mÄtaraá¹ pitaraá¹ vá¹›ddhaá¹
bhÄryÄá¹ sÄdhvīṠsutam Å›iÅ›um
guruá¹ vipraá¹ prapannaá¹ ca
kalpo 'bibhrac chvasan-mṛtaḥ

 mÄtaram - one's mother; pitaram - and father; vá¹›ddham - elderly; bhÄryÄm - one's wife; sÄdhvÄ«m - chaste; sutam - one's child; Å›iÅ›um - very young; gurum - a spiritual master; vipram - a brÄhmaṇa; prapannam - a person who has come to one for shelter; ca - and; kalpaḥ - able; abibhrat - not maintaining; Å›vasan - breathing; má¹›taḥ - dead.


Text

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 brÄhmaṇa or anyone who comes to him for shelter, is considered dead, though breathing.

Purport