vanaprastha

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noun

The third of four ashrama (stages) in a human life, characterised by a gradual transition of one's social and economic responsibilities to the next generation, and a move away from worldly and sexual pursuits to more spiritual concerns.

OriginSanskrit वनप्रस्थ →
Scrabble 19
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Meanings

nounvanaprastha (uncountable)
  1. HinduismuncountableThe third of four ashrama (stages) in a human life, characterised by a gradual transition of one's social and economic responsibilities to the next generation, and a move away from worldly and sexual pursuits to more spiritual concerns.

    ‘We should adopt Vanaprastha even while remaining householders. The responsibilities of being a householder should now be passed on to the children,’ she said.

    2015, Tridip Suhrud, translating Govardhanram Madhavram Tripathi, Sarasvatichandra I, Orient BlackSwan 2015, p. 263

Origin

  1. Sanskritवनप्रस्थ
  2. Englishvanaprastha

From Sanskrit वनप्रस्थ (vanaprastha).

More words from Sanskrit

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Polish wanaprastha
  • wanaprasthathird stage of Hindu spiritual life
Cite this entry
APA

vanaprastha. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vanaprastha

MLA

“vanaprastha.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vanaprastha. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “vanaprastha,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vanaprastha.

Source: vanaprastha on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.