Shloka 3
Vānaprastha-vṛtti and the Transition toward the Fourth Āśrama (वानप्रस्थवृत्तिः चतुर्थाश्रमोपक्रमश्च)
छिन्नदोषो मुनिर्योगान् युक्तो युज्जीत द्वादश । देशकर्मानुरागार्थानुपायापायनिश्चयै:
chinnadoṣo munir yogān yukto yuñjīta dvādaśa | deśakarmānurāgārthān upāyāpāyaniścayaiḥ ||
Vyāsa said: A sage who has cut off his faults and is established in discipline should practice the twelve yogic disciplines, making clear discernments about place and conduct, about attachments and their aims, and about the proper means and the possible dangers or setbacks—so that his practice proceeds in a well-governed, ethically sound way.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Purified character is the foundation of yoga: a sage free from faults should undertake disciplined practice, guided by clear discernment—choosing suitable place and conduct, understanding the pull and purpose of attachments, and judging both the right means and the risks that can derail progress.
In the didactic setting of Śānti Parva, Vyāsa continues instructive discourse on spiritual discipline, outlining how a qualified sage should proceed—by engaging in a set of ‘twelve’ yogic practices while carefully evaluating context (place and action) and practical strategy (means versus dangers).