Text 24
pura-grāma-vrajān sārthān
bhikṣārthaṁ praviśaṁś caret
puṇya-deśa-saric-chaila-
vanāśrama-vatīṁ mahīm
pura — cities; grāma — towns; vrajān — and pasturing grounds; sa-arthān — those working for bodily maintenance; bhikṣā-artham — for begging alms; praviśan — entering; caret — he should travel; puṇya — pure; deśa — places; sarit — with rivers; śaila — mountains; vana — and forests; āśrama-vatīm — possessing such residential places; mahīm — the earth.
The sage should travel in sanctified places, by flowing rivers and within the solitude of mountains and forests. He should enter the cities, towns and pasturing grounds and approach ordinary working men only to beg his bare sustenance.
According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, the word pura refers to cities and towns with shopping centers, markets and other commercial enterprises, whereas grāma refers to smaller towns, lacking such facilities. The vānaprastha or sannyāsī trying to become free from material attachment should avoid those who are working day and night for sense gratification, approaching them only to engage them in necessary acts of charity. Those who are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world are understood to be liberated souls, and therefore they constantly approach the materialistic living entities to engage them in the devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa. However, even such preachers should strictly avoid contact with the materialistic world when not actually necessary for advancing the mission of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The injunction is that one should not deal unnecessarily with the materialistic world.