[Advaita-l] vanaprastha in community

[CHANDRAKANT POPAT]

Dear Michaelji,

AS I have understood ancient Varnashram System, there are four ashram vyavastha(syatem) establish and accepted by the society in ancient period i.e. Bhramcharyashram(age of studing vedas etc.),Grhusthashram(age when student get married and started marriage life),Vanaprasthashram(person satisfactorily completed family life and retired from household duty)and sanyashram(person who has left society for spiritual development-samyak+nyasa i.e.with understanding left family and social life).Now here the backbone of the social systam is Vanprasrtha as having experienced of family life and also earn livelihood for family and social life for so many years, used all that expert knowledge gain for teaching to the student of Gurukula staying with them and also donting to the Gurukula for his staying.So he is helping Gurukula by sharing his experienced and by way of donatoin with  graefulness as he thinks that he has been gained from Gurukulas so as to return by
 this way.Vanprastha as has been understood by westerner,a  retire person is absolutely wrong understanding.I shall be thankful to the group allowing me to express my view and hoping comment from them.
Thanks,
Chandrakant Popat
e-mail i.d.:popatchandrakant at yahoo.co.in
Months without questions, and now two at once !

Q: does the tradition speak of  vanaprastha as entirely to do with personal
moksha; or is there a wider view of it ? i.e. does the prescribed
dissociation with institutions or organizations, still have a spiritual or
social connection with the community ?

The idea of vanaprastha as social isolation feels to me as lacking something
vital..

I hope this question makes some sense..

Michael



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From: Michael Shepherd <michael at shepherd87.fsnet.co.uk>
To: advaita vedanta <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
Sent: Sunday, 14 June, 2009 4:47:32 PM
Subject: [Advaita-l] vanaprastha in community



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