Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.18.1
श्रीभगवानुवाच
वनं विविक्षु: पुत्रेषु भार्यां न्यस्य सहैव वा ।
वन एव वसेच्छान्तस्तृतीयं भागमायुष: ॥ १ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
[shree-bhagavaan uvaacha]
vanaṁ vivikṣuḥ putreṣu
[vanam vivikshuh putreshu]
bhāryāṁ nyasya sahaiva vā
[bhaaryaam nyasya sahaiva vaa]
vana eva vasec chāntas
[vana eva vasech chaantas]
tṛtīyaṁ bhāgam āyuṣaḥ
[triteeyam bhaagam aayushah]
Word-for-word
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
—
the Supreme Personality of Godhead said
vanam
—
the forest
vivikṣuḥ
—
desiring to enter
putreṣu
—
among the sons
bhāryām
—
wife
nyasya
—
entrusting
saha
—
together with
eva
—
indeed
vā
—
or
vane
—
in the forest
eva
—
certainly
vaset
—
one should dwell
śāntaḥ
—
with a peaceful mind
tṛtīyam
—
the third
bhāgam
—
division
āyuṣaḥ
—
of life.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
the Supreme Personality of Godhead said
vanam
the forest
vanaṁ vivikṣuḥ putreṣu
vivikṣuḥ
desiring to enter
putreṣu
among the sons
bhāryāṁ nyasya sahaiva vā
bhāryām
wife
nyasya
entrusting
saha
together with
vana eva vasec chāntas
eva
indeed
vā
or
vane
in the forest
eva
certainly
vaset
one should dwell
tṛtīyaṁ bhāgam āyuṣaḥ
śāntaḥ
with a peaceful mind
tṛtīyam
the third
bhāgam
division
āyuṣaḥ
of life.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: One who desires to adopt the third order of life, vānaprastha, should enter the forest with a peaceful mind, leaving his wife with his mature sons, or else taking her along with him.
Purport
In Kali-yuga a human being generally cannot live more than one hundred years, and even this is becoming most unusual. A man who has a reasonable expectation of living for one hundred years may adopt the vānaprastha order at the age of fifty, and then at the age of seventy-five he may take sannyāsa for complete renunciation. Since in Kali-yuga very few people live for one hundred years, one should adjust the schedule accordingly. Vānaprastha is intended as a gradual transition from materialistic family life to the stage of complete renunciation.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
The Supreme Lord said: One who desires to be a vānaprastha should enter the forest with a peaceful mind, leaving his wife with his mature sons, or else taking her along with him, and spend a third of his life there.
The Eighteenth Chapter describes life of the vānaprastha and sannyāsī and as well the general description of a devotee without āśrama. In sequence, first the vānaprastha is described. He should remain a vānaprastha till the age of seventy-five years. Then he is qualified for sannyāsa.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
One adopting vānaprastha enters the forest with a peaceful mind, leaving his wife with mature sons or taking her along. The transition is made deliberately, with care for those left behind.
Reflection Questions
- What 'transition' in my life have I attempted without first arranging for those who depend on me?
- What would peaceful leaving look like?
My note
Source: vedabase.io