Shloka 16

Brahmacarya and Vānaprastha Duties; Gradual Dissolution of Bodily Identity

Devanagari script

एवं विधो ब्रह्मचारी वानप्रस्थो यतिर्गृही । चरन्विदितविज्ञान: परं ब्रह्माधिगच्छति ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

evaṁ vidho brahmacārī vānaprastho yatir gṛhī caran vidita-vijñānaḥ paraṁ brahmādhigacchati

Translation

ເມື່ອປະພຶດຢ່າງນີ້ ບໍ່ວ່າຈະເປັນພຣະຫມະຈາຣີ ຄຣະຫັດຖະ ວານະປຣັດຖະ ຫຼື ຢະຕິ (ສັນຍາສີ) ກໍຕາມ ຜູ້ນັ້ນດຳເນີນຊີວິດດ້ວຍປັນຍາຮູ້ແຈ້ງການສະຖິດທົ່ວຂອງພຣະເຈົ້າ; ແລະດ້ວຍທາງນີ້ເອງ ຈຶ່ງເຂົ້າເຖິງປຣະພຣະຫມັນ ຄືສັດຈະສູງສຸດ

Synonyms

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, manner-adverb (प्रकारवाचक)

• vidhaḥ: of such a kind
• vidhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘of such a kind’

• brahmacārī: a celibate student
• brahmacārī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmacārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vānaprasthaḥ: a forest-dweller (vānaprastha)
• vānaprasthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānaprastha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yatiḥ: a renunciant
• yatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• gṛhī: a householder
• gṛhī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• caran: practicing/acting
• caran: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √car (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; from √चर् ‘to practice/act’

• vidita-vijñānaḥ: one whose knowledge is realized/known
• vidita-vijñānaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidita (कृदन्त, √vid/√jñā) + vijñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास ‘विदितं विज्ञानं यस्य’ (sense close to bahuvrīhi, but form used adjectivally); qualifying the subject

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifying ‘brahma’

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• adhigacchati: attains
• adhigacchati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-√gam (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present indicative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; from अधि + √गम् ‘to attain’

Purport

This is the beginning of self-realization. One must first understand how Brahman is present everywhere and how He is acting. This education is called brahma-jijñāsā and is the real concern of human life. Without such knowledge, one cannot claim to be a human being; rather, he remains in the animal kingdom. As it is said, sa eva go-kharaḥ: without such knowledge, one is no better than a cow or an ass.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlāda Mahārāja

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about attaining moksha in any ashrama (life stage)?

This verse says that in any āśrama—brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, or sannyāsa—if one properly practices the prescribed discipline and realizes true spiritual knowledge, one can attain the Supreme Brahman.

Why did Prahlada Maharaja speak about the four ashramas in Canto 7?

Prahlāda teaches universal dharma and the path to liberation, showing that spiritual perfection is not restricted to one social position but depends on sincere practice and realized knowledge.

How can a modern person apply this Bhagavatam teaching in daily life?

Adopt steady spiritual discipline—ethical conduct, self-control, and regular hearing/chanting—while performing your current duties, aiming for realized understanding of the Absolute rather than mere ritual or status.