uṭajaṁ vādri-kandaram

uṭajaṁ vādri-kandaram

śrayeta hima-vāyv-agni-

varṣārkātapa-ṣāṭ svayam

A vānaprastha should prepare a thatched cottage or take shelter of a cave in a mountain only to keep the sacred fire, while enduring snowfall, wind, fire, rain and the heat of the sun.

Tolerating (ṣāṭ) snow, wind, fire, rain, sunshine, he should take shelter of a cave.

|| 7.12.21 ||

keśa-roma-nakha-śmaśru-

malāni jaṭilo dadhat

kamaṇḍalv-ajine daṇḍa-

valkalāgni-paricchadān

The vānaprastha should wear matted locks of hair on his head, and his body hair, nails and moustache should remain unclean. He should keep a water pot, deerskin, rod, the bark of a tree as clothing, and sacrificial utensils.

He is unclean because of not brushing teeth etc.

|| 7.12.22 ||

cared vane dvādaśābdān

aṣṭau vā caturo muniḥ

dvāv ekaṁ vā yathā buddhir

na vipadyeta kṛcchrataḥ

The sage should remain in the forest for twelve years, eight years, four years, two years or at least one year, such that he will not be disturbed by too much austerity.

|| 7.12.23 ||

yadākalpaḥ sva-kriyāyāṁ

vyādhibhir jarayāthavā

ānvīkṣikyāṁ vā vidyāyāṁ

kuryād anaśanādikam

When, because of disease or old age, one is unable to perform his prescribed duties or practice jñāna, he should fast.

When he is incapable (akalpaḥ) of practicing jñāna (ānvīkṣikyām) during the twelve year or lesser austerity, he should fast.

|| 7.12.24 ||

ātmany agnīn samāropya

sannyasyāhaṁ mamātmatām

kāraṇeṣu nyaset samyak

saṅghātaṁ tu yathārhataḥ

He should properly place the fire element in his own self and in this way give up bodily affinity by which one thinks the body to be one's self or one's possession. He should gradually merge the material body into the five elements as far as possible.

The verses till the end of the chapter describe the actions before fasting. Yathārhataḥ means as far as suitable. He should merge the body (saṁghātam) into its causes such as ether.

|| 7.12.25 ||