GRUHA MEDHINAAM-गृहमेधिनाम्- HOUSEHOLDERS ( Gruhasthas)

 SUBHASHITHANI:379

In Hinduism a human life can be divided into 4 ashrams or stages. These stages are essentially to focus oneself on different areas at different periods of life. They are:

1.Brahmacharya- Celibate, Student stage of life where you are away from your family. 2.Grihastha- Married, social stage of life where pursuit of material, sexual, physical goals in life occurs. 3.Vanaprastha - Retirement time and transition stage from pursuit of worldly pleasures to spiritual liberation as one hands over the reins to next generation. 4.Sanyasa - Total renunciation of world and full time focus on spiritual pursuit, preferably away from family. 

In this blog we will see some beautiful slokas on gruhasta or householder.

त्यागाय संभृतार्थानां सत्याय मितभाषिणाम्।

यशसे विजिगीषूणां प्रजायै गृहमेधिनाम्॥ Raghuvamsam
tyāgāya saṁbhṛtārthānāṁ satyāya mitabhāṣiṇām |
yaśase vijigīṣūṇāṁ prajāyai gṛhamedhinām || 1-7
The kings from Raghu dynasty amassed wealth only for the sake of munificence; reticent only for the sake of truthfulness; only for fame they indulged in conquering; only for the sake of progeny they got married.

 यथा नदीनदा: सर्वे सागरे यान्‍ति संस्‍थितिम्‌ ।
 एवमाश्रमिण: सर्वे गृहस्‍थे यान्‍ति संस्‍थितिम् ।। Mahabharat 12.295.39

Just as all small rivulets and big rivers finally culminate into the sea so also the householder is the support of individuals undergoing all other stages of life.

यथा मातरमाश्रित्‍य सर्वे जीवन्‍ति जन्‍तव: ।
एवं गार्हस्‍थ्‍यमाश्रित्‍य वर्तन्‍त इतराश्रमा: ।। Mahabharat 12.269.6

Just as all living creatures survive with the support of the mother so also people in all other stages of life depend on the stage of the householder.

आश्रमांस्‍तुलया सर्वान्‍धृतानाहुर्मनीषिण: ।
एकतश्च त्रयो राजन्‌ गृहस्‍थाश्रम एकत: ।। Mahabharat 12.12.12

Wise men say that the stage of the householder alone is equivalent to the other three stages put together. 

न गृहं गृहमित्‍याहुर्गृहिणी गृहमुच्‍यते ।
गृहं तु गृहिणीहीनमरण्‍यसदृशं मतम्‌ II Mahabharat 12.144.6
 A house without a housewife is not a real home, in fact it is equivalent to a forest. It is the wife who makes the house a home.

 वृक्षमूलेऽपि दयिता यस्‍य तिष्‍ठति तद्‌गृहम्‌ ।
 प्रासादोऽपि तया हीन: कान्‍तार इति निश्चितम्‌ ।। Mahabharat 12.144.12
 Even the shelter of a tree becomes home to a man if his wife is with him and without her even a palace is doubtlessly akin to a forest.

 चतुर्णामाश्रमाणां हि गार्हस्‍थ्‍यं श्रेष्‍ठमुत्तमम्‌ ।। Ramayan 2.106.22

Of all the four stages, the householder’s stage is the best.

तृणानि भूमिरुदकं वाक्‍चतुर्थी च सूनृता ।
 एतान्‍यपि सतां गेहे नोच्‍छिद्यन्‍ते कदाचन ।। Manusmruti 3.101

If one cannot afford to serve a meal to a guest then he should at least be offered a grass seat. If even that is not available then he should be asked to sit on plain ground and if even that is not feasible then one should inquire about his well-being. At least this should be followed in the homes of righteous people. 

‘दानं तप: गृहस्‍थानां ।’
Daanam tapah gruhastaanaam
means that making offerings is the spiritual practice of those in the stage of the householder, that is of worldly people. The scriptures enlist construction of temples, growing gardens, digging lakes, offering water to people, etc. as religious acts performed with expectation.

अथ संतानसंसिद्धिसमाकुलितचेतसाम्।
तदुत्पत्तिकरं यागं प्रवक्ष्ये गृहमेधिनाम्।।33.1।।Prapancha saarah
Atha santaana samsiddhi samakulitachetasaam I
Tad utpattikaram yaagam pravakshye gruhamedinaam IISri Shankara
Thereafter, for those who are anxious for the birth of a child, let me explain to the householders the yagya to be performed for that to happen.

तासां क्रमेण सर्वासां निष्कृत्यर्थं महर्षिभिः ।
पञ्च कॢप्ता महायज्ञाः प्रत्यहं गृहमेधिनाम् ॥ ६९ ॥
tāsāṃ krameṇa sarvāsāṃ niṣkṛtyarthaṃ maharṣibhiḥ |
pañca kḷptā mahāyajñāḥ pratyahaṃ gṛhamedhinām || 3.69 ||Manusmruti
For the purpose of expiating all these in their course, the five great sacrifices have been ordained by the great sages, for householders (to be performed) daily.

स गोदोहनमात्रं हि गृहेषु गृहमेधिनाम् ।
अवेक्षते महाभागस्तीर्थीकुर्वंस्तदाश्रमम् ॥SB1.4.8
sa go-dohana-mātraṁ hi gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām
avekṣate mahā-bhāgas tīrthī-kurvaṁs tad āśramam
He [Śukabrahmam] was accustomed to stay at the door of a householder only long enough for a cow to be milked. And he did this just to sanctify the residence.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH