Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15
Janaka Instructs Śuka: Āśrama-Sequence, Guru-Dependence, and Marks of Liberation
उत्पाद्य पुत्रपौत्रांश्च वन्याश्रमपदे वसेत् । तानेवाग्नीन्यथान्यायं पूजयन्नतिथिप्रियः ॥ १५ ॥
utpādya putrapautrāṃśca vanyāśramapade vaset | tānevāgnīnyathānyāyaṃ pūjayannatithipriyaḥ || 15 ||
Sau khi sinh con và cháu, người ấy nên cư trú trong giai đoạn lâm cư (vānaprastha). Yêu mến việc tiếp đãi khách, người ấy phải cung kính phụng thờ chính những ngọn lửa tế tự ấy theo đúng nghi pháp.
Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on Moksha-Dharma/āśrama conduct)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It frames vānaprastha as a dharmic transition after fulfilling family obligations, emphasizing disciplined ritual life (honoring the sacred fires) and inner purification through regulated conduct.
By highlighting atithi-priya (love of serving guests) and reverence for sacred fires, it points to devotion expressed as service, reverence, and daily sacred duty—practical bhakti through selfless honoring of dharma.
Ritual propriety—“yathā-nyāyam” implies correct procedure and timing in fire-rites, aligning with Kalpa (ritual discipline) and supporting knowledge of mantras/prayoga as used in household-to-forest āśrama practice.