THE FOUR ASRAMAS
There are four Asramas or stages in life, viz., Brahmacharya or the period of studentship,
Grihastha or the stage of the householder, Vanaprastha or the stage of the forest-dweller or hermit,
and Sannyasa or the life of renunciation or asceticism. Each stage has its own duties. These stages
help the evolution of man. The four Asramas take man to perfection by successive stages. The
practice of the four Asramas regulates the life from the beginning to the end. The first two Asramas
pertain to Pravritti Marga or the path of work and the two later stages—the life of Vanaprastha and
that of Sannyasa—are the stages of withdrawal from the world. They pertain to Nivritti Marga or
the path of renunciation.
Towards Orderly Spiritual Evolution
Life is very systematically and orderly arranged in Sanatana Dharma. There is opportunity
for the development of the different sides of human activity. Due occupations and training are
assigned to each period of life. Life is a great school in which the powers, capacities and faculties of
man are to be evolved gradually.
Every man should pass through the different Asramas regularly. He should not enter any
stage of life prematurely. He can enter the next stage, only when each has been completed. In
nature, evolution is gradual. It is not revolutionary.
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Lord Manu says in his Smriti: “Having studied the Vedas or two Vedas or even one Veda in
due order without breaking celibacy, let him dwell in the householder order. When the householder
sees wrinkles in his skin and whiteness in his hair and the son of his son, then let him retire to the
forest. Having passed the third portion of life in the forests, let him, having abandoned attachments,
wander as an ascetic in the fourth portion of life.”
In extraordinary cases, however, some of the stages may be omitted. Suka was a born
Sannyasin. Sankara took Sannyasa without entering the stage of a householder. In rare and
exceptional cases, a student is allowed to become a Sannyasin, his debts to the world having been
fully paid in a previous birth. Nowadays, young Sannyasins without qualification are found in
abundance. This is contrary to the ancient rules and causes much trouble.
The Brahmacharin or the Celibate Student
The first stage, Brahmacharya, is the period of study and discipline. The student should not
indulge in any pleasures. He stays in the house of his preceptor and studies the Vedas and the
sciences. This is the period of probation. The teachers in ancient India usually lived in forest
hermitages. These hermitages were the Gurukulas or forest universities. The student begged his
food. The children of the rich and poor lived together. The student regarded his teacher as his
spiritual father and served him with faith, devotion and reverence.
The life of the student begins with the Upanayana ceremony, his second birth. He must be
hardy and simple in his habits. He rises early, bathes and does Sandhya and Gayatri Japa. He studies
scriptures. He takes simple food in moderation and takes plenty of exercise. He sleeps on a hard mat
and does not use soft beds and pillows. He is humble and obedient. He serves and respects elders.
He attempts to be chaste in thought, word and deed.
He ever engages himself in doing services to his preceptor. He refrains from wine, meat,
perfumes, garlands, tasty and savoury dishes, women, acids, spices and injury to sentient creatures;
from lust, anger, greed; dancing, singing and playing on musical instruments; from dice-playing,
gossip, slander and untruth. He sleeps alone.
After the end of his student career, he gives a present to his preceptor according to his ability
and returns home to enter the household life. The preceptor gives the final instruction and sends the
student home. The teacher delivers a convocation address to the students at the conclusion of their
studentship:
“Speak the truth. Do your duty. Never swerve from the study of the Veda. Do not cut off the
line of progeny (after giving the preceptor the fee he desires). Never swerve away from truth. Never
swerve from duty. Never neglect your welfare. Never neglect your prosperity. Never neglect the
study and the teaching of the Vedas.
“Never swerve from the duties to the gods and the forefathers. Regard your mother as a god
(Matridevo Bhava). Regard your father as a god (Pitridevo Bhava). Regard your teacher as a god
(Acharyadevo Bhava). Regard your guest as god (Atithidevo Bhava). Let only those actions that are
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ALL ABOUT HINDUISM
free from blemishes be done and not others. Only those that are good acts to us should be performed
by you and not others.
“You should remove the fatigue of Brahmanas who are superior to you by serving them
with seats, etc. Gift should be given with faith, in plenty, with modesty and sympathy. If there be
any doubt regarding rites or conduct, then look up to the lives of great men and follow their
examples. This is the injunction. This is the teaching. This is the secret of the Vedas. This is God’s
word of command. This should be observed. Thus is this to be meditated upon.”
The Grihastha or the Householder
The second stage is that of the Grihastha or householder. The household stage is entered at
marriage, when the student has completed his studentship and is ready to take up the duties and
responsibilities of householder life. Of all the Asramas, this is the most important, because it
supports all the others. As all creatures live supported by the air, so the other Orders exist supported
by the householder. As all streams and rivers flow to rest in the ocean, so all the Asramas flow to
rest in the householder. The Grihastha is the very heart of Aryan life. Everything depends on him.
Marriage is a sacrament for a Hindu. The wife is his partner in life. She is his Ardhangini.
He cannot do any religious ritual without her. She stands by his left side when he performs any
religious performance. Husband and wife keep Rama and Sita as their ideal.
A householder should earn money by honest means and distribute it in the proper manner.
He should spend one-tenth of his income in charity. He should enjoy sensual pleasures within the
limits of the moral law. A householder is permitted to enjoy conjugal happiness on one night in a
month.
The householder should perform the Pancha Maha Yajnas. The five Yajnas are:
DEVA-YAJNA—offering oblations unto Devas, with recitation of Vedic Mantras.
RISHI-YAJNA—study of Vedas and teaching of Vedas to students, and offering of
oblations to Rishis.
PITRI-YAJNA—Tarpana or ablutions to departed souls and Sraaddha or annual religious
rites performed for departed souls.
BHUTA-YAJNA—distribution of food to cows, crows and animals in general.
ATITHI-YAJNA—giving food to guests and honouring them.
Hospitality is one of the householder’s chief duties. He must ever feed first his guests,
Brahmanas and his relatives, and then he and his wife should eat.
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When the householder sees that his sons are able to bear the burden of his duties, when his
grandsons are around him, he should know that the time has come for him and his wife to retire from
the world and spend their time in study and meditation.
The Vanaprastha or the Recluse
The next stage is that of the Varnaprastha. Brahmacharya is a preparation for the life of the
householder. Even so, Vanaprastha is a preparation for the final stage of Sannyasa. After
discharging all the duties of a householder, he should retire to the forest or a solitary country place
and begin to meditate in solitude on higher spiritual things. He is now free from social bonds and the
responsibilities of life. He has ample time for study of scriptures. His wife may go with him or
remain with her sons.