Shloka 23

चत्वारोऽाश्रमाः — ब्रह्मचर्यादि मोक्षाश्रमपर्यन्तम्

The Four Āśramas as a graded path to mokṣa

Devanagari script

यस् त्व् एतां नियतश् चर्यां वानप्रस्थश् चरेन् मुनिः स दहत्य् अग्निवद् दोषाञ् जयेल् लोकांश् च शाश्वतान्

Transliteration

yas tv etāṃ niyataś caryāṃ vānaprasthaś caren muniḥ sa dahaty agnivad doṣāñ jayel lokāṃś ca śāśvatān

Translation

But the sage who, as a vānaprastha, lives this disciplined regimen with steadfast restraint burns away his faults like fire and attains the everlasting worlds.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/विशेषबोधक (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• एताम्: this
• एताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine, accusative singular)

• नियतः: disciplined, regulated
• नियतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + यम् (धातु) → नियत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (past passive participle used adjectivally; masculine nominative singular)

• चर्याम्: conduct, regimen
• चर्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine, accusative singular)

• वानप्रस्थः: a forest-dweller (vānaprastha)
• वानप्रस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानप्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

• चरेत्: should practise
• चरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (optative, parasmaipada, 3rd person singular)

• मुनिः: sage
• मुनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

• दहति: burns up
• दहति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (present indicative, 3rd person singular)

• अग्निवत्: like fire
• अग्निवत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमावाचक (adverbial: ‘like fire’)

• दोषान्: faults, impurities
• दोषान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (masculine, accusative plural)

• जयेत्: should conquer
• जयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (optative, parasmaipada, 3rd person singular)

• लोकान्: worlds
• लोकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (masculine, accusative plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• शाश्वतान्: eternal
• शाश्वतान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (masculine, accusative plural)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Fruit of steadfast vānaprastha discipline: burning of दोष and attainment of enduring worlds (lokas)

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: encouraging and elevating

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Steady regulated conduct purifies faults and leads the practitioner toward superior, enduring states of existence.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Sustain long-term spiritual habits; treat lapses as fuel for renewed discipline, focusing on purification over display.

Vishishtadvaita: Purification (doṣa-dāha) is preparatory: the self advances toward God-granted higher attainments, implying dependence on the Lord’s grace even when effort is stressed.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vānaprastha
• Muni

FAQs

What is the significance of Vānaprastha discipline in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents regulated vānaprastha conduct as a purifying fire that destroys inner दोष (faults), culminating in attainment of enduring, higher realms.

How does Sage Parāśara explain purification in this stage of life?

Parāśara frames purification as the direct result of niyata-caryā (disciplined observance): when practiced steadily, it burns impurities “like fire,” implying karmic and psychological cleansing through tapas and restraint.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching assumes a Vishnu-ordered cosmos where dharma-led self-mastery elevates the soul toward lasting states—ultimately aligned with Vishnu as the Supreme sustaining reality.