FOUR STAGES OR ASHRAMS
From
the birth to death human's life is divided into 4 stages[aashramaas].
that
is as follows
1.Brahmacharya
aashrama
2.Grihastha
aashrama
3.Vanaprastha
aashrama
4.Sanyasa
aashrama
In this aashrama a little boy who
can able to learn something from others, is send to some gurus or some
gurukulams or some training centers to gain
some knowledge [like physical sciences or spiritual science or
philosophy and social discipline and
self discipline ,etc etc] which is useful to his future life. There he only
learn that what his master said to do so. he completely surrendered himself to
his master without any egos, emotions, feelings, etc. he strictly follow the
rules of physical detachment [even in feeling (sexual feeling)] because his
concentration deviated or weeken, and
always be [move or charinchadam] with the guru [brahma]. That’s why it is
called Brahma-Charyam.
In this stage or aashrama he should
not carry or maintain or store money for his personal purposes. He is just like
a slave or true disciple to his master.
2.Grihastha
aashrama:
After gaining the knowledge
regarding his future life and as he start earning, he get marriage then start a
new stage or new life of Grihasthu [having family]. After that he has to take
the responsibility of his family and society [contributing some profit like 10%
or above to other good things like helping poor, older people or orphans ,help
to construct Anadha Saranalayams, temples, etc etc]. He has to help the others
who is following the other three aashramaas [Brahmachari, vanaprastha and
sanyasa].He must follows his customs without fail as long as he is a Grihasthu.
In this stage or aashrama he should
maintain money or store money for his future purposes.
3.Vanaprastha
aashrama:
After
finishing his all responsibilities towards family and society [settlement of
their children’s life, getting marriage of their children, etc] he has to start
a new life of pilgrimage, thirtha yaatras, visiting various ashrams, participating
in satsangs, etc. In Vanaprastha stage he is spending most of his time to
attain the WISDOM. He must follow some of the customs in this stage also.
In
this stage he should handover all his properties to his children [or some part
of the money is carrying for his pilgrimage or taken from their sons or others
depending on the situations].
After finishing his Vanaprastha
Dharma he take Sanyasaashrama. Because in this stage he is not strong enough to
visit various places like thirtha yaatras or visiting various ashrams. So in
this stage he is waiting for finishing his life in a peaceful manner [like
moksha], so he is spending his remaining life for practicing to achieve the
moksha [no life after death or his aatma enters into paramaatma or merging his
soul into supreme soul]. No need to follow any customs in this stage. He has to
detached with every relation and every custom.
In this stage he should not carry
any money with him. He has to depend on Grihastus and seeking for moksha only.
