Vanaprasthashrama (वानप्रस्थाश्रमः)
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The Bhagavata Purana, Skanda 7, Chapter 12, explains the code of conduct prescribed for Vanaprasthas.[1] They are as follows:
- A Vanaprastha should not eat the product of cultivation (eg. rice, wheat) or anything (like fruits, roots etc.), which though not a product of tillage, ripened before time. He should not partake of food cooked on fire. He should subsist on what is ripe or cooked by rays of the Sun.
न कृष्टपच्यमश्नीयादकृष्टं चाप्यकालतः । अग्निपक्वमथामं वा अर्कपक्वमुताहरेत् ॥ १८॥[2]
na kr̥ṣṭapacyamaśnīyādakr̥ṣṭaṁ cāpyakālataḥ । agnipakvamathāmaṁ vā arkapakvamutāharet ॥ 18॥
- He should prepare charu (an oblation of rice, barley and pulse boiled for offering to deities and pitrs) and Purodasha (boiled rice rounded into a cake for offering to different deities) of corn, wild growth (Nivara) and of a permanent nature. And when he procures new and fresh eatables, he should reject the old ones (stored by him).
वन्यैश्चरुपुरोडाशान् निर्वपेत्कालचोदितान् । लब्धे नवे नवेऽन्नाद्ये पुराणं तु परित्यजेत् ॥ १९॥[2]
vanyaiścarupuroḍāśān nirvapetkālacoditān । labdhe nave nave'nnādye purāṇaṁ tu parityajet ॥ 19॥
- It is just for the preservation of the sacred fire that he should take shelter in a house or cottage or a cave in mountains. He himself should bear exposure to snow, wind, fire, rain and heat of the Sun.
अग्न्यर्थमेव शरणमुटजं वाद्रिकन्दराम् । श्रयेत हिमवाय्वग्निवर्षार्कातपषाट् स्वयम् ॥ २०॥[2]
agnyarthameva śaraṇamuṭajaṁ vādrikandarām । śrayeta himavāyvagnivarṣārkātapaṣāṭ svayam ॥ 20॥
- The Vanaprastha with matted hair (on the head) should wear (without shaving) the hair on his body, moustaches, beard and nails and dirt (not properly washed). He should take with him kamandalu (a pot of water), deer-skin, staff, bark-garments and utensils of fire worship. The sage should thus wander in the forest for twelve, eight, four, two or one year ie. to that length of time which the mind does not get troubled through the (severity of) austerities.
केशरोमनखश्मश्रुमलानि जटिलो दधत् । कमण्डल्वजिने दण्डवल्कलाग्निपरिच्छदान् ॥ २१॥
चरेद्वने द्वादशाब्दानष्टौ वा चतुरो मुनिः । द्वावेकं वा यथा बुद्धिर्न विपद्येत कृच्छ्रतः ॥ २२॥[2]
keśaromanakhaśmaśrumalāni jaṭilo dadhat । kamaṇḍalvajine daṇḍavalkalāgniparicchadān ॥ 21॥caredvane dvādaśābdānaṣṭau vā caturo muniḥ । dvāvekaṁ vā yathā buddhirna vipadyeta kr̥cchrataḥ ॥ 22॥