74
Śrimad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 7, Ch. 12]
Lord, for in this way it is possible to understand the Absolute Truth.
PURPORT
This is the beginning of self-realization. One must first understand how Brahman is present everywhere and how He is acting. This education is called  brahma-jijñāsā  and is the real concern of human life. Without such knowledge, one cannot claim to be a human being; rather, he remains in the animal kingdom. As it is said,  sa eva go-kharaḥ : without such knowledge, one is no better than a cow or an ass.
TEXT 17
वानप्रस्थस्य वक्ष्यामि नियमान्मुनिसम्मतान् ।
यानास्थाय मुनिर्गच्छेदपिलोकमुहाञ्जसा ॥१७॥
vānaprasthasya vakṣyāmi niyamān muni-sammatān yān āsthāya munir gacched ṛṣi-lokam uhāñjasā
vānaprasthasya —of a person in the  vānaprastha-āśrama  (retired life);  vakṣyāmi —I shall now explain;  niyamān —the rules and regulations;  muni-sammatān —which are recognized by great  munis , philosophers and saintly persons;  yān —which;  āsthāya —being situated in, or practicing;  muniḥ —a saintly person;  gacchet —is promoted;  ṛṣi-lokam —to the planetary system where the seers and  munis go  (Maharloka);  uha —O King;  añjasā —without difficulty.
TRANSLATION
O King, I shall now describe the qualifications for a  vānaprastha , one who has retired from family life. By rigidly following the rules and regulations for the  vānaprastha , one can easily be elevated to the upper planetary system known as Maharloka.
TEXT 18
न कृष्टपच्यमश्नीयादकृष्टं चाप्यकालतः ।
अग्निपक्कमथामं वा अर्कपक्कमुताहरेत् ॥१८॥