नक्तं चान्नं समश्नीयाद्दिवा चाहृत्य शक्तितः । चतुर्थकालको वा स्यात्किं वाप्यष्टमकालिकः
He should eat food at night, or gather it during the day according to his ability; he may eat at the fourth time, or even at the eighth time.
चांद्रायणविधानैर्वा शुक्लेकृष्णे च वर्जयेत् । पक्षेपक्षे समश्नीयाद्यवागूं क्वथितां सकृत्
Or, by the rules of the Cāndrāyaṇa vow, he should abstain during the bright and dark fortnights; in each fortnight, he should eat cooked barley gruel once.
पुष्पमूलफलैर्वापि केवलैर्वर्तयेत्सदा । स्वाभाविकैः स्वयंशीर्णैर्वैखानसमते स्थितः
He may subsist always on only flowers, roots, and fruits; on those naturally fallen by themselves, established in the Vaikhānasa practice.
भूमौ वा परिवर्तेत तिष्ठेद्वा प्रपदैर्दिनम् । स्थानासनाभ्यां विहरेन्न क्वचिद्धैर्य्यमुत्सृजेत्
He may roll on the ground or stand throughout the day on his toes; he should wander by standing and sitting, never abandoning patience anywhere.
ग्रीष्मे पंचतपाश्च स्याद्वर्षास्वभ्रावकाशिकः । आर्द्रवासाश्च हेमंते क्रमशो वर्द्धयेत्तपः
In summer, he should perform the five-fire austerity; in the rainy season, he should dwell in caves; in winter, he should wear wet garments, gradually increasing his austerity.
उपस्पृशेत्त्रिषवणं पितृदेवांश्च तर्पयेत् । एकपादेन तिष्ठेत मरीचिं वा पिबेत्सदा
He should bathe three times daily and offer oblations to ancestors and gods; he should stand on one foot or always drink sunlight.
पंचाग्निधूमगो वा स्यादूष्मगः सोमपोपि वा । पयः पिबेच्छुक्लपक्षे कृष्णपक्षे तु गोमयम्
He may be one who is enveloped by the smoke of five fires, or who eats heated food, or who drinks Soma; he should drink milk in the bright fortnight, and cow dung in the dark fortnight.
शीर्णपर्णाशनो वा स्यात्कृच्छ्रैर्वा वर्तयेत्सदा । योगाभ्यासरतश्च स्याद्रुद्राध्यायी भवेत्सदा
He may eat dried leaves, or always live by difficult austerities; he should be devoted to the practice of yoga and always recite the Rudra hymn.
अथर्वशिरसोध्येता वेदांताभ्यासतत्परः । यमान्सेवेत सततं नियमांश्चाप्यतंद्रितः
He should study the Atharvaśiras and be devoted to the practice of Vedānta; he should always observe the restraints and diligently practice the observances.
अथ चाग्नीन्समारोप्य स्वात्मनि ध्यानतत्परः
Then, having placed the fires within himself, he should be devoted to meditation.
अनग्निरनिकेतो वा मुनिर्मोक्षपरो भवेत् । तापसेष्वेव विप्रेषु यात्रिकं भैक्षमाहरेत्
Or, the sage may be without fire and without a fixed abode, intent on liberation; among ascetics and Brāhmaṇas, he should obtain alms for his journey.
गृहमेधिषु चान्येषु द्विजेषु वनचारिषु । ग्रामादाहृत्य चाश्नीयादष्टौ ग्रासान्वने वसन्
Among householders, other Brāhmaṇas, and forest-dwellers, he should collect eight morsels from the village and eat them while residing in the forest.
प्रतिगृह्य पुटेनैव पाणिना शकलेन वा । विविधाश्चोपनिषद आत्मसंसिद्धये जपेत्
Having received them in a leaf, in his hand, or in a fragment, he should recite various Upaniṣads for the perfection of the self.
विद्याविशेषान्सावित्रीं रुद्राध्यायं तथैव च । महाप्रस्थानिकं वासौ कुर्य्यादनशनं तथा । अग्निप्रवेशमन्यद्वा ब्रह्मार्पणविधौ स्थितः
He should practice special knowledge, the Sāvitrī, and the Rudra hymn likewise; he should undertake the Mahāprasthāna, fasting, or entering fire, or another act, established in the offering to Brahman.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे वानप्रस्थाश्रमाचारधर्मो नामाष्टपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Padma Purāṇa, in the section on heaven, is the fifty-eighth chapter named 'The Duties of the Vānaprastha Āśrama.'
व्यास उवाच- एवं वनाश्रमे स्थित्वा तृतीयं भागमायुषः । चतुर्थं चायुषो भागं संन्यासेन नयेत्क्रमात्
Vyāsa said: Thus, having lived in the forest stage for a third part of one's life, one should gradually spend the fourth part in renunciation.
अग्नीनात्मनि संस्थाप्य द्विजः प्रव्रजितो भवेत् । योगाभ्यासरतः शांतो ब्रह्मविद्यापरायणः
Having established the fires within himself, the twice-born should become a renunciant, devoted to the practice of yoga, peaceful, and dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge of Brahman.
यदा मनसि संपन्नं वैराग्यं सर्ववस्तुषु । तदा संन्यासमिच्छेच्च पतितः स्याद्विपर्यये
When dispassion towards all objects arises in the mind, then one should desire renunciation; if the opposite occurs, one falls from the path.
प्राजापत्यां निरूप्येष्टिमाग्नेयीमथवा पुनः । दांतः शुक्लकषायोसौ ब्रह्माश्रममुपाश्रयेत्
Having performed the Prājāpatya or Agneyī sacrifice, or again, being self-controlled and pure in mind and body, one should enter the Brahma-āśrama.
ज्ञानसंन्यासिनः केचिद्वेदसंन्यासिनोऽपरे । कर्मसंन्यासिनस्त्वन्ये त्रिविधाः परिकीर्तिताः
Some are renunciants of knowledge, others of the Vedas, and still others of action; these three types are described.
यः सर्वत्र विनिर्मुक्तो निर्द्वंद्वश्चैव निर्भयः । प्रोच्यते ज्ञानसंन्यासी आत्मन्येव व्यवस्थितः
He who is free from everything, beyond dualities, and fearless, is called a renunciant of knowledge, established solely in the Self.
वेदमेवाभ्यसेन्नित्यं निराशीर्निष्परिग्रहः । प्रोच्यते वेदसंन्यासी मुमुक्षुर्विजितेंद्रियः
He who studies the Veda daily, without hope or possessions, is called a renunciant of the Veda, desiring liberation and with conquered senses.
यस्त्वग्निमात्मसाकृत्वा ब्रह्मार्पणपरो द्विजः । ज्ञेयः स कर्मसंन्यासी महायज्ञपरायणः
He who makes the fire his own self and is devoted to offering to Brahman, the twice-born, should be known as a renunciant of action, dedicated to the great sacrifice.
त्रयाणामपि चैतेषां ज्ञानी त्वभ्यधिको मतः । न तस्य विद्यते कार्यं न लिंगं वा विपश्चितः
Among 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
Without possessiveness, fearless, peaceful, beyond dualities, eating leaves, wearing worn loincloths, or even naked, absorbed in meditation.
ब्रह्मचारी जिताहारो ग्रामादन्नं समाहरेत् । अध्यात्मरतिरासीत निरपेक्षो निराशिषः
A celibate with controlled food intake should collect food from the village; he should dwell in the pursuit of the Self, without dependence or expectation.
आत्मनैव सहायेन सुखार्थं विचरेदिह । नाभिनंदेत मरणं नाभिनंदेत जीवनम्
With only himself as companion, he should wander here for the sake of happiness; he should neither rejoice in death nor in life.
कालमेव प्रतीक्षेत निर्देशं भृतको यथा । नाध्येतव्यं न वर्तव्यं श्रोतव्यं न कदाचन
He should wait for the appointed time, like a hired servant; he should never study, act, or listen.
एवं ज्ञानपरो योगी ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते । एकवासाथ वा विद्वान्कौपीनाच्छादनोपि वा
Thus, the yogi devoted to knowledge is fit to become Brahman; whether wearing a single garment or only a loincloth, the wise one.
मुंडी शिखी वाथ भवेत्त्रिदंडी निष्परिग्रहः । काषायवासाः सततं ध्यानयोगपरायणः
He may be shaven-headed or with a topknot, or a tridaṇḍī, without possessions, always wearing ochre robes, devoted to meditation and yoga.