SB 11.18.2 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.18.2

कन्दमूलफलैर्वन्यैर्मेध्यैर्वृत्तिं प्रकल्पयेत् । वसीत वल्कलं वासस्तृणपर्णाजिनानि वा ॥ २ ॥

kanda-mūla-phalair vanyair

[kanda-moola-phalair vanyair]

medhyair vṛttiṁ prakalpayet

[medhyair vrittim prakalpayet]

vasīta valkalaṁ vāsas

[vaseeta valkalam vaasas]

tṛṇa-parṇājināni vā

[trina-parnaajinaani vaa]

Word-for-word

kanda — with bulbs mūla — roots phalaiḥ — and fruits vanyaiḥ — growing in the forest medhyaiḥ — pure vṛttim — sustenance prakalpayet — one should arrange vasīta — one should put on valkalam — tree bark vāsaḥ — as clothes tṛṇa — grass parṇa — leaves ajināni — animal skins vā — or.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

kanda-mūla-phalair vanyair

kanda

with bulbs

mūla

roots

phalaiḥ

and fruits

vanyaiḥ

growing in the forest

medhyair vṛttiṁ prakalpayet

medhyaiḥ

pure

vṛttim

sustenance

prakalpayet

one should arrange

vasīta valkalaṁ vāsas

vasīta

one should put on

valkalam

tree bark

vāsaḥ

as clothes

tṛṇa-parṇājināni vā

tṛṇa

grass

parṇa

leaves

ajināni

animal skins

vā

or.

Having adopted the vānaprastha order of life, one should arrange one’s sustenance by eating uncontaminated bulbs, roots and fruits that grow in the forest. One may dress oneself with tree bark, grass, leaves or animal skins.

Purport

A renounced sage in the forest does not kill animals, but rather acquires skins from animals who have suffered natural death. According to a passage from Manu-saṁhitā, quoted by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, the word medhyaiḥ, or “pure,” indicates that while residing in the forest a sage may not accept honey-based liquors, animal flesh, fungus, mushrooms, horseradish or any hallucinogenic or intoxicating herbs, even those taken as so-called medicine.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

One should arrange one’s sustenance by eating uncontaminated bulbs, roots and fruits that grow in the forest. One should dress in tree bark, grass, leaves or animal skins. Vasīta means “should wear.”

Personal Guidance

The vānaprastha lives on uncontaminated bulbs, roots, fruits from the forest and dresses in bark, grass, leaves, or skin. Material life shrinks to bare essentials.

Reflection Questions

What in my life could be radically simpler this season?
Where am I treating excess as essential?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io