Vamana Purana — Dietary Rules & Purification, Shloka 56

Dietary Rules, Purification (Śauca), and the Duties of the Householder and Forest-Dweller

Devanagari script

अपत्यसंततिं दृष्ट्वा प्राज्ञो देहस्य चानतिम् वानप्रस्थाश्रमं धर्मं प्रवक्ष्यामो ऽवधार्यताम्

Transliteration

apatyasaṃtatiṃ dṛṣṭvā prājño dehasya cānatim vānaprasthāśramaṃ dharmaṃ pravakṣyāmo 'vadhāryatām

Translation

Having seen the continuity of offspring, and also the decline of the body, the wise person turns toward the next stage. We shall explain the dharma of the vānaprastha āśrama—let it be carefully heeded.

Word by Word

• अपत्य-संततिम्: offspring/lineage
• अपत्य-संततिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + संतति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: अपत्यस्य संततिः (lineage of children)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having seen’

• प्राज्ञः: the wise man
• प्राज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देहस्य: of the body
• देहस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• अनतिम्: decline, deterioration
• अनतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘दृष्ट्वा’ इत्यस्य कर्म (seen)

• वानप्रस्थ-आश्रमम्: the forest-dweller stage
• वानप्रस्थ-आश्रमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानप्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धर्मम्: duty, dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रवक्ष्यामः: we shall explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Future/लृट्), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• अवधार्यताम्: let it be understood
• अवधार्यताम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-धृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), कर्मणि (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speakers

• Narrative layer not specified in input (commonly Pulastya → Nārada in Vāmana Purāṇa); speaker unspecified here

Key Themes

• Vānaprastha
• Life-stage transition
• Impermanence of the body
• Householder completion (progeny established)
• Renunciation-in-stages

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "karuna", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

A responsible transition to renunciation is advised once social continuity is secured (progeny established) and bodily impermanence is recognized; wisdom is shown by timely reorientation from acquisition to austerity and contemplation.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is ācāra-dharma (conduct/discipline) guidance. It is not sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita, but a normative teaching embedded in the Purāṇic discourse.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Progeny continuity’ symbolizes completion of worldly obligations; ‘bodily decline’ symbolizes the call of time (kāla) prompting inwardness—together marking the dhārmic pivot from pravṛtti (engagement) toward nivṛtti (withdrawal).