Q.Which ashram is good & superior - Sannyasa/Brahmachari/Vanaprashta Or Grihasta ? Will grihasta get equal benefits(fruits) of devotion(bhakti) as of Sannyasa/Brahmachari/Vanaprashta ? - Forum - ISKCON Desire Tree

Hare Krishna Prashant Prabhu,
please accept my humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupda,
Each one is good if each one performs their own duty in Krishna Consciousness.
For example, brahmachari's duty is to control senses, maintain celibacy, serve to Guru in the Ashram, preach,gains knowledge studying Bhagavatams, does not earn money.
Grihastha controls senses, unites with wife only for having a child, earns money, maintains with food and cloth other 3 ashrams, gives charity, takes care of Deities, Temple...
Vanaprastha does austerity in eating, clothing, minimum food, simple cloth, does not earn money, maybe may maintain himself by having cow, or garden, or teaching and receiving charity, preaches, increases his devotional service rather than being indulged with worldly duties...
Sannyasa leaves home, wife, children for the sake of fully preach about the glories of the Holy Names. Austerity in eating, sleeping, cloth. Does not earn money. Depends only on the mercy of Krishna.

If all these Devotees do their OWN duty perfectly in Krishna Consciousness then all equally get the benefits of Devotional servant. All equally may go to the spiritual world.
But if Grihastha does not earn money and wants to live for charity then it is not his duty. Only Brahmana girhasthas can live for charity others have to earn using their skill.
Or if Sannyasa starts to earn money then it is not proper to him.
-----------------------------------------------
All these things we do because we have different natures and desires. If one wants to get married then he has do so and living according to the Shastras he can become free from all desires for family life and easily accept vanaprastha ashram.
We have to remember here IF HE LIVES ACCORDING TO SHASTRAS THEN ONLY HE MAY BECOME FREE FROM MATERIAL DESIRES and never again come to this world.
Your servant,

Replies

nilesh4peace April 23, 2012 at 10:28pm

as per vedic culture Sannyas ashram is superior then vanaprastha, brahmachari and last Grihstha (as per degree of services, sense control, austarity and surrender it is made) some exception is always there.

but we should not judge devotees of any ashram because Lord Chaitanya prabhu says Gopis bhartuar pada kamalor dasa dasa dasa anu dasa this is perfection and ******all devotees are dear to lord.

prabhu in devotion there are no fruits, process and outcome is same if we do bhakti then we will get bhakti only but in that we will experience bliss.
- Prashant Talekar > nilesh4peace April 24, 2012 at 1:34am
  
  Hare Krishna prabhuji,
  
  Thanks for your valuable information.
  
  Prashant
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Mohini Madhavi dd Maral Alymova April 22, 2012 at 4:39pm

Hare Krishna Prashant Prabhu,
please accept my humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupda,
Each one is good if each one performs their own duty in Krishna Consciousness.
For example, brahmachari's duty is to control senses, maintain celibacy, serve to Guru in the Ashram, preach,gains knowledge studying Bhagavatams, does not earn money.
Grihastha controls senses, unites with wife only for having a child, earns money, maintains with food and cloth other 3 ashrams, gives charity, takes care of Deities, Temple...
Vanaprastha does austerity in eating, clothing, minimum food, simple cloth, does not earn money, maybe may maintain himself by having cow, or garden, or teaching and receiving charity, preaches, increases his devotional service rather than being indulged with worldly duties...
Sannyasa leaves home, wife, children for the sake of fully preach about the glories of the Holy Names. Austerity in eating, sleeping, cloth. Does not earn money. Depends only on the mercy of Krishna.

If all these Devotees do their OWN duty perfectly in Krishna Consciousness then all equally get the benefits of Devotional servant. All equally may go to the spiritual world.
But if Grihastha does not earn money and wants to live for charity then it is not his duty. Only Brahmana girhasthas can live for charity others have to earn using their skill.
Or if Sannyasa starts to earn money then it is not proper to him.
-----------------------------------------------
All these things we do because we have different natures and desires. If one wants to get married then he has do so and living according to the Shastras he can become free from all desires for family life and easily accept vanaprastha ashram.
We have to remember here IF HE LIVES ACCORDING TO SHASTRAS THEN ONLY HE MAY BECOME FREE FROM MATERIAL DESIRES and never again come to this world.
Your servant,
- Prashant Talekar > Mohini Madhavi dd Maral Alymova April 24, 2012 at 1:32am
  
  Hare Krishna mataji,
  
  Thanks for your valuable information.
  
  Prashant

This reply was deleted.