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Swami Krishnananda says, Ashrama (आश्रमः) 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 (ब्राह्मणः), Kshatriya (क्षत्रियः), Vaishya (वैश्यः), Shudra (शूद्रः) —constitute the spiritual, political, economic, and manual aspects of the complete structure of human society, the ashramas—Brahmacharya (ब्रह्मचर्यम्), Grhastha (गृहस्थः), Vanaprastha (वानप्रस्थः), Sannyasa (सन्न्यासः) —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.

Swami Krishnananda says, Ashrama (आश्रमः) 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 (ब्राह्मणः), Kshatriya (क्षत्रियः), Vaishya (वैश्यः), Shudra (शूद्रः) —constitute the spiritual, political, economic, and manual aspects of the complete structure of human society, the ashramas—Brahmacharya (ब्रह्मचर्यम्), Grhastha (गृहस्थः), Vanaprastha (वानप्रस्थः), Sannyasa (सन्न्यासः) —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. [[Yagya (यज्ञ)|Sacrifice]] (यज्ञः), study of the [[Veda Vargeekarana (वेदवर्गीकरणम्)|vedas]] (अध्ययनम्) and [[Dana (दानम्)|giving gifts]] (दानम्) form the first aspect. Austerity (तपस्) 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 (ब्रह्मन्) 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. [[Yajna (यज्ञः)|Yajna]] (यज्ञः), study of the [[Veda Vargeekarana (वेदवर्गीकरणम्)|vedas]] (अध्ययनम्) and [[Dana (दानम्)|giving gifts]] (दानम्) form the first aspect. Austerity (तपस्) 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 (ब्रह्मन्) attains immortality.

Explaining the verse further, it is said, the life of a household man (Grhastha) is implied by the first aspect ie. sacrifice, vedic studies and charity; By the word tapas (austerity), the vaikhanasa (वैखानसः) or vanaprastha and parivrajya (परिव्राज्यम्) or sanyasa are implied as tapas is foremost in them. The third one is the brahmacharya. The four ashramas are here thus summarised by these three and amongst all these ashramas, he who is steadfast in Brahman and who realises Brahman attains [[Moksha Dristipath|Moksha]] (मोक्षः).<ref name=":2" />

Explaining the verse further, it is said, the life of a household man (Grhastha) is implied by the first aspect ie. sacrifice, vedic studies and charity; By the word tapas (austerity), the vaikhanasa (वैखानसः) or vanaprastha and parivrajya (परिव्राज्यम्) or sanyasa are implied as tapas is foremost in them. The third one is the brahmacharya. The four ashramas are here thus summarised by these three and amongst all these ashramas, he who is steadfast in Brahman and who realises Brahman attains [[Moksha Dristipath|Moksha]] (मोक्षः).<ref name=":2" />