Shloka 29

चत्वारोऽाश्रमाः — ब्रह्मचर्यादि मोक्षाश्रमपर्यन्तम्

The Four Āśramas as a graded path to mokṣa

Devanagari script

प्राणयात्रानिमित्तं च व्यङ्गारे भुक्तवज्जने काले प्रशस्तवर्णानां भिक्षार्थं पर्यटेद् गृहान्

Transliteration

prāṇayātrānimittaṃ ca vyaṅgāre bhuktavajjane kāle praśastavarṇānāṃ bhikṣārthaṃ paryaṭed gṛhān

Translation

And solely for the continuance of life, when the cooking-fire has died down and the household has finished its meal, at the proper time he should go from house to house among the virtuous, seeking alms.

Word by Word

• प्राणयात्रानिमित्तम्: for the sake of sustaining life
• प्राणयात्रानिमित्तम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + निमित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; प्राणयात्रायाः निमित्तम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• व्यङ्गारे: at the time of cooking/at the hearth
• व्यङ्गारे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यङ्गार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• भुक्तवत्: when (people) have eaten
• भुक्तवत्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुक्तवत् (√भुज् धातु, क्तवत्-कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषणम् (जने)

• जने: among people/when people
• जने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• काले: at the time
• काले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• प्रशस्तवर्णानाम्: of the reputable classes (good families/varṇas)
• प्रशस्तवर्णानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रशस्त (√शंस् धातु, क्त-कृदन्त) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; प्रशस्ताः वर्णाः येषाम्/प्रशस्तवर्णाः (कर्मधारय)

• भिक्षार्थम्: for alms
• भिक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत्; प्रयोजनार्थक

• पर्यटेत्: should wander/visit
• पर्यटेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + √अट् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: परि

• गृहान्: houses
• गृहान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya, outlining dharma and disciplined livelihood)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Bhikṣā and minimal sustenance: seeking alms without greed and without troubling households

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: For mere maintenance of life, the renunciant should seek alms at the proper time after households have eaten, approaching worthy homes and remaining non-greedy and non-burdensome.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice ‘need-only’ consumption and ethical receiving: accept help with humility, do not exploit generosity, and time requests so they do not harm others’ wellbeing.

Vishishtadvaita: Akiñcanatā (poverty of possessiveness) becomes a devotional posture—living by the Lord’s provision through society while minimizing harm and ego.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Dasya

FAQs

What is the significance of alms-seeking (bhikṣā) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It frames bhikṣā as a regulated, minimal practice—taken only to sustain life—so that spiritual discipline remains free from greed and from harming householders.

How does Sage Parāśara explain proper timing and etiquette for bhikṣā here?

He specifies that one should seek alms only after the household has cooked and eaten, when it is least disruptive—an ethic of compassion, restraint, and social harmony.

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

Though not named in the verse, the discipline supports the Vishnu Purana’s broader aim: regulated dharma purifies the mind, enabling devotion and realization of Vishnu as the Supreme Reality sustaining cosmic order.