FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.17.23

మేఖలాజినదణ్డాక్షబ్రహ్మసూత్రకమణ్డలూన్ । జటిలోఽధౌతదద్వాసోఽరక్తపీఠ: కుశాన్ దధత్ ॥ ౨౩ ॥
mekhalājina-daṇḍākṣa-
[mekhalaajina-dandaaksha-]
brahma-sūtra-kamaṇḍalūn
[brahma-sootra-kamandaloon]
jaṭilo ’dhauta-dad-vāso
[jatilo ’dhauta-dad-vaaso]
’rakta-pīṭhaḥ kuśān dadhat
[’rakta-peethah kushaan dadhat]
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.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
mekhalājina-daṇḍākṣa-
mekhalā
belt
ajina
deerskin
daṇḍa
staff
akṣa
bead necklace
brahma-sūtra-kamaṇḍalūn
brahma-sūtra
brāhmaṇa thread
kamaṇḍalūn
and waterpot
jaṭilo ’dhauta-dad-vāso
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
’rakta-pīṭhaḥ kuśān dadhat
kuśān
kuśa grass
dadhat
carrying in his hand.
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.

The word adhauta-dad-vāsa indicates that a renounced brahmacārī is not concerned with a glistening smile to attract the opposite sex, nor does he pay much attention to his outer garments. Brahmacārī life is meant for austerity and obedience to the spiritual master so that later in life, when one becomes a businessman, politician or intellectual brāhmaṇa, one will be able to call upon resources of character, discipline, self-control, austerity and humility. Student life, as described here, is far different from the mindless hedonism known as modern education. Of course, in the modern age, Kṛṣṇa conscious brahmacārīs cannot artificially adopt the ancient dress and ritualistic duties described here; but the essential values of self-control, purity and obedience to a bona fide spiritual master are just as necessary today as they were in Vedic times.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The brahmacārī should regularly dress with a belt of straw and deerskin garments. He should have matted hair, carry a rod and waterpot and be decorated with beads and a sacred thread. Carrying pure kuśa grass in his hand, he should never accept a colorful seat. He should not wash his teeth or clothing. He wears a belt and carries kuśa grass. He wears a string of beads. His hair is matted because he does not use oil. He does not wash his teeth or clothing. He should not have a painted seat for show.
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