Sacred Texts Hinduism Index Previous Next
1. A householder, when he sees his skin has become wrinkled and his hair turned grey, must go to live in a forest.
2. Or (he must do so) when he sees the son of his son.
3. Let him (before going into the forest) entrust the care of his wife to his sons, or let her accompany him.
4. Let him keep the sacred fires in his new abode as before.
5. He must not omit to perform the five sacrifices,
[XCIV. 1, 2. M. VI, 2.--3, 4. M. VI, 3, 4; Y. III, 4; Âpast. II, 9, 22, 8, 9.--5. M. VI, 5, 16; Y. III, 46; Gaut. III, 29.--6. M. VI. 8; Y. III, 48.--7. M. VI. 26; Y. III, 45; Âpast. II, 9, 21, 19.--8. M. VI, 6; Âpast. II, 9, 22, 1; Gaut. VI, 34.--9, 10. M. VI, 6; Y. III, 46, 48.--9, 11. Gaut III, 34, 35.--11. M. VI, 18; Y. III, 47.--12. M. VI, 15; Y. III, 47; Âpast. II, 9, 22, 24.--13. M. VI. 28; Y. III, 55. 'The duties of a householder having been declared, he now goes on to expound the duties of an hermit.' (Nand.)
5. See LIX, 20 seq.]
but (he must perform them) with (fruits, herbs, or roots) growing wild.
6. He must not relinquish the private recitation of the Veda.
7. He must preserve his chastity.
8. He must wear a dress made of skins or bark.
9. He must suffer the hairs of his head, of his beard, and of his body, and his nails to grow.
10. He must bathe at morning. noon, and evening.
11. He must either collect provisions, after the manner of the pigeon, for a month, or he must collect them for a year.
12. He who has collected provisions for a year, must throw away what he has collected on the day of full moon in the month Âsvina.
13. Or an hermit may bring food from a village, placing it in a dish made of leaves, or in a single leaf, or in his hand, or in a potsherd, and eat eight mouthfuls of it.