58 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 12
asrama, as well as the duties for sannydsis, are prescribed in the Sastras.
A grhastha is not meant to enjoy sex life without restriction. Indeed, the
whole purpose of Vedic life is to become free from sexual indulgence. All
the dsramas are recognized for spiritual progress, and therefore although
the grhastha-asrama gives a kind of license for sex life for a certain
time, it does not allow unrestricted sex life. Therefore, in grhastha life
also, there is no illicit sex. A grhastha should not accept a woman for sex-
ual enjoyment. Wasting semen is also illicit sex.

After the grhastha-asrama is another asrama, known as vanaprastha,
which is midway between grhastha and sannydsa. A person in the
vanaprastha order is restricted in eating food grains and forbidden to eat
fruits that have not ripened on the tree. Nor should he cook food with
fire, although he is allowed to eat caru, grains that have been offered in a
sacrificial fire. He may also eat fruits and grains that have grown
naturally. Living in a thatched cottage, the vanaprastha should endure
all kinds of heat and cold. He should not cut his nails or hair, and he
should give up cleaning his body and teeth. He should wear tree bark, ac-
cept a danda, and practice life in the forest, taking a vow to live there
for twelve years, eight years, four years, two years or at least one year. At
last, when because of old age he can no longer perform the activities of a
vanaprastha, he should gradually stop everything and in this way give
up his body.

TEXT 1
TAs FAT
.
AMA TSS WN TAfery |
Mata Gt ygeeale: ll 2 ll
Sri-nadrada uvaca
brahmacari guru-kule
vasan danto guror hitam
acaran dasavan nico
gurau sudrdha-sauhrdah

$ri-ndradah uvica—Sri Narada Muni said; brahmacari—a
brahmacari, a student living at the residence of the guru; guru-kule—at
the residence of the guru; vasan—by living; dantah—continuously
