Thread by @puranickatha

#Thread #DHARMA #STORIES

1/9

There are 4 Stages of Life viz

1st Stage: Brahmacarya Āśrama ,
2nd Stage: Grhastha Āśrama,
3rd Stage: Vanaprastha Āśarama,
4th Stage: The Samnyāsa Āśrama.
-
There are 4 different types of each of these stages

Contd..

2/9

1st STAGE: Brahmacarya āśrama - Celibate stage. It is of 4 types :

- Sāvitra: observance of celibacy and study of Sāvitri for three nights from the upanayana (thread bearing ceremony),

- Prajapatya: observance of celibacy for one year,

3/9

- Brahmā: observance of celibacy till the completion of the study of Vedas,

- Brhat: celibacy throughout life.

4/9

2ND STAGE OF LIFE: Grhastha āśrama - The Married Stage. It is of four kinds according to the way of maintenance of world

- earning livelihood by agriculture and such other such non prohibited vocations,

- Sañcaya: maintenance of money earned by performing sacrifices,

5/9

- Sālina: to live on whatever one gets without requesting or begging,

- Siloñccha: maintenance by gleaning grains, grain-gathering.

6/9

3RD STAGE OF LIFE: Vanaprastha Āśarama. There are four categories:

- Vaikhānasas: who live upon food-grains which grow naturally without agricultural efforts,

- Valakhilyas: who subsist on fresh food, giving away hoarded food,

7/9

- Audumbaras: who eat fruits etc. gathered from the direction to which they happen to look at first in the morning,

- Phenapa: who live on fruits, leaves etc. automatically dropped from trees.

8/9

4TH STAGE OF LIFE: The Samnyāsa Āśrama. It is of 4 kind

- Kuticaka; who abide by all the duties prescribed for the aśrama

- Bahroda: who perform the most essential duties of this āśrama but emphasize on the path of knowledge

9/9

- Hamsa: who concentrate on knowledge
- Niskriya: who have realized the Soul