Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 22

Brahmacarya and Vānaprastha Duties; Gradual Dissolution of Bodily Identity

Devanagari script

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

Translation

With careful discernment, a vānaprastha should remain in the forest for twelve years, eight, four, two, or at least one year. He should conduct himself so that his mind is not disturbed or pained by excessive austerity.

Synonyms

• caret: should wander/practice
• caret: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (चर्-धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (वन-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• dvādaśa-abdān: twelve years
• dvādaśa-abdān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśa (द्वादश-प्रातिपदिक, संख्या) + abda (अब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (द्वादश अब्दाः)

• aṣṭau: eight (years)
• aṣṭau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa (अष्ट-प्रातिपदिक, संख्या)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (संख्याशब्दः)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• caturo: four (years)
• caturo: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (चतुर्-प्रातिपदिक, संख्या)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (संख्याशब्दः)

• muniḥ: the sage
• muniḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (मुनि-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• dvau: two (years)
• dvau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvi (द्वि-प्रातिपदिक, संख्या)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (संख्याशब्दः)

• ekam: one (year)
• ekam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (एक-प्रातिपदिक, संख्या)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (संख्याशब्दः)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• yathā: as/according to
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: यथार्थक-अव्यय (according as)

• buddhiḥ: (one's) understanding
• buddhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (बुद्धि-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• vipadyeta: should fall into distress/should fail
• vipadyeta: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-pad (वि-पद्-धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• kṛcchrataḥ: from hardship / with difficulty
• kṛcchrataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṛcchra (कृच्छ्र-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; हेतौ/अपादाने (from hardship; with difficulty)

Characters & Entities

• Nārada Muni
• Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about how long one should practice forest life (vanaprastha)?

In this verse, Nārada says a sage may stay in the forest for 12, 8, 4, 2, or 1 year—adjusting the duration to one’s capacity so austerity does not cause collapse or distress.

Why did Narada Muni say this to Yudhishthira Mahārāja?

Nārada is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on practical varṇāśrama-dharma, emphasizing that spiritual discipline should be sincere yet sustainable, not self-destructive.

How can this teaching on sustainable austerity be applied in modern devotional life?

Choose vows and practices (japa, fasting, service, simplicity) that you can maintain steadily; increase gradually rather than taking extreme steps that lead to burnout and discouragement.