Chapter 12
चरेद्वने द्वादशाब्दानष्टौ वा चतुरो मुनि: । द्वावेकं वा यथा बुद्धिर्न विपद्येत कृच्छ्रत: ॥ २२ ॥
Transliteration
cared vane dvādaśābdān aṣṭau vā caturo muniḥ dvāv ekaṁ vā yathā buddhir na vipadyeta kṛcchrataḥ
Synonyms (Word-for-Word)
caret — should remain; vane — in the forest; dvādaśa-abdān — twelve years; aṣṭau — for eight years; vā — either; caturaḥ — four years; muniḥ — a saintly, thoughtful man; dvau — two; ekam — one; vā — either; yathā — as well as; buddhiḥ — intelligence; na — not; vipadyeta — bewildered; kṛcchrataḥ — because of hard austerities.
Translation
“Being very thoughtful, a vānaprastha should remain in the forest for twelve years, eight years, four years, two years or at least one year. He should behave in such a way that he will not be disturbed or troubled by too much austerity.”