Shloka 13
चत्वारोऽाश्रमाः — ब्रह्मचर्यादि मोक्षाश्रमपर्यन्तम्
The Four Āśramas as a graded path to mokṣa
अनिकेता ह्य् अनाहारा यत्रसायंगृहास् तु ये तेषां गृहस्थः सर्वेषां प्रतिष्ठा योनिर् एव च
aniketā hy anāhārā yatrasāyaṃgṛhās tu ye teṣāṃ gṛhasthaḥ sarveṣāṃ pratiṣṭhā yonir eva ca
Those without a home and without stored food—who go to a house only at evening—depend on others for their very sustenance; therefore the householder is the foundation of them all, and indeed the source from which the other ways of life arise.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Why the gṛhastha is called the ‘pratiṣṭhā’ (foundation) and ‘yoni’ (source) of the other āśramas.
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: authoritative
Concept: Those without home and stored food rely on evening hospitality; therefore the householder is both the foundation and generative source of the other life-stages.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Build a ‘supportive household’: budget for charity, keep food for guests, and treat hospitality as a spiritual discipline; if you wander, practice non-entitlement.
Vishishtadvaita: Highlights organic unity of society as the Lord’s body: each part depends on others, with gṛhastha as sustaining limb enabling higher pursuits.
Bhakti Type: Dasya
FAQs
This verse states that wandering ascetics who have no home or stored food rely on households for alms; therefore the gṛhastha is the foundation and practical support of all āśramas.
By describing ascetics as “evening-house-goers” who live without possessions or provisions, Parāśara underscores that their dharmic life is sustained by household generosity.
Though Vishnu is not named here, the teaching frames social dharma as part of cosmic order upheld under Vishnu’s sovereignty—where each āśrama functions harmoniously through mutual support.