Just as all living beings survive by taking shelter of Pranavayu, similarly all ashrams go on taking shelter of the householder's ashram.
-Manusmriti.
Human life passes through childhood, youth, adulthood and old age and attains perfection. The needs, abilities and interests of human beings are different in each age and according to them, man does different work. To fulfill the interests of human life, to fulfill his needs and to increase his abilities, Vedic sages established the ashram system and prescribed rules, procedures and duties for each ashram.
These ashrams were arranged in such a way that the physical, divine and material needs of man could be easily fulfilled. His aspirations should not be suppressed but be limited. Let his interests be refined. By following the Ashram system, one can easily get all kinds of achievements, worldly and transcendental, material and spiritual, personal and social.
The Indian ashram system was one of the most unique, most unique and most distinct of the cultures around the world. Living under this system, man used to consume the four Purusharthas of Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha freely. The basis of each ashram was determined according to biological, social and psychological needs.
Ashram system provided man with duties and responsibilities as well as rare achievements like fulfillment of child-friendly curiosities, thrill of youthful life, happiness of household, pleasure of penance and redistribution of his experiences as a sannyasi in society. P>
The concept of Purushartha made in Indian philosophy is related to the ashram system itself. For the attainment of knowledge, duty, renunciation and spirituality, human life was divided into celibacy, grhastha, vanaprastha and sanyasa ashram. The ultimate goal of this system was to attain salvation. Indian thinkers, considering the life of a human being of hundred years, fixed four periods of twenty-five years for each ashram.
Development of Ashram-system
The ashram system originated in the post-Vedic period. Some thinkers are of the opinion that the ashram system was introduced after Mahatma Buddha or after the composition of the Pitaka-literature, because there is no mention of the ashram system in these works. These thinkers also believe that the names of the four ashrams are not found even in the Upanishads, but this assumption is not correct because in various Vedic texts including the Upanishads 'Brahmacharya, Brahmacharya, Grihapati, Grihastha and Yeti' Adi words have been mentioned in many places.
'Yeti' of 'Sanyasis' It is mentioned in two or three places. In the post-Vedic literature in the form of Brahmana texts, Aranyakas and Upanishads, there are indications of the four Ashrams. Although 'Brahmachari' , 'household' (Grihapati) and 'Muni' and 'Yeti' The word Aadi has come up again and again in the Rigveda, however there is a clear division of the ashrams in the post-Vedic system. Ashram-indicative words have been mentioned at many places in the Upanishads.
It is said in the Aitareya Brahmana that after completing the celibacy ashram 'Grihi' Became (householder), living a home life 'Vani' (Vanaprastha) and then after becoming Vani 'Parivrajak' (Sannyasi) become. 'Vrihadaranyakopanishad' Maharishi Yajnavalakya told his wife Maitreyi- 'I am now going to take Pravrajya from householder.'
The nouns by which the four ashrams were rendered were first mentioned 'Jabalopanishad' get in. Yajnavalkya narrated the various ashrams to King Janak. Thus the concept of four ashrams gradually developed. It erupted during the creation of the Vedas, its development took place during the composition of the Upanishads and clearly established during the composition of the Sutras.
The mutual relations of the Ashrams and their karmic systems were stabilized in the Sutra-yuga itself. There is a clear and detailed description of the four Ashrams in the Sutra-Granths, Puranas, Mahabharata and Smritis and the religion and duties of the four Ashrams have been told.
Prestige of Ashrams
According to the Bodhayana Dharmasutra, the ashram system was started by Kapila, the son of Prahlad. It is mentioned in it that humans started it in competition with the gods. The gods believed that the ashram system is necessary for a developed and developed society, so others should also adopt it. According to Mahabharata, Brahmanda-Purana and Vayu-Purana, four ashrams like four Varnas were also established by Brahma.
Like the four varnas, the origin of the four ashrams was said to be from Brahma so that people would accept it as a religion. The names of these ashrams are Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanprastha and Bhikkhus. The word beggar has been used for sannyasi only.
According to the Puranas, the ashrams were contemplated so that different members of the society could perform their deeds faithfully. According to the Brahmanda-Purana, the ashram system was strictly followed in the kingdom of Maharaj Sagar. According to the Chandogya-Upanishad, those who follow the ashram religion attain the virtuous world.
According to Matsya Purana, those who do not follow it or disrespect it are liable to punishment. According to Vayu Purana, those who did not follow it would get hell. It was necessary for the Dwijs, that is, Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas, to follow the ashram system.
In the beginning there were three ashrams – Brahmacharya, Grihastha and Vanaprastha. At that time, Vanaprastha and Sanyas were considered to be the same Ashram, because the basis of both (Vanaprastha and Sanyas) was spirituality, search for truth and attainment of salvation. Whatever a person had to do in sannyas, he used to prepare for that in Vanaprastha Ashram. Perhaps that is why it was not considered appropriate to differentiate between the two, but later the Sanyas Ashram was established separately and the duties of these two Ashrams were clearly set separately.
In the Chandogya Upanishad, three skandhas (base pillars) of religion have been described - (1.) Yagya, (2.) Study and (3.) Charity. The first skandha includes doing penance, the second skandha includes residing in the Acharya-kul as a brahmachari, and the third skandha involves decomposing one's body. Manu has also mentioned three ashrams at one place, but later he has said that the four ashrams of a hundred years can be divided into four parts of twenty-five years.
Scriptures like Gautam Dharmasutra, Apastamba Dharmasutra, Vishnu-Purana, Vasistha etc. have also discussed four ashrams - (1.) Brahmacharya, (2.) Grihastha, (3.) Vanaprastha and (4.) Sanyas or Parivrajak (Yati). .
It was the duty of the king to inspire the subjects to follow their respective varna-religions as well as to follow the ashram-dharma, but the ashram-system was basically a social system, not political or religious. The practical meaning of the Ashram system is to lead an orderly and regular life. Man cannot earn material and spiritual achievements from a disorderly life.
Man naturally also takes education at the beginning of his life, after that entering householder life consumes Artha and Kama and finally, attaining spiritual attainments, wants to attain salvation. Although all the ashrams had equal importance in the ashram system, the grihastha ashram was considered the most important, because all the other ashrams depended on the grihastha ashram.
Manu has said- 'Just as all living beings survive by taking shelter of Pranavayu, similarly all ashrams go on taking shelter of a householder's ashram.'
Status of Ashram system in Buddhist period
The period of 6th century BCE is called the Buddhist period. During this period, many religious sects emerged in India, in which Buddhism and Jainism were prominent. The followers of these religions did not follow the ancient ashram-maryada. In ancient texts like Dharmasutras and Smritis, a picture of an ideal society based on Varnashrama religion has been presented, but the real picture of ancient Indian society is obtained from Buddhist literature.
Jataka tales and dialogues of Gautam Buddha give information about the then society. 'Gahapati' for the householder in Buddhist literature The word (householder) has been used. Some Gahapatis were the masters of Atul wealth and some were also ordinary householders. 'worshipper' in Buddhist literature to the grihapati who follows the teachings of Mahatma Buddha Having said. Any Gahapati or any family member, even a child 'Bhikshuvrata' By adopting one could become a member of the Buddhist Sangha.
Women also had the right to become nuns. Bhikshus and nuns received free food, shelter and clothing in Buddhist sangharamas and were not required to do any work other than religious discussions and alms for some time every day. That's why many poor and lazy people of the society became Buddhist monks. Due to this the systems of Varna, Ashram and Purushartha established by the ancient Aryans started breaking down.
Status of Ashram system in Maurya period
Information about the nature of the ashram system in the Maurya period is obtained from Kautilya's Arthashastra and the description of Greek writers. Kautilya made 'Swadharma' of the four ashrams. It is explained like this-
(1.) Brahmachari Ashram: The svadharma of a brahmachari is self-study, agnikarma (yajna), abhisheka, bhaikshvrat (subsistence by alms), service or devotion to the acharya. In the absence of Acharya, the brahmachari used to have seva or devotion towards his guru-son or celibate elder than himself.
(2.) Grihastha Ashram: swadharma of the householder to earn a living by his occupation, marrying in a family of equal status to himself whose rishi (gotra) is different from the sage of his family, ritugamitva (cohabitation with wife after menses); Spend your income in performing the duties towards the gods, ancestors, guests and servants and maintain yourself and your family with the remaining amount.
(3.) Vanprastha Ashram: The Swadharma of Vanprasthi was to live celibately, to sleep on the ground, to wear hair, to cover Ajin (deer skin), to perform Agnihotra and Abhishesh, to worship gods, ancestors and guests, and to subsist on wild food (tubers, roots and fruits).
(4.) Parivrajya Ashram: The self-righteousness of parivrajya, having complete control over the senses, anarambha (not doing any business), nishkinchantva (not keeping any property), renunciation of association (not associating with anyone), subsistence by taking alms from many places, living in the forest To do and to have external and internal purity.
The svadharmas of the ashrams mentioned by Kautilya are somewhat different from the svadharmas mentioned in the Smritis. Kautilya first specified the Swadharma of the householder. Therefore, in the eyes of Kautilya, the importance of the householder's ashram was the most. It is preferable to follow Swadharma in the advice of Kautilya and it is the duty of the state to keep all the subjects stable in Varna-Dharma and Ashram Dharma.
It was necessary for the Dwij class that every child of their family should study after being celibate for sixteen years and enter the householder's ashram after developing their body, mind and intellect well. It was the duty of the householder to maintain his wife, children, parents, minor siblings and widowed women of his family. For the person who did not do this, there was a law of punishment of twelve panas.
Kautilya gave the order that no man should neglect his duties. If a man accepts Pravajya without making proper arrangements for the maintenance of his wife and children, he should be punished. The same punishment is also for the person who gives Pravrajya to a woman. Only such human beings should become parivrajaka in whom the power of procreation has been destroyed and who have obtained permission from the Dharmasthas (Judges of Dharmastha Courts) to become Parivrajak.
No such Parivrajak should be allowed to enter the district, who has attained Pravrajya without taking Vanaprastha. According to Kautilya, a man should not spend his whole life in a householder's ashram. After fulfilling his duties towards family, man should become Vanaprasthi and finally accept Akinchanvritti by taking sannyas.
The followers of Buddhist and Jain sects did not follow the ashram system even in the Buddhist period, Maurya period and later periods. Millions of people became monks by taking a pravrajya from a Buddhist master. When it started affecting the Sanatan Puranic religion also, then the masters of the Dharmasutras ordained that whenever a person develops dispassion, he should become a parivrajak, whether he is in the celibacy ashram and whether in the householder or the Vanprastha.
Kautilya did not agree with this view. उसने व्यवस्था दी कि केवल ऐसे व्यक्ति ही परिव्राजक बनें जिन्होंने अपनी पत्नी, सन्तान और परिवारजनों के भरण-पोषण की व्यवस्था कर दी हो, जिनमें सन्तान उत्पन्न करने की शक्ति नष्ट हो चुकी हो और जिन्होंने प्रव्रज्या के लिए धर्मस्थों से अनुमति प्राप्त कर ली हो।
बुद्ध के समय से ही कुछ स्त्रियों ने प्रव्रज्या ग्रहण करके भिक्षुणी बनना प्रारम्भ कर दिया था तथा भिक्षुणियों के पृथक् संघ स्थापित हो गए थे किन्तु कौटिल्य को स्त्रियों का परिव्राजिका बनना पसन्द नहीं था। इसलिए कौटिल्य ने व्यवस्था दी कि यदि कोई व्यक्ति स्त्रियों को परिव्राजक बनाए तो उसे दण्ड दिया जाए किंतु मौर्य युग एवं उसके बाद भी स्त्रियां पूर्ववत् परिव्राजिका बनती रहीं। कौटिल्य की पुस्तक अर्थशास्त्र में ऐसी परिव्राजिकाओं का उल्लेख हुआ है जिनका उपयोग गुप्तचरों के रूप में किया जाता था।
यूनानी लेखकों के विवरणों से भी भारत के सन्यासियों का परिचय मिलता है। सिकन्दर ने तक्षशिला में पन्द्रह ऐसे सन्यासियों को देखा जो सांसारिक जीवन को त्याग कर ध्यान, तपस्या और समाधि में समय व्यतीत कर रहे थे। सिकन्दर इन सन्यासियों की साधना-विधि जानना चाहता था। अतः जब सिकन्दर की ओर से ओनेसिक्रितस इन सन्यासियों से मिला, तो उनमें से एक सन्यासी ने कहा- ‘अश्वारोहियों के लम्बे चोगे और ऊँचे बूट पहन कर कोई व्यक्ति साधना-विधि नहीं जान सकता। यदि सचमुच इसे जानना चाहते हो तो तुम्हें अपने समस्त वस्त्र उतार कर गर्म चट्टानों पर हमारे साथ बैठना होगा।’
यूनानी लेखकों ने दण्डी नामक वृद्ध सन्यासी का उल्लेख किया है जो जंगल में पर्णकुटी में निवास करता था और उसके अनेक शिष्य थे। सिकन्दर ने ओनेसिक्रितस को उसे बुलाने के लिए भेजा। ओनेसिक्रितस ने दण्डी के पास जाकर कहा- ‘परम-शक्ति-सम्पन्न द्यौ-देवता के पुत्र सिकन्दर ने तुम्हें बुलाया है। वह समस्त मनुष्यों का स्वामी एवं अधीश्वर है। यदि तुम उसके आदेश को स्वीकार करके उसके पास चलोगे तो वह बहुमूल्य उपहारों से तुम्हें सन्तुष्ट करेगा किन्तु यदि तुमने उसके आदेश का पालन नहीं किया तो वह तुम्हारा सिर धड़ से अलग कर देगा।’
दण्डी ने उपेक्षापूर्ण हंसी हंसते हुए कहा- ‘सबका अधिपति ईश्वर है वह कभी किसी का बुरा नहीं करता। ज्योति, जीवन, शान्ति, जल, शरीर और आत्मा का वही स्रष्टा है। मै उस ईश्वर का उपासक हूँ जो युद्ध नहीं करता और जिसे हत्या से घृणा है। सिकन्दर ईश्वर नहीं है, क्योंकि उसे भी एक दिन मरना है, वह अपने को संसार का स्वामी कैसे समझ सकता है! सिकन्दर मुझे जिन उपहारों का लालच दिखा रहा है, मेरे लिए वे अनुपयोगी हैं। संसार के लोग जिन वस्तुओं का संग्रह करते हैं, मेरे लिए उनका कोई उपयोग नहीं है। उनसे मनुष्य को केवल चिन्ता और दुःख की प्राप्ति होती है। मैं पर्णशय्या पर निश्चिंत होकर सोता हूँ, क्योंकि मेरे पास ऐसी कोई वस्तु नहीं है, जिसकी रक्षा के लिए मुझे चिन्ता करनी पड़े। यदि मेरे पास स्वर्ण होता तो मुझे सुख की नींद कैसे आ सकती थी। सिकन्दर मेरा सिर काट सकता है किन्तु मेरी आत्मा को नष्ट करने की शक्ति उसमें नहीं है। सिकन्दर अपना डर, उन लोगों को दिखाए, जिन्हें स्वर्ण और सम्पत्ति की चाह हो और जो मृत्यु से डरते हों। हम ब्राह्मण न तो मौत से डरते हैं और न हमें सम्पत्ति से कोई प्रेम है। इसलिए तुम सिकन्दर से कहो कि जो कुछ तुम्हारे पास है और जो तुम दूसरों को दे सकते हो, दण्डी को उसकी कोई आवश्यकता नहीं है। इसलिए वह सिकन्दर के पास नहीं जाएगा, किन्तु यदि सिकन्दर दण्डी से कुछ प्राप्त करना चाहे तो वह मेरे पास आ सकता है।’
ओनेसिक्रितस से दण्डी का उत्तर सुनकर सिकन्दर को भारत के सन्यासियों के जीवन दर्शन का परिचय मिला।
शुंग काल में आश्रम-व्यवस्था की स्थिति
मौर्यवंश के पतन के बाद वैदिक धर्म का पुनरुत्थान हुआ। इस काल के चिन्तकों ने गृहस्थाश्रम को अधिक महत्त्व दिया। महाभारत का वर्तमान स्वरूप शुंग काल में तैयार हुआ था। अतः महाभारत में शुंग काल की आश्रम व्यवस्था का परिचय मिलता है।
महाभारत के शान्तिपर्व में कहा गया है कि जिस प्रकार समस्त प्राणी अपने जीवन के लिए माता पर आश्रित होते हैं वैसे ही अन्य समस्त आश्रमों की स्थिति का आधार गृहस्थ आश्रम है। शान्तिपर्व के एक प्रकरण में विदेह के राजा जनक और उसकी पत्नी के बीच का वार्तालाप संकलित है।
जब राजा जनक ने सन्यास लेने का विचार किया तब जनक की रानी ने कहा- ‘वे सन्यास ग्रहण करके कर्त्तव्यों से विमुख हो रहे हैं।’
महाभारत में कर्त्तव्यपालन से विमुख होकर सन्यासी बनने वाले व्यक्तियों की उपमा उन कुत्तों से की गई जो भोजन की आशा में दूसरों के मुंह की ओर देखते रहते हैं। शान्तिपर्व में एक कथा दी गई है जिसमें किशोर-वय के भिक्षुओं ने इन्द्र के समझाने पर गृहस्थ आश्रम में प्रवेश करना स्वीकार कर लिया था। महाभारत-युद्ध की समाप्ति के बाद युधिष्ठिर को अपने बन्धु-बान्धवों के विनाश पर बड़ा संताप हुआ और उसने वैरागी होकर भिक्षुवृत्ति ग्रहण करने का विचार किया।
इस पर अन्य पाण्डवों ने उसे समझाया कि ‘यह पाप-पूर्ण वृत्ति है। जो मनुष्य अकेला रहता है तथा पुत्र-पौत्रों, देवताओं, ऋषियों एवं अतिथियों का भरण-पोषण नहीं करता, उस मनुष्य में और जंगली पशुओं में कोई अन्तर नहीं है। जंगली पशु-पक्षी कभी मोक्ष प्राप्त नहीं करते। वृक्ष और पहाड़ सांसारिक झंझटों से दूर अकेले खड़े रहते हैं, वे भी मोक्ष-सिद्धि नहीं कर पाते।
मनुष्य को अपने सामाजिक कर्त्तव्यों के प्रति सजग होना चाहिए, तभी वह पितृऋण, देव-ऋण और ऋषि-ऋण से मुक्त हो सकता है। यह गृहस्थ आश्रम द्वारा ही सम्भव है। जो लोग केवल मोक्ष को अपना लक्ष्य मानकर गृहस्थ धर्म की उपेक्षा करते हैं, वे निन्दनीय हैं।’
वैदिक धर्म के इस पुनरुत्थान काल में समाज का नेतृत्व जिन ब्राह्मणों के पास था, वे भिक्षु या सन्यासी बने बिना ही एवं गृहस्थ आश्रम में रहते हुए ही अपने धार्मिक कर्त्तव्यों का पालन किया करते थे। पुराणों, स्मृतियों तथा अन्य प्राचीन साहित्य में भी गृहस्थाश्रम की श्रेष्ठता प्रतिपादित की गई।
मनु के अनुसार कहा कि जिस प्रकार वायु को पाकर ही समस्त प्राणी जीवन धारण करने में समर्थ होते हैं, वैसे ही समस्त आश्रम गृहस्थ पर आधारित होकर अपनी सत्ता को कायम रख सकते हैं। ब्रह्माण्ड-पुराण और विष्णु-पुराण के अनुसार अन्य समस्त आश्रम, गृहस्थ आश्रम में ही प्रतिष्ठित हैं, अतः वही सबसे श्रेष्ठ है। वायु-पुराण में गृहस्थ आश्रम को शेष तीनों आश्रमों की ‘प्रतिष्ठायोनि’ Said.