ŚB 7.12.22
Canto 7, Chapter 12, Text 22
चरेद्वने द्वादशाब्दानष्टौ वा चतुरो मुनि: ।
द्वावेकं वा यथा बुद्धिर्न विपद्येत कृच्छ्रत: ॥ २२ ॥
द्वावेकं वा यथा बुद्धिर्न विपद्येत कृच्छ्रत: ॥ २२ ॥
cared vane dvādaśābdān
aṣṭau vā caturo muniḥ
dvāv ekaṁ vā yathā buddhir
na vipadyeta kṛcchrataḥ
aṣṭau vā caturo muniḥ
dvāv ekaṁ vā yathā buddhir
na vipadyeta kṛcchrataḥ
Word by word
caret — should remain; vane — in the forest; dvādaśa-abdān — twelve years; aṣṭau — for eight years; vā — either; caturaḥ — four years; muniḥ — a saintly, thoughtful man; dvau — two; ekam — one; vā — either; yathā — as well as; buddhiḥ — intelligence; na — not; vipadyeta — bewildered; kṛcchrataḥ — because of hard austerities.
Translation
Being very thoughtful, a vānaprastha should remain in the forest for twelve years, eight years, four years, two years or at least one year. He should behave in such a way that he will not be disturbed or troubled by too much austerity.