Avatarika
इदानीं विचार्यते, शास्त्रार्थविवेकप्रतिपत्तये ।यत आकुलानि हि वाक्यानि दृश्यन्ते- 'यावज्जीवमग्निहोत्रं जुहुयात्' 'यावज्जीवं दर्शपूर्णमासाभ्यां यजेत' 'कुर्वन्नेवेह कर्माणि जिजीविषेच्छतं समाः' 'एतद्वै जरामर्यं सत्रं यदग्निहोत्रम्' इत्यादीनि ऐकाश्रम्यज्ञापकानि; अन्यानि च आश्रमान्तरप्रतिपादकानि वाक्यानि 'विदित्वा व्युत्थाय प्रव्रजन्ति' 'ब्रह्मचर्यं समाप्य गृही भवेद्गृहाद्वनी भूत्वा प्रव्रजेत्' 'यदि वेतरथा ब्रह्मचर्यादेव प्रव्रजेद्गृहाद्वा वनाद्वा' इति, 'द्वावेव पन्थानावुनुनिष्क्रान्ततरौ भवतः, क्रियापथश्चैव पुरस्तात्संन्यासश्च, तयोः संन्यास एवातिरेचयति' इति, 'न कर्मणा न प्रजया धनेन त्यागेनैकेऽमृतत्वमानशुः' इत्यादीनि ।तथा स्मृतयश्च-'ब्रह्मचर्यवान्प्रव्रजति' 'अविशीर्णब्रह्मचर्यो यमिच्छेत्तमावसेत्' 'तस्याश्रमविकल्पमेके ब्रुवते'; तथा
In plain words
Now this needs sorting out, so we can see clearly what scripture actually means. Because the texts genuinely seem to conflict. Some say: keep the fire-offering going as long as you live; keep the new-moon and full-moon rites going as long as you live; wish to live a hundred years performing rites the whole time; this whole lifelong sequence of rites is itself the fire-offering. Statements like these point to one single way of life — the householder's, and nothing else. But other texts point to different stages entirely: having understood, people rise up and renounce; finish your studentship, become a householder, then a forest-dweller, then go forth as a renunciant; or, if you prefer, go forth straight from studentship, or straight from the household, or straight from the forest. There are only two paths that really lead anywhere: the path of ritual action, and, ranked above it, renunciation — and renunciation is the greater of the two. Not by ritual action, not through children, not through wealth, but through renunciation alone did some people reach immortality. And the tradition texts agree: someone who has kept his studentship vows goes forth into renunciation; let him live with whomever he wishes as long as that vow stays unbroken; some teachers even say there is a real choice among the stages of life. And so on...
Close to the Sanskrit
Now it is examined, for the sake of arriving at a discrimination of the meaning of scripture. Because conflicting statements are indeed seen: 'One should offer the fire-oblation as long as one lives,' 'One should sacrifice with the new-moon and full-moon offerings as long as one lives,' 'One should wish to live a hundred years, continually performing rites here,' 'This indeed is the sacrificial session lasting until old age, namely the fire-oblation' — such statements, indicating a single order of life. And there are other statements teaching the existence of other orders of life: 'Having known, having risen up, they go forth,' 'Having completed studentship, let him become a householder; having become a forest-dweller from a householder, let him go forth,' 'Or otherwise, let him go forth directly from studentship itself, or from the household, or from the forest' — 'There are only two paths that proceed most directly onward: the path of ritual action, and, before it, renunciation; of these two, renunciation alone surpasses the other' — 'Not by ritual action, not by progeny, not by wealth, but by renunciation alone did some attain immortality' — such statements. Likewise the Smṛtis too: 'One possessed of the vow of studentship goes forth,' 'Let him dwell with whomever he desires, so long as his vow of studentship remains unbroken,' 'Some declare that there is an option among the stages of life for him' — and likewise...