The Life of the Forest Hermit

Verse 1 (12.250.1)

प्रोक्ता गृहस्थवृत्तिस्ते विहिता या मनीषिभिः । तदनन्तरमुक्तं यत्तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर । व्यासेन कथितं पूर्वं पुत्राय सुमहात्मने ॥

proktā gṛhasthavṛttiste vihitā yā manīṣibhiḥ | tadanantaramuktaṃ yattannibodha yudhiṣṭhira | vyāsena kathitaṃ pūrvaṃ putrāya sumahātmane

I have told you the householder's way of life as the wise have laid it down. Now hear, Yudhishthira, what was said next, which Vyasa long ago told his greatly noble son.

Note on the text: Removed the backtick and the quote mark Wikisource prints around line 3 (a bracketed interpolation on the page). Line 3 is the CE star passage 12.236.1d*0686_01 (vyāsena kathitaṃ pūrvaṃ putrāya sumahātmane); lines 1-2 = CE 12.236.1a, 1c. Three lines as on the page (labelled 1a-c).

Verse 2 (12.250.2)

क्रमशस्त्ववधूयैनां तृतीयां वृत्तिमुत्तमाम् । संयोगव्रतखिन्नानां वानप्रस्थाश्रमौकसाम् ॥

kramaśastvavadhūyaināṃ tṛtīyāṃ vṛttimuttamām | saṃyogavratakhinnānāṃ vānaprasthāśramaukasām

Having set aside this householder's way step by step, there is the third and highest way of life, that of the dwellers in forest hermitages, who are weary of the vow of marital union.

Note on the text: Restored the words lost where the page prints dashes: क्रय----त्ववधृयैनां → क्रमशस्त्ववधूयैनां (misprint ृ for ू and a lost syllable, CE kramaśas tv avadhūyaināṃ) and संयोगव्रत----वानप्रस्थ → संयोगव्रतखिन्नानां वानप्रस्थ (CE saṃyogavratakhinnānāṃ), CE 12.236.2. The page puts the heading व्यास उवाच before this verse, whereas the CE has Bhishma speaking through CE verse 3 and Vyasa from verse 4; the page's heading is kept.

Verse 3 (12.250.3)

श्रूयतां पुत्र भद्रं ते सर्वलोकाश्रमात्मनाम् । प्रेक्षापूर्वं यदा पश्येद्वलीपलितमात्मना ॥

śrūyatāṃ putra bhadraṃ te sarvalokāśramātmanām | prekṣāpūrvaṃ yadā paśyedvalīpalitamātmanā

Listen, my son, good fortune to you, to the way of those whose self is all the worlds and all the orders of life. When, after reflection, he sees wrinkles and grey hair upon himself,

Note on the text: Corrected पत्त्येद् → पश्येद् (misprint in Wikisource). Line 1 = CE 12.236.3a (Wikisource पुत्र for CE pārtha); line 2 combines the opening of CE 3c (prekṣāpūrvaṃ) with CE 4a (yadā paśyed valīpalitam ātmanaḥ), with आत्मना for ātmanaḥ. The page's heading व्यास उवाच precedes verse 2 and is kept (the CE has Vyasa from CE verse 4).

Verse 4 (12.250.4)

अपत्यस्यैव चापत्यं वनमेव तदाऽऽश्रयेत् ॥

apatyasyaiva cāpatyaṃ vanameva tadā''śrayet

and the child of his child, then let him resort to the forest.

Note on the text: Corrected चापण्यं → चापत्यं (misprint in Wikisource; CE apatyasyaiva cāpatyaṃ). One line, as on the page (labelled 4a) = CE 12.236.4c; CE 4a is merged into line 2 of the previous verse.

Verse 5 (12.250.5)

तृतीयमायुषो भागं वानप्रस्थाश्रमे वसेत् । तानेवाग्नीन्परिचरेद्यजमानो दिवौकसः ॥

tṛtīyamāyuṣo bhāgaṃ vānaprasthāśrame vaset | tānevāgnīnparicaredyajamāno divaukasaḥ

He should dwell in the forest hermitage for the third part of his life, tending those same fires and sacrificing to the dwellers in heaven.

Note on the text: Corrected पस्त्विरेद् → परिचरेद् and restored दि--कसः → दिवौकसः (misprint and a gap in Wikisource; CE paricared yajamāno divaukasaḥ, CE 12.236.5c).

Verse 6 (12.250.6)

नियतो नियताहारः षष्ठभक्तोऽप्रमादवान् । तदग्निहोत्रं ता गावो यज्ञाङ्गानि च सर्वशः ॥

niyato niyatāhāraḥ ṣaṣṭhabhakto'pramādavān | tadagnihotraṃ tā gāvo yajñāṅgāni ca sarvaśaḥ

Restrained, with restricted food, eating at the sixth meal, and heedful: that is his fire-offering, those his cows, and all the limbs of the sacrifice.

Note on the text: Rewritten from the CE (12.236.6a, 6c: niyato niyatāhāraḥ ṣaṣṭhabhakto 'pramādavān / tad agnihotraṃ tā gāvo yajñāṅgāni ca sarvaśaḥ). The page prints a corrupt text with gaps (निय------नियताराहः षष्ठभक्तो ---त्तवान । तदाग्रहात्रं तो --- यज्ञाङ्गां व सर्वशः); the two lines are restored from the CE with the page's षष्ठभक्तो (the footnote has षष्ठभुक्तः as a variant).

Verse 7 (12.250.7)

अकृष्टं वै व्रीहियवं नीवारं विघसानि च । हवींषि संप्रयच्छेत मखेष्वत्रापि पञ्चसु ॥

akṛṣṭaṃ vai vrīhiyavaṃ nīvāraṃ vighasāni ca | havīṃṣi saṃprayaccheta makheṣvatrāpi pañcasu

Unploughed rice and barley, wild rice, and the leavings of guests: these he should offer as oblations in the five sacrifices even there.

Note on the text: Corrected अवैकृष्टं व्रीहियव नीवारे → अकृष्टं वै व्रीहियवं नीवारं (misprints in Wikisource; CE akṛṣṭaṃ vai vrīhiyavaṃ nīvāraṃ).

Verse 8 (12.250.8)

वानप्रस्थाश्रमेऽप्येताश्चतस्रो वृत्तयः स्मृताः । सद्यः प्रक्षालकाः केचित्केचिन्मासिकसंचयाः ॥

vānaprasthāśrame'pyetāścatasro vṛttayaḥ smṛtāḥ | sadyaḥ prakṣālakāḥ kecitkecinmāsikasaṃcayāḥ

Even in the forest-dweller's order four ways of livelihood are recorded: some wash their vessels at once and keep nothing, others store for a month,

Note on the text: Corrected वानप्रस्खाश्रमे → वानप्रस्थाश्रमे (misprint in Wikisource).

Verse 9 (12.250.9)

वार्षिकं संचयं केचित्केचिद्द्वादशवार्षिकम् । कुर्वन्त्यतिथिपूजार्थं यज्ञतन्त्रार्थमेव वा ॥

vārṣikaṃ saṃcayaṃ kecitkeciddvādaśavārṣikam | kurvantyatithipūjārthaṃ yajñatantrārthameva vā

some store for a year, some for twelve years, doing so for the honour of guests or for the needs of the sacrifice.

Note on the text: Corrected केतिद्द्वादश → केचिद्द्वादश (misprint in Wikisource). Line 2 ends यज्ञतन्त्रार्थमेव वा, a variant of CE yajñatantrārthasiddhaye.

Verse 10 (12.250.10)

अभ्रावकाशा वर्षासु हेमन्ते जलसंश्रयाः । ग्रीष्मे च पञ्चतपसः शश्वच्च मितभोजनाः ॥

abhrāvakāśā varṣāsu hemante jalasaṃśrayāḥ | grīṣme ca pañcatapasaḥ śaśvacca mitabhojanāḥ

In the rains they live under the open sky, in winter they stay in water, in summer they sit among five fires, and always they eat sparingly.

Verse 11 (12.250.11)

भूमौ विपरिवर्तन्ते तिष्ठन्ति प्रपदैरपि । स्थानासनैर्वर्तयन्ति सवनेष्वभिषिञ्चते ॥

bhūmau viparivartante tiṣṭhanti prapadairapi | sthānāsanairvartayanti savaneṣvabhiṣiñcate

They roll on the ground, or stand on their toes; they spend their time standing and sitting, and they bathe at the three savanas in the forest.

Note on the text: Corrected स वनेष्वभिषिञ्चते → सवनेष्वभिषिञ्चते (a wrongly divided word in Wikisource; CE savaneṣv abhiṣiñcate).

Verse 12 (12.250.12)

दन्तोलूखलिकाः केचिदश्मकुट्टास्तथा परे । शुक्लपक्षे पिबन्त्येके यवागूं क्वथितां सकृत् ॥

dantolūkhalikāḥ kecidaśmakuṭṭāstathā pare | śuklapakṣe pibantyeke yavāgūṃ kvathitāṃ sakṛt

Some use their teeth as mortars, others pound with stones; some drink boiled rice-gruel once in the bright fortnight,

Verse 13 (12.250.13)

कृष्णपक्षे पिबन्त्यन्ये भुञ्जते वा यथागतम् । मूलैरेके फलैरेके पुष्पैरेके दृढव्रताः ॥

kṛṣṇapakṣe pibantyanye bhuñjate vā yathāgatam | mūlaireke phalaireke puṣpaireke dṛḍhavratāḥ

others drink it in the dark fortnight, or eat whatever comes; some live on roots, some on fruits, some on flowers, firm in their vows.

Verse 14 (12.250.14)

वर्तयन्ति यथान्यायं वैखानसमतं श्रिताः । एताश्चान्याश्च विविधा दीक्षास्तेषां मनीषिणाम् ॥

vartayanti yathānyāyaṃ vaikhānasamataṃ śritāḥ | etāścānyāśca vividhā dīkṣāsteṣāṃ manīṣiṇām

They live as the rule directs, following the Vaikhanasa teaching. These and many other kinds of initiation belong to those wise men.

Verse 15 (12.250.15)

चतुर्थश्चौपनिषदो धर्मः साधारणः स्मृतः । वानप्रस्थाद्गृहस्थाच्च ततोऽन्यः संप्रवर्तते । अस्मिन्नेव युगे तात विप्रैस्तत्वार्थदर्शिभिः ॥

caturthaścaupaniṣado dharmaḥ sādhāraṇaḥ smṛtaḥ | vānaprasthādgṛhasthācca tato'nyaḥ saṃpravartate | asminneva yuge tāta vipraistatvārthadarśibhiḥ

The fourth is the Upanishadic dharma, which is held to be common to all the orders; beyond the forest-dweller and the householder another proceeds. In this very age, my son, by brahmins who see the truth of things,

Note on the text: Corrected वितैस् → विप्रैस् (misprint in Wikisource; CE vipraiḥ). Three lines as on the page (labelled 15a-c) = CE 12.236.15a, 15c, 16a; Wikisource's तत्वार्थदर्शिभिः is a variant of CE sarvārthadarśibhiḥ (the page's footnote cites सर्वार्थदर्शिभिः).

Verse 16 (12.250.16)

अगस्त्यः सप्तऋषयो मधुच्छन्दोऽघमर्षणः । सांकृतिः सुदिवातण्डिर्यवान्नोऽथ कृतश्रमः ॥

agastyaḥ saptaṛṣayo madhucchando'ghamarṣaṇaḥ | sāṃkṛtiḥ sudivātaṇḍiryavānno'tha kṛtaśramaḥ

Agastya, the Seven Sages, Madhuchchhanda, Aghamarshana, Sankriti, Sudiva, Tandi, Yavanna, and Kritashrama,

Note on the text: Corrected अधमर्षणः → अघमर्षणः and यथावासो → यवान्नोऽथ (misprints in Wikisource; CE aghamarṣaṇaḥ, yavānno 'tha). Lines = CE 12.236.16c and 17a. The names are counted as nine: Agastya, the Seven Sages, Madhuchchhanda, Aghamarshana, Sankriti, Sudiva, Tandi, Yavanna, Kritashrama.

Verse 17 (12.250.17)

अहोवीर्यस्तथा काव्यस्ताण्ड्यो मेधातिथिर्बुधः । बलवान्कर्णनिर्वाकः शून्यपालः कृतश्रमः । एते धर्मे सुविद्वांसस्ततः स्वर्गमुपागमन् ॥

ahovīryastathā kāvyastāṇḍyo medhātithirbudhaḥ | balavānkarṇanirvākaḥ śūnyapālaḥ kṛtaśramaḥ | ete dharme suvidvāṃsastataḥ svargamupāgaman

Ahovirya, Kavya, Tandya, Medhatithi the wise, Balavan, Karna, Nirvaka, Shunyapala, and Kritashrama: these, thoroughly learned in dharma, thereupon went to heaven.

Note on the text: Corrected मेधातिथिदुऽ → मेधातिथिर्बुधः, स्वर्गमुसागमन → स्वर्गमुपागमन् (misprints in Wikisource; CE medhātithir budhaḥ, upāgaman) and removed the dashes after कृतश्रम (restored कृतश्रमः, CE kṛtaśramaḥ). Line 2 बलवान्कर्णनिर्वाकः differs from CE śalo vākaś ca nirvākaḥ (the page's footnote cites चले वाकश्च निर्वाकः as a variant) and is kept as the vulgate reading, taken as three names; unsure of the exact intended names. Lines = CE 12.236.17c, 18a, 18c (line 3 एते धर्मे सुविद्वांसः vs CE evaṃdharmasu vidvāṃsaḥ).

Verse 18 (12.250.18)

तात प्रत्यक्षधर्माणस्तथा यायावरा गणाः । ऋषीणामुग्रतपसां धर्मनैपुणदर्शिनाम् ॥

tāta pratyakṣadharmāṇastathā yāyāvarā gaṇāḥ | ṛṣīṇāmugratapasāṃ dharmanaipuṇadarśinām

Dear son, there are also the bands of the Yayavara seers, who have seen dharma face to face: seers of fierce austerity who understand the subtleties of dharma.

Note on the text: Corrected काथवारा → यायावरा and धर्मनैपुणेदर्शिनाम् → धर्मनैपुणदर्शिनाम् (misprints in Wikisource; CE yāyāvarā, naipuṇadarśinām).

Verse 19 (12.250.19)

अन्ये चापरिमेयाश्च ब्राह्मणा वनमाश्रिताः । वैखानसा वालखिल्याः सैकताश्च तथा परे ॥

anye cāparimeyāśca brāhmaṇā vanamāśritāḥ | vaikhānasā vālakhilyāḥ saikatāśca tathā pare

And other brahmins beyond number who have taken to the forest: the Vaikhanasas, the Valakhilyas, the Saikatas, and others.

Note on the text: Corrected वनमश्रितताः → वनमाश्रिताः, वैखातसा → वैखानसा, सैकताच्च → सैकताश्च (misprints in Wikisource; CE vanam āśritāḥ, vaikhānasā, sikatāś ca). Line 1 अन्ये चापरिमेयाश्च differs from CE avācyāparimeyāś ca (kept).

Verse 20 (12.250.20)

कर्मभिस्ते निरानन्दा धर्मनित्या जितेन्द्रियाः । गताः प्रत्यक्षधर्माणस्ते सर्वे वनमाश्रिताः ॥

karmabhiste nirānandā dharmanityā jitendriyāḥ | gatāḥ pratyakṣadharmāṇaste sarve vanamāśritāḥ

Taking no joy in rites, ever steadfast in dharma, masters of their senses, having seen dharma face to face, they have all gone, having taken to the forest.

Note on the text: Lines = CE 12.236.21a and 21c.

Verse 21 (12.250.21)

अनक्षत्रास्त्वनाधृष्या दृश्यन्ते ज्योतिषां गणाः । जरया च परिद्यूना व्याधिना च प्रपीडिताः ॥

anakṣatrāstvanādhṛṣyā dṛśyante jyotiṣāṃ gaṇāḥ | jarayā ca paridyūnā vyādhinā ca prapīḍitāḥ

They appear as hosts of lights that are not stars, unassailable. And one who is worn down by age and tormented by sickness,

Note on the text: Corrected दृश्यते → दृश्यन्ते (misprint in Wikisource; plural subject, CE dṛśyante). Lines = CE 12.236.21e and 22a.

Verse 22 (12.250.22)

चतुर्थे चायुषः शेषे वानप्रस्थाश्रमं त्यजेत् । साद्यस्कां संनिरुप्येष्टिं सर्ववेदसदक्षिणाम् ॥

caturthe cāyuṣaḥ śeṣe vānaprasthāśramaṃ tyajet | sādyaskāṃ saṃnirupyeṣṭiṃ sarvavedasadakṣiṇām

when the fourth part of his life remains, should give up the forest order, after performing a one-day sacrifice with all his wealth as the fee.

Note on the text: Lines = CE 12.236.22c and 22e (साद्यस्कां संनिरुप्येष्टिं for CE sadyaskārāṃ nirūpyeṣṭiṃ).

Verse 23 (12.250.23)

आत्मयाजी सोऽत्मरतिरात्मक्रीडात्मसंश्रयः । आत्मन्यग्नीन्समारोप्य त्यक्त्वा सर्वपरिग्रहान् ॥

ātmayājī so'tmaratirātmakrīḍātmasaṃśrayaḥ | ātmanyagnīnsamāropya tyaktvā sarvaparigrahān

He sacrifices to the Self, delights in the Self, plays in the Self, and takes refuge in the Self: he places his fires within himself and gives up every possession.

Verse 24 (12.250.24)

साद्यस्कांश्च यजेद्यज्ञानिष्टीश्चैवेह सर्वदा । यदैव याजिनां यज्ञादात्मनीज्या प्रवर्तते ॥

sādyaskāṃśca yajedyajñāniṣṭīścaiveha sarvadā | yadaiva yājināṃ yajñādātmanījyā pravartate

He should perform the quick sacrifices and the offerings at all times, until the sacrifice within the Self arises in place of the sacrifices of ritualists.

Verse 25 (12.250.25)

त्रींश्चैवाग्नींस्त्यजेत्सम्यगात्मन्येवात्ममोक्षणात् । प्राणेभ्यो यजुषां पञ्च षट् प्राश्नीयादकुत्सयन् ॥

trīṃścaivāgnīṃstyajetsamyagātmanyevātmamokṣaṇāt | prāṇebhyo yajuṣāṃ pañca ṣaṭ prāśnīyādakutsayan

He should give up the three fires fully, since his release comes in the Self alone. He should eat five or six mouthfuls to the vital breaths with Yajus formulas, without disdain.

Note on the text: Removed a stray zero-width non-joiner inside षट्. Wikisource यजुषां and the opening त्रींश्चैवाग्नींस्त्यजेत् differ from CE (trīṃś caivāgnīn yajet samyag ... yajuṣā), kept as the vulgate reading.

Verse 26 (12.250.26)

केशलोमनखान्वाप्य वानप्रस्थो मुनिस्ततः । आश्रमादाश्रमं पुण्यं पूतो गच्छति कर्मभिः ॥

keśalomanakhānvāpya vānaprastho munistataḥ | āśramādāśramaṃ puṇyaṃ pūto gacchati karmabhiḥ

Having had his hair, body-hair and nails cut, the forest-dweller then becomes a silent sage, and purified by his deeds goes on from one holy order to the next.

Verse 27 (12.250.27)

अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो दत्त्वा यः प्रव्रजेद्द्विजः । लोकास्तेजोमयास्तस्य प्रेत्य चानन्त्यमश्नुते ॥

abhayaṃ sarvabhūtebhyo dattvā yaḥ pravrajeddvijaḥ | lokāstejomayāstasya pretya cānantyamaśnute

The twice-born who goes forth as a wanderer after giving fearlessness to all beings finds worlds full of light, and after death he enjoys the endless.

Verse 28 (12.250.28)

सुशीलवृत्तो व्यपनीतकल्मषो । नचेह नामुत्र च कर्तुमीहते । अरोषमोहो गतसन्धिविग्रहो । भवेदुदासीनवदात्मविन्नरः ॥

suśīlavṛtto vyapanītakalmaṣo | naceha nāmutra ca kartumīhate | aroṣamoho gatasandhivigraho | bhavedudāsīnavadātmavinnaraḥ

Of good conduct and good character, with his sin washed away, he strives for nothing here or hereafter; free of anger and delusion, without ties or strife, the man who knows the Self should live as one indifferent.

Note on the text: Four half-verse lines as on the page (labelled 28a-d) = CE 12.236.28a and 28c. Corrected अरोपमोहो → अरोषमोहो (misprint in Wikisource; CE aroṣamoho).

Verse 29 (12.250.29)

यमेषु चैवानुगतेषु न व्यथेत् । स्वशास्त्रसूत्राहुतिमन्त्रविक्रमः । भवेद्यथेष्टा गतिरात्मयाजिनो । न संशयो धर्मपरे जितेन्द्रिये ॥

yameṣu caivānugateṣu na vyathet | svaśāstrasūtrāhutimantravikramaḥ | bhavedyatheṣṭā gatirātmayājino | na saṃśayo dharmapare jitendriye

And when the restraints are observed he should not be shaken, being strong in his own scripture, its rules, its offering formulas and its mantras. The self-sacrificer's course is as he wishes; there is no doubt for one devoted to dharma, with senses controlled.

Note on the text: Rejoined the word split across the line break and corrected न व्यथे / त्स्वशास्त्रमूत्राहुति → न व्यथेत् / स्वशास्त्रसूत्राहुति (the page cuts व्यथेत् across two lines, and मूत्र is a misprint for सूत्र; CE na vyathet; svaśāstrasūtrāhutimantravikramaḥ). Wikisource चैवानुगतेषु is a variant of CE caivātmagateṣu (kept). Four half-verse lines (labelled 29a-d) = CE 12.236.29a and 29c.

Verse 30 (12.250.30)

ततः परं श्रेष्ठमतीव सद्गुणैः । अधिष्ठितं त्रीनधिवृत्तिमुत्तमम् । चतुर्थमुक्तं परमाश्रमं शृणु । प्रकीर्त्यमानं परमं परायणम् ॥

tataḥ paraṃ śreṣṭhamatīva sadguṇaiḥ | adhiṣṭhitaṃ trīnadhivṛttimuttamam | caturthamuktaṃ paramāśramaṃ śṛṇu | prakīrtyamānaṃ paramaṃ parāyaṇam

Beyond this, hear now of the fourth and supreme order of life, excellent beyond all, endowed with the best qualities and surpassing the three, which is now to be described, the highest refuge.

Note on the text: Rejoined the word split across the line break (सद्गुणै / रधिष्ठितं → सद्गुणैः / अधिष्ठितं; CE sadguṇair adhiṣṭhitaṃ). Wikisource त्रीनधिवृत्तिमुत्तमम् is a variant of CE trīn adhivṛttam uttamam (kept; the page's commentary glosses अधिवृत्ति). Four half-verse lines (labelled 30a-d) = CE 12.236.30a and 30c.