kanda-mūla-phalair vanyair
medhyair vá¹›ttiá¹ prakalpayet
vasÄ«ta valkalaá¹ vÄsas
tṛṇa-parṇÄjinÄni vÄ
kanda - with bulbs; mÅ«la - roots; phalaiḥ - and fruits; vanyaiḥ - growing in the forest; medhyaiḥ - pure; vá¹›ttim - sustenance; prakalpayet - one should arrange; vasÄ«ta - one should put on; valkalam - tree bark; vÄsaḥ - as clothes; tṛṇa - grass; parṇa - leaves; ajinÄni - animal skins; vÄ - or.
Having adopted the vÄnaprastha order of life, one should arrange one’s sustenance by eating uncontaminated bulbs, roots and fruits that grow in the forest. One may dress oneself with tree bark, grass, leaves or animal skins.
A renounced sage in the forest does not kill animals, but rather acquires skins from animals who have suffered natural death. According to a passage from Manu-saá¹hitÄ, quoted by ÅšrÄ«la BhaktisiddhÄnta SarasvatÄ« ṬhÄkura, the word medhyaiḥ, or “pure,†indicates that while residing in the forest a sage may not accept honey-based liquors, animal flesh, fungus, mushrooms, horseradish or any hallucinogenic or intoxicating herbs, even those taken as so-called medicine.
