Dharma and Duties of Ashram System
The Vedic sages had arranged four ashrams - Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanprastha and Sanyas Ashram to organize human life according to karma. According to Yajnavalkya, the four ashrams were very necessary for the brahmins and the brahmin who followed these four ashrams according to the scriptures, he attained the supreme state.
Apart from Brahmins, there were three ashrams for other Dwijs (Kshatriyas and Vaishyas) - Brahmacharya, Grihastha and Vanprastha, for them there was no law of Sanyasa Ashram. Puranas have also told the importance of four Ashrams. According to Matsya Purana, Brahmanda Purana and Vayu Purana, there are four ashrams, namely Grihastha, Bhikshu, Acharyakarma (Brahmacharya) and Vanprastha, and after establishing the Dharma of the Varnas, Brahma established the four Ashrams.
The 10th-11th century writer Alberuni also mentions four ashrams. He writes- 'The life of a brahmin (dvija) after the age of seven is divided into four parts (ashramas).' It is clear from these descriptions that there existed four ashrams from the post-Vedic era to the pre-medieval era.
Brahmacharya Ashram
Brahmacharya Ashram was arranged so that man should get education, knowledge and wisdom in childhood itself. Brahmacharya in two words, 'Brahm' and 'Charya' is comprised of. Brahm means 'God' and 'Charya' Means. 'Variation'. The combined meaning of these two is 'walking on the path of Brahma'.
The practical meaning of Brahmacharya is the control of the senses as well as the study of Vidya and Vedas. To follow this ashram, the child left his father's house and lived in the ashram of the Guru or Acharya and studied the Vedas and scriptures under his guidance. 'Brahm' and 'Veda' has a close relationship. Another meaning of Brahmacharya is 'walking on the path of Vedas' That is, 'Brahma-Gyan'. The prestige of Brahma-knowledge was at its peak during the Upanishad period. Man used to acquire knowledge and science by living with austerity and restraint.
According to the Mahabharata, a celibate living in a brahmacharya ashram should keep his mind under control by internal and external purification and following Vedic rites. Worship of Agni Dev should be done both in the morning and in the evening through sandhyopasana, suryopasana and Agnihotra (yagya). Leaving sleepiness and laziness, one should worship the Guru daily and purify one's soul by practicing and listening to the Vedas.
One should take bath at all three times in the morning, afternoon and evening. Daily alms should be brought by asking and it should be dedicated to the service of the Guru. One should not act contrary to what the Guru says, for which he indicates and for which he orders. One should be ready in self-study, given by the grace and offerings of the Guru.
A person could enter the Brahmacharya Ashram only after the Upanayana (Yajnopaveet) ceremony. Brahmachari 'Guru' through this sacrament He used to get the company of him and used to earn knowledge while living near him. After entering the celibacy ashram, the child was called a brahmachari. He used to observe fast for Brahma-vidya.
According to Manu, he used to go out for alms after worshiping the sun. Beggary was instructed for the brahmachari so that he should be proud and follow the rules and regulations. It has been said in the scriptures that from the women who do not provide alms to the celibate, the virtue arising out of charity and sacrifice, their animals, the education of their clans and food are taken away.
Therefore, the brahmachari was not returned without giving alms from his door. It was the ultimate duty of every householder to give alms to a brahmachari. The brahmachari used to eat twice a day i.e. in the morning and in the evening, eating in between was prohibited.
The life of a celibate was orderly, restrained and bound by rules. He followed modesty, spiritual practice and discipline in thought, word and deed. He looked after the Guru's animals, collected wealth, begged for alms, performed yajnas and served the Guru faithfully. The brahmachari who did this attained heaven by becoming Jitendriya. The life of a brahmachari was the most excellent of all religions, Brahma-form and revered.
For him dancing, singing, musical instruments, scented things, garland, shoes, umbrella, Anjan, laughing, seeing a naked woman, wishing for a woman and touching her without any reason were prohibited. He had to speak the truth and arrogance was forbidden for him. It was necessary for the disciple to wake up before the Guru. According to Kautilya, the duty of a celibate is to study the Vedas, to do fire abhishek, to do alms, to serve the guru-son or the eldest brahmachari in the absence of the guru. Manu says that the Guru gives education only to the humble, serving and benevolent student.
Adhering to virtue and truthfulness was a unique practice of a brahmachari. His best conduct was to control his desires and to righteously coordinate his actions. He used to control his moving senses, due to which he attained accomplishment.
In this way, he was respected by being restrained in mind, speech and action. His main duties were penance, self-study and God-worship, which led to the full development of the brahmachari. The spiritual development of a brahmachari was done by following Yama-Niyama. The rules of non-violence, truth, asteya, celibacy, aparigraha, etc. were to be followed under the Yamas.
The life of a celibate was similar in 11th century India also. Alberuni has written- 'He takes bath thrice a day, performs Homa in the morning and evening and worships the Guru after Homa. He fasts for one day and breaks the fast for one day. He resides in the Guru-griha only. He leaves the guru-griha only while going for alms.
He does not ask for alms from more than five households at a time. Whatever he gets in alms, he surrenders to the guru, so that he can take it according to his will, then the guru orders the remaining part to be given to him and eaten. In this way the student feeds himself from the food left by his master. Then he brings wood of two types of trees - Palas and Darbha for the Yagya because Hindus worship the Yagya-Homa more and offer flowers.'
Period of study of Brahmachari
The duration of the Brahmacharya Ashram was usually twelve years, until the completion of the Brahmacharya Ashram, its age was about twenty-five years. However, some brahmacharis studied for 12, 24, 36 and 48 years. After completing his education, he used to enter the householder life after getting the permission of the Guru.
With regard to the duration of the Brahmacharya Ashram, Manu has written that the brahmachari studied near the Guru for 36 years (study of three Vedas) or half of it till 18 years or its fourth quarter for 9 years or till the period of receiving the Vedas. Certainly, the brahmachari had to spend many years in the study of the Vedas.
The study of Vedas could take at least 9 years. It was mandatory for a celibate to be proficient in three Vedas or two Vedas or one Veda. Right knowledge of a Veda could be attained in at least nine or twelve years. According to the Chandogya Upanishad, Indra had attained knowledge by staying near Prajapati for 101 years. According to Taittiriya Brahmana Bharadwaja studied the Vedas for 75 years.
Types of Brahmachari
In the post-Vedic period, there were many types of brahmacharis who got education by staying in the ashram of the guru. These can be divided into excellent, medium and junior categories. Some brahmacharis were very good at studies and had good conduct and behavior.
Some brahmacharis were moderate in studies, which were neither very intense nor slow at all. There were some brahmacharis who were very slow and inferior in studies, but they were not discriminated on the basis of intelligence. The students were classified as Upa Kurvana and Naishthik.
Up-Kurvan: The Upa-Kurvan students were those who lived in the Gurukul for ten to fifteen years and returned to their home after giving their Guru as much guru-dakshina as they could. There were also three types of graduates among the Upa-Kurvana students - Veda graduates, Vrat graduates and Veda-vrata graduates.
Naishthik Brahmachari: Naishthika brahmacharis were those who had the Upanayana ceremony at the age of eight. He used to study till the age of fifty-six, keeping a fast of celibacy for forty-eight years. Sometimes he used to study in Guru's ashram for the rest of his life and in the end he used to attain Brahmaloka. He was not reborn.
The students who used to take education by staying in Guru's ashram, they were 'Antewasi' Were called A student who was initiated to study a particular subject was called a twelfth yearly, yearly, monthly and half-monthly student according to the duration of the Gurukul. Sometimes a student also took admission in Gurukul to study a particular richa or scripture.
The Brahmacharya Ashram ended with the Samavartan ceremony. After this, the brahmachari used to return to his father's family after taking permission from his guru.