Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14
अतिवाह्यायुषोभागं तृतीयमिति कानने । आयुषस्तु तुरीयांशे त्यक्त्वा संगान्परिव्रजेत्
ativāhyāyuṣobhāgaṃ tṛtīyamiti kānane | āyuṣastu turīyāṃśe tyaktvā saṃgānparivrajet
عمر کے تیسرے حصے کو جنگل میں گزار کر، پھر عمر کے چوتھے حصے میں سب تعلقات چھوڑ کر سنیاسی پرِوراجک کی طرح نکل پڑے۔
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)
Scene: An elder ascetic leaves a forest hermitage, cutting the last bonds of attachment; he steps onto a road with staff and begging bowl, turning away from former ties; the background shifts from dense forest (third stage) to open path (fourth stage).
FAQs
Life is structured for gradual detachment: disciplined withdrawal culminates in full renunciation and freedom from clinging.
The teaching is embedded in the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s spiritual culture, presenting the renunciant path aligned with Kāśī’s mokṣa-oriented identity.
An āśrama prescription: after forest-dwelling in the third life-stage, one should take up parivrājya (wandering renunciation) in the fourth.