Definition of the Four Aśrāmas

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Ṭhakura

শ্রী গৌड़िয-কন্ঠহার

Gaudiya Kanṭhahāra:

The Jeweled Necklace of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas

15th Jewel

ĀŚRAMA-DHARMA-TATTVA

The Ontology of Life-Stages, Āśramas

Being a compendium of quotations from revealed scriptures

concerning the truths about the cult of Chaitanya Mahāprabhu

Compiled under the authority and direction of

His Divine Grace

Bhaktisiddhānta Sāraswāti Goswāmī

Prabhupada

Translated and edited, with original Sanskrit and Bengali and Roman transliteration by

B. V. Mahāyogi, Michael Dolan

Definition of the Four Aśrāmas

१५.२
गृहाश्रमो जघनतो ब्रह्मचर्यं हृदो

मम वक्षः-स्थलाद् वने-वासः सन्न्यासः शिरसि स्थितः

15.2

gṛhāśramo jaghanato brahmacaryaṁ hṛdo 
mama vakṣaḥ-sthalād vane-vāsaḥ sannyāsaḥ śirasi sthitaḥ

Out of My universal form the gṛhastha āśrama originated from the loins, brahmacārya from the heart, vānaprastha from the chest, and sannyāsa from

the head. 

(Bhāg. 11.17.14)

Rules for the Different Aśramas

१५.३
सावित्रं प्राजापत्यं च ब्राह्मं चाथ बृहत् तथा
वार्ता सञ्चय-शालीन- शिलोञ्छ इति वै गृहे
15.3

sāvitraṁ prājāpatyaṁ ca brāhmaṁ cātha bṛhat tathā

vārtā sañcaya-śālīna- śiloñcha iti vai gṛhe

Then the thread ceremony for the twice-born was inaugurated as were the rules

to be followed for at least one year after acceptance and study of the Vedas, including rules for observing brahmacārya, vocations in terms of Vedic injunctions, various professional duties in household life, and the method of maintaining a livelihood by picking up rejected grains left behind in the fields.

(Bhāg. 3.12.42)

१५.४
वैखानसा वालखिल्यौ- दुम्बराः फेनपा वने
न्यासे कुटीचकः पूर्वं बह्वोदो हंस- निष्क्रियौ
15.4

vaikhānasā vālakhilyau- dumbarāḥ phenapā vane

nyāse kuṭīcakaḥ pūrvaṁ bahvodo haṁsa- niṣkriyau

The four divisions of vānaprastha, or retired life, are the vaikānasās (those who

retire from active life and live on half-boiled meals), vālakhilyas (those who quit

their former stock of grains upon receipt of more), audumbara (those who live

on what they get from the direction towards which they start after rising from

bed), and phenapas (those who live on fruits that fall from the trees). The four

divisions of sannyāsa, or the renounced order of life are kuṭīcakas (one who has just left the family, but who lives nearby in a kuṭira or hut, without attachment to his family), bahvodas (those who give up all material activities and engage in transcendental service), haṁsas (swanlike souls) and niṣkriyas (those whose actions are completely spiritual). (Bhāg. 3.12.43)

Rules for Brahmacāris

१५.५
द्वितीयं प्राप्यानुपूर्व्याज् जन्मोपनयनं द्विजः
वसन् गुरु-कुले दान्तो ब्रह्माधीयीत चाहूतः
15.5

dvitīyaṁ prāpyānupūrvyāj janmopanayanaṁ dvijaḥ

vasan guru-kule dānto brahmādhīyīta cāhūtaḥ 

Having undergone all the necessary purificatory rites since conception, and

having attained the status of the twice-born by initiation in the gāyatrī mantra

and investment with the sacred thread, brāhmaṇa boy should reside in the

gurukula (as a brahmacāri), control his senses and mind, and carefully study

the Vedas as explained by the guru. 

(Bhāg. 11.17.22)

१५.६
आचार्यं मां विजानीयान् नावमन्येत कर्हिचित्
न मर्त्य-बुद्ध्यासूयेत सर्व-देव-मयो गुरुः
15.6

ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit 
na martya-buddhyāsūyeta sarva-deva-mayo guruḥ

[Kṛṣṇa said] The ācārya is My very Self. One should never envy the ācārya or

never blaspheme him or consider him an ordinary man, for he is the sum total

of the demigods. (Bhāg. 11.17.27)

१५.७
सायं प्रातर् उपानीय भैक्ष्यं तस्मै
निवेदयेत् यच् चान्यद् अप्य् अनुज्ञातम् उपयुञ्जीत संयतः
15.7

sāyaṁ prātar upānīya bhaikṣyaṁ tasmai

nivedayet yac cānyad apy anujñātam upayuñjīta saṁyataḥ

In the morning and evening one should collect foodstuffs and other articles and

deliver them to the spiritual master. Then, being self-controlled, one should

accept only what the ācārya permits. 

(Bhāg.11.17.28)

१५.८
शुश्रूषमाण आचार्यं सदोपासीत नीच-वत् यान-शय्यासन-स्थानैर् नाति-दूरे कृताञ्जलिः
15.8

śuśrūṣamāṇa ācāryaṁ sadopāsīta nīca-vat yāna-śayyāsana-sthānair nāti-dūre kṛtāñjaliḥ 

The brahmacārī, should always serve the ācārya and follow him in walking, in

resting, standing by with folded hands when he sits, and by attending him

humbly in all circumstances. 

(Bhāg. 11.17.29)

१५.९
एवं-वृत्तो गुरु-कुले वसेद् भोग-विवर्जितः
विद्या समाप्यते यावद् बिभ्रद् व्रतम् अखण्डितम्
15.9

evaṁ-vṛtto guru-kule vased bhoga-vivarjitaḥ 
vidyā samāpyate yāvad bibhrad vratam akhaṇḍitam

Behaving in this way, and strictly following a vow of celibacy, the brahmacārī

should avoid sensual pleasures and reside in the āśrama of the ācārya to the end of his studies. 

(Bhāg. 11.17.30)

१५.१०
एवं बृहद्-व्रत-धरो ब्राह्मणो ऽग्निर् इव ज्वलन्
मद्-भक्तस् तीव्र-तपसा दग्ध-कर्माशयो ऽमलः
15.10

evaṁ bṛhad-vrata-dharo brāhmaṇo 'gnir iva jvalan

mad-bhaktas tīvra-tapasā dagdha-karmāśayo 'malaḥ

Observing the principles, such a brāhmaṇa and life-long brahmacārī, who is My

devotee, burns all the seeds of karma to ashes by his devotional austerity.

Spotless and pure, free of material contamination, such a devotee brahmacārī is

as brilliant as fire. 

(Bhāg. 11.17.36)

All Aśramas are Meant for Serving Hari

१५.११
ब्रह्मचर्यं तपः शौचं सन्तोषो भूत- सौहृदम्
गृहस्थस्याप्य् ऋतौ गन्तुः सर्वेषां मद्- उपासनम्
15.11

brahmacaryaṁ tapaḥ śaucaṁ santoṣo bhūta- sauhṛdam

gṛhasthasyāpy ṛtau gantuḥ sarveṣāṁ mad- upāsanam

Chastity, penance, purity, peacefulness, and kindness to all living beings

constitute gṇhastha-dharma. A gṇhastha who approaches his wife for

procreating children only on those days sanctioned by scripture is considered

chaste. Worship of Hari should be practiced by everyone, regardless of their

position in society; it is the duty of all varṇas and āśramas. 

(Bhāg. 11.18.43)

Scriptures Make Concessions for MaterialisticPeople

१५.१२
लोके व्यवायामिष-मद्य-सेवा नित्या
हि जन्तोर् न हि तत्र चोदना व्यवस्थितिस्
तेषु विवाह-यज्ञसुरा- ग्रहैर् आसु निवृत्तिर् इष्टा
15.12

loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā 
hi jantor na hi tatra codanā vyavasthitis 
teṣu vivāha-yajñasurā- grahair āsu nivṛttir iṣṭā

Everyone is naturally inclined to have sex, eat meat, and drink wine. There is no

need for the scripture to encourage these things. The scriptures do, however,

give concessions to people who are determined to do these things. They grant

license to enjoy sex by allowing sexual intercourse with one's lawfully wedded

wife at the proper time of the month. They grant a license to eat meat to those

who perform a certain kind of sacrifice, and a license to drink wine to those who

perform the Sautramaṛi sacrifice. The purpose of granting these licenses for

sense gratification is only to restrict these activities and encourage people to give

them up altogether. The real intention of the Vedic injunctions regarding sex, meat-eating, and wine-drinking is to make one abstain from these activities.

(Bhāg. 11.5.11)