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178
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
[Ch. IV
Exactly in the same manner the royal sage, Siva performed sacrifices on the days of conclusions of his second, third and fourth fasts (Sasthakşamana) respectively.
The particular difference is that he sprinkled the southern, western and northern directions and prayed to Yama, the lord of the South, Varuna, the lord of the West, and Vaišramana, the lord of the North on the days of conclusions of the second, third and fourth fasts in succession, while collecting flowers, fruits, leaves, sacrificial fire-wood, etc.
These are the essentinl features of the third stage of life as revealed in the Bhs.
It appears from the above evidences of Vanaprastha ascetic life of the royal sage, Śiva that the class corresponding to this stage was the Ksatriya caste and the statesmen whose spiritual urge led them to their retirement to asceticism.
The same view on the adoption of the Vānaprastha life is also expressed by the poet, Kālidāsa in his Raghuvansa' in which it is said thus, "Then that king Dilipa, having offered the white royal parasol to his young son, king Kakuda, according to custom, took shelter of the Vānaprastha-Asrama together with his wife, Sudakșini. This retirement to forest was the family vow of the old Ilsvākūs"..
-Atha sa vişayavyāvșttātmā yathāvidhi sūnave / Nfpatikakudam dattyā yūne sītātapavāraṇam | Munivanatarucchāyām devyā tayā sa ha siśriye / galita
vayasāṁ Ikşvākūņāmidam hi Kulavratam" (III-70).
The Raghuvaría further tells that king Aja', having odered the modest prince, Dasaratha dressed in armour, in the matter of protection of the people according to the Šāstras became Prāyopaveśanamati (having the mind to die in unmoving sitting position), desiring to end the suffering of his body wrecked by disease.
"Samyag-vinitamatha varmahavaṁ Kumāramādiśya rakṣaṇavidhau vidhivat-prajānāṁ /
1 Raghuvamsa, ili, 70.
· Ib., ViļI, 94.
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