Four orders or Ashramas
1. There are four orders, viz. the order of householders, the order of students, the order of ascetics, and the order of hermits in the woods.
2. If he lives in all these four according to the rules (of the law), without allowing himself to be disturbed (by anything), he will obtain salvation.
3. The duty to live in the teacher's house after the initiation is common to all of them.
4. Not to abandon sacred learning (is a duty common) to all.
5. Having learnt the rites (that are to be performed in each order), he may perform what he wishes.
6. Worshipping until death (and living) according to the rule of a (temporary) student, a (professed) student may leave his body in the house of his teacher.
7. Now (follow the rules) regarding the ascetic (Samnyâsin).
8. Only after (having fulfilled) the duties of that (order of students) he shall go forth (as an ascetic), remaining chaste.
9. For him (the Samnyâsin) they prescribe the following rules).
10. He shall live without a fire, without a house, Without pleasures, without protection. Remaining silent and uttering speech only on the occasion of the daily recitation of the Veda, begging so much food only in the village as will sustain his life, he shall wander about neither caring for this world nor for heaven.
11. It is ordained that he shall wear clothes thrown away (by others as useless).
12. Some declare that he shall go naked.
13. Abandoning truth and falsehood, pleasure and pain, the Vedas, this world and the next, he shall seek the Âtman.
14. (Some say that) he obtains salvation if he knows (the Âtman).
15. (But) that (opinion) is opposed to the Sâstras.
16. (For) if salvation were obtained by the knowledge of the Âtman alone, then he ought not to feel any pain even in this (world).
17. Thereby that which follows has been declared.
18. Now (follow the rules regarding) the hermit living in the woods.
19. Only after (completing) that (studentship) he shall go forth, remaining chaste.
20. For him they give (the following rules):
21. he shall keep one fire only, have no house, enjoy no pleasures, have no protector, observe silence, uttering speech on the occasion of the daily recitation of the Veda only.
Thought by NRao
It is interesting to note that four orders are described as Student, Householder, ascetic and hermit.
Next part 54
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