The Ashram System
Under the Ashram system, the average human life was regarded as one hundred and eight years, consisting of four periods of twenty-seven years each. The goal of each period was the ideal fulfillment of each of the four consecutive stages of life.
| Ashram or stage | Age | Description | Rituals of transition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brahmacharya (student life) |
8-18 | The male child would live with his family till he was at the age of 5. He would then be sent to a Gurukul (house of the guru) and typically would live with a Guru (teacher), acquiring knowledge of science, philosophy, scriptures and logic, practicing self-discipline and celibacy, learning to live a life of dharma (righteousness). | Upanayana at entry. |
| Grihastha (household life) |
18-40 | The ideal householder life is spent in enjoying family life, carrying out one's duties to family and society, and gainful labor. | Samavartana at entry. Other rituals of Hindu marriage later. |
| Vanaprastha (retired life) |
40-65 | After the completion of one's householder duties, one gradually withdraws from the world, freely shares wisdom with others, and prepares for the complete renunciation of the final stage. | |
| Sannyasa (renounced life) |
65- Demise | One completely withdraws from the world and starts dedicating to spiritual pursuits, the seeking of moksha (freedom from the cycle of rebirth), and practicing meditation to that end. |
The Ashram system is believed by the Hindus to lead to a fulfillment of the four aims of life namely, Dharma (righteousness), Artha (wealth), Kama (pleasure), and Moksha (liberation).
| Developmental stages of life |
Period | Ashrama (stages of dutiful life) |
Purushartha (aims of life) |
Description | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saisava | 0–2 years | No moral codes during this period | |||||
| Balya | 3–12 years | Brahmacharya | Dharma | Vidyarambha, Learning of alphabets, arithmetic, basic education according to varna | |||
| Kaumara (13 - 19) |
Kaishora | 13–15 years | Brahmacharya | Dharma and Moksha | |||
| Tarunya | 16–19 years | Brahmacharya | Dharma and Moksha | ||||
| Yauvana (20 - 59) |
Yauvana-I (Tarunayauvana) |
20–29 years | Brahmacharya or Grihastha | Dharma, Artha and Moksha | |||
| Youvana-II (Praudhayauvana) |
30–59 years | Grihastha | Dharma, Artha and Kama and Moksha | ||||
| Vardhakya (60+ ) |
Vardhakya (Period-I) |
60–79 years | Vanaprastha | Dharma and Moksha | |||
| Vardhakya (Period-II) |
80+ years | Sanyasa | Dharma and Moksha | ||||
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