Freed from fear and not counted with the stars and planets, these have become visible in the sky as luminaries. When the fourth or last part of life is got at, and when one is weakened by decrepitude and possessed by disease, one should leave off the forest mode of life. Performing a sacrifice capable of being completed in a single day and in which the sacrificial fee should be everything he has, he should himself perforin his own funeral rite. Withdrawn from every other object, he should devote himself to his own self, taking pleasure in himself, and depending also on his own self. He should put up all his sacrificial fires (thenceforth) upon his ownself, and sever all sorts of bonds and attachments.
अनक्षत्रास्त्वनाधृष्या दृश्यन्ते ज्योतिषां गणाः। जरया च परिधनो व्याधिना च प्रपीडितः॥ चतुर्थे चायुषः शेषे वानप्रस्थाश्रमं त्यजेत्। सद्यस्कारां निरूप्येष्टिं सर्व वेदसदक्षिणाम्॥ आत्मयाजी सोऽऽत्मरतिरात्मक्रीडात्मसंश्रयः। आत्मन्यग्नीन् समारोप्य त्यक्त्वा सर्वपरिग्रहान्॥