstain from cherishing
malice. Sleep at day-time shortens life. To sleep after the sun has risen
shortens life. They who sleep at any of the twilights, or at nightfall or
who go to sleep in a state of impurity, have their lives shortened.
Adultery always shortens life. One should not remain in a state of
impurity after shaving.[483] One should, O Bharata, carefully abstain
from studying or reciting the Vedas, and eating, and bathing, at
eventide. When the evening twilight comes, one should collect one's
senses for meditation, without doing any act. One should, O king, bathe
and then worship the Brahmanas. Indeed, one should bathe before
worshipping the deities and reverentially saluting the preceptor. One
should never go to a sacrifice unless invited. Indeed, one may go there
without an invitation if one wishes only to see how the sacrifice is
conducted. If one goes to a sacrifice (for any othe