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.
निर्ममो निर्भयः शांतो निर्द्वंद्वः पर्णभोजनः । जीर्णकौपीनवासाः स्यान्नग्नो वा ध्यानतत्परः
He should be without possessiveness, fearless, peaceful, beyond dualities, eating leaves, wearing worn-out loincloths, or even naked, intent on meditation.
ब्रह्मचारी जिताहारो ग्रामादन्नं समाहरेत् । अध्यात्मरतिरासीत निरपेक्षो निराशिषः
He should be celibate, moderate in food, collect food from the village, delight in the self, unattached, and without expectation.
आत्मनैव सहायेन सुखार्थं विचरेदिह । नाभिनंदेत मरणं नाभिनंदेत जीवनम्
With only himself as companion, he should wander here for the sake of happiness, neither desiring death nor desiring life.
कालमेव प्रतीक्षेत निर्देशं भृतको यथा । नाध्येतव्यं न वर्तव्यं श्रोतव्यं न कदाचन
He should simply await his time, like a servant awaiting orders; he should never study, act, or listen to anything.
एवं ज्ञानपरो योगी ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते । एकवासाथ वा विद्वान्कौपीनाच्छादनोपि वा
Thus, a yogi devoted to knowledge becomes fit for union with Brahman, whether he lives with a single garment or, being wise, is covered only by a loincloth.
मुंडी शिखी वाथ भवेत्त्रिदंडी निष्परिग्रहः । काषायवासाः सततं ध्यानयोगपरायणः
He may be shaven-headed or wear a topknot, may carry three staffs, and possess nothing; always clad in ochre robes, ever intent on meditation and yoga.
ग्रामांते वृक्षमूले वा वसेद्देवालयेपि वा । समः शत्रौ तथा मित्रे तथा मानापमानयोः
He may dwell at the edge of a village, at the root of a tree, or even in a temple; remaining equal toward enemy and friend, as well as in honor and dishonor.
भैक्ष्येण वर्तयेन्नित्यं नैकान्नादी भवेत्क्वच्चित् । यस्तु मोहेन वान्यस्मादेकान्नादी भवेद्यतिः
He should always subsist on alms, never taking food from only one house; but if, out of delusion, an ascetic takes food from a single house,
न तस्य निष्कृतिः काचिद्धर्मशास्त्रेषु दृश्यते । रागद्वेषवियुक्तात्मा समलोष्टाश्मकांचनः
for him, no expiation is found in the scriptures of dharma; his mind should be free from attachment and aversion, regarding clod, stone, and gold as the same.
प्राणिहिंसानिवृत्तश्च मौनी स्यात्सर्वनिस्पृहः । दृष्टिपूतं न्यसेत्पादं वस्त्रपूतं जलं पिबेत्
He should refrain from harming living beings, be silent, and free from all desires; place his foot only where his gaze has purified, and drink water filtered through cloth.