यस्तु पत्न्या वनं गत्वा मैथुनं कामतश्चरेत् । तद्व्रतं तस्य लुप्येत प्रायश्चित्तीयते द्विजः
But if one goes to the forest with his wife and engages in intercourse out of desire, his vow is broken and he, a twice-born, becomes subject to expiation.
तत्र यो जायते गर्भो न स स्पृश्यो द्विजातिभिः । न हि वेदेधिकारोस्य तद्वंशेप्येवमेव हि
A child conceived there is not to be touched by twice-born men; for he has no right to Vedic study, nor do his descendants.
भूमौ शयीत सततं सावित्रीजप्यतत्परः । शरण्यः सर्वभूतानां सद्विभागपरः सदा
He should always sleep on the ground, be devoted to reciting the Sāvitrī, be a refuge for all beings, and always intent on righteous sharing.
परिवादं मृषावादं निद्रालस्ये च वर्जयेत् । एकाग्निरनिकेतः स्यात्प्रोक्षितां भूमिमाश्रयेत्
He should avoid slander, falsehood, and laziness in sleep; he should maintain a single fire, have no fixed dwelling, and reside on purified ground.
मृगैः सह चरेद्दांतस्तैः सहैव च संवसेत् । शिलायां शर्करायां वा शयीत सुसमाहितः
He should move about with the deer, live together with them, and sleep with a tranquil mind on a rock or gravel.
सद्यः प्रक्षालको वा स्यान्माससंचयिकोपि वा । षण्मासनिचयो वापि समानिचय एव वा
He may bathe immediately, or after a month’s accumulation, or after six months, or after a year’s accumulation.
नक्तं चान्नं समश्नीयाद्दिवा चाहृत्य शक्तितः । चतुर्थकालको वा स्यात्किं वाप्यष्टमकालिकः
He may eat food at night, or by day as able, or at the fourth or even the eighth period of the day.
चांद्रायणविधानैर्वा शुक्लेकृष्णे च वर्जयेत् । पक्षेपक्षे समश्नीयाद्यवागूं क्वथितां सकृत्
Or, following the rules of the Cāndrāyaṇa vow, he should abstain on bright and dark fortnights, and eat cooked barley gruel once per fortnight.
पुष्पमूलफलैर्वापि केवलैर्वर्तयेत्सदा । स्वाभाविकैः स्वयंशीर्णैर्वैखानसमते स्थितः
Or he may always subsist solely on flowers, roots, and fruits that fall naturally, maintaining the way of the Vaikhānasa.
भूमौ वा परिवर्तेत तिष्ठेद्वा प्रपदैर्दिनम् । स्थानासनाभ्यां विहरेन्न क्वचिद्धैर्य्यमुत्सृजेत्
He may roll on the ground or stand on his toes for a day; he should wander by standing or sitting, never abandoning patience anywhere.
ग्रीष्मे पंचतपाश्च स्याद्वर्षास्वभ्रावकाशिकः । आर्द्रवासाश्च हेमंते क्रमशो वर्द्धयेत्तपः
In summer he should practice the five-fire penance, in the rains dwell in open places, in winter wear wet garments, and gradually increase his austerity.
उपस्पृशेत्त्रिषवणं पितृदेवांश्च तर्पयेत् । एकपादेन तिष्ठेत मरीचिं वा पिबेत्सदा
He should bathe three times a day, satisfy the ancestors and gods, stand on one foot, or always drink sunlight.
पंचाग्निधूमगो वा स्यादूष्मगः सोमपोपि वा । पयः पिबेच्छुक्लपक्षे कृष्णपक्षे तु गोमयम्
He may be one who endures the smoke of five fires, or eats only what is cooked by sunlight, or drinks only soma; in the bright fortnight he should drink milk, in the dark fortnight cow dung.
शीर्णपर्णाशनो वा स्यात्कृच्छ्रैर्वा वर्तयेत्सदा । योगाभ्यासरतश्च स्याद्रुद्राध्यायी भवेत्सदा
He may eat fallen leaves, or always live by difficult vows, and be devoted to the practice of yoga and always recite the Rudra hymns.
अथर्वशिरसोध्येता वेदांताभ्यासतत्परः । यमान्सेवेत सततं नियमांश्चाप्यतंद्रितः
He should study the Atharvaśiras, be devoted to the study of the Upanishads, and always practice the restraints and observances without sloth.
अथ चाग्नीन्समारोप्य स्वात्मनि ध्यानतत्परः
Then, having established the fires within himself, he should devote himself to meditation.
अनग्निरनिकेतो वा मुनिर्मोक्षपरो भवेत् । तापसेष्वेव विप्रेषु यात्रिकं भैक्षमाहरेत्
Even without a fire or a fixed dwelling, a sage may be devoted to liberation; among ascetic Brahmins alone, he should seek alms as a wandering mendicant.
गृहमेधिषु चान्येषु द्विजेषु वनचारिषु । ग्रामादाहृत्य चाश्नीयादष्टौ ग्रासान्वने वसन्
But among householders and other Brahmins, or those dwelling in the forest, he should obtain food from the village and eat eight mouthfuls while residing in the forest.
प्रतिगृह्य पुटेनैव पाणिना शकलेन वा । विविधाश्चोपनिषद आत्मसंसिद्धये जपेत्
Having received alms in a bowl, in his hand, or in a fragment, he should recite various Upanishads for the perfection of the self.
विद्याविशेषान्सावित्रीं रुद्राध्यायं तथैव च । महाप्रस्थानिकं वासौ कुर्य्यादनशनं तथा । अग्निप्रवेशमन्यद्वा ब्रह्मार्पणविधौ स्थितः
He should practice special branches of knowledge, the Savitri, and the Rudra hymn likewise; he may undertake the Mahaprasthana, fasting, entering fire, or another act, being established in the offering to Brahman.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे वानप्रस्थाश्रमाचारधर्मो नामाष्टपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fifty-eighth chapter, named 'The Duties of the Vanaprastha Ashrama,' in the Svarga-khanda of the glorious Padma Mahapurana.
व्यास उवाच- एवं वनाश्रमे स्थित्वा तृतीयं भागमायुषः । चतुर्थं चायुषो भागं संन्यासेन नयेत्क्रमात्
Vyasa said: Thus, having lived in the forest ashram for a third part of his life, he should spend the fourth part of his life in the order of renunciation, in due sequence.
अग्नीनात्मनि संस्थाप्य द्विजः प्रव्रजितो भवेत् । योगाभ्यासरतः शांतो ब्रह्मविद्यापरायणः
Having established the sacred fires within himself, the twice-born should become a renunciant, devoted to the practice of yoga, peaceful, and intent on the knowledge of Brahman.
यदा मनसि संपन्नं वैराग्यं सर्ववस्तुषु । तदा संन्यासमिच्छेच्च पतितः स्याद्विपर्यये
When dispassion toward all objects arises in his mind, then he should desire renunciation; otherwise, he would fall.
प्राजापत्यां निरूप्येष्टिमाग्नेयीमथवा पुनः । दांतः शुक्लकषायोसौ ब्रह्माश्रममुपाश्रयेत्
Having performed the Prājāpatya and Āgneya sacrifices, or again, being self-controlled and wearing white or ochre garments, he should resort to the ashram of Brahman.
ज्ञानसंन्यासिनः केचिद्वेदसंन्यासिनोऽपरे । कर्मसंन्यासिनस्त्वन्ये त्रिविधाः परिकीर्तिताः
Some are renunciants of knowledge, others of the Vedas, and still others of action; thus, three kinds are spoken of.
यः सर्वत्र विनिर्मुक्तो निर्द्वंद्वश्चैव निर्भयः । प्रोच्यते ज्ञानसंन्यासी आत्मन्येव व्यवस्थितः
He who is free from all attachments, beyond dualities, and fearless, is called a renunciant of knowledge, established in the self alone.
वेदमेवाभ्यसेन्नित्यं निराशीर्निष्परिग्रहः । प्रोच्यते वेदसंन्यासी मुमुक्षुर्विजितेंद्रियः
He who always studies the Veda, without desire or possessions, is called a renunciant of the Veda, seeking liberation and with senses subdued.
यस्त्वग्निमात्मसाकृत्वा ब्रह्मार्पणपरो द्विजः । ज्ञेयः स कर्मसंन्यासी महायज्ञपरायणः
But the twice-born who, making fire his very self, is devoted to offering to Brahman, should be known as a renunciant of action, intent on the great sacrifice.
त्रयाणामपि चैतेषां ज्ञानी त्वभ्यधिको मतः । न तस्य विद्यते कार्यं न लिंगं वा विपश्चितः
Of these three, the knower is considered superior; for him, there is no prescribed duty nor any external mark, being wise.