वानप्रस्थ vānprasth

S وان वान vāna, vulg. vān, bān (fr. vana), adj. Belonging or relating to a wood or forest; — relating to a dwelling in a wood or to a house, &c.; — s.m. A number of woods, a collection of groves or thickets: — vān-prasth, vulg. bān-prasth, s.m. A Brāhmaṇ of the third order who has passed through the stages of student and householder and has left his house and family for the forest (see āśram); a hermit, an anchorite; — the tree Bassia latifolia; — the palās-tree, Butea frondosa.

वानप्रस्थ vānaprastha va:nprasth (nm) the third of the four stages ( आश्रम ) of life prescribed by tradition for a caste Hindu—the stage of abandoning worldly things; hence —आश्रम; वानप्रस्थी (nm and a).

वानप्रस्थ. There are four main parts of life (ashrama) in Hinduism – Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa. That is, the third part Vanaprastha means the one who leaves to the forest. Assuming human age to be 100 years, each ashram is of 25 years - 1. Brahmacharya ashram (from birth to 25 years) - for academic achievements and intellectual development. 2. Grihastha Ashram (from 25 to 50 years) - For attainment of Dharma, Artha, Kama for social development. 3. Vanprastha Ashram (from 50 to 75 years) - For spiritual flourishing. 4. Sanyas Ashram (from 75 to 100 years) - attainment of salvation; An ascetic; A Sadhu