vanam samayā vasāmaḥ

 The Sanskrit phrase "vanam samayā vasāmaḥ" 

translates to "Let us dwell/live in the forest for the 

appointed time."

Detailed breakdown:

• vanam (वनम्) – forest
• samayā (समया) – at the appropriate time, for a fixed period, 
• or according to a set period
• vasāmaḥ (वसामः) – first person plural of the verb to dwell/live, 
• meaning “let us live” or “we shall dwell”

Taken together, the phrase often appears in contexts such as Vedic 

or epic literature referring to sages or individuals retreating to the 

forest for a set period for meditation, study, or austerity. It conveys 

both the action of dwelling and the time-bound nature of the retreat.

Literal vs contextual translation:

• Literal: “We shall dwell in the forest for a period of time.”
• Contextual/interpretive: “Let us spend the prescribed time living 
• in the forest, as part of a retreat or period of seclusion.”

This type of phrasing is commonly found in dharmic texts describing 

periods of forest dwelling (vanaprastha) or seasonal retreats.