(March 28,2013) “The Integral Life of an ideal Householder” by Swami Krishnananda

The Integral Life of an ideal Householder

From “The Integrated Life according to the Brahmasutra” by Swami Krishnananda

'Kritsna-bhavat-tu Grihinopasamharah' (III.4.48), is the Sutra used to explain the life of a householder. The meaning of the Sutra is that the life of a householder is integral. This Sutra is based on the following concluding passage in the Chandogya Upanishad: 'One who has studied the Vedas from the teacher according to rule, in the time left over from doing service to the teacher, he, who after having come back, settles down in a home, continues the study in more detail, who concentrates all his senses in the Self, who practises non-hatred to all creatures, he who behaves thus throughout his life, reaches the world of the Creator.'

How is a householder integral? The integral life is a life of non-attachment on one side and freedom from hatred on another side. That is why it is called integral.  

There are four gradational achievements or attainments conceived in ancient times for the development of the person. It was believed that a person would live for a hundred years. Therefore, the calculation is that for twenty-five years one must live like a Brahmachari, with energy arising out of self-control and the study of holy scriptures, and the service of Guru.

After that one enters married life and he fulfils the duties of a householder. In Indian culture, attachment is prohibited everywhere. He cannot be attached to his wife, though he has a duty to her, he cannot be attached to his property, and he cannot be attached even to his son and daughter. Duty is emphasised as the very purpose of life. The fulfilment of the means of personal and social relationship is the duty of a householder. That there is such a thing as 'duty' without 'attachment' is normally hard to conceive.

When the social relationships are taken care of, and the needs of the instinct of living a family life are also matured systematically, the householder retires from this duty to have any social relations. Retirement means the freedom from the necessity to be involved in social relations. Now, there is a concept of the super-individual who does not think in terms of personal self-restraint, study, Guru-seva etc., nor does he think of social relations, but dedicates himself to uniting his mind with universal relations. This is a higher stage above that of a householder. That is the Vanaprastha, a stage staggering to thought.

Then comes Sannyasa. A Sannyasin is a person whose mind is centred in the Universal Absolute, that person is more than a super-individual, he is a Cosmic Individual, known as 'Jivanmukta'. Sannyasins are respected as God Himself because their minds are centred in Absolute Being.

The ideal householder's life is almost a miracle. He conserves energy like the Brahmachari in a more widened way. The self-restraint of the Brahmachari is personal and individual. The householder's self-restraint is more difficult because he has to maintain a behaviour of non-attachment coupled simultaneously with duty towards everyone in every field of duty. He feeds the Brahmacharis and Sanyasins, and feeds guests with love even sacrificing his own meal when necessary. He takes care of animals around, would not hurt even ants in the house by leading them out peacefully. He worships God like the Sannyasin, reads the holy lore like the Brahmachari, and is detached from emotional contacts like the Vanaprastha. His life is a continuous sacrifice. Rightly, the Brahma Sutra mentions him specially as the one whose life is perfectly integrated.

The attempt to overstep the householder's duties and seek the universal aspirations of a Sannyasin directly from the Brahmacharya stage is a highly ambitious and laudable enterprise. But there is also a danger. It is difficult to believe that the individual sense of the Brahmachari can suddenly effloresce into the universal longings of the Sannyasin. People, mostly, suffer a shipwreck here and turn arrogant, due to false imagination of high achievements, while there are actually none. Great things require a great price in the form of determined meditations.

Continue to read – (Divine Life Society Publications)

The integrated life according to The Brahmasutra by Swami Krishnananda

Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha - Brahmacharya, Grahastha, Vanaprastha, Sanyasa by Swami Krishnananda