Shloka 24

Devanagari script

चतुर्थश् चाश्रमो भिक्षोः प्रोच्यते यो मनीषिभिः तस्य स्वरूपं गदतो मम श्रोतुं नृपार्हसि

Transliteration

caturthaś cāśramo bhikṣoḥ procyate yo manīṣibhiḥ tasya svarūpaṃ gadato mama śrotuṃ nṛpārhasi

Translation

The wise declare a fourth āśrama—the life of the bhikṣu, the mendicant. O king, you are worthy to hear from me as I describe its true nature.

Word by Word

• चतुर्थः: fourth
• चतुर्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

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

• आश्रमः: stage of life (āśrama)
• आश्रमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

• भिक्षोः: of the mendicant
• भिक्षोः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (masculine, genitive singular)

• प्रोच्यते: is proclaimed
• प्रोच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (present indicative, 3rd person singular, ātmanepada); कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive: ‘is declared’)

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

• मनीषिभिः: by the wise
• मनीषिभिः: Karana (Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनीषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (masculine, instrumental plural)

• तस्य: of that/of it
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive singular)

• स्वरूपम्: true nature, form
• स्वरूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular); तत्पुरुष (own-nature)

• गदतः: of me who am describing
• गदतः: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गद् (धातु) → गदत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (present participle; genitive singular)

• मम: of me/my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive singular)

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रोतुम् (तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (masculine, vocative singular)

• अर्हसि: you ought/are fit
• अर्हसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (present indicative, 2nd person singular)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya, with a royal honorific 'nṛpa' used conventionally for the listener)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Introduction to the fourth āśrama: bhikṣu/sannyāsa—its svarūpa and defining marks

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Beyond forest-discipline lies the distinct form of mendicant renunciation, to be understood through śāstra-guided instruction.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Seek qualified guidance for deeper practices; distinguish stages of spiritual life and adopt commitments gradually and sincerely.

Vishishtadvaita: Sannyāsa is presented as a śāstric ‘svarūpa’ (true form) to be received through teaching—aligning renunciation with Bhagavān-centered knowledge rather than mere social withdrawal.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Vasudeva

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Sages (Manishis)
• Bhikshu (mendicant)

FAQs

What is the significance of the fourth āśrama (bhikṣu/sannyāsa) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse marks the transition to describing renunciation as a distinct life-stage, presented by the wise as a disciplined path oriented toward liberation.

How does Sage Parāśara introduce the teaching on sannyāsa to his listener?

He frames it as an authoritative doctrine of the sages and invites the listener to hear its ‘svarūpa’—the essential characteristics that define the mendicant life.

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

By grounding social and spiritual stages in dharma, the text implies a cosmos ordered under the Supreme Reality—Vishnu—where disciplined renunciation supports the highest spiritual end.