Shloka 12
Adhyāya 287 — Janaka’s Inquiry on Śreyas, Abhayadāna, and Asaṅga
Non-attachment
नारद उवाच आश्रमास्तात चत्वारो यथासंकल्पिता: पृथक् । तान् सर्वाननुपश्य त्वं समाश्रित्येति गालव,नारदजीने कहा--तात! आश्रम चार हैं और शास्त्रोंमें उनकी पृथक्-पृथक् व्यवस्था की गयी है। गालव! तुम ज्ञानका आश्रय लेकर उन सबको यथार्थरूपसे जानो
nārada uvāca | āśramās tāta catvāro yathāsaṅkalpitāḥ pṛthak | tān sarvān anupaśya tvaṃ samāśrityeti gālava ||
Narada berkata: “Wahai anakku, ada empat āśrama, masing-masing ditetapkan secara tersendiri menurut susunan yang digariskan oleh śāstra. Wahai Gālava, berlindunglah pada pemahaman yang benar dan telitilah semuanya sebagaimana adanya.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Narada emphasizes that the four āśramas are a structured, scripturally defined framework for living dharma, and that one should understand them through clear discernment—seeing their purpose and proper practice rather than treating them as mere labels.
Narada addresses Gālava and introduces the topic of the four life-stages, instructing him to contemplate each āśrama carefully and to rely on true knowledge (right understanding) to grasp their distinct roles in a dharmic life.