Shloka 33
अन्येनोत्थाप्यते ऽन्येन तथा संवेश्यते जरी भृत्यात्मपुत्रदाराणाम् अवमानास्पदीकृतः
anyenotthāpyate 'nyena tathā saṃveśyate jarī bhṛtyātmaputradārāṇām avamānāspadīkṛtaḥ
An old man, mastered by decrepitude—made an object of contempt even to servants, kin, sons, and wife—is lifted up by one and laid down by another; thus does old age render him dependent, helpless, and dishonoured.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: The indignities of senility and dependence, as a spur to renunciation and refuge in Vishnu
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: revealing
Concept: Worldly status collapses in old age: one becomes dependent and even despised, so pride in social relations and power is misplaced.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Cultivate humility and service now; loosen identity from role/status and anchor dignity in devotion and inner discipline.
Vishishtadvaita: As all human supports fail, the jīva’s śeṣatva (servant-nature) toward the Lord becomes the stable identity, not social honor.
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
Bhakti Type: Dasya
FAQs
This verse uses jarā to show how bodily decline strips away independence and social honour, urging the listener toward detachment and a higher refuge beyond the perishable body.
Through a vivid domestic image—being lifted and laid down by others—Parāśara highlights dependence, loss of agency, and the instability of worldly respect as outcomes of time and embodiment.
By contrasting perishing bodily states with enduring reality, the teaching implicitly directs one toward Vishnu as the supreme, stable refuge—beyond decay, humiliation, and the turning of samsara.