12.236
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
प्रोक्ता गृहस्थवृत्तिस्ते विहिता या मनीषिणाम्। तदनन्तरमुक्तं यत्तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर ॥१२-२३६-१॥
The duties of a householder, which have been prescribed for the wise, have been explained to you. Now, O Yudhishthira, listen to what comes next.
क्रमशस्त्ववधूयैनां तृतीयां वृत्तिमुत्तमाम्। संयोगव्रतखिन्नानां वानप्रस्थाश्रमौकसाम् ॥१२-२३६-२॥
But then, in due order, having given up this third excellent way of life, for those forest-dwelling hermitage dwellers who are wearied by union and vows.
श्रूयतां पार्थ भद्रं ते सर्वलोकाश्रयात्मनाम्। प्रेक्षापूर्वं प्रवृत्तानां पुण्यदेशनिवासिनाम् ॥१२-२३६-३॥
Listen, O Pārtha, may you be blessed. This concerns those whose selves are the refuge of all worlds, who have gone before, and who dwell in holy places, having observed (the proper rites).
व्यास उवाच॥
Vyāsa said.
गृहस्थस्तु यदा पश्येद्वलीपलितमात्मनः। अपत्यस्यैव चापत्यं वनमेव तदाश्रयेत् ॥१२-२३६-४॥
When a householder perceives wrinkles and grey hair on himself, and sees his own child’s child, then he should retire to the forest.
तृतीयमायुषो भागं वानप्रस्थाश्रमे वसेत्। तानेवाग्नीन्परिचरेद्यजमानो दिवौकसः ॥१२-२३६-५॥
For a third of his life, one should reside in the hermitage of forest-dwellers; the sacrificer should properly tend those sacred fires of the gods.
नियतो नियताहारः षष्ठभक्तोऽप्रमादवान्। तदग्निहोत्रं ता गावो यज्ञाङ्गानि च सर्वशः ॥१२-२३६-६॥
A person who is self-controlled, regulated in food, who eats the sixth meal and is vigilant—such a person is equivalent to Agnihotra, to cows, and to all the limbs of sacrifice in every respect.
अकृष्टं वै व्रीहियवं नीवारं विघसानि च। हवींषि सम्प्रयच्छेत मखेष्वत्रापि पञ्चसु ॥१२-२३६-७॥
One should offer uncultivated grains, rice and barley, wild rice, and leftover food as oblations in sacrifices, even here in these five (types of sacrifices).
वानप्रस्थाश्रमेऽप्येताश्चतस्रो वृत्तयः स्मृताः। सद्यःप्रक्षालकाः केचित्केचिन्मासिकसञ्चयाः ॥१२-२३६-८॥
In the hermitage of forest-dwellers, four modes of life are recognized: some cleanse immediately, while others accumulate (offerings or actions) monthly.
वार्षिकं सञ्चयं केचित्केचिद्द्वादशवार्षिकम्। कुर्वन्त्यतिथिपूजार्थं यज्ञतन्त्रार्थसिद्धये ॥१२-२३६-९॥
Some people make an annual collection, while others do so every twelve years, for the purpose of guest worship and to accomplish the aims of sacrificial ritual procedures.
अभ्रावकाशा वर्षासु हेमन्ते जलसंश्रयाः। ग्रीष्मे च पञ्चतपसः शश्वच्च मितभोजनाः ॥१२-२३६-१०॥
During the rainy season, they dwell in the open; in winter, they resort to water; in summer, they practice the five-fire austerity; and always, they eat moderately.
भूमौ विपरिवर्तन्ते तिष्ठेद्वा प्रपदैरपि। स्थानासनैर्वर्तयन्ति सवनेष्वभिषिञ्चते ॥१२-२३६-११॥
They turn around on the ground, or may stand even with their feet; by means of standing and sitting postures, they move, and in the sacrifices, he anoints.
दन्तोलूखलिनः केचिदश्मकुट्टास्तथापरे। शुक्लपक्षे पिबन्त्येके यवागूं क्वथितां सकृत् ॥१२-२३६-१२॥
Some use their teeth as mortars, some pound with stones, and others likewise; during the bright fortnight, some drink barley gruel that has been boiled once.
कृष्णपक्षे पिबन्त्येके भुञ्जते च यथाक्रमम्। मूलैरेके फलैरेके पुष्पैरेके दृढव्रताः ॥१२-२३६-१३॥
During the dark fortnight, some drink, some eat, each in due order; some steadfast in their vows subsist on roots, some on fruits, and some on flowers.
वर्तयन्ति यथान्यायं वैखानसमतं श्रिताः। एताश्चान्याश्च विविधा दीक्षास्तेषां मनीषिणाम् ॥१२-२३६-१४॥
They follow the Vaikhānasa doctrine as prescribed, and these and other various initiations belong to those sages.
चतुर्थश्चौपनिषदो धर्मः साधारणः स्मृतः। वानप्रस्थो गृहस्थश्च ततोऽन्यः सम्प्रवर्तते ॥१२-२३६-१५॥
The fourth, namely the Upaniṣads, is remembered as a common duty. From that, the forest-dweller and the householder, and then another, proceed.
अस्मिन्नेव युगे तात विप्रैः सर्वार्थदर्शिभिः। अगस्त्यः सप्त ऋषयो मधुच्छन्दोऽघमर्षणः ॥१२-२३६-१६॥
O dear one, in this very age, Agastya, the seven sages, Madhucchandas, and Aghamarṣaṇa were recognized by the Brāhmaṇas who perceive all meanings.
साङ्कृतिः सुदिवा तण्डिर्यवान्नोऽथ कृतश्रमः। अहोवीर्यस्तथा काव्यस्ताण्ड्यो मेधातिथिर्बुधः ॥१२-२३६-१७॥
Saṅkṛti, Sudivā, Taṇḍiryavān, and our accomplished one; then Ahovīrya, likewise Kāvya, Tāṇḍya, Medhātithi, and Budha.
शलो वाकश्च निर्वाकः शून्यपालः कृतश्रमः। एवन्धर्मसु विद्वांसस्ततः स्वर्गमुपागमन् ॥१२-२३६-१८॥
Thus, the learned ones, having made effort in virtues, whether weak, eloquent, or silent, protectors of emptiness, then attained heaven.
तात प्रत्यक्षधर्माणस्तथा यायावरा गणाः। ऋषीणामुग्रतपसां धर्मनैपुणदर्शिनाम् ॥१२-२३६-१९॥
O father, likewise, the groups of wandering ascetics—those whose dharma is evident, the sages, those of intense austerity, and those who perceive the subtleties of dharma.
अवाच्यापरिमेयाश्च ब्राह्मणा वनमाश्रिताः। वैखानसा वालखिल्याः सिकताश्च तथापरे ॥१२-२३६-२०॥
There were Brāhmaṇas of unspeakable and immeasurable qualities who had taken refuge in the forest; among them were the Vaikhānasa, Vālkhilya, Sikatā sages, and others as well.
कर्मभिस्ते निरानन्दा धर्मनित्या जितेन्द्रियाः। गताः प्रत्यक्षधर्माणस्ते सर्वे वनमाश्रिताः ॥ अनक्षत्रा अनाधृष्या दृश्यन्ते ज्योतिषां गणाः ॥१२-२३६-२१॥
By their actions, those who are without joy, always righteous, and have conquered their senses, all those whose dharma is manifest have gone and taken refuge in the forest. Groups of luminaries, without stars and unassailable, are seen.
जरया च परिद्यूनो व्याधिना च प्रपीडितः। चतुर्थे चायुषः शेषे वानप्रस्थाश्रमं त्यजेत् ॥ सद्यस्कारां निरूप्येष्टिं सर्ववेदसदक्षिणाम् ॥१२-२३६-२२॥
When one is afflicted by old age and oppressed by disease, in the fourth and remaining part of life, one should abandon the stage of the forest-dweller. Having performed the immediate rite, one should offer a sacrifice with gifts to all the Vedas.
आत्मयाजी सोऽऽत्मरतिरात्मक्रीडात्मसंश्रयः। आत्मन्यग्नीन्समारोप्य त्यक्त्वा सर्वपरिग्रहान् ॥१२-२३६-२३॥
He who offers sacrifice to the self, delights in the self, plays in the self, and takes refuge in the self, having established the sacrificial fires within himself and having renounced all possessions.
सद्यस्क्रांश्च यजेद्यज्ञानिष्टीश्चैवेह सर्वदा। सदैव याजिनां यज्ञादात्मनीज्या निवर्तते ॥१२-२३६-२४॥
One should always perform sacrifices and oblations immediately here; for the sacrificers, the worship that is performed through sacrifice ultimately ceases in the self.
त्रींश्चैवाग्नीन्यजेत्सम्यगात्मन्येवात्ममोक्षणात्। प्राणेभ्यो यजुषा पञ्च षट्प्राश्नीयादकुत्सयन् ॥१२-२३६-२५॥
One should properly worship thirty fires within oneself for self-liberation; and, using the Yajus, one should partake of five or six offerings from the vital breaths, without any contempt.
केशलोमनखान्वाप्य वानप्रस्थो मुनिस्ततः। आश्रमादाश्रमं सद्यः पूतो गच्छति कर्मभिः ॥१२-२३६-२६॥
The forest-dweller sage, even with hair, body hair, and nails, immediately becomes purified by his actions as he moves from one hermitage to another.
अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो यो दत्त्वा प्रव्रजेद्द्विजः। लोकास्तेजोमयास्तस्य प्रेत्य चानन्त्यमश्नुते ॥१२-२३६-२७॥
If a twice-born, having given fearlessness to all beings, renounces, he attains worlds full of brilliance and endlessness after death.
सुशीलवृत्तो व्यपनीतकल्मषो; न चेह नामुत्र च कर्तुमीहते। अरोषमोहो गतसन्धिविग्रहो; भवेदुदासीनवदात्मविन्नरः ॥१२-२३६-२८॥
A man of good conduct, whose impurities are removed, who does not desire to act either here or hereafter, who is free from anger and delusion, who has transcended alliance and conflict, should remain like an indifferent person, as a knower of the self.
यमेषु चैवात्मगतेषु न व्यथे; त्स्वशास्त्रसूत्राहुतिमन्त्रविक्रमः। भवेद्यथेष्टा गतिरात्मयाजिनो; न संशयो धर्मपरे जीतेन्द्रिये ॥१२-२३६-२९॥
There is no disturbance in the Yamas and in those who have realized the Self; for one who follows his own scripture, aphorisms, offerings, mantras, and efforts, the self-sacrificer attains the desired goal; there is no doubt for one devoted to dharma and who has mastered his senses.
ततः परं श्रेष्ठमतीव सद्गुणै; रधिष्ठितं त्रीनधिवृत्तमुत्तमम्। चतुर्थमुक्तं परमाश्रमं शृणु; प्रकीर्त्यमानं परमं परायणम् ॥१२-२३६-३०॥
Thereafter, listen about the fourth, the supreme āśrama, which is established with excellent virtues, surpassing the other three, and is praised as the highest and ultimate goal.
