4 divisions of asrama's?

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhakti Visrambha Madhava Swami,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

There are four orders of spiritual life, namely, brahmacarya, grhastha,

vanaprastha and sannyasa, and in each of these asramas there are four

divisions. The divisions of the brahmacarya-asrama are savitrya, prajapatya,

brahma and brhat, and the divisions of the grhasthasrama are varta

(professionals), sancaya (accumulators), salina (those who do not ask

anything from anyone) and silonchana (those who collect grains from the

paddy fields). Similarly, the divisions of the vanaprastha-asrama are

vaikhanasa, valakhilya, audumbara and phenapa, and the divisions of sannyasa

are kuticaka, bahudaka, hamsa and niskriya.

Cc.A.7.34. purport

 

> > savitram prajapatyam ca brahmam catha brhat tatha (brahmacari's)

> > varta sancaya-salina- siloncha iti vai grhe (Grihastas)

> > S.Bh. 3.12.42.

savitram-the thread ceremony of the twice-born; prajapatyam-to execute the

vow for one year; ca-and; brahmam-acceptance of the Vedas; ca-and;

atha-also; brhat-complete abstinence from sex life; tatha-then;

varta-vocation in terms of Vedic sanction; sancaya-professional duty;

salina-livelihood without asking anyone for cooperation; sila-unchah-picking

up rejected grains; iti-thus; vai-even though; grhe-in household life.

TRANSLATION

Then the thread ceremony for the twice-born was inaugurated, as were the

rules to be followed for at least one year after acceptance of the Vedas,

rules for observing complete abstinence from sex life, vocations in terms of

Vedic injunctions, various professional duties in household life, and the

method of maintaining a livelihood without anyone's cooperation by picking

up rejected grains.

 

> >

> > vaikhanasa valakhilyau- dumbarah phenapa vane (Vanaprasthas)

> > nyase kuticakah purvam bahvodo hamsa-niskriyau (Sannyasi's)

> > S.Bh. 3.12.43.

>

vaikhanasah-the section of men who retire from active life and live on

half-boiled meals; valakhilya-one who quits his former stock of grains on

receipt of more; audumbarah-one who lives on what he gets from the direction

towards which he starts after rising from bed; phenapah-one who lives on the

fruits which automatically fall from the tree; vane-in the forest; nyase-in

the order of renunciation; kuticakah-life in the family without attachment;

purvam-in the beginning; bahvodah-giving up all material activities and

engaging fully in transcendental service; hamsa-fully engaged in

transcendental knowledge; niskriyau-stopping all kinds of activities.

TRANSLATION

The four divisions of retired life are the vaikhanasas, valakhilyas,

audumbaras and phenapas. The four divisions of the renounced order of life

are the kuticakas, bahvodas, hamsas and niskriyas. All these were manifested

from Brahma.

 

ys.: Premamoya d.