Shloka 21
महाभूत–इन्द्रिय–मनस्–बुद्धि–अन्तरात्मा विवेकः | Discrimination of Elements, Senses, Mind, Intellect, and Inner Self
तात! जिनकी तपस्या उग्र है, जिन्होंने धर्मकी निपुणताको देखा और अनुभव किया है, उन ऋषियोंके यायावर नामक गण भी वानप्रस्थी हैं, जिन्हें धर्मके फलका प्रत्यक्ष अनुभव है। वे तथा और भी असंख्य वनवासी ब्राह्मण, बालखिल्य और सैकत नामवाले दूसरे मुनि भी वैखानस (वानप्रस्थ) धर्मका पालन करनेवाले हैं ।। कर्मभिस्ते निरानन्दा धर्मनित्या जितेन्द्रिया: । गताः: प्रत्यक्षधर्माणस्ते सर्वे वनमाश्रिता:
tāta! yeṣāṁ tapasya ugrā, ye dharmasya nipuṇatāṁ dṛṣṭvā anubhūtavantaḥ, teṣāṁ ṛṣīṇāṁ yāyāvara-nāmaka-gaṇā api vānaprasthinaḥ, ye dharma-phalasya pratyakṣānubhava-yuktāḥ. te ca anye’pi asaṅkhyeyā vana-vāsinaḥ brāhmaṇāḥ, bālakhilyāḥ, saikata-nāmānaś ca anye munayaḥ api vaikhānasa (vānaprastha) dharmaṁ pālayanti. karmabhis te nirānandā dharma-nityā jitendriyāḥ; gatāḥ pratyakṣa-dharmāṇas te sarve vanam āśritāḥ.
Vyāsa said: “Dear one, those whose austerities are severe—who have seen and personally realized the subtle skill of dharma—include even the groups of sages called Yāyāvaras among the forest-dwelling vānaprasthas, for they have direct experience of the fruits of dharma. Along with them, countless Brahmins living in the woods, and the Bālakhilyas, and other ascetics known as Saikatas too, all observe the Vaikhānasa discipline of the vānaprastha life. Through their prescribed acts they remain free from worldly delight, ever steadfast in dharma, self-controlled; having made dharma something directly witnessed, they all have taken refuge in the forest.”
व्यास उवाच