A series of articles by Acharya Sri KR Manoj ji, Founder & Director of Aarsha Vidya Samajam.
Article 2: Do not associate Ashrama system with Varna system!
MM Akbar is not the only one to be blamed for criticizing Sanathana Dharma by associating it with “Varnashrama system”. There are many who make such comments. They seem to be the majority in Kerala today. “All problems are caused by the evil Varnashrama Dharma system practiced in Hindu religion.”, this seems to be the summary of all arguments in many channel debates.
The criticism and arguments are about two social structures, the Varna system and the Ashrama system, which had existed earlier in society, but do not exist anymore. Social structures set by the Smriti Vyavastha are such that they can be scrapped, if not needed! Smriti is only a temporary system! Smriti is nothing but social norms! The application of Smriti Niyamas can be modified depending on changing time, people, and place; they must be modified according to the changing needs and interests of the people and society. You can get rid of Smrithi completely. Not only Smritis, but Shrutis can also be amended. Sri Sankaracharya suggests that even if the scriptures describe “fire as cold”, it must be rejected. Just think whether this freedom of thought and commitment to truth exists in any other religion or ideology. The same people who criticize Sanathana Dharma, which gives them the freedom to change social laws (Smriti Niyamas) drastically, if necessary, and to reject the scriptures if they are wrong, argue that “their religious texts will not change until the end of the world”! I can quote verses from the Bible, the Quran, and the recognized Hadiths, that call for and promote slavery, discrimination against women, intolerance, cruelty, infanticide, genocide – all in the name of God! Do these critics even have the freedom or honesty to at least say “I don’t accept this, I reject this!”
Let’s come back to Smriti itself. What is the Smriti (code of social conduct) followed by Hindus today? Are they living here today in accordance with any scriptures? Today, Hindus follow the constitution (‘Ambedkar Smriti’) of our nation called Bharat; which are the civil and criminal laws of the country. Hindus living abroad follow the laws of their respective countries. So who is mocking and abusing the Hindus who have changed the social rules around the world?! One section of them are those who insist that the same social laws that were formed in the 6th century Arabia must be implemented “all over the world” in this 21st century! Those who openly declare that they cannot abide by the general civil code prescribed by the Constitution, and their unabashed supporters are competing to blame Hindus who have reformed everything according to the laws of the country! Another section is of those who have enslaved the whole world through colonial exploitation! And there are those who carry an outdated ideology that has massacred eight crore people in the last century, who are in the forefront for the destruction of Sanathana Dharma!
It is true that the Varna system later degenerated into a caste system. So attacks against the Varna system are quite understandable. But what is wrong with the Ashrama system?! No matter how much I think about it, I can’t understand the logic behind some people’s opposition against the Ashrama Dharma system. People who do not even have a basic understanding of what it is, preach outrageously in channel discussions and speeches!
The Ashrama Dharma system explains that there are four major periods in a human’s lifetime and the ways and lifestyles to be adopted during those periods. It has nothing to do with the Varna system. Let me briefly explain what the Ashrama system is.
The four stages of life:
There are four important periods in the life of any human being. In these different periods, human beings differ not only in their external appearance, but also in their interests, health, knowledge, strengths, abilities, energy, personality, and thinking.
The first stage (childhood) includes infancy, childhood, and adolescence. The second stage is youth. The stage from the end of youth till old age is the third stage (middle age). And the fourth stage is old age. Not only age, but one’s health, abilities, strengths, qualities, climate, and circumstances determine what stage one is in. For example, there are people in their seventies who are as active and radiant as they were in their youth. But usually, upto 21-25 years of age can be considered as the first stage. From 25 to 50-60 can be included in the second stage, 50-60 to 65-70 in the third stage and later in the fourth stage. Taking into consideration the characteristics and limitations of these four important periods of life, it is the interest of Ashrama Dharma system to help a human lead a life of maximum benefit to himself (individual) and the society. Chaturashramas (4 Ashramas) are the four stages of life organized and lived in this way.
Brahmacharya Ashrama, or student life, must be adopted during the first period from childhood to adolescence to young adulthood. Para Vidya (spiritual knowledge) and Apara Vidya (material knowledge) are learned during this Ashram. This is the best time to develop exemplary personality and character building. It is the best age to acquire abilities, strengths, qualities, and knowledge. A Brahmachari (here it means student) who spends his Brahmacharya Ashram in a Gurukula, must follow the Tatvas (principles), Abhyasas (practices), and Niyamas (instructions) accordingly. A well-organized Brahmacharya Ashram can provide excellent training for living successfully in the other three Ashrams.
Grihastha Ashram must be adopted from youth to almost middle age (from 25 years to about 50-60 years). The main duties of the Grihastha (householder) is to earn a living, get married, bring up children, protect not only one’s own family including his/her parents but the society itself and all the living beings that depend on him/her. All Ashramas are maintained by the Grihastha or householder.
After Garhasthyam is Vanaprasthashramam. One can term it the ‘retired life’ after fulfilling one’s duties. Vanaprasthashrama emphasizes on a selfless lifestyle that works for the welfare of the society beyond the family! The Vanaprasthi takes a step beyond the narrow circle of “himself and his family” to a wider field of social service!
Sanyas Ashrama is the old age. One can enter Sanyas after the first three stages or directly from the Brahmacharya Ashram. Self-inquiry or Spiritual Sadhana is necessary at all times. However, in this fourth stage, a spiritual life that spends more time with Ishwara is needed. The purpose of Sanyasa is to dedicate one’s life to Ishwara and Sanathana Dharma. Sanyasa is the right attitude and relationship (Samyak – Nyasa) towards everything. This kind of lifestyle is also a way to cope with the loss of loved ones, disability, death etc! It also aims to strengthen the spiritual foundation needed for the next birth or the afterlife.
Ashrama Dharma is a scientific system organized according to the four main stages of human life for maximum benefit for the individual and society! Yet some people criticize it like a blind man describing an elephant. Knowingly and unknowingly, people all over the world still live according to these life stages. Then you might ask what is special about this Ashram system. Ashrama system is a system of life aimed at the welfare of the world, ‘intelligently planned’ according to the characteristics of these four stages of human life. That is the speciality.
I’m not sure if people like MM Akbar and abolitionists oppose the Ashrama Dharma system because they have mistaken it for the Ashramas (monasteries) of Sanyasis! In any case, it is clear that such criticisms are completely ignorant of the fundamentals of Hindu Dharma. So please! At Least now on, leave the Ashrama system alone!
Hopefully, people who criticize the “rotten Varnashrama system” will correct themselves and blame only the “Varna system”!
What is Varna system and Jathi (caste)? How are they different? How did the advocates of caste conservatism become anti-Sanathana Dharma? How did they subvert Sanathana Dharma, its Ishwara Darshana (concept of God) and Jeevana Darshana (concept of life), and its Guru Paramparas? How did they destroy the Hindus? If you want answers to these questions, you have to do an impartial fact-check.
We must understand that it was the Adhyatmika Acharyas (spiritual masters) who upheld Sanathana Dharma, and came from both the so-called “Savarna” and “Avarna” sections who fought to resist and uproot the evils of casteism that had affected all sections of society. We must recognize what is the intent behind the nefarious attempts of the caste-conservatism that is against Sanathana Dharma, Dharma Aacharyas, and the Hindu people itself, of blaming everything on Sanathana Dharma.
All these will be explained in the coming articles with clear evidence.
Please read patiently.
(To be continued…)