Shloka 20

कामतृष्णावैराग्योपदेशः तथा राज्यविभागः

Teaching on Desire & Renunciation; Delegation of Kingdoms

Devanagari script

पूरोः सकाशाद् आदाय जरां दत्त्वा च यौवनम् राज्ये ऽभिषिच्य पूरुं च प्रययौ तपसे वनम्

Transliteration

pūroḥ sakāśād ādāya jarāṃ dattvā ca yauvanam rājye 'bhiṣicya pūruṃ ca prayayau tapase vanam

Translation

Taking old age from Pūru and granting him youth in return, he consecrated Pūru to the sovereignty of the kingdom; then he departed to the forest to undertake austerities.

Word by Word

• पूरोः: of Puru
• पूरोः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सकाशात्: from (the presence of)
• सकाशात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् निपात-प्रयोगः; पञ्चमी-अर्थे (ablatival): 'from near/from the presence of'

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): 'having taken'

• जराम्: old age
• जराम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): 'having given'

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

• यौवनम्: youth
• यौवनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• राज्ये: in the kingdom (as kingship)
• राज्ये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अभिषिच्य: having anointed/installed
• अभिषिच्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + सिच् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): 'having anointed/installed'

• पूरुम्: Puru
• पूरुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• प्रययौ: departed/went forth
• प्रययौ: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तपसे: for austerity
• तपसे: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), चतुर्थी (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: Karma (Goal/object of motion/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Rightful transfer of power followed by withdrawal into austerity models dharma: governance without clinging and renunciation after duty.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice ‘responsible renunciation’: complete obligations, delegate ethically, then simplify life toward spiritual discipline.

Vishishtadvaita: Renunciation is not world-negation but reorientation of agency toward the Supreme Lord, consistent with service-based mokṣa in Vaiṣṇava thought.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Chandra

Dharma Exemplar: Tyāga (self-restraint)

Key Kings: Pūru

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Characters & Entities

• Pūru
• Yayāti

FAQs

What is the significance of Yayāti exchanging old age and youth with Pūru in the Vishnu Purana?

It establishes Pūru’s exceptional filial dharma and explains why sovereignty passes to him, shaping the legitimacy of the Lunar Dynasty’s later royal line.

How does Sage Parāśara frame the move from kingship to forest austerity in this episode?

Parāśara presents it as a dharmic pivot: after securing orderly succession through consecration, the king turns inward to tapas, showing that worldly rule and spiritual discipline are complementary stages.

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

Though not named in the verse, the Purana’s framework treats dharmic succession and renunciation as expressions of Vishnu’s sustaining order—where rightful rule and self-restraint uphold the world’s stability.