Gṛhastha (Sanskrit: गृहस्थ) literally means "being in and occupied with home, family" or "householder".[ It refers to the second phase of an individual's life in a four age-based stages of the Hindus asrama system.][S Radhakrishnan (1922), The Hindu Dharma, International Journal of Ethics, 33(1): 1-22] It follows celibacy (bachelor student) life stage, and embodies a married life, with the duties of maintaining a home, raising a family, educating one's children, and leading a family-centred and a Dharma social life.
This stage of Asrama is conceptually followed by Vānaprastha (forest dweller, retired[L Mullatti (1995), Families in India: Beliefs and Realities, Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 26(1): 11-25]) and Sannyasa (renunciation).[RK Sharma (1999), Indian Society, Institutions and Change, , page 28] Combined with other three life stages, Hindu philosophy considers these stages as a facet of Dharma concept, something essential to completing the full development of a human being and fulfilling all the needs of the individual and society.[
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Ancient and medieval era texts of Hinduism consider Gṛhastha stage as the most important of all stages in sociological context, as human beings in this stage not only pursue a virtuous life, they produce food and wealth that sustains people in other stages of life, as well as the offspring that continues mankind.[Alban Widgery (1930), The Principles of Hindu Ethics, International Journal of Ethics, 40(2): 232-245] The householder stage is also considered in Indian philosophy as one where the most intense physical, procreational, emotional, occupational, social and material attachments exist in a human being's life.[Mazumdar and Mazumdar (2005), Home in the Context of Religion, in Home and Identity in Late Life: International Perspectives (Editor: Graham D. Rowles et al.), Springer, , pages 81-103]
In Indian traditions, Gṛhastha stage of life is a recommendation, but not a requirement. Any Brahmachari may, if they want, skip householder and retirement stage, go straight to Sannyasa stage of life, thereby renouncing worldly and materialistic pursuits and dedicating their lives to spiritual pursuits.[What is Hinduism? (Editors of Hinduism Today), , Family Life and Monastic Life, Chapter 10 with page 101 in particular]
Etymology
The Sanskrit word grhastha (गृहस्थ) is a composite grha-stha of two root words grha (गृह) and stha (स्थ). Grha means "home, family, house",[ gRha Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University] while sth means "devoted to, occupied with, being in".[ stha Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University] Gṛhastha means that which "being in and occupied with home, family" or simply "householder".[ gRhastha Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University]
Discussion
Gṛhastha is part of the ancient Hindu concept called Chaturashrama, which identified four stages of a human life, with distinct differences based on natural human needs and drives, as well as how these stages integrated with fulfilling, joyful four goals of life called Purushartha - Dharma (piety, morality, duties), Artha (wealth, health, means of life), Kama (love, relationships, emotions) and Moksha (liberation, freedom, self-realization).[ Gṛhastha is considered to be the most intense of all four stages, where a man or woman pursues all four goals of life, with greater emphasis on first three - Dharma, Artha and Kama.][R Sharma (1986), A Socio-political Study of the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Motilal Banarsidass, , page 435] In contrast, Sannyasa is the stage where the individual renounces Artha and Kama, and pursues Moksha with a single minded pursuit.[
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The stage "Gṛhastha" is preceded by Brahmacharya (student) stage of life, and followed by Vanaprastha (retirement, forest dweller, still an advisor to the next generation) stage. In ancient texts, Gṛhastha stage of life is said to extend from the age of about 25 to about 50.[
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A man or woman entered the Gṛhastha stage after a Hindu wedding sacred. They would build a home, raise a family, earn wealth, enjoy worldly life and give donations to needy people, poor families, orphans, etc... They also have to follow the 5 great rituals ( Pancha Maha Yajnas) as follow:
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Brahma yajna~ Study of vedas, meditation, prayers
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Deva yajna~ Offering of clarified butter (ghee) in fire
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Pitr yajna~ Care of parents, aged and old people
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Bhuta yajna~ Service to poor, needy, handicapped and animals
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Atithi yajna~ Hospitality to guest, saints, sages. It is said "Guest is God." We must take good care of our guest to get good deeds in our life.
Literature
The Chandogya Upanishad and Brahma Sutras discuss all four stages of life - student, householder, retired/hermit and ascetic. However they hold Gṛhastha āśrama as the highest because, explains verse III.4.48, not only does the householder performs the duties recommended for all four asramas, they have to produce food and goods on which people in other ashramas survive. The shared duties of four ashramas are - tenderness for all living creatures (ahimsa), Yamas, and others.[Max Muller, The Sacred Books of the East: The Vedanta-Sutras, Pt. 2, Vol. XXXVIII, Oxford University Press, pages 324-325]
Some chapters of the Upanishads, for example hymn 4.4.22 of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, specify only three stages of human life – Brahmacharya, Gṛhastha and Vanaprastha.[Paul Deussen (1906), The Philosophy of the Upanishads, T&T Clark, Edinburgh, pages 54-61] They make no mention of gender, class restrictions on these stages of life. All three stages are recommended as path to Brahman (inner Self, Soul). In contrast, later texts[See the following Upanishads: Brahma, Sannyasa, Aruneya, Kantha, Paramahamsa, Jabala and Ashrama; For English translations and secondary source - see Paul Deussen (1906), The Philosophy of the Upanishads, T&T Clark, Edinburgh, pages 374-377] specify four stages of human life.
- Dharmasutras and Dharmasmritis
Grihastha ashrama, declares Gautama Dharmasutra in verses 3.2 and 3.3, is the foundation of all the ashramas, and essential to the existence and continuation of society because the other three ashramas do not produce offspring.[Sanskrit Original: Gautama Dharma Sutra page 3;]
English Translation: UC Pandey, Gautama Dharma Sutra, with the Mitaksara' Sanskrit commentary of Haradatta, 1966,
Manusmriti, similarly states in Sections VI.87 through VI.90, that it is the householders who feed all those in other three stages of life, and those who seek spiritual pursuits live on, attain fulfillment because of those who accept and prosper in Gṛhastha ashrama.[Original: ManuSmriti Chapter 6, Verses 87-90 (in Sanskrit);]
English Translation: Max Muller, , The Sacred Books of the East, Oxford University Press, pages 214-215
English Translation 2: RK Sharma (1999), Indian Society, Institutions and Change, , page 28 Manusmriti uses the concept of ashrama broadly, and in verses III.77 to III.80, declares Gṛhastha stage as noble, excellent and that "just like all beings need air to survive, so do all beings take life from the Gṛhastha Āśrama because of the food they produce and knowledge they apply".[Max Muller, , The Sacred Books of the East, Oxford University Press, page 89]
In Sections IV.1 through IV.6, Manusmriti states a Brahmana, after being twice-born and completing his studies with his teacher, should marry and live in his house.[ He must seek a means of living that causes no injury or least possible injury to all living beings, except in times of distress. For this householder stage, the text declares that the Brahmana (graduate from Brahmacharya) should accumulate property by ethically pursuing his varna's (class) occupation.][ Manusmriti lists][Original: ManuSmriti Chapter 4, Verses 1-6, pages 114-115 (in Sanskrit);]
English Translation 1: Max Muller, , The Sacred Books of the East, Oxford University Press, pages 128-129;
English Translation 2: William Jones (1796), Manu Smriti - Ordinances of Manu Chapter the Fourth, page 89 five appropriate sources of income or means for survival for the educated Brahmana - Ṛta (ऋत, lawful gleaning and gathering, proper natural work[Muller translates it as gleaning of corn, William Jones as lawful gleaning and gathering, Prasad translates it as proper natural work]), Amrita (अमृत, accepting gifts and charity), Mrta (मृत, begging), Pramrta (प्रमृत,[ pramRta Koeln University, Germany] agriculture, tillage) and Satyanrta (सत्यानृत,[ satyAnRta Koeln University, Germany] trade, commerce, money lending). The text disapproves of one means of survival for the householder - Shvavritti (श्ववृत्ति,[ zvavRtti Koeln University, Germany] dog-like subsistence, servitude, slavery[Muller translates it as dog-like menial subsistence, William Jones translates this as service for hire, Prasad translates it as slavery]).
- Puranas
The Vishnu Purana in Book 3 Chapter IX, states[Original: Vishnu Purana pages 209-211 (in Sanskrit);]
English Translation: HH Wilson (Translator) Vishnu Purana, Volume 3 Book III, Chapter IX, pages 93-94
- Epics
The Indian Epics have extensive debates on Gṛhastha stage of life, offering a contrasting spectrum of views on its merits and nature.[See, for example, Adi Sankara's commentary on The Bhagavad Gita of the Mahabharata, AM Sastri (Translator), at pages 83-95 and 179-182;]
For another example, see Chapter 63, Book 13 of the Mahabharata, KM Ganguli (Translator) An illustrative recommended guidelines for conduct in householder stage of life is stated in Book 1, the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata, as follows,[J. A. B Van Buitenen (1974), The Book of the Beginning, University of Chicago Press, ]
See also
Ashramas
Puruṣārthas
Buddhism
External links
