Shloka 11
चत्वारोऽाश्रमाः — ब्रह्मचर्यादि मोक्षाश्रमपर्यन्तम्
The Four Āśramas as a graded path to mokṣa
भिक्षाभुजश् च ये केचित् परिव्राड्ब्रह्मचारिणः ते ऽप्य् अत्रैव प्रतिष्ठन्ते गार्हस्थ्यं तेन वै परम्
bhikṣābhujaś ca ye kecit parivrāḍbrahmacāriṇaḥ te 'py atraiva pratiṣṭhante gārhasthyaṃ tena vai param
Bahkan para pengembara dan brahmacari yang hidup dengan sedekah pun bersandar pada asas yang ditegakkan di sini, iaitu asrama grihastha; maka dharma grihastha benar-benar utama.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
FAQs
This verse states that even renunciants and students who live by alms ultimately depend on the householder’s support, so gārhasthya is praised as the foundational and ‘supreme’ āśrama in social-dharmic terms.
Parāśara frames renunciation and student life as spiritually important yet practically sustained by householders; the wandering monk and brahmacārin can remain established only because householders maintain charity, food, and ordered life.
By upholding dharma through gārhasthya—charity, ritual continuity, and social stability—society aligns with Vishnu’s sustaining power (sthiti), reflecting Vishnu as the Supreme Reality who preserves cosmic order.