ARMY INSTITUTE OF LAW

VARNA-ASHRAMA DHARMA SCHEME

A PROJECT REPORT SUBMITTED TO ARMY
INSTITUTE OF LAW IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF
B.A.L.L.B

SUBMITTED TO:
BY:
MRS AMITA SHARMA
KUMAR

SUBMITTED
ASHUTOSH

(FACULTY FOR SOCIOLOGY)

NO.- 150

ROLL

ARMY INSTITUTE OF LAW

Sector 68, Mohali

BONA FIDE CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Project Report titled

VARNASHRAMA DHARMA SCHEME for
SOCIOLOGY is a bona fide work carried out by
ARUN KUMARof B.A.L.L.B Ist year of Army Institute
Of Law, Mohali for fullfillment of Bachelor of Art
cousre of Army Institute Of Law, Mohali.

Mrs AMITA SHARMA

KUMAR

ASHUTOSH

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A project is a golden oppurtunity for

learning and self development. I
consider myself very lucky and honoured
to have so many wonderful people who
lead me through, in completion of this
project.
My grateful thanks to Ransher singh,
who in spite of being extraordinarily busy
with there work, took time out to hear ,
guide and keep me on the correct path. I

am very thankful to them for their

support.

INDEX
CONTENT

1.
2.
3.
4.

INTRODUCTION
ASHARAM DHARMA
VARNA DHARMA
VARNASHARAM DHARMA UNDER

MODERN CONDITION
5.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION
The inner nature of human beings differ - one from another. To adjust different people in an
extremely organized and harmonized social system so as to give them a chance to develop
spiritual consciousness in a gradual process, the varnashrama [social orders according to one's
activity and qualification] system has been recommended. From time immemorial, this system
has been established in Sanatan Vedic Religion. We can find much evidence of the existence of
this system in authorized scriptures such as Vedas, Mahabharata, Srimad Bhagavatam, etc.
To describe briefly, there are four varnas [castes] - namely, brahmana, kshatriya, vaishya and
shudra. The four ashramas [social status] are brahmacharia [the celibate student life], grihastha
[the married household life] varnaprastha [retired life] and sannyasa [the renounced order of
life]. Every caste has its specific duties and requires training and qualification to perform the
duty properly.
According to Hindu texts, Varnashrama-dharma is not a man-made system but refers to natural
classifications that appear to various degrees in all human societies. Individuals have different
innate tendencies for work and exhibit a variety of personal qualities. There are also natural
phases in life, when it is easier and more rewarding to perform certain activities. Hinduism
teaches that individuals best realise their potential by taking into account such natural
arrangements, and that society should be structured and organised accordingly.

sEach varna and ashram has its own specified dharma. What may be desirable for one section of
society may be degrading for another. For example, absolute non-violence, which includes
refraining from animal sacrifice, is essential for the priestly class but considered wholly
unworthy of a kshatriya (warrior). Generating wealth and producing children are essential for
householders, but intimate contact with money and women is spiritually suicidal for the
renunciate. Underlying all these apparent differences is the common goal of advancing in
spiritual life based on sanatana-dharma. Without the spiritual equality and sense of service
inherent in sanatanadharma, varnashrama-dharma tends to degrade into the rigid and exploitative
caste system.

ASHRAMA DHARMA
The ashrama dharma system represents the one of the well established socio- religious
institutions of ancient india. It denotes the hindu scheme of life according to which different
stages in the life of an individual are well ordered. it is in this hindu scheme of ashramas, the
theory of purusharthas gets its concrete expression. The ashrama system is also related to the
wider social system called varna system which regulates the individual social life and
responsibilities.

Meaning Of Word- Ashrama

The Sanskrit word ashrama literally denotes a halting or resting place. The word also means
stages, monastery, duties. Etc. the word ashrama comes from Sanskrit root srama which meansmaking an effort. In tis way, ashrama literally means a step in the journey of life. According to
hindu ethics the final aim of life is liberation or moksha. Every ashrama is a step in the long
journey towards the long realiation of that aim.

History of Ashramas:
This system of ashramas is believed to be prevalent since the 5th century BCE in Hindu society.
However, historians say that these stages of life were always viewed more as 'ideals' than as
common practice. According to one scholar, even in its very beginnings, after the first ashrama, a
young adult could choose which of the other ashramas he would wish to pursue for the rest of his
life. Today, it is not expected that a Hindu male should go through the four stages, but it still
stands as an important "pillar" of Hindu socio-religious tradition.

The Four Ashramas

In Hinduism, human life is believed to comprise four stages. These are called "ashramas" and
every man should ideally go through each of these stages:
The First Ashrama - "Brahmacharya" or the Student Stage
The Second Ashrama - "Grihastha" or the Householder Stage
The Third Ashrama - "Vanaprastha" or the Hermit Stage
The Fourth Ashrama - "Sannyasa" or the Wandering Ascetic Stage
Brahmacharya - The Celibate Student:
This is a period of formal education. It lasts until the age of 25, during which, the young male
leaves home to stay with a guru and attain both spiritual and practical knowledge. During this

period, he is called a brahmachari, and is prepared for his future profession, as well as for his
family, and social and religious life ahead.
Grihastha - The Married Family Man:
This period begins when a man gets married, and undertakes the responsibility for earning a
living and supporting his family. At this stage, Hinduism supports the pursuit of wealth (artha) as
a necessity, and indulgence in sexual pleasure (kama), under certain defined social and cosmic
norms. This ashrama lasts until around the age of 50. According to the Laws of Manu, when a
person's skin wrinkles and his hair greys, he should go out into the forest. However, in real life,
most Hindus are so much in love with this second ashrama that the Grihastha stage lasts a
lifetime!
Vanaprastha - The Hermit in Retreat:
This stage of a man begins when his duty as a householder comes to an end: He has become a
grandfather, his children are grown up, and have established lives of their own. At this age, he
should renounce all physical, material and sexual pleasures, retire from his social and
professional life, leave his home, and go to live in a forest hut, spending his time in prayers. He
is allowed to take his wife along, but is supposed to maintain little contact with the family. This
kind of life is indeed very harsh and cruel for an aged person. No wonder, this third ashrama is
now nearly obsolete.
Sannyasa - The Wandering Recluse:
At this stage, a man is supposed to be totally devoted to God. He is a sannyasi, he has no home,
no other attachment; he has renounced all desires, fears and hopes, duties and responsibilities. He
is virtually merged with God, all his worldly ties are broken, and his sole concern becomes
attaining moksha, or release from the circle of birth and death. (Suffice it to say, very few Hindu
men can go up to this stage of becoming a complete ascetic.) When he dies, the funeral
ceremonies (Pretakarma) are performed by his son and heir.
What About Women?:
Although these ashramas are predominantly designed for the male, females too have a vital role
to play in each one of them. So women are not actually excluded because they are always
supposed to have an active social and religious life at home. However, a woman's role is of a
dependent nature since, traditionally, they need the protection of a responsible male at every
stage of life.

Ashram means "a place of spiritual shelter." Each stage of life is not only a natural part of the
journey from cradle to grave, but a time at which spirituality can be developed. The four varnas,
accept ashrams as depicted in the table below:

Brahmacari

Grihasta

Vanaprastha

Shudra

No Formal Education

Yes

No Formal Retirement

Vaishya

Yes

Yes

No Formal Retirement

Kshatriya

Yes

Yes

Yes

Brahmin

Yes

Yes

Yes

Today, only a few Hindus strictly follow all these four ashrams. Nonetheless, the idea of
enjoying the world in a religious and regulated manner, followed by gradual retirement remains a
powerful ideal.
Each of the four ashrams has its specific duties.The main ones are listed below.
While we are a diverse world of cultures, religions, philosophies, and attitudes, this simple
framework of life planning has great value for all of us. Regardless of how we may have lived
the stages of life that are already behind us, being aware of, and committed to the current and
later stages of life can bring great comfort and clarity as we progress on the path of Selfrealization.

VARNA DHARMA
All of mans activity is directed towards attaining that what is pleasant to him and preventing that
which makes him suffer. Pleasure and pain vary from person to person and time to time. No one
can say for sure who receives these when from someone; because, this cannot be decided by our
limited human faculties. Not even the most intelligent person can, based on an individual
circumstance, give an exact sequence for attainment of pleasure or prevention of suffering, nor
can he or she predict when exactly any effort towards these ends will bear fruit. This is because
the cause is not merely the present effort directed towards these ends, but also our Karma from
previous births and fate. Hence, their exact cause cannot be determined by any direct means of
perception. In fact, an individual does not even have the capacity to know what is best for him.
Therefore, the path to both material and spiritual progress is to be known only through the
eternal Vedas. It is only the Vedas which give us clear dos and donts leading to positive and
negative fruits in the future.
There are two parts of the Vedas. The first, dealing with the nature of the soul (Atman), does so
using both experience and logic, because in the end, the Atman is but to be experienced only.
Surprisingly however, this is not so in the Karma-Kanda part of the Vedas, dealing with the
above dos and donts. Here logic does not come into play at all, and an action becomes doable
only because it is said so in the Vedas.
Karma in the Vedas is delineated according to ones Varna. Hence, first the four Varnas
(Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras) are described.

The Creation of the Varnas

1). In the beginning of creation, there was only the Brahmin Varna in the form of Agni (fire).
However, being alone, he was incapable of performing any Vedic Karma, because there was no
one to protect him. Therefore the Kshatriyas, or warrior class, was created.
Even then the Vedic Karma could not be performed because there was none to generate the
required wealth for it. To fill this gap, the Vaishyas, or business community, came into being.
Even then the Vedic Karma could not be performed. Why? Because there was none to sustain
and nourish it. Thus was created the Shudra.
However, even the creation of the four well-thought out Varnas did not lead to the successful
performance of Vedic Karma. This was because the Kshatriyas, the warrior class, were of an
aggressive nature. Therefore, to regulate the Varnas, God created Dharma. This was to ensure
that none of the four Varnas transgressed their permissible limits, due to their inherent faults (like
a Vaishya may become uncharitable etc). This was the reason for the creation of Dharma.

This is also the reason why there is nothing greater than Dharma. Everybody remains under its
regulation. In all times, in all places, even the weakest of persons believes himself capable of
winning over the fiercest opponent through the power of Dharma, even though his opponent may
be the king himself. Dharma is defined in the scriptures as that which is true (Satya); and vice
versa - Satya is Dharma. What this suggests is that the meaning found in the scriptures is the
truth, Dharma is merely carrying it out. Therefore, this acting according to knowledge is what
keeps everyone together. This is how and why Dharma was created, the four Varnas being in a
sense its four pillars.

Varna-Dharma
The All-Knowing God resides in everybodys heart. It is He who gives us birth according to our
previous Samskaras in one of the four Varnas. The structure of the society stands on this system
of Varnas. It is instructive to note here that the Sanskrit word for society is Samaj, which is made
up of sam meaning same, and aj meaning God. Therefore, the Vedic ideal of society is nothing
but an expression of God in equal measure. Hence, no Varna is higher or lower. All are brothers
only. According to the Rig Veda: No one is higher, no one smaller, all are but brothers only
(5.60.5). As per our qualities according to birth, God explains Dharma to us through the Vedas.
As long as one lives according to it, Dharma continues to protect us. However, when due to
greed etc we fall from Dharma, then there is turmoil in the world.

A Brahmins Dharma:
According to Shri Shankaracharya a man is born as a Brahmin to inculcate the following
qualities:

1). Control of the Mind (Shama)

2). Subjugation of the Senses (Dama)
3). Practicing Austerities (Tapas)
4). Inner and Outer Purity (Shaucha)
5). Forgiveness (Kshama)
6). Straightforwardness (Saralta)
7). Faith in the Scriptures (Shastra Shraddha)

8). Knowledge of the Scriptures (Shastra Jnana), and finally

9). Realization of the Soul (Atman-Anubhava).
One who does not inculcate these virtues is at best termed as a mere relative of the Brahmins
(Brahma-bandhu), and not a Brahmin. Mind it, this is a derogatory form of reference.
The duties of a Brahmin include chanting the Vedas, teaching the Vedas, right to perform Yajnas
for ones own self, performing Yajna on behalf of others, plus he also has the right to both accept
and give charity. The Kshatriyas and Vaishyas too have a duty to daily chant and memorize the
Vedas, perform Yajnas, and give charity. However, and this is most important, Kshatriyas and
Vaishyas do not have a right to teach the Vedas, nor can they perform a Yajna on behalf of
somebody else, and also they cannot take charity.
Here it must be understood that the chanting of the Vedas is a not a mere right of the three
Varnas. Instead, it is their sacred duty to do so everyday, it forming an integral part of their Nitya
Karma (deeds to be performed daily), missing which is said to be an error requiring
Prayashchitta. This is why women traditionally do not chant the Vedas, since they would
inevitably have to give it a miss during the monthly cycle.
The scriptures actually are too strict on the Brahmins. Consider the amount of virtues expected of
a Brahmin performing sacrifices for others, such a person, known as a Purohit, is supposed to
possess the following qualities: He must speak sweetly, have affection for all, have equanimity,
should be away from self-praise, always speak the truth, live simply, should not lend money on
interest, be tolerant and non-aggressive etc. However, such a Purohit is lauded in lavish terms in
the Vedas (Krishna Yajurveda, Taittriya Samhita, 1.4.10), where it is said that they would, while
remaining immersed in their own Vedic Dharma, be always vigilant in inspiring others to remain
steadfast towards their own.

The Kshatriyas Dharma:

For one born in a family of Kshatriyas, the following qualities have been decreed:

1). Valor (Shaurya)

2). Perseverance (Dridata)
3). Maintaining Mental Poise in Difficult Situations (Dhairya)
4). Fulfilling any responsibility which comes upon suddenly without attachment (Nirmoha)
5). Never Running away from the Battleground

6). Giving Charity

7). Keeping Dominance over the Public
8). Displaying Power and Prosperity to the Public
The king, who, even though he takes taxes from his people, remains oblivious to their protection,
is considered a great sinner. The king has a heavy duty because he is the protector of the VarnaAshrama Dharma which is the structure on which entire Vedic belief system stands. The most
special trait of the king is to give preference to the protection of his people, more than he gives to
his own family.

The Vaishyas Dharma:

A Vaishya does agriculture, protects the cows, and engages in commerce. We have to remember
here that Lord Krishna, in his role as the lover and protector of cows, lived in Vrindavana as a
Vaishya (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.24.21). The Vaishyas duty towards Vedic Karma has already
been delineated above.

The Shudras Dharma:

The Shudra is born to sustain and nourish the society. His occupation is to create objects
necessary for the society and himself. According to the scriptures commenting on the duties of a
king, it is necessary for a king to have at least three or four Shudras in his council. A mention
must here be made of Vidura, one of the most venerated personalities in both the Mahabharata
and the Bhagavatam.
The Shudra has not been asked to chant the Vedas. This is not at all a hindrance in his spiritual
progress. The result of chanting the Vedas is only that it purifies the mind (chitta-shuddhi),
making it a fit vessel for receiving the Ultimate Truth (Brahma-Jnana). However, the same
chitta-shuddhi that the other three Varnas receive through the chanting of the Vedas, the same
result is gained by the Shudra just by following his Dharma. In fact it is much easier for him. The
three Varnas have to first put on the sacred thread in an elaborate ceremony, and then get up
every morning before dawn to learn to recite the Vedas through a lengthy and continuous
process. And what is the result they get? Purification of the mind. This is easily gained by the
fourth Varna by merely following his Dharma as laid down in the Shastras. He is fully entitled to
the knowledge of Vedanta. In the final analysis, the Ultimate Truth, which we have to understand
through Vedanta, admits of no Varna. Therefore, the scriptures are full of examples of the fourth
Varna who have been Brahma-Jnanis (e.g. Dharma-Vyadha in the Mahabharata, the Alwars,
Nayanars, etc.)

Doubt: If what you say is true, i.e. in the state of Ultimate Truth, which is the eventual goal of all
Vedic activity (Dharma), there is no distinction of Varna and birth, then, what motivation is there
for us to follow the system of Varnas?
Reply: The answer to this query lies in the following verse of the Gita:
One cannot reach the state beyond Karma, without first performing Karma.
This is because Karmas like Vedic sacrifices etc. destroy the negative residue of sins
accumulated by us over our many births, consequently leading to a purification of the mind
(chitta-shuddhi). It is only after our sins have been destroyed that True Knowledge (Jnana)
reveals itself to us.
However, regarding the actual experience of the Ultimate Truth the Karmas have no direct role.
But they do have an inevitable role in granting us the necessary eligibility for receiving this
Truth.
Conclusion: There is no Nishkama Karma higher than working according to the Varna given to
us by God, which is one way of always living under His patronage. It is what Shankaracharya Ji
calls working like a servant under God.

VARNASHRAMA DHARMA UNDER MODERN

CONDITION
Varna-ashrama is an ideal system but has become redundant in the world in which we live - a
democratic, multicultural, global society with the values of equality and equal opportunities for
all, the right to education, liberty, the dignity of the individual and participation in governance
etc. There are many who would like to see the varna-ashrama system reinstated - but this is like
wishing for Rama-rajya - a nice idea but actually a fantasy. In order to compete in the political,
intellectual and spiritual millieu of today it would be best for Srivaishnavas to relegate the
system to the glass cases of cultural museums or to use it merely as a framework for teaching
ideals.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
1. Ram ahuja , Indian social system
2. C.n.shanker rao, sociology of Indian society

Websites
1.
2.
3.

WWW.ISRJ.NET
WWW.DLSHQ.ORG
WWW.WIKIPEDIA.ORG