Dharma Sutra — Duties of the Four Ashramas
Apastamba Dharma Sutra · 1 · Verse 1
Sanskrit Original
ब्रह्मचर्यं गार्हस्थ्यं वानप्रस्थः संन्यासश्च। एते चत्वार आश्रमाः। ब्रह्मचर्यं विद्याभ्यासः, गार्हस्थ्यं गृहस्थधर्मः। वानप्रस्थः वनवासः, संन्यासः सर्वत्यागः॥
brahmacaryaṃ gārhasthyaṃ vānaprasthaḥ saṃnyāsaś ca | ete catvāra āśramāḥ | brahmacaryaṃ vidyābhyāsaḥ, gārhasthyaṃ gṛhasthadharmaḥ | vānaprasthaḥ vanavāsaḥ, saṃnyāsaḥ sarvatyāgaḥ ||
The four Āśramas (life-stages) and their duties: (1) Brahmacarya — student stage: celibacy and Vedic learning; (2) Gārhasthya — householder stage: marriage, children, social duties; (3) Vānaprastha — forest retirement: gradual withdrawal; (4) Saṃnyāsa — renunciation: complete withdrawal from worldly life. The Āpastamba and Baudhāyana Dharma Sūtras detail the specific duties of each stage.