 They live and study with a teacher/guru for several years.’  They enter student-hood between ages  They will spend most of their years studying.

 Normally entered through a many day marriage.  They will have children with their wife and form a family.  Find a job/career while becoming more active in their community.  They are responsible for rituals of life; they must make sure they are being practiced in a proper manner, and during the right time.  Responsible for people of all ages, men and women.

 The stage in life when the man is old, son has a family and is ready to take over the household.  Both man and wife are retired.  Both religious and secular responsibilities are diminished.  They become more free to contemplate death and rebirth.  They have the option to disappear to a secluded area (like a hermit) or remain active in public worship

 Last stage in life; rejecting life.  Rejection of household duties.  Powerful rejection; they can even lose their social status in their religious community.  Sannyasins become wandering hermits; may appear to be empty shells with no select living place, or possessions.  They’ll only eat food when hungry; found or given. They will not work for food.

 Each stage is proceeded with a Samskara.  Samskara is a ritual which brings someone from the previous life back to the present one.  They are presented in life more than following the stages of life. They will appear from times; can exceed up to 40 times!  Many are performed before birth to the first six months of life.

 These stages are for men only.  However this doesn’t mean that women do not have a religious life.  Most rituals cannot be performed without the woman.  Women are very active practitioners in “bakhti yoga.”

 Bibliography - hinduism/hslife.htm hinduism/hslife.htm  By: Ashley McNamara and Sam Hall