Vol. 4 · pages 221–225

210 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The Code for Vanaprastha The Code for Sannyasi this world, desiring the bliss (of final liberation.” Ch. VI-49. “Having offered those most pure sacrificial viands, consisting of the produce of the forest, he may use the remainder for himself (mixed with) salt prepared by himself.” VI-12. “Neither by (explaining) prodigies and omens, nor by skill in astrology and palmistry nor by giving advice and by the exposition (of the Sastras) let him, ever seek to obtain alms.” Ch. VI-50. “Let him eat vegetables that grow on dry land or in water, flowers, roots and fruits, the productions of pure trees, and oils extracted from forestfruits.” VI-13. “Let him not (in order to beg) go near a house filled with hermits, Brahmanas, birds, dogs or other mendicants.” Ch. VI-51. “Let him avoid honey, flesh and mushrooms growing on the ground (or elsewhere, the vegetables called) Bhustrina, and Sigruka, and the Sleshmantaka fruit.” VI-14. “His hair, nails and beards being clipped carrying an alms-bowl, a staff, and a water-pot, let him continually wander about controlling himself and not hurting any creature.” Ch. VI-52. “Let him throw away in the month of Asvina the food of ascetics, which he formerly collected, likewise his worn-out clothes and his vegetables, roots and fruit.” VI-15. “His vessels shall not be made of metal, they shall be free from fractures, it is ordained that they shall be cleansed with water, like (the cups, called) Kamasa, at a sacrifice.” Ch. VI-53. “Let him not eat anything (grown on) ploughed (land), though it may have been thrown away by somebody, nor roots and fruit grown in a village, though (he may be) tormented (by hunger).” VI-16. “A gourd, a wooden bowl, an earthen (dish), or one made of split cane, Manu the son of Svayambhu, has declared (to be) vessels (suitable) for an ascetic.” Ch. VI-54. “He may eat either what has been cooked with fire, or what has been ripened by time; he either may use a stone for grinding or his teeth be his mortar.” VI-17. “Let him go to beg once (a day), let him not be eager to obtain a large quantity (of alms); for an ascetic who eagerly seeks, alms, attaches himself also to sensual enjoyments.” Ch. VI-55. 1 Manu Smriti, Chapter VI verses 38-45. 2 Ibid, Chapter VI 207. 3 Ibid, Chapter VI 208.

211 RIDDLE NO. 17 The Code for Vanaprastha The Code for Sannyasi “He may either at once (after his daily meal) cleanse (his vessel for collecting food), or lay up a store sufficient for a month, or gather what suffices for six months or for a year.” VI-18. “When no smoke ascends from (the kitchen), when the pestle lies motionless, when the members have been extinguished, when the people have finished their meal, when the remnants in the dishes have been removed, let the ascetic always go to beg.” Ch. VI-56. “Having collected food according to his ability he may either eat at night (only) or in the daytime (only), or at every fourth mealtime, or at every eighth.” VI-19. “Let him not be sorry when he obtains nothing, nor rejoice when he obtains (something), let him (accept) so much only as will sustain life, let him not care about the (quality of his) utensils.” Ch. VI-57. “Or, he may live according to the rule of the lunar penance (Kandrayana), daily diminishing the quality of his food in the bright (half of the month) and (increasing it in the dark (half); or he may eat on the last days of each fortnight once (a day only), boiled barleygruel.” VI-20. “Let him disdain all (food) obtained in consequence of humble salutations, (for) even an ascetic who has attained final liberation, is bound (with the fetters of the Samsara) by accepting (food given) in consequence of humble salutations.” Ch. VI-58. “Or, he may constantly subsist on flowers, roots, and fruit alone, which have been ripened by time and have fallen spontaneously following the rule of the (Institutes) of Vikhanas.” VI-21. “By eating little, and by standing and sitting in solitude, let him restrain his senses, if they are attracted by sensual objects.” Ch. VI-59. “Let him either roll about on the ground, or stand during the day on tiptoe, (or) let him alternately stand and sit down; going at the Savanas (at sunrise, at midday, and at sunset) to water in the forest (in order to bathe).” VI-22. “By the restraint of his senses, by the destruction of love and hatred, and by the abstention from injuring the creatures, he becomes fit for immortality.” Ch. VI-60. 1 Manu Smriti Chap. VI 209.

212 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The Code for Vanaprastha The Code for Sannyasi “In summer let him expose himself to the heat of five fires, during the rainy season live under the open sky, and in winter be dressed in wet clothes, (thus) gradually increasing (the rigour of) his austerities.” VI-23. “When by the disposition (of his heart) he becomes indifferent to all objects, he obtains eternal happiness both in this world and after death.” Ch. VI-80. “When he bathes at the three Savanas (Sunrise, midday and Sunset), let him offer libations of water to the manes and the gods, and practising harsher and harsher austerities, let him dry up his bodily frame.” VI-24. “ He who has in this manner gradually given up all attachments and is freed from all the pairs (of opposites), reposes in Brahman alone.” Ch. VI-81. “Having reposited the three sacred fires in himself, according to the prescribed rule, let him live without a fire, without a house wholly silent, subsisting on roots and fruit.” VI-25. “All that has been declared (above) depends on meditation; for he who is not proficient in the knowledge of that which refers to the Soul reaps not the full reward of the performance of rites.” Ch. VI-82. “Making no effort (to procure) things that give pleasure, chaste, sleeping on the bare ground, not caring for any shelter, dwelling at the roots of trees. VI-26. “Let him constantly recite (those texts) of the Veda which refer to the sacrifice, (those) referring to the deities, and (those) which treat of the Soul and are contained in the concluding portions of the Veda (Vedanta).” Ch. VI-83. “From Brahmanas (who live as) ascetics let him receive alms, (barely sufficient) to support life, or from other householders of the twice-born (castes) who reside in the forest.” VI-27. “That is the refuge of the ignorant, and even that (the refuge) of those who know (the meaning of the Veda); that is (the protection) of those who seek (bliss in) heaven and of those who seek endless (beatitude).” Ch. VI-84. “Or (the hermit who dwells in the forest) may bring food from a village, receiving it either in a hollow dish (of leaves), in (his naked) hand, or in a broken earthen dish, and may eat eight mouthfuls.” VI-28 “A twice-born man who becomes an ascetic, after the successive performance of the abovementioned acts, shakes off sin here below and reaches the highest Brahman.” Ch. VI-85.

213 RIDDLE NO. 17 The Code for Vanaprastha The Code for Sannyasi “These and other observances must a Brahmana who dwells in the forest diligently practise, and in order to attain complete (union with) the (supreme) Soul, (he must study) the various sacred texts contained in the Upanishads.” VI-29. Comparing the Vanaprastha with Sannyas and Grahasthashram with Vanaprastha one sees some very striking resemblances between them. Comparing Vanaprastha with Sannyas there are only a few differences in the modes of life prescribed for them. Firstly a Vanaprastha does not abandon his wife or his rights over his property. But a Sannyasi must abandon both. Secondly, a Vanaprastha can have a fixed dwelling although it must be in a forest. But a Sannyasi cannot have a fixed dwelling not even in a forest. He must keep on wandering from place to place. Thirdly, a Sannyasi is debarred from expounding the Shastras while the Vanaprastha is not expressly placed under such a disability. As for the rest their mode of life is identical. The resemblance between Grahasthashram and Vanaprastha is also very close. The Vanaprasthi is a Grahasthashrami for all essential purposes. Like the Grahasthashrami be continues to be a married man. Like, the Grahasthashrami he continues to be the owner of his property. Like the Grahasthashrami he does not renounce the world and like the Grahasthashrami he follows the Vedic religion. The only points of difference between the Vanaprasthi and the Grahasthashrami are three. (1) the Grahasthashrami is not bound to observe abstinence in his food and clothing to which a Vanaprasti is subject. (2) The Grahasthashrami dwells in the midst of society while the Vanaprasthi is required to live in a forest. (3) The Vanaprasti is free to study the Vedanta while the Grahasthashrami is confined to the study of the Vedas. As for the rest their modes of life are identical. Having regard to these close resemblances between Grahasthashram and Vanaprastha and between Vanaprastha and Sannyas it is difficult to understand why Manu recognized this third ashram of Vanaprastha in between Grahasthashram and Sannyas as an ashram distinct and separate from both. As a matter of fact, there could be only three ashrams: (1) Brahmacharya, (2) Grahasthashram and (3) Sannyas. This seems to be also the view of Shankaracharya who in his Brahma Sutra in defending the validity of Sannyas against the Purva Mimansa School speaks only of three ashramas.

214 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Where did Manu get this idea of Vanaprastha Ashram? What is his source? As has been pointed out above, Grahasthashram was not the next compulsory stage of life after Brahmacharya. A Brahmachari may at once become Sannyasi without entering the stage of Grahasthashram. But there was also another line of life which a Brahmachari who did not wish to marry immediately could adopt namely to become Aranas or Aranamanas1. They were Brahmacharies who wish to continue the life of Study without marrying. These Aranas lived in hermitages in forests outside the villages or centres of population. The forests where these Arana ascetics lived were called Aranyas and the philosophical works of these aranas were called Aranyakas. It is obvious that Manu’s Vanaprastha is the original Arana with two differences (1) he has compelled Arana to enter the marital state and (2) the arana stage instead of being the second stage is prescribed as the third stage. The whole scheme of Manu rest in the principle that marriage is compulsory. A Brahmachari if he wishes to become a Sannyasi he must become a Vanaprastha and if he wishes to become a Vanaprastha he must become a Grasthashrami i.e., he must marry. Manu made escape from marriage impossible. Why? zz 1. Radha Kumud mookerjee—Ancient India Education p-6.