Shloka 11
वानप्रस्थानां च द्रव्योपस्कार इति प्रायशः खल्वेते साधव: साधुपथ्यौदना: स्वाध्यायप्रसड्धिन-स्तीर्थाभिगमनदेशदर्शनार्थ. पृथिवीं पर्यटन्ति । तेषां प्रत्युत्थानाभिगमनाभिवादनानसूयवाक्प्रदानसुखश- क्त्यासनसुखशयनाभ्यवहारसत्क्रिया चेति,वानप्रस्थोंके लिये धनका संग्रह करना निषिद्ध है। ये श्रेष्ठ लोग प्राय: शुद्ध एवं हितकर अन्नमात्रके इच्छुक होकर स्वाध्याय, तीर्थयात्रा एवं देश-दर्शनके निमित्त सारी पृथ्वीपर घूमते-फिरते हैं। ये घरपर पधारें तो उठकर, आगे बढ़कर इनका स्वागत करे। इनके चरणोंमें मस्तक झुकावे, दोषदृष्टि न रखकर उनसे उत्तम वचन बोले। यथाशक्ति सुखद आसन दे, सुखद शय्यापर उन्हें सुलावे और उत्तम भोजन करावे। इस प्रकार उनका पूर्ण सत्कार करे। यही उन श्रेष्ठ पुरुषके प्रति गृहस्थका कर्तव्य है
Bharadvāja uvāca: vānaprasthānāṃ ca dravyopaskāra iti prāyaśaḥ khalv ete sādhavaḥ sādhupathyau-danāḥ svādhyāya-prasaktinas tīrthābhigamana-deśa-darśanārthaṃ pṛthivīṃ paryaṭanti. teṣāṃ pratyutthānābhigamanābhivādanān asūyā-vāk-pradāna-sukha-śakty-āsana-sukha-śayana-abhyavahāra-satkriyā ceti.
Bharadvāja said: “As for those who have entered the forest-dweller stage (vānaprastha), the accumulation of wealth and possessions is, for the most part, not their way. These virtuous men, desiring only pure and wholesome food, wander over the whole earth for the sake of Vedic study (svādhyāya), pilgrimage to sacred places, and the seeing of various lands. When such forest-dwellers arrive at one’s home, one should rise to greet them, go forward to receive them, and offer respectful salutations. One should speak to them without fault-finding, offer them pleasant words, provide—according to one’s ability—a comfortable seat, a comfortable bed, and suitable food, and thus render them full hospitality. This is the householder’s duty toward such excellent persons.”
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
Forest-dwellers (vānaprasthas) should not be oriented toward accumulating possessions; householders, in turn, must honour them through respectful reception, non-critical speech, and practical hospitality—seat, lodging, and food—according to their means.
Bharadvāja describes the typical conduct of vānaprasthas—wandering for study and pilgrimage—and then prescribes how a householder should behave when such renunciant travelers arrive: rise, greet, salute, speak kindly, and provide appropriate comforts and meals.