Shloka 21
Brahmā’s Instruction on Brahmacarya, Vānaprastha, and the Aliṅga Path
Ethics of Non-attachment
यात्रार्थी कालमाकाडूक्षेश्षरेद् भैक्ष्यं समाहित: । लाभं॑ साधारण नेच्छेन्न भुज्जीताभिपूजित:,संन्यासी जीवन-निर्वाहके ही लिये भिक्षा माँगे। उचित समयतक उसके मिलनेकी बाट देखे। चित्तको एकाग्र किये रहे। साधारण वस्तुओंकी प्राप्तिकी भी इच्छा न करे। जहाँ अधिक सम्मान होता हो, वहाँ भोजन न करे
yātrārthī kālam ākāṅkṣed bhaikṣyaṃ samāhitaḥ | lābhaṃ sādhāraṇaṃ necchen na bhuñjītābhipūjitaḥ ||
Vāyu-deva disse: “O renunciante que pede esmolas apenas para sustentar sua jornada e seu viver deve esperar o tempo apropriado para recebê-las, mantendo-se recolhido e atento. Não deve desejar nem mesmo ganhos comuns, e não deve comer onde é honrado em demasia.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches disciplined renunciation: seek alms only for bare sustenance, wait calmly for what comes at the proper time, do not cultivate desire even for small gains, and avoid situations where honor and special treatment might inflate ego or create attachment.
Vāyu-deva is instructing about the proper conduct of a wandering renunciant (saṃnyāsin), outlining how he should approach begging for food and how he should guard against attachment to gain and to social honor.