Obstacles to accepting the vānaprastha āśrama: #9 and #10. Boredom and invalidity

The Vānaprastha Adventure, Installment 33

Misgivings about boredom

We might think, “Maybe some devotees can chant and hear and read all day. But I can’t. So if I became a vānaprastha, what would I do all day? I would be bored.” But although the vānaprastha āśrama affords an opportunity to do more hearing, chanting, and reading, for a vānaprastha these are not the only engagements. We see that Śrīla Prabhupāda, even as a sannyāsī, undertook a full range of active engagements—preaching, writing, raising funds, publishing, building temples, worshiping the Deities, developing projects, guiding followers, and more.

Invalidity

There may be devotees who are disease-ridden or aged to the point of invalidity. They may be unable to eat on their own or otherwise care for themselves. How then could they possibly accept the vānaprastha āśrama?

If the devotee is fortunate, he may be able to stay in a holy place like Vṛndāvana to be cared for. Or perhaps some other arrangement can be made. Otherwise, regrettably, we may have to admit that it would be best for him to stay at home. When it comes to getting free from family life, for him the window of opportunity has closed.

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Our discussion of obstacles will continue in the next installments.

This is part of a draft

This is an excerpt from a new book I have in the works—The Vānaprastha Adventure, a guide to retirement in spiritual life. The book should be published in early 2026. Meanwhile I’ll be posting my draft here, in installments.