DINESH RAMBALLY
THE THEME of this year’s Divali Nagar was "Grihastha Ashram," one of the stages in the life of Hindus. In Hinduism there are four stages (ashrams) of life: the student (Brahmacharya), the householder (Grihastha), the retiree (Vanaprasta) and the renunciate (Sanyasin).
The Grihastha Ashram, or the householder’s life, is by far the most important to any society. Within the period of the householder’s life are also 16 samskaras, signposts which mark everything from naming the new-born, piercing their ears, and the larger pursuits like education, studying the scriptures, marriage and funerary rites.
The family is the basis of all this; it is a microcosm of the nation. Celebrating this phase not only celebrates the bonds of family life, but also knits together the very foundation of society, one home at a time.
Many Hindu scriptures emphasise building a strong family life, and this belies a common misconception that domestic life is different from spiritual life. Nothing is further from the truth. The householder’s life is full of spiritual practices and customs that make it a stepping stone towards the spiritual goal of every Hindu: moksha, also known as liberation.
In the Hindu home, some of the practices that seem cultural have spiritual bases. Shoes are taken off upon entry as we revere the earth upon which we walk. We pray before eating to give thanks to the plant or animal life that was given up to sustain ours. We honour our elders and address them respectfully. We light our deyas at 6 pm. We fast on Thursdays.
We offer water to the sun on mornings, acknowledging that our existence is only possible because of its sustaining power. We put up a jhandi (flag hoisted on bamboo pole) when we do our yearly pooja to signify victory. We honour our gurus. We honour our guests. We salute our ancestors through our shraadh (prayers for benefit of ancestors) ceremonies.
But unlike the other ashrams, it is the householders who engage with all elements of a society and so ultimately determine the character of that society. In this phase of life, people marry, form families, businesses, social groups, and enter politics. They engage in work and commerce and generate income. They farm and produce food. It is the householders, or
grihasthis, who keep society alive and evolving.
In the first chapter of Hinduism’s holiest book, the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, the hero, Arjuna, despondently speaks to the impending war being likely to destroy families. He makes the point to the God, Sri Krishna, that when families are ruined, sacred traditions perish, and immorality prevails.
In other words, Arjuna is questioning whether the war is justified given the consequent damage to the Grihastha Ashram, which acts as a platform for all spiritual and moral endeavours in a society.
The Ramayana, which tells the story of Divali, also emphasises the importance of fulfilling one’s dharma toward other family members, even in the face of great personal sacrifice. Sri Ram obeys his father and voluntarily goes into exile
