ASHRAMOPNISHAT:

O divine beings, may we hear blessings with our ears, see blessed things with our eyes, with strong body and organs may we praise you all and what ever life-span they have provided us, we should enjoy that much. May Indra who is having great fame bless us, all knowing dev Pusha should bless us, Garud dev, whose speed can not be countered should also bless us. Om! Shantih, Shantih, Shantih. 

There are four ashrams which are divided into sixteen divisions further. Brahcharis are of four type, namely Gayatr1, Brahman2, Prajapatya3 and Brihan4. One who after accepting yagyopveet, eats food for three night longs without salt is called Gayatr brahmchari. One who remains celibate for 48 years for studying of four Vedas spending twelve years in the study of each veda, acquires its complete knowledge and also follows all the rules etc during study is called Brahman. One who enjoys his wife only during season and remains aloof from all other women is called Prajapatya. One who till his death does not leave his guru is called Brihan. 

Grihasth are also of four types, namely Vartakvriti1, Shaleenvriti2, Yayavar3 and Ghorsanyasik4. One who does cultivation or rears cattle or does business which is totally legal and doing thus performs yajna for hundreds of years and prays for atma is called Vartakvriti. Those who though perform yajnas themselves but do not help others to perform them; who study themselves but do not teach others, offer alms but do not accept it themselves, doing thus for hundred years pray to their atma are called Shaleenvriti. Those who perform yajnas and help others also to do them; who undertake studies themselves and also teach others, thus they spent their life of one hundred years praying to their atma are called Yayavar. Those who for one hundred years busy themselves in tapasya, performing yajna pray to their atma always are called Ghor Sanyasik. 

Vaanprastha are also four types, namely Vaikhanas, Udumbar, Baalkhilya and Fenap. Those who take only ripened vegetables which have grown on their own and people do not eat them, doing five mahayajnas they pray to their atma are called Vaikhanas. Those who get up in the morning and proceeding in only one direction collect goolar, nivaar and ber etc, perform agnihotra and panchmahayajna and pray to their atma are called Udumbar. Those who keep jatas, wear torn clothes or bark of the trees, leaving aside flowered fruit(pushp phal) on kartik poornima, control their vritis for rest eight months and serving agni perform panch mahayajna, thus pray to their atma are called Baalkhilya. Those who act like mad, eat dry leaves and fruits, can be found anywhere, serve agni(fire) and perform panch mahayajnas. They are always immersed in meditation on atma are called Fenap. 

Sanyasis are also of four different kinds, namely Kutichar, Bahudak, Hamsa and Paramhamsa. Those who remain at a distance from their children and taking alms from the houses of their sons, they are engrossed in the chintan of atma, are called Kutichar. Those who carry Trident, Kamandal, Kaupeen, Shikya paksha, water, keep shikha, asan, paduka, yagyopaveet and wear only a few clothes and take alms only from the houses of good Brahmins are called Bahudak. Those who carry one dand, do not grow a shikha, keep yagyopaveet, keep shikya kamandal etc, do not stay at any village more than one night, in any teerth or a city more than five nights, perform krich-chandrayan vratt more two - three times and keep themselves busy in meditating on atma are called Hamsa. Those who roam around without dand, without hair, wear kantha and kaupeen, avyakt-ling-chinh, with mysterious ways, peaceful, dheer and acting like stupid though they are not, carrying tridand, kamandal, shikya paksha, sacred water, staying in barren houses or dilapidated temples are called Paramhamsa. For them there is no dharma and no adharma, no doings and no non-doings, no truth and no untruth, they have sam drishti, they are not affected by anything, see a clod of earth, stone and gold as equal, they accept alms from all, frees the atma from bondage or are sakshi to moksha. 

OM…….OM………OM……..OM……..OM……OM