In ancient vaidic culture life is divided in to four stages. In each stage of this life you have to perform your specified duties. These stages of life are called Ashram.
Brahmacharya (student),
Grihastha (householder),
Vanaprastha (retired) and
Sannyasa (renunciate)
Ashramas are the stages of life which provide training and environment for realizing the ideal of our life. The first two provide the training and environment for the Pravrtti Marg and the last two for the Nivrtti Marg of development. Each stage has its own specific duties (Vishesha Dharmas). We will discuss the duties of a garhasthi (householder), a student (Brahmacharin), a retired person(Vanprastha), and a renunciated person (Sanyasa)separately. Just as ashramas refer to specific duties in life, varnas refer to duties related to the four professional roles in life. The profession of scholarship, of defence and administration, of production and distribution, and of unskilled labour. Thus, along with ashramas, we will analyse the varnas too:
Brahmachari ashram (Student Life)
The brahmacari-ashram, often away from the home (Gurukul), The student went to a Gurukul (house of the guru) and typically would live with a Guru (teacher). Student was primarily intended for fostering spiritual values. Memorisation and skill development were subsidiary to character formation and self-realisation. Even sons of the royal family were expected to undergo this austere and rigorous training. Duties of Brahmachari at Gurukul were
To be celibate and live a simple life, free from sense pleasure and material allurement.
To serve the guru (spiritual teacher) and collect alms for him.
To hear, study and assimilate the Vedas.
To develop all the appropriate qualities: humility, discipline, simplicity, purity of thought, cleanliness, soft-heartedness, and so on.
Upanayana sanskar at entry.Samavartana sanskar at exit were performed in this stage.
Student phase or Brahmachari stage was up to the of 24. First part of veda ie sanhita is related to this Ashram.
2: Garhastha Ashram(House hold life)
This period of life covers an active period of effective membership of society and covers 25 years of life after the first 25 years of education. This is householder’s life, a married life. The ideal marriage was considered one which was performed for moksha or final liberation and intellectual companionship through the performance of household duties, including upbringing of children and offering reverence (shradha) to ancestors. Indian culture considers marriage not merely as an association but as absolute oneness. it is regarded as a sacrament and not as a contract. So this one ness was not considered for life time but in every birth. Brahmans of each vedas are related to Grihastha Ashram.
3: Vanaprastha Ashram (retired life)
Vanprastha literally means living in jungle or van. After the responsibilities to children are over, the parents are expected to take to social welfare work, so that they do not remain entrapped in moha (attachment). In vanprasth people lived in jungle and used to perform their religious activities, meditation etc. vanvanaprastha people were superior guides on social problems. Even many kings went to these people for guidance. The retirement of the old people also gives an opportunity to the youth to make experiments and contribute to the variety and richness of life. Vanaprastha stage is a transition phase from gruhstha ashram to Sanyasa Ashram. Aranyakas of different vedas are related to Vanprastha Ashram.
4: Sanyasa Ashram:
Sanyasa is the final stage in life’s growth. in sanyasa stage, the interest is the Universe with its universal consciousness. Interest in the universal consciousness is identification with total existence in its deepest being. A sanyasi surrenders home and possessions because he perceives the whole Universe as his home. He is above fears, passions and hatred. In this stage sanyasi seeks for moksha oneness with brahma.
Upanishada also known as vedant are related to Snyasa Ashram. Which throws light on spiritual development and “ Adwaita tatwadhyan” one ness of soul (Ataman) and the highest metaphysical reality of the universe, (Brahman).
Shilpa Pandit- Nasik
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