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# [[Vanaprasthashrama (वानप्रस्थाश्रमः)|Vanaprasthashrama]] or the stage of the forest-dweller or hermit

# [[Vanaprasthashrama (वानप्रस्थाश्रमः)|Vanaprasthashrama]] or the stage of the forest-dweller or hermit

# [[Sannyasashrama (सन्न्यासाश्रमः)|Sannyasashrama]] or the life of renunciation or asceticism.  

# [[Sannyasashrama (सन्न्यासाश्रमः)|Sannyasashrama]] or the life of renunciation or asceticism.  

These stages help in the evolution of a person. They take one to perfection in successive stages. In fact, the practice of the four Ashramas regulates the life from the beginning to the end. Among them, the first two Ashramas pertain to Pravrtti Marga or the path of work. While, the two later stages ie. the life of Vanaprastha and that of Sannyasa, pertain to Nivrtti Marga or the path of renunciation.<ref>Swami Sivananda (1999), [http://www.dlshq.org/download/hinduismbk.pdf All About Hinduism], Uttar Pradesh: The Divine Life Society.</ref>

These stages help in the evolution of a person. They take one to perfection in successive stages. In fact, the practice of the four Ashramas regulates the life from the beginning to the end. Among them, the first two Ashramas pertain to Pravrtti Marga or the path of work. While, the two later stages ie. the life of Vanaprastha and that of Sannyasa, pertain to Nivrtti Marga or the path of renunciation.<ref name=":2">Swami Sivananda (1999), [http://www.dlshq.org/download/hinduismbk.pdf All About Hinduism], Uttar Pradesh: The Divine Life Society.</ref>

==परिचयः ॥ Introduction ==

==परिचयः ॥ Introduction ==

# वानप्रस्थाश्रमः ([[Vanaprasthashrama (वानप्रस्थाश्रमः)|Vanaprasthashrama]]) : Importance to withdrawing from earning activities and devoting oneself more to the service of society.

# वानप्रस्थाश्रमः ([[Vanaprasthashrama (वानप्रस्थाश्रमः)|Vanaprasthashrama]]) : Importance to withdrawing from earning activities and devoting oneself more to the service of society.

# सन्न्यासाश्रमः ([[Sannyasashrama (सन्न्यासाश्रमः)|Sannyasashrama]]) : Importance to worship of God by renunciation of worldly desires.<ref name=":0" />

# सन्न्यासाश्रमः ([[Sannyasashrama (सन्न्यासाश्रमः)|Sannyasashrama]]) : Importance to worship of God by renunciation of worldly desires.<ref name=":0" />

In this regard, the Bhagavata Purana (Skandha 7, Adhyaya 15) says, <blockquote>गृहस्थस्य क्रियात्यागो व्रतत्यागो वटोरपि | तपस्विनो ग्रामसेवा भिक्षोरिन्द्रियलोलता ||३८||</blockquote><blockquote>आश्रमापसदा ह्येते खल्वाश्रमविडम्बनाः | देवमायाविमूढांस्तानुपेक्षेतानुकम्पया ||३९||<ref>Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 7, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AD/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%AB Adhyaya 15].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''gr̥hasthasya kriyātyāgō vratatyāgō vaṭōrapi | tapasvinō grāmasēvā bhikṣōrindriyalōlatā ||38||''</blockquote><blockquote>''āśramāpasadā hyētē khalvāśramaviḍambanāḥ | dēvamāyāvimūḍhāṁstānupēkṣētānukampayā ||39||''</blockquote>Meaning: Avoidance of rites and duties in the case of grhasthas, non-observance of the vow of celibacy, studies etc. in the case of a brahmacharins, residence in an inhabited locality in the case of ascetics performing penance (vanaprasthas) and lack of self-control in the case of recluses (sannyasins) are all detestable in their respective ashramas as they certainly reduce their ashramas to mockery. Such Pretenders who are decluded by the illusive power (Maya) of the Almighty, should either be neglected  or taking compassion upon them, one should teach them, if possible, to resume their original position.<ref>Ganesh Vasudeo Tagare, The Bhagavata Purana (Part III), Ancient Indian Tradition & Mythology (Volume 9), Edited by J.L.Shastri, New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, P.no.[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.150116/page/n115/mode/2up 985-996].</ref><ref>A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam (Seventh Canto), [http://prabhupadabooks.com/pdf/SB7.3.pdf Part 3-Chapters 10-15], 1976: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.</ref>

In this regard, the Bhagavata Purana (Skandha 7, Adhyaya 15) further elaborates that,<blockquote>गृहस्थस्य क्रियात्यागो व्रतत्यागो वटोरपि | तपस्विनो ग्रामसेवा भिक्षोरिन्द्रियलोलता ||३८||</blockquote><blockquote>आश्रमापसदा ह्येते खल्वाश्रमविडम्बनाः | देवमायाविमूढांस्तानुपेक्षेतानुकम्पया ||३९||<ref>Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 7, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AD/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%AB Adhyaya 15].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''gr̥hasthasya kriyātyāgō vratatyāgō vaṭōrapi | tapasvinō grāmasēvā bhikṣōrindriyalōlatā ||38||''</blockquote><blockquote>''āśramāpasadā hyētē khalvāśramaviḍambanāḥ | dēvamāyāvimūḍhāṁstānupēkṣētānukampayā ||39||''</blockquote>Meaning: Avoidance of rites and duties in the case of grhasthas, non-observance of the vow of celibacy, studies etc. in the case of a brahmacharins, residence in an inhabited locality in the case of ascetics performing penance (vanaprasthas) and lack of self-control in the case of recluses (sannyasins) are all detestable in their respective ashramas as they certainly reduce their ashramas to mockery. Such Pretenders who are decluded by the illusive power (Maya) of the Almighty, should either be neglected  or taking compassion upon them, one should teach them, if possible, to resume their original position.<ref>Ganesh Vasudeo Tagare, The Bhagavata Purana (Part III), Ancient Indian Tradition & Mythology (Volume 9), Edited by J.L.Shastri, New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, P.no.[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.150116/page/n115/mode/2up 985-996].</ref><ref>A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam (Seventh Canto), [http://prabhupadabooks.com/pdf/SB7.3.pdf Part 3-Chapters 10-15], 1976: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.</ref>

Dr Radhakrishnan said: The four stages of life or the four Ashrama are: Brahmacarya or the period of training, Grāhastha or the period of work for the world as a householder, Vānaprasthya or the period of retreat for the loosening of the social bonds, and Sanyāsa or the period of renunciation and expectant awaiting of freedom. These four Ashramas indicate that life is a pilgrimage to the eternal life through different stages<ref name=":1">Radhakrishnan, S. (1926). ''Hindu view of life''. George Allen And Unwin Ltd, London.</ref>.   

Also, it is said that, everyone should pass through the different Ashramas in order. One should not enter any stage of life prematurely. One should enter the next stage, only when the previous has been completed; essentially, because evolution is gradual in nature. Hence, the Manusmrti says,<blockquote>''“Having studied the Vedas or two Vedas or even one Veda in due order without breaking celibacy, let him dwell in the householder order. When the householder sees wrinkles in his skin and whiteness in his hair and the son of his son, then let him retire to the forest. Having passed the third portion of life in the forests, let him, having abandoned attachments, wander as an ascetic in the fourth portion of life.”''</blockquote>However, in extraordinary cases, some of the stages may be omitted. For example,

* Shankara took Sannyasa without entering the stage of a householder.

 

According to Dr Radhakrishnan, these four ashramas or stages of life ie. Brahmacharya (the period of training), Grhastha (the period of work for the world as a householder), Vanaprasthya (the period of retreat for the loosening of the social bonds) and Sannyasa (the period of renunciation and expectant awaiting of freedom), indicate that life is a pilgrimage to the eternal life through different stages<ref name=":1">Radhakrishnan, S. (1926). ''Hindu view of life''. George Allen And Unwin Ltd, London.</ref>.   

== विषयविस्तारः ॥ Subject Matter ==

== विषयविस्तारः ॥ Subject Matter ==