Manava Dharmashastra 6.3

6.3

brohiyavamayamanaṃ tataḥ prabhṛti nāśrīyādityetat ‘saṃtyajyeti’ ucyate | taduktaṃ ‘mūlāśītyādi’ | paricchadaḥ gavāśvavastrāsanaśayyādiḥ | yadi bhāryāyā icchā tadā sahagamanam, anyathā ekākinaḥ | anye tu taruṇīṃ nikṣipya vṛddhayā saheti varṇayanti | satyāṃ bhāryāyāmayaṃ vidhiḥ, putreṣu nikṣepaḥ vanagamanaṃ vā | asatyāmapi mṛtāyāṃ vanavāsa āpastambādibhiḥ smaryate “punarādhāna” ityatra | yasyendriyacāpalyaṃ nāsti sa vānaprasthaḥ | itaraḥ punardārānparigṛhṇīyāditi vyavasthā |

Having given up cultivated food and all his belongings, he shall repair to the forest, either making over his wife to his sons, or along with her.—(3).

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
From this time onward he shall not eat any food consisting of barley, paddy and the like;—this is what is meant by ‘hav - ing given up’. This is what has been described as ‘living on roots.’

‘Belonging’—Consisting of cows, houses, clothing, seats and beds, etc.

If the wife wishes it, then they should go away together; Otherwise he shall go alone. Others explain the text to mean that if the wife is still young he shall commit her to his sons, and if she is old, he is to take her with himself.

It is only when the wife is there that there can be any rule regarding her either being made over to the sons or going to the forest with her husband. If the wife has died, then also the man should retire to the forest, as declared by Āpastamba and others, in connection with the ‘Re-kindling of Fire.’

Only that man can be a Hermit whose senses are not too mobile; otherwise, he should take another wife; such is the established rule.—(3).