SB 7.12.22 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

चरेद्वने द्वादशाब्दानष्टौ वा चतुरो मुनि: । द्वावेकं वा यथा बुद्धिर्न विपद्येत कृच्छ्रत: ॥ २२ ॥

Verse text

cared vane dvādaśābdān aṣṭau vā caturo muniḥ dvāv ekaṁ vā yathā buddhir na vipadyeta kṛcchrataḥ

Synonyms

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.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

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.