Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15
Janaka Instructs Śuka: Āśrama-Sequence, Guru-Dependence, and Marks of Liberation
उत्पाद्य पुत्रपौत्रांश्च वन्याश्रमपदे वसेत् । तानेवाग्नीन्यथान्यायं पूजयन्नतिथिप्रियः ॥ १५ ॥
utpādya putrapautrāṃśca vanyāśramapade vaset | tānevāgnīnyathānyāyaṃ pūjayannatithipriyaḥ || 15 ||
Nachdem er Söhne und Enkel gezeugt hat, soll er im Wald-Āśrama (Vānaprastha) wohnen. Als einer, der die Aufnahme von Gästen liebt, soll er eben jene heiligen Feuer nach rechter Vorschrift verehren.
Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on Moksha-Dharma/āśrama conduct)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It frames vānaprastha as a dharmic transition after fulfilling family obligations, emphasizing disciplined ritual life (honoring the sacred fires) and inner purification through regulated conduct.
By highlighting atithi-priya (love of serving guests) and reverence for sacred fires, it points to devotion expressed as service, reverence, and daily sacred duty—practical bhakti through selfless honoring of dharma.
Ritual propriety—“yathā-nyāyam” implies correct procedure and timing in fire-rites, aligning with Kalpa (ritual discipline) and supporting knowledge of mantras/prayoga as used in household-to-forest āśrama practice.