5. Āśrama System

Āpastamba

चत्वार आश्रमा गार्हस्थ्यमाचार्यकुलं मौनं वानप्रस्थ्यमिति ।1 तेषु सर्वेषु यथोपदेशमव्यग्रो वर्तमानः क्षेमं गच्छति ।2 सर्वेषामुपनयनप्रभृति समान आचार्यकुले वासः ।3 सर्वेषामनूत्सर्गो विद्यायाः ।4 बुद्ध्वा कर्माणि यत्कामयेत तदारभेत ।5

1 There are four orders of life: the householder's life, living at the teacher's house, the life of a sage, and that of a forest hermit. 2 If a man remains steadfast in any of these, he attains bliss. 3 A common prerequisite for all is to live at the teacher's house following one's initiation, 4 and all are required not to abandon vedic learning. 5 After he has learnt the rites, he may undertake the order that he prefers. [A 2.21.1-5]

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Gautama

तस्याश्रमविकल्पमेके ब्रुवते ।1 ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थो भिक्षुर्वैखानसः ।2 तेषां गृहस्थो योनिरप्रजनत्वादितरेषाम् ।3

1 He has a choice, some assert, among the orders of life: 2 student, householder, mendicant, or anchorite. 3 The householder is their source, because the others do not produce offspring. [G 3.1-3]

उत्तरेषां चैतदविरोधि ।10

10 These rules [of a student] apply to people in subsequent (orders) as well, so long as they are not inconsistent (with the provisions specific to each). [G 3.10] 1 We have explained the Law pertaining to the social classes and the Law pertaining to the orders of life. [G 19.1]

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Baudhāyana

तस्य ह वा एतस्य धर्मस्य चतुर्धा भेदमेक आहुः । अदृष्टत्वात् । ये चत्वार इति । कर्मवादः ।9 ऐष्टिकपाशुकसौमिकदार्विहोमाणाम् ।10 तदेषाभिवदति । ये चत्वारः पथयो देवयाना अन्तरा द्यावापृथिवी वियन्ति । तेषां यो अज्यानिमजीतिमावहात् तस्मै नो देवाः परि दत्तेह सर्व इति ।11 ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थो वानप्रस्थः परिव्राजक इति ।12

9 Now, some do indeed posit a fourfold division of this Law.—In the absence of a vedic text to support their position, however, the text "Four paths ... " must refer to rites, 10 namely, Iṣṭi sacrifices, animal sacrifices, Soma sacrifices, and ghee offering—11 a division enunciated in this verse: Four paths leading to the gods traverse between heaven and earth. Among these, all you gods, place us on that which brings unfailing prosperity. 12 (That division consists of) the student, the householder, the forest hermit, and the wandering ascetic. [B 2.11.9-12]

उक्तो वर्णधर्मश्चाश्रमधर्मश्च ।1

1 We have explained the Law pertaining to the social classes and the Law pertaining to the orders of life. [B 3.10.1]

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Vasiṣṭha

चत्वार आश्रमाः ।1 ब्रह्मचारिगृहस्थवानप्रस्थपरिव्राजकाः ।2 तेषां वेदमधीत्य वेदौ वेदान्वाविशीर्णब्रह्मचर्यो यमिच्छेत्तमावसेत् ।3

1 There are four orders of life: 2 student, householder, forest hermit, and wandering ascetic. 3 After studying one, two, or all the Vedas, a man who has not violated his vow of chastity may live in whichever of these he prefers. [Va 7.1-3]

पैशुन्यमत्सराभिमानाहंकाराश्रद्धानार्जवात्मस्तवपरगर्हादम्भलोभमोहक्रोधासूयाविवर्जनं सर्वाश्रमाणां धर्म इष्टः ।30

30 To refrain from slander, envy, pride, egotism, disbelief, dishonesty, praising oneself, running down others, hypocrisy, greed, perplexity, anger, and jealousy—this is the Law approved for all orders of life. [Va 10.30]

Āpastamba

अथ पुराणे श्लोकावुदाहरन्ति ।3 अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि ये प्रजामीशिरर्षयः । दक्षिणेनार्यम्णः पन्थानं ते श्मशानानि भेजिरे ॥4 अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि ये प्रजां नेषिरर्षयः । उत्तरेणार्यम्णः पन्थानं तेऽमृतत्वं हि कल्पते ॥5 इत्यूर्ध्वरेतसां प्रशंसा ।6 अथापि संकल्पसिद्धयो भवन्ति ।7 यथा वर्षं प्रजादानं दूरे दर्शनं मनोजवता यच्चान्यदेवं युक्तम् ।8 तस्माच्छ्रुतितः प्रत्यक्षफलत्वाच्च विशिष्टानाश्रमानेतानेके ब्रुवते ।9 त्रैविद्यवृद्धानां तु वेदाः प्रमाणमिति निष्ठा । तत्र यानि श्रूयन्ते व्रीहियवपश्वाज्यपयःकपालपत्नीसम्बन्धान्युच्चैर्नीचैः कार्यमिति तैर्विरुद्ध आचारोऽप्रमाणमिति मन्यन्ते ।10 यत्तु श्मशानमुच्यते नानाकर्मणामेषोऽन्ते पुरुषसंस्कारो विधीयते ।11 ततः परमनन्त्यं फलं स्वर्ग्यशब्दं श्रूयते ।12 अथाप्यस्य प्रजातिममृतमाम्नाय आह । प्रजामनु प्रजायसे तदु ते मर्त्यामृतमिति ।1 अथापि स एवायं विरूढः पृथक्प्रत्यक्षेणोपलभ्यते दृश्यते चापि सारूप्यं देहत्वमेवान्यत् ।2 ते शिष्टेषु कर्मसु वर्तमानाः पूर्वेषां सांपरायेण कीर्तिं स्वर्गं च वर्धयन्ति ।3 एवमवरोऽवरः परेषाम् ।4 आ भूतसंप्लवात्ते स्वर्गजितः ।5 पुनः सर्गे बीजार्था भवन्तीति भविष्यत्पुराणे ।6 अथापि प्रजापतेर्वचनम् ।7 त्रयीं विद्यां ब्रह्मचर्यं प्रजातिं श्रद्धां तपो यज्ञमनुप्रदानम् । य एतानि कुर्वते तैरित्सह स्मो रजो भूत्वा ध्वंसतेऽन्यत्प्रशंसन्निति ॥8 तत्र ये पापकृतस्त एव ध्वंसन्ति यथा पर्णं वनस्पतेः । न परान्हिंसन्ति ।9 नास्यास्मिँल्लोके कर्मभिः संबन्धो विद्यते तथा परस्मिन्कर्मफलैः ।10 तदेतेन वेदितव्यम् ।11 प्रजापतेर्ऋषीणामिति सर्गोऽयम् ।12 तत्र ये पुण्यकृतस्तेषां प्रकृतयः परा ज्वलन्त्य उपलभ्यन्ते ।13 स्यात्तु कर्मावयवेन तपसा वा कश्चित्सशरीरोऽन्तवन्तं लोकं जयति संकल्पसिद्धिश्च स्यान्न तु तज्ज्यैष्ठ्यमाश्रमाणाम् ।14

3 [VIEW OF OPPONENTS] Now, they quote a couple of verses from a Purāṇa: 4 "The eighty thousand seers who desired offspring went along the sun's southern course. They obtained cremation grounds. 5 The eighty thousand seers who did not desire offspring went along the sun's northern course. They, indeed, attained immortality." 6 Such is the praise of those who live celibate lives. 7 And further, these are men who make whatever they want happen by their mere thought, 8 for example, producing rain, bestowing children, seeing what is far away, moving as quickly as thought, and others of this sort. 9 Therefore, on the basis of vedic testimony and visible results, some claim that these orders of life are superior. 10 [AUTHOR'S VIEW] It is the firm view of the most eminent scholars of the triple Veda, however, that the Vedas are the ultimate authority. The rites using rice, barley, animals, ghee, milk, and potsherds and involving the participation of the wife that are prescribed in the Vedas must be performed with the loud and soft recitation of ritual formulas, they hold, and any practice opposed to those rites is devoid of authority. 11 With regard to the statement about "cremation grounds", on the other hand, that passage enjoins the funerary rites at the death of those who have performed many sacrifices. 12 Thereafter, the Vedas declare, they obtain an eternal reward designated by the term "heaven". 1 The scriptures declare, moreover, that immortality consists of offspring: "In your offspring you are born again. That, O mortal, is your immortality". 2 Furthermore, we can see with our very eyes that the son is a distinct clone of the father himself. One can even see that they are identical, only the bodies are distinct. 3 And the sons, as they continue to perform the prescribed rites, increase the fame and heavenly life of their departed ancestors. 4 Each subsequent generation does the same for those that preceded it. 5 They dwell in heaven until the dissolution of creation. 6 "At the new creation, they serve as the seed," says the Bhaviṣyat Purāṇa. 7 And there is also the declaration of Prajāpati: 8 "Study of the triple Veda, studentship, procreation, faith, austerity, sacrifice, giving gifts—those who perform these dwell with us. Anyone who praises other things becomes dust and perishes." 9 If any of the children commit sins, they alone perish, like the leaf of a tree. They do not harm their ancestors. 10 As in this world a parent is not tied to the actions of his children, so in the next world he is not tied to the results of their actions. 11 This principle is illustrated by the following fact. 12 This creation is the work of Prajāpati and the seers. 13 We see the bodies of those seers who have done meritorious deeds shining brilliantly far above. 14 It may well be that someone, through a portion of his accumulated merits or by means of austerity, attains a limited world together with his body and even makes what he wants happen by his mere thought. But that is no reason to make one order of life superior to another. [A 2.23.3-12; 2.24.1-14]

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Gautama

ऐकाश्रम्यं त्वाचार्याः प्रत्यक्षविधानाद्गार्हस्थ्यस्य ।36

36 There is, however, only a single order of life, the Teachers maintain, because the householder's state alone is prescribed in express vedic texts. [G 3.36]

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Baudhāyana

ऐकाश्रम्यं त्वाचार्या अप्रजनत्वादितरेषाम् ।27 तत्रोदाहरन्ति । प्राह्लादिर्ह वै कपिलो नामासुर आस । स एतान्भेदांश्चकार देवैः सह स्पर्धमानः । तान्मनीषी नाद्रियेत ।28 अदृष्टत्वात् । ये चत्वार इति । कर्मवाद ऐष्टिकपाशुकसौमिकदार्विहोमाणाम् ।29 तदेषाभ्यनूच्यते । एष नित्यो महिमा ब्राह्मणस्य न कर्मणा वर्धते नो कनीयान् । तस्यैवात्मा पदवित्तं विदित्वा न कर्मणा लिप्यते पापकेनेति ।30 स ब्रूयात् । येन सूर्यस्तपति तेजसेद्धः पिता पुत्रेण पितृमान्योनियोनौ । नावेदविन्मनुते तं बृहन्तं सर्वानुभूमात्मानं संपराय इति ॥31 इमे ये नार्वाङ् न परश्चरन्ति न ब्राह्मणासो न सुतेकरासः । त एते वाचमभिपद्य पापया सिरीस्तन्त्रं तन्वते अप्रजज्ञय इति ॥32 प्रजाभिरग्ने अमृतत्वमश्याम् । जायमानो वै ब्राह्मणस्त्रिभिर्ऋणवा जायते ब्रह्मचर्येणर्षिभ्यो यज्ञेन देवेभ्यः प्रजया पितृभ्य इति । एवमृणसंयोगवादिन्योऽसंख्येया भवन्ति ।33 त्रयीं विद्यां ब्रह्मचर्यं प्रजातिं श्रद्धां तपो यज्ञमनुप्रदानम् । य एतानि कुर्वते तैरित्सह स्मो रजो भूत्वा ध्वंसतेऽन्यत्प्रशंसन्निति ॥34

27 There is, however, only a single order of life, the teachers maintain, because no offspring is produced in the others. 28 With respect to the above position they cite this: "There was once a demon named Kapila, the son of Prahlāda. It was he who created these divisions in his campaign against the gods. No wise man should pay any heed to them." 29 In the absence of a vedic text to support their position, the text "Four paths ... " must refer to rites, namely, Iṣṭi sacrifices, animal sacrifices, Soma sacrifices, and ghee offering. 30 Now, this verse is cited in support of their position: "This is the eternal greatness of a Brahmin—he is not made greater or smaller by actions. It is his trail that the self knows; and knowing him, he is no longer stained by sinful actions." 31 One should respond: "A man who knows not the Veda does not at the moment of his death think of that great all-perceiving self, by whose power the sun, ablaze with splendor, gives warmth and a father comes to have a father through his son in birth after birth." 32 "These men who rove neither near nor afar, who are neither Brahmins nor pressers of Soma—they master speech and with evil speech spin their thread without understanding, like a spinster." 33 There are innumerable texts that refer to the debts that people incur, such as: "Through offspring, O Fire, may we obtain immortality"; and "At his very birth, a Brahmin is born with a triple debt—of studentship to the seers, of sacrifice to the gods, and of offspring to the ancestors". 34 Study of the triple Veda, studentship, procreation, faith, austerity, sacrifice, giving gifts—those who perform these dwell with us. Anyone who praises other things becomes dust and perishes. [B 2.11.27-34]

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Vasiṣṭha

गृहस्थ एव यजते गृहस्थस्तप्यते तपः । चतुर्णामाश्रमाणां तु गृहस्थश्च विशिष्यते ॥14 यथा नदीनदाः सर्वे समुद्रे यान्ति संस्थितिम् । एवमाश्रमिणः सर्वे गृहस्थे

यान्ति संस्थितिम् ॥15 यथा

मातरमाश्रित्य सर्वे जीवन्ति जन्तवः । एवं गृहस्थमाश्रित्य सर्वे जीवन्ति भिक्षुकाः ॥16 नित्योदकी नित्ययज्ञोपवीती नित्यस्वाध्यायी पतितान्नवर्जी । ऋतौ च गच्छन्विधिवच्च जुह्वन् न ब्राह्मणश्च्यवते ब्रह्मलोकादिति ॥17

14 A householder alone offers sacrifices; a householder performs austerities. Of all the four orders, the householder is the best. 15 As all rivers and rivulets ultimately end up in the ocean, so people of all the orders ultimately end up in the householder. 16 As all living beings live dependent on their mothers, so all mendicants live dependent on the householder. 17 When a Brahmin always carries water with him, always wears the sacrificial cord, always recites his Veda, avoids the food of outcastes, has sexual intercourse with his wife during her season, and offers sacrifices according to the rules, he does not fall from the world of Brahman. [Va 8.14-17]