SLOKA OF THE WEEK:

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.12.20
agny-artham eva śaranam
utajam vādri-kandaram
śrayeta hima-vāyv-agni-
varsārkātapa-sāt svayam

agni — the fire; artham — to keep; eva — only; śaranam — a cottage; uta-jam — made of grass; vā — or; adri-kandaram — a cave in a mountain; śrayeta — the vānaprastha should take shelter of; hima — snow; vāyu — wind; agni — fire; varsa — rain; arka — of the sun; ātapa — shining; sāt — enduring; svayam — personally.

TRANSLATION

A vānaprastha should prepare a thatched cottage or take shelter of a cave in a mountain only to keep the sacred fire, but he should personally practice enduring snowfall, wind, fire, rain and the shining of the sun.

JOURNAL:

After leaving my family a year and a half ago, and now living outside the city, I realize how slokas like this translate into the modern day. Last summer I spent a lot of time outside tolerating the weather. Two weeks ago I moved further away from the city into a basement room (which feels like a cave sometimes) that is on a mile-high hill. And so I sit, fifty two years old, retired from the life I have lived for so long, chanting japa and learning to love Krishna more deeply.