Vaanaprastam does not really mean adjourning to forest and living there..
It only defines a stage in life where a person who has lived off his prime of youth and early middle age.. and has sired the next generation which is capable of taking over from him, to slow down, and leave the material things to the next generation and control his passions so that he would be mentally prepared and would not panic when the end of his physical existence on this earth is coming to a close..
In fact Aranyakas in Vedas which contain the major Upanishads.. convey almost the same message.
There again we can find symbolic reference to Aranyam or forest..
Actually the Upanishads stress on slowing down on physical performance of rituals and fire sacrifices and do the same yajnas through contemplation and simulation in mind..
The Ashramas (brahmacharya, garhastya, vanaprasta, and sannyaas ) are just indicative of a process where a human being grows from infancy to adolescence and adulthood.. and then leaves the arena to the next generation in whose birth and growth he has played a significant role
It only defines a stage in life where a person who has lived off his prime of youth and early middle age.. and has sired the next generation which is capable of taking over from him, to slow down, and leave the material things to the next generation and control his passions so that he would be mentally prepared and would not panic when the end of his physical existence on this earth is coming to a close..
In fact Aranyakas in Vedas which contain the major Upanishads.. convey almost the same message.
There again we can find symbolic reference to Aranyam or forest..
Actually the Upanishads stress on slowing down on physical performance of rituals and fire sacrifices and do the same yajnas through contemplation and simulation in mind..
The Ashramas (brahmacharya, garhastya, vanaprasta, and sannyaas ) are just indicative of a process where a human being grows from infancy to adolescence and adulthood.. and then leaves the arena to the next generation in whose birth and growth he has played a significant role
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