FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.45.7

మాతరం పితరం వృద్ధం భార్యాం సాధ్వీం సుతం శిశుమ్ । గురుం విప్రం ప్రపన్నం చ కల్పోఽబిభ్రచ్ఛ్వసన్ మృత: ॥ ౭ ॥
mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vṛddhaṁ
[maataram pitaram vriddham]
bhāryāṁ sādhvīṁ sutam śiśum
[bhaaryaam saadhveem sutam shishum]
guruṁ vipraṁ prapannaṁ ca
[gurum vipram prapannam cha]
kalpo ’bibhrac chvasan-mṛtaḥ
[kalpo ’bibhrach chvasan-mritah]
mātaram — one’s mother pitaram — and father vṛddham — elderly bhāryām — one’s wife sādhvīm — chaste sutam — one’s child śiśum — very young gurum — a spiritual master vipram — a brāhmaṇa prapannam — a person who has come to one for shelter ca — and kalpaḥ — able abibhrat — not maintaining śvasan — breathing mṛtaḥ — dead .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vṛddhaṁ
mātaram
one’s mother
pitaram
and father
vṛddham
elderly
bhāryāṁ sādhvīṁ sutam śiśum
bhāryām
one’s wife
sādhvīm
chaste
sutam
one’s child
śiśum
very young
guruṁ vipraṁ prapannaṁ ca
gurum
a spiritual master
vipram
a brāhmaṇa
prapannam
a person who has come to one for shelter
ca
and
kalpo ’bibhrac chvasan-mṛtaḥ
kalpaḥ
able
abibhrat
not maintaining
śvasan
breathing
mṛtaḥ
dead .
  • mātaram — mother
    Listed first — even before pitā in this verse's order. In dharma-śāstra mātṛ-devo bhava (Taittirīya) is the primary upāsanā for the householder. Kṛṣṇa is grounding the entire chapter's apology to Devakī in this priority.
  • bhāryām sādhvīm — chaste wife
    Bhāryā = one to be supported (bhṛ); sādhvī = chaste. The compound sets the standard — the dharma of maintaining wife presumes her chastity-bhakti, just as her chastity presumes his support. Mutual.
  • gurum — a spiritual master
    Listed alongside mother and father — Gauḍīyas treat guru as a third parent, the dīkṣā-pitṛ. Foreshadowing the gurukula episode that closes this very chapter (verses 30-48).
  • prapannam — one who has come for shelter
    From pra-√pad — to fall forward, to surrender. The technical term of śaraṇāgati. Bhagavān Himself promises in BG 18.66 to protect the prapanna; refusing one is to refuse the dharma Bhagavān keeps.
  • śvasan - mṛtaḥ — breathing dead
    Compound — breathing yet dead. A live corpse. Kṛṣṇa's diagnosis is severe: failure of these seven duties hollows the body out, leaving only respiration without a living dharma inside.
A man who, though able to do so, fails to support his elderly parents, chaste wife, young child or spiritual master, or who neglects a brāhmaṇa or anyone who comes to him for shelter, is considered dead, though breathing.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
A man who, though able to do so, fails to support his elderly parents, chaste wife, young child or spiritual master, or who neglects a brāhmaṇa or anyone who comes to him for shelter, is considered dead, though breathing.
Commentary

"One who does not support (abibhrat) mother, father, etc. though living, is considered dead."

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Vṛddham means the elders of the family. A man, though capable (kalpaḥ), who fails to support his elderly parents, is considered dead, though he still breathes. If he is incapable, the effects are less.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

He should support elders, or an old father and a chaste wife. Gurus and brāhmaṇas should always be supported (even if not old). Wives etc. are mentioned, though not related to the case at hand. Those capable are at fault by not supporting them. If not capable, the fault does not apply. Thus Vasudeva and Devakī are not at fault since they were incapable.

Related values
Dana (Charity / Generosity)Svadhyaya (Self-study & Scripture Study)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Nishkama Karma (Selfless Action)Seva (Service / Selfless Action)Yajña (Sacrifice / Spirit of Offering)
Related verses
Concepts
GuruJiva

A breathing man who fails to provide for mother, father, chaste wife, infant child, guru, brāhmaṇa, or refugee is, śāstra says, already a corpse. Kṛṣṇa lists the seven the way a physician lists the pulses — if any one is missing, the body that walks is not alive.

Daśaratha and the protected refugee

In the Rāmāyaṇa, King Daśaratha holds the principle prapanna-rakṣaṇa so strictly that he sends his beloved Rāma to the forest rather than break a vow given to Kaikeyī as refuge for her wishes. The ideal kṣatriya treats the prapanna as inviolable even at the cost of his own life.

Kṛṣṇa, listing prapannam in this verse alongside mother and guru, locates the refuge-seeker among the dearmost dependents — a Gauḍīya touchstone, because śaraṇāgati (taking refuge in Bhagavān) presumes a Lord who Himself honors that bond toward those who take refuge in His servants.

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