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Varnashrama Dharma (वर्णाश्रमधर्मः) (view source)
Revision as of 13:15, 14 May 2018
, 13:15, 14 May 2018→What is Ashrama ?: Added reference from Shabdakalpadruma (verse and table) with citation
=== What is Ashrama ? ===
=== What is Ashrama ? ===
Ashrama is an order. It is a stage of life through which one has to pass by means of an educational career and a process of training, whereby the forces or powers of the individual are harnessed for the purpose for which they are intended.The ashramas are four, even as the varnas are four. While the four varnas—Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra—constitute the spiritual, political, economic, and manual aspects of the complete structure of human society, the ashramas—Brahmacharya, Grhastha, Vanaprastha, Sannyasa—constitute another order altogether, which is towards the achievement of individual perfection.<ref name=":0" /> So, the educational process takes the form of ashrama dharma.
According to Shabdakalpadruma,<blockquote>आश्रमः, शास्त्रोक्त- धर्म्मविशेषः। आश्राम्यन्ति स्वं स्वं तपश्चरन्त्यत्र । स चतुर्विधः । ब्रह्मचर्य्यं १ गार्हस्थ्यं २ वानप्रस्थ्यं ३ सन्न्यासः ४ । इति स्मृतिः ॥ ब्रह्मचारी । गृही । वानप्रस्थः । भिक्षुः । इत्यमरः ॥<ref>[https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%80 Shabdakalpadruma]</ref> </blockquote><blockquote>āśramaḥ, śāstrokta- dharmmaviśeṣaḥ। āśrāmyanti svaṃ svaṃ tapaścarantyatra । sa caturvidhaḥ । brahmacaryyaṃ 1 gārhasthyaṃ 2 vānaprasthyaṃ 3 sannyāsaḥ 4 । iti smṛtiḥ ॥ brahmacārī । gṛhī । vānaprasthaḥ । bhikṣuḥ । ityamaraḥ ॥</blockquote>Meaning: Ashrama is a distinguishing feature of Dharma mentioned by Shastras. It refers to 4 stages in life.
{| class="wikitable"
!According to Smrti, the 4 Ashramas are
!According to Amarakosha, the corresponding Ashramavasins are called
|-
|Brahmacharya
|Brahmachari
|-
|Garhasthya
|Grhi
|-
|Vanaprasthya
|Vanaprastha
|-
|Sannyasa
|Bhikshu
|}
Swami Krishnananda says, Ashrama is an order. It is a stage of life through which one has to pass by means of an educational career and a process of training, whereby the forces or powers of the individual are harnessed for the purpose for which they are intended.The ashramas are four, even as the varnas are four. While the four varnas—Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra—constitute the spiritual, political, economic, and manual aspects of the complete structure of human society, the ashramas—Brahmacharya, Grhastha, Vanaprastha, Sannyasa—constitute another order altogether, which is towards the achievement of individual perfection.<ref name=":0" /> So, the educational process takes the form of ashrama dharma.
The Chandogya Upanishad says,<blockquote>त्रयो धर्मस्कन्धा यज्ञोऽध्ययनं दानमिति प्रथमस्तप एव द्वितीयो ब्रह्मचार्याचार्यकुलवासी तृतीयोऽत्यन्तमात्मानमाचार्यकुलेऽवसादयन्सर्व एते पुण्यलोका भवन्ति ब्रह्मसँस्थोऽमृतत्वमेति ॥ १ ॥<ref>Chandogya Upanishad, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%9B%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A8 Adhyaya 2], Khanda 23, Verse 1</ref></blockquote><blockquote>trayo dharmaskandhā yajño'dhyayanaṃ dānamiti prathamastapa eva dvitīyo brahmacāryācāryakulavāsī tṛtīyo'tyantamātmānamācāryakule'vasādayansarva ete puṇyalokā bhavanti brahmasam̐stho'mṛtatvameti ॥ 1 ॥</blockquote>Meaning:There are three aspects of Dharma. Sacrifice, study of the vedas and giving gifts form the first aspect. Austerity is the second. Wearing out his life in the household of the preceptor practicing continence is the third. All these lead to the attainment of virtuous worlds. He who is steadfast in Brahman attains immortality.
The Chandogya Upanishad says,<blockquote>त्रयो धर्मस्कन्धा यज्ञोऽध्ययनं दानमिति प्रथमस्तप एव द्वितीयो ब्रह्मचार्याचार्यकुलवासी तृतीयोऽत्यन्तमात्मानमाचार्यकुलेऽवसादयन्सर्व एते पुण्यलोका भवन्ति ब्रह्मसँस्थोऽमृतत्वमेति ॥ १ ॥<ref>Chandogya Upanishad, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%9B%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A8 Adhyaya 2], Khanda 23, Verse 1</ref></blockquote><blockquote>trayo dharmaskandhā yajño'dhyayanaṃ dānamiti prathamastapa eva dvitīyo brahmacāryācāryakulavāsī tṛtīyo'tyantamātmānamācāryakule'vasādayansarva ete puṇyalokā bhavanti brahmasam̐stho'mṛtatvameti ॥ 1 ॥</blockquote>Meaning:There are three aspects of Dharma. Sacrifice, study of the vedas and giving gifts form the first aspect. Austerity is the second. Wearing out his life in the household of the preceptor practicing continence is the third. All these lead to the attainment of virtuous worlds. He who is steadfast in Brahman attains immortality.