796
Բիդադարժունդ Ас И Ис
[Ch. 16]
Sacrifice is another item to be performed by the householders because sacrifices require a large amount of money. Other orders of life, namely the  brahmacarya , the  vānaprastha  and  sannyāsa , have no money; they live by begging. So performance of different types of sacrifice is meant for the householder. They should perform  agni-hotra  sacrifices as enjoined in the Vedic literature, but such sacrifices at the present moment are very expensive, and it is not possible for any householder to perform them. The best sacrifice recommended in this age is called  saṅkīrtana-yajña , the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. This is the best and most inexpensive sacrifice; everyone can adopt it and derive benefit. So these three items, namely charity, sense control and performance of sacrifice, are meant for the householder.
Then  svādhyāyaḥ , Vedic study, and  tapas , austerity, and  ārjavam , gentleness or simplicity, are meant for the  brahmacarya  or student life.  Brahmacārīs  should have no connection with women; they should live a life of celibacy and engage the mind in the study of Vedic literature for cultivation of spiritual knowledge. This is called  svādhyāyaḥ .  Tapas  or austerity is especially meant for the retired life. One should not remain a householder throughout his whole life; he must always remember that there are four divisions of life,  brahmacarya ,  gṛhastha ,  vānaprastha  and  sannyāsa . So after  gṛhastha , householder life, one should retire. If one lives for a hundred years, he should spend twenty-five years in student life, twenty-five in householder life, twenty-five in retired life and twenty-five in the renounced order of life. These are the regulations of the Vedic religious discipline. A man retired from household life must practice austerities of the body, mind and tongue. That is  tapasyā . The entire  varṇāśrama-dharma  society is meant for  tapasyā . Without  tapasyā  or austerity no human being can get liberation. The theory that there is no need of austerity in life, that one can go on speculating and everything will be nice, is neither recommended in the Vedic literature nor in  Bhagavad-gītā . Such theories are manufactured by showbottle spiritualists who are trying to gather more followers. If there are restrictions, rules and regulations, people will not become attracted. Therefore those who want followers in the name of religion, just to have a show only, don't restrict the lives of their students nor their own lives. But that method is not approved by the  Vedas .
As far as simplicity is concerned, not only should a particular order of life follow this principle, but every member, be he in the  brahmacarya -