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.
ग्रामांते वृक्षमूले वा वसेद्देवालयेपि वा । समः शत्रौ तथा मित्रे तथा मानापमानयोः
He may dwell at the edge of a village, under a tree, or in a temple; equal towards enemy and friend, and towards honor and dishonor.
भैक्ष्येण वर्तयेन्नित्यं नैकान्नादी भवेत्क्वच्चित् । यस्तु मोहेन वान्यस्मादेकान्नादी भवेद्यतिः
He should always subsist by alms, never eating from a single household; if, out of delusion, he does so, he is not a true renunciant.
न तस्य निष्कृतिः काचिद्धर्मशास्त्रेषु दृश्यते । रागद्वेषवियुक्तात्मा समलोष्टाश्मकांचनः
For him, no expiation is found in the scriptures; his mind free from attachment and aversion, regarding earth, stone, and gold as equal.
प्राणिहिंसानिवृत्तश्च मौनी स्यात्सर्वनिस्पृहः । दृष्टिपूतं न्यसेत्पादं वस्त्रपूतं जलं पिबेत्
He refrains from harming living beings, is silent, free from all desires; he places his foot only after purifying his sight, and drinks water purified by cloth.
सत्यपूतां वदेद्वाणीं मनःपूतं समाचरेत् । नैकत्र निवसेद्देशे वर्षाभ्योन्यत्र भिक्षुकः
Let one speak words purified by truth and act with a mind purified; a mendicant should not reside in the same place for the rainy season, but elsewhere.
स्नात्वा शौचयुतो नित्यं कमंडलुकरः शुचिः । ब्रह्मचर्यरतो नित्यं वनवासरतो भवेत्
Having bathed, always endowed with cleanliness, carrying a water-pot, pure, devoted to celibacy, one should always delight in dwelling in the forest.
मोक्षशास्त्रेषु निरतो ब्रह्मसूत्री जितेंद्रियः । दंभाहंकारनिर्मुक्तो निंदापैशुन्यवर्जितः
Engaged in the scriptures of liberation, wearing the thread of Brahman, with senses subdued, free from deceit and pride, avoiding slander and malice.
आत्मज्ञानगुणोपेतो यदि मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् । अभ्यसेत्सततं देवं प्रणवाख्यं सनातनम्
Endowed with the qualities of self-knowledge, if one attains liberation, one should constantly practice the eternal deity known as Pranava.
स्नात्वाचम्य विधानेन शुचिर्देवालयादिषु । यज्ञोपवीती शांतात्मा कुशपाणिः समाहितः
Having bathed and performed purification according to the rules, pure in temples and similar places, wearing the sacred thread, with a peaceful mind, holding kusa grass, concentrated.
धौतकाषायवसनो तस्मिञ्छन्नतनूरुहः । अधियज्ञं ब्रह्मजपेदाधिदैविकमेव च
Wearing washed ochre garments, with body hair covered, one should recite the brahma texts relating to sacrifice and also those relating to the gods.