Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 15

Vānaprastha-vidhi and Sannyāsa-dharma: Austerity, Detachment, and the Paramahaṁsa Ideal

Devanagari script

बिभृयाच्चेन्मुनिर्वास: कौपीनाच्छादनं परम् । त्यक्तं न दण्डपात्राभ्यामन्यत् किञ्चिदनापदि ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

bibhṛyāc cen munir vāsaḥ kaupīnācchādanaṁ param tyaktaṁ na daṇḍa-pātrābhyām anyat kiñcid anāpadi

Translation

Wenn der Sannyāsin außer einem bloßen kaupīna noch etwas tragen möchte, darf er ein weiteres Tuch um Taille und Hüften legen, um es zu bedecken; ansonsten soll er, sofern kein Notfall vorliegt, nichts außer daṇḍa und Wassergefäß (kamandalu) annehmen.

Synonyms

• bibhṛyāt: should bear/wear
• bibhṛyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhṛ (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), 3rd Person, Singular; parasmaipada

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha-bodhaka (शर्त/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (निपात)

• muniḥ: the sage
• muniḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• vāsaḥ: a garment
• vāsaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (form vāsaḥ = vāsas)

• kaupīna-acchādanam: a loincloth-covering
• kaupīna-acchādanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaupīna (प्रातिपदिक) + acchādana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी/possessive) ‘covering consisting of a loincloth’; Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• param: only/supreme (i.e., as the sole covering)
• param: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying (kaupīna-acchādanam)

• tyaktam: abandoned/left aside
• tyaktam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tyaj (धातु) → tyakta (क्त/PPP)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; predicate with ‘na … anyat’

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध)

• daṇḍa-pātrābhyām: with (only) staff and bowl
• daṇḍa-pātrābhyām: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + pātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva-samāsa; Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन)

• anyat: anything else
• anyat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• kiñcit: something/anything
• kiñcit: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Indefinite pronoun; Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• anāpadi: when there is no emergency
• anāpadi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: an-āpada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘in non-emergency’

Purport

A sannyāsī attracted to material possessions will spoil his worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Uddhava

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about possessions for a sannyasi?

In 11.18.15, Kṛṣṇa says a renunciant should keep only the bare minimum—at most a loincloth and simple covering—and, besides a staff and begging bowl, nothing else unless there is genuine necessity.

Why did Krishna say this to Uddhava in the Uddhava Gita?

Kṛṣṇa is teaching Uddhava the inner and outer standards of renunciation—reducing dependence on objects so the mind can remain fixed on the Supreme without distraction.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Adopt purposeful simplicity: keep what supports dharma and devotion, avoid accumulating non-essentials, and treat “necessity” as truly exceptional rather than habitual comfort.