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'''Grhasthasrama: Uma-Sankara samvada'''  

There arises many an occasion in Indian classical literature to celebrate the centrality of the grhasthasrama amongst the four ashramas, the four stages of life that an Indian is expected to follow sequentially in a lifetime. One of the most attractive statements of this centrality occurs in the Anusasana parva of Mahabharata, where Bhishma narrates how in earlier times Sri Krishna undertakes great austerities on the Himalayas and an episode that occurs one day during the practice of these austerities. The great Rishis have assembled and at the urging of the tapasvin SriKrishna, Narada begins to recall a long discussion on different aspects of dharma that takes place between Sankara and Uma. Both are living the life of a happy man and wife on the Himalayas, which in the presence of the divine couple joyously blossoms with natural splendour and beauty. <blockquote>''According to Narada's recounting of the events, once Uma, standing behind Sankara, playfully covers his eyes with her hands. Instantly the whole world is enveloped in deep darkness. Soon Sankara opens his third-eye that bathes the world in its brilliant gaze. But the Himalayas, unable to bear the sun-like radiance of Sankara's third-eye, catch fire. And Uma, filled with compassion for the Himalayas, appears in front of Sankara with folded hands. Seeing her thus, Sankara recovers his benign tranquility. He looks at the world with a happy gaze. And the world becomes happy too.''</blockquote>It is then that Uma begins to ask Sankara various questions about the meaning of his forms and that of the various aspects of dharma. In the course of this dialogue between the divine husband and wife, Uma also seeks to know the dharma of asramas, of the way a man ought to lead his life at different stages during a lifetime. And, Sankara begins his answer to Uma's queries with the unequivocal assertion that of the four asramas the grhasthasrama is indeed the foremost:

'''grhasthah pravarstesam grhasthyam dharmamasritah''' (Maha anusasana 141, p. 5922).

 

 

 

'''grhasthah pravarstesam grhasthyam dharmamasritah''' (Maha anusasana 141, p. 5922).

Sankara then briefly describes the discipline of the four asramas, but his heart seems to be in describing the grhathasramadharma for Uma. Dealing with vanaprasthasrama, the discipline of the forest-dweller, and the sannyasasrama, the discipline of the renouncer, in just six and a half verses, Sankara soon returns to a very detailed description of the grhasthasrama. And the core of the discipline of grhastha that Sankara describes is in looking after and generously providing for the sustenance of all, and especially of the guests who arrive at the door of the householder. This opportunity to look after and sustain others is what makes the grhasthasrama so great that, as Sankara says, the severest austerities of vanaprasthasrama cannot measure up to even the one-sixteenth part of the merit acquired by properly fulfilled grhasthasrama:  

Sankara then briefly describes the discipline of the four asramas, but his heart seems to be in describing the grhathasramadharma for Uma. Dealing with vanaprasthasrama, the discipline of the forest-dweller, and the sannyasasrama, the discipline of the renouncer, in just six and a half verses, Sankara soon returns to a very detailed description of the grhasthasrama. And the core of the discipline of grhastha that Sankara describes is in looking after and generously providing for the sustenance of all, and especially of the guests who arrive at the door of the householder. This opportunity to look after and sustain others is what makes the grhasthasrama so great that, as Sankara says, the severest austerities of vanaprasthasrama cannot measure up to even the one-sixteenth part of the merit acquired by properly fulfilled grhasthasrama: