Alberuni , a renowned philosopher and historian of the medieval age , came to India with Mahmud of Ghazni in 1017. He wrote a great book on India namely Tarikh Al-Hind (History of India) . What he saw in contemporary life , he inscribed them in this book . In his book he has portrayed the social, political, religious and economic condition of the then India . His book is a very important source for medieval history of India . From historical perspective the value of this book is incomparable .The book India by Al - Biruni is an english rendering of the original Arabic version of Tarikh Al Hind . This book is edited by the famous author Qeyamuddin Ahmad.
In chapter LXIII of India , Alberuni has discussed minutely about the life of a Brahman and his activities . According to Alberuni the life of a Brahman , after seven years from his birth , is divided into four parts . The first period of a Brahman begins at the age of eight with the rite of Upanayan or Yajnopavita . It extends till the twenty-fifth year of his age or according to Vishnu Purana forty eighth year of his age .Upanayan is a religious tradition among the Brahmans that marks the acceptance of a pupil by a master ( guru ) . In this ceremony some Brahman masters teach the Brahman boy his duties in life and how to embrace his duties till his death . The boy receives Yajnopavitas or sacred thread made of cotton . It is worn from the left shoulder across the chest to the right waist . Under any circumstances the Brahman boy is not allowed to separate himself from the yajnopavita . He is given a ring also , which he has to put on the right finger of his right hand . At this stage his duty is to practice abstinence . He leads a life in austerities . He has to spend this period under the surveillance of his master . He makes the earth his bed and starts learning of the Vedas as well as science , theology and law . His master ( guru ) whom he serves day and night , teaches him all these subjects . He washes himself thrice a day and performs a sacrifice to the fire ( yajna ) at the beginning and end of the day . After the sacrifice he serves his master . He observes fast every alternate day . Besides, he is never allowed to eat meat . He lives in the house of the master and everyday he goes outside for begging or asking for a gift , but he can’t go more than five houses a day for begging . Whatever alms he receives he has to present it before his master at first . His master takes what he likes and allows him to take the remainder for nourishment . Further , he has to go to the forest to collect wood for the fire , especially for performing the fire sacrifice . Fire sacrifice is a pious ritual to the Hindus and they worship different gods in front of the sacred fire . For performing the sacrifice the pupil mainly collects wood from two types of trees : Palasa and Darbha .
The second period of a Brahman extends from the twenty fifth
year till the fiftieth , or , according to Vishnu Purana from the forty eighth year till the seventieth . At
this stage he is allowed to get married
. He marries a girl , establishes a household and intends to have
descendants . He is not allowed to marry a girl above twelve years . He obtains
his livelihood or sustenance by teaching
Brahmans and Kshatriyas , sometimes by performing fire sacrifice for Kshatriyas
or others ( not as a payment but as a
present or offering ) or by asking a gift from the kings and nobles . Some Brahman
works as a purohita ; he carries out rituals of the households and
provides advice on religious affairs . According to Alberuni , a Brahman lives
from what he gathers on the earth or from the trees . He can do trade of
clothes and betel-nuts but it is permitted to him only in dire necessity , when
he has no other means of sustenance . A Brahman is not bound to pay taxes or
performs services to the kings .He is generally
not allowed to look after horses and cows . His chief duty is to worship before the
sacred fire and recite holy texts .
The third period of the life of a Brahman extends from the
fiftieth year to the seventy fifth , or , according to Vishnu Purana seventieth
to ninetieth year .At this stage he practices
abstinence or self-abnegation .
He leaves his household , assigns all his duties to his wife ( if his wife does
not prefer to accompany him in the life of wilderness ) or the children . He lives outside the civilization , often
near a forest . He leads the same life
again which he led in the first period . He neither takes shelter under a roof
nor wears any dress . He only uses barks of trees to cover his loin . He never
cuts his long hair , nor he anoints himself with oil. He makes the earth his bed for sleeping . He
nourishes himself by fruits , vegetables and roots .
The fourth period of the life of a Brahman extends till the end of his life . Now he wears a red garment and practises meditation . From his mind he gives up the idea of friendship and enmity . He gives up all types of desires , roots out lust and wrath from his inner self . He does not converse with anyone at all . If he goes to a particular place , on the road he does not stop in a village more than a day , nor more than five days in a city . At this stage his prime goal is to attain salvation or moksha – emancipation from worldly affairs .
Last but not least , Alberuni is a keen observer . He has observed everything of a Brahman's life in details , gathered various knowledge about Hindu religion and written all these things accurately . Alberuni's division of a Brahman's life into four periods is same as the four Ashramas of a man's life that we find in the Jabala Upanishad . Though Alberuni has not mentioned anywhere the name of the four periods in his book , he has described all the four periods of a Brahman's life minutely and flawlessly .
