०१ आश्रमकालः

Having dwelt, during the first quarter of his life, with the Teacher, the Brāhmaṇa shall, during the second quarter of his life, live in his house, after having taken a wife.—(1)

संक्षेपेणातिक्रान्तस्याध्यायद्वयस्यार्थं कथयत्य् अनुस्मरणाय । गार्हस्थ्यधर्मस्यायं वृत्तिविधिर् इति द्वितीयं श्लोकप्रयोजनम् ।

• अनियतपरिमाणत्वाद् आयुषश् चतुर्थभागव्यवस्थाविधानम् आश्रमिणाम् अनुपपन्नम् अतः श्लोको ऽयं विहिताश्रमकालानुवादार्थः । यद्य् अपि च “शतायुर् वै पुरुषः” (ऐत्ब् २.१७) इत्य् एतदपेक्षया कथंचिद् उपपद्येतापि, तथापि स्वप्रकरणे “ग्रहणान्तिकम्” (म्ध् ३.१) इति अवध्यन्तरस्य ब्रह्मचर्यविहितत्वात्, “गृहस्थस् तु यदा पश्येत्” (म्ध् ६.२) इति गार्हस्थ्ये ऽपि कालान्तरप्रतिपत्तेर्, अनुवादतैवानुमीयते ।

• चतुर्थम् आद्यम् आयुषो भागं । जन्मापेक्षम् आद्यत्वम् । गुरौ उषित्वा ब्रह्मचर्यं कृत्वा, ततो द्वितीयं चतुर्थम् आयुषो भागं कृतविवाहो गृहे वसेत् । गृहस्थाश्रमम् अनुतिष्ठेत्, तत्र वसेत् ॥ ४.१ ॥

The first verse sums up in brief what has gone in the last two discourses, for the purpose of recalling it to the mind; and the second verse serves to indicate that among the Duties of the Householder this prescribes the means of livelihood.

Inasmuch as the extent of ‘life’ of man is uncertain, any rule regarding the ‘quarter’ of life becomes incompatible; hence the present verse is to be taken as stating only the period of life that has been allocated to the various stages of life. Though the rule might somehow be justified on the basis of the assertion that ‘man lives for a hundred years,’ yet our Author has himself laid down other kinds of limit; e.g., with regard to studentship he has said that ‘it may extend till the Veda has been got up’ (3. 1); and in connection with the limit of the stage of the Householder also, it has been said (6. 2)—‘when the Householder finds etc.;’ and from all this it follows that the present verse is to be taken simply as the reiteration of the said limits.

‘The first quarter of his life.’—This is regarded as ‘first,’ counting from the man’s birth.

‘Having dwelt with his Teacher,’—i.e., having accomplished his studentship;—‘during the second quarter of his life,’—he shall marry, and ‘live in his house’;—i.e., lead the life of the Householder.—(1)

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 562), which adds that the rule here laid down is on the basis of the understanding that the ordinary span of man’s life is a hundred years;—and in Saṃskāramayūkha, (p. 64), which remarks that the span of man’s life being a hundred years, one should devote twenty-five years to each of the four life—stages,—such is the view of the writers of the Digests.

Mahābhārata (12.242.28-30).—‘The pupil shall pass through the life-stages, free from vulgarity; having gone through the fourth part of his life by keeping the fasts and observances, relating to the Veda, he shall offer the fee to his preceptor and perform the ceremony of ‘Return’ according to the law; being united to a virtuous wife and having, with due care, kindled the fires, the householder shall pass the second quarter of his life, keeping firm in his observances.’

Do. (12.243.1).—‘During the second quarter of his life, the householder shall live in the house, firm in his observances, after having been united to a virtuous wife and having kindled the fires.’

001 Having dwelt with a teacher during the fourth part of (a man’s) life, a Brahmana shall live during the second quarter (of his existence) in his house, after he has wedded a wife.