Shloka 7
चत्वारोऽाश्रमाः — ब्रह्मचर्यादि मोक्षाश्रमपर्यन्तम्
The Four Āśramas as a graded path to mokṣa
गृहीतग्राह्यवेदश् च ततो ऽनुज्ञाम् अवाप्य वै गार्हस्थ्यम् आवसेत् प्राज्ञो निष्पन्नगुरुनिष्कृतिः
gṛhītagrāhyavedaś ca tato 'nujñām avāpya vai gārhasthyam āvaset prājño niṣpannaguruniṣkṛtiḥ
ग्रहण करने योग्य वेद को विधिपूर्वक ग्रहण करके, फिर गुरु की अनुमति प्राप्त कर, गुरु-ऋण का पूर्ण निर्वाह कर चुका बुद्धिमान पुरुष गृहस्थ-आश्रम में प्रवेश करे और उसमें निवास करे।
Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)
FAQs
This verse treats the guru’s consent as the proper seal on education—only after sanctioned completion of study and duties does one legitimately transition into the next āśrama.
He frames it as a disciplined sequence: receive the Veda through rightful instruction, complete the obligations to the teacher, obtain permission, and then enter household life.
By upholding āśrama-dharma as sacred order, the text implies that righteous life-stages are part of Vishnu’s sustaining sovereignty (sthiti)—social harmony becomes a mode of serving the Supreme.