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Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 9

Vānaprastha-vidhi and Sannyāsa-dharma: Austerity, Detachment, and the Paramahaṁsa Ideal

एवं चीर्णेन तपसा मुनिर्धमनिसन्तत: । मां तपोमयमाराध्य ऋषिलोकादुपैति माम् ॥ ९ ॥

evaṁ cīrṇena tapasā munir dhamani-santataḥ māṁ tapo-mayam ārādhya ṛṣi-lokād upaiti mām

如此以严峻苦行而行持、仅取最低所需的圣洁林栖者,消瘦至仿佛只剩皮骨。以此苦行之敬拜,他先至摩诃尔洛迦(圣仙界),继而直接证得我。

एवम्thus
एवम्:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएवम् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण
चीर्णेनby practised/performed
चीर्णेन:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootचर् (धातु)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘practised/performed’—तपसा सह विशेषणरूपेण
तपसाby austerity
तपसा:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootतपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे), तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन
मुनिःthe sage
मुनिः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
धमनि-सन्ततःpervading the channels (nāḍīs)
धमनि-सन्ततः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootधमनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्तत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (धमनिषु सन्ततः = ‘spread/extended in the nāḍīs/veins’, i.e., pervading the channels)
माम्Me
माम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
तपो-मयम्made of austerity
तपो-मयम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootतपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (माम् विशेषयति); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तपसा मयः = ‘consisting of austerity’)
आराध्यhaving worshipped
आराध्य:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootआ-राध् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (अव्ययभाव) gerund; “having worshipped/propitiated”
ऋषि-लोकात्from the world of sages
ऋषि-लोकात्:
Apādāna (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; अपादान (ablative); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (ऋषीणां लोकः)
उपैतिattains, comes to
उपैति:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootउप-इ (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन
माम्Me
माम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

A vānaprastha who develops pure devotional service achieves the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, while in the vānaprastha stage of life. One who does not become completely Kṛṣṇa conscious, however, first goes to the planet Maharloka, or Ṛṣiloka, and from there directly achieves Lord Kṛṣṇa.

K
Kṛṣṇa
U
Uddhava
M
muni (sage)
ṛṣis (seers)

FAQs

This verse says that when a sage performs steady, continuous tapasya and worships the Lord who is present as the very principle of penance (tapo-maya), he ultimately attains the Lord.

In the Uddhava-gītā section, Kṛṣṇa instructs Uddhava on the renounced orders of life and the disciplined practices that purify consciousness; here He explains how sustained austerity, offered as worship to Him, leads to final attainment.

Adopt consistent self-discipline—regulated habits, simplicity, restraint, and daily spiritual practice—and consciously offer that discipline to God as worship, rather than as mere self-improvement.