Four Stages of Life

Sanyasi - Four Stages of Life

In this article, we will discuss four stages of life according to Hinduism.

Hinduism not only tells you the aims of life, but it also shows the practical way to how to achieve those aims. To do this, Hinduism divides a person’s life into four stages or Asramas:

1. Brahmacharya-Asrama (student).

2. Grihastha-Asrama (householder).

3. Vanaprastha-Asrama (retirement).

4. Sannyasa-Asrama (renunciation).

Hinduism considers average age of a person to be 100 years. These 100 years are divided into four sections. The first 25 years should be spent in learning different skills and things useful for life. The next 25 years should be spent to have a family, raise your children, and give them proper direction. At the age of 50, one should start withdrawing from worldly life but not denounce it completely. The family still needs your help. At the age of 75, most of the people have no responsibilities. The kids grow up and have their life. At this time, you should think of denouncing the world and target salvation which is the ultimate aim of a human’s life.

Remember, this is a guideline and not a compulsion to anybody, even for the Brahmins (priests), but it is an ideal way to live a well-planned life. The people who do not like worldly life can denounce it at any time.

1. Brahmacharya-Asrama:

Brahmacharya means celibacy. This is the student phase of life. In this Asrama, one is supposed to acquire knowledge from his teacher and to remain celibate. The stage generally starts at 8 years of age. The student is introduced to his Guru through a ceremony called “Upanayana.”

Notably, this stage is only for boys and not for girls and the student needs to stay with his teacher until he finishes his studies. This stage ends at the age of 20 to 25 or less depending upon the situation.

2. Grihastha-Asrama:

Grihasthashrama means the stage of life when the person is married and has to fulfill all his duties towards his wife, children, father, and mother. This stage starts when Brahmacharya Asrama ends. So, this is the second stage of life. During this stage, he has to earn his livelihood by using the skills he learned from his teacher during Brahmacharya Asrama. This is the most important stage of life and tends to last longer than other stages. During this stage, he is authorized to enjoy “Kama” as well as he has to work hard to secure “Artha.”  This stage is expected to end at 50 years of age.

3. Vanaprastha-Asrama:

Vanaprastha means “going to the forest.”  This is the third stage of life. This is the stage when the person is to retire, give up sexual life, give up all the possessions to children, and enter the forest. He could leave his wife to the care of his sons or allow her to accompany him. He will live as a hermit, surviving on alms.

Notably, a person cannot enter Vanaprasthashrama unless and until his daughters are married and his sons are able to earn their own livelihood. This ensures that the person completes all his duties towards his family.

4. Sannyasa-Asrama:

Sannyasa means complete renunciation. This is the last stage of life and may start at 75 years of age but there is no such restriction of age. He is to dedicate himself entirely to spirituality. He is to live on fruits and roots found in the jungle. He is not allowed to eat cooked food or beg for alms. He needs to avoid unnecessary contact with anybody. He does not need to care about his body. He is to practice austerities and thus be prepared for salvation. If he follows this stage properly, he would be released from the cycle of birth and rebirth and would attain Moksha (salvation).

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