Markandeyapurana 28.24

28.24

apatyasantatiṃ dṛṣṭvā prājño cānatim /
vānaprasthāśramaṃ gacchedātmanaḥ śuddhikāraṇāt //

“Now I have declared this gṛhastha period distinctly. I describe to thee the duty of the vānaprastha: be it heard. Having seen the succession of his offspring, and the stoop of his body, let the wise man enter upon the vānaprastha period, for the purpose of purifying his soul. In it there is the enjoyment of the forest, and attraction by penances, sleeping on the ground, sacred study, ceremonies for the pitṛs gods and guests, the homa oblation, the three daily ablutions,[3] the wearing matted hair and a bark dress, and diligence in meditation unceasingly, the use of forest unguents. This is the vānaprastha period, for the purification of sin, and beneficial to the soul. But after that comes another, the last, period of the bhikṣu.