Chapter 32

Vishnu Smriti 32

A king, a priest, a Vedic scholar, one who forbids unrighteousness, a paid teacher, a paternal uncle, a maternal grandfather, a maternal uncle, a father-in-law, an elder brother, and relatives are to be treated like a teacher. // Vi_32.1 //

And their wives of the same varṇa. // Vi_32.2 //

A mother's sister, a father's sister, and an elder sister. // Vi_32.3 //

Towards a younger father-in-law, paternal uncle, maternal uncle, and priest, rising to greet them is the salutation. // Vi_32.4 //

Towards the wives of a teacher who are of a lower varṇa, the salutation is from a distance, not by touching the feet. // Vi_32.5 //

One shall not perform for the wives of a teacher the rubbing of the body with perfumes, applying collyrium, arranging the hair, washing the feet, and the like. // Vi_32.6 //

Another's wife, even if not well-known, should be addressed as "sister," "daughter," or "mother." // Vi_32.7 //

And one shall not address one's elders with "thou." // Vi_32.8 //

For transgressing this, having fasted, at the end of the day, having appeased him, one shall eat. // Vi_32.9 //

And one shall not hold contentious discussions with a teacher. // Vi_32.10 //

And never slander him. // Vi_32.11 //

Nor do what is disagreeable to him. // Vi_32.12 //

But a young wife of a teacher is not to be saluted here by touching her feet, / By a young man of twenty years, who knows good and evil. || Vi_32.13 ||

But a young man on earth may properly perform the salutation to the young wives of his teacher, / Saying, "I am so-and-so," according to the rule. || Vi_32.14 ||

After returning from a journey, the clasping of feet, and the daily salutation, / One should perform towards the wives of a teacher, remembering the dharma of the good. || Vi_32.15 ||

Wealth, kinship, age, religious acts, and sacred knowledge as the fifth, / These are the grounds for respect; each succeeding one is more venerable. || Vi_32.16 ||

A Brāhmaṇa of ten years and a king of a hundred years, / One should know them as father and son; but of the two, the Brāhmaṇa is the father. || Vi_32.17 ||

For Brāhmaṇas, seniority is by knowledge; for Kṣatriyas, by valor; / For Vaiśyas, by grain and wealth; for Śūdras, by birth alone. || Vi_32.18 ||