अनुष्ठेयं बादरायणः, साम्यश्रुतेः हि ॥ १९ ॥
anuṣṭheyaṃ bādarāyaṇaḥ, sāmyaśruteḥ || 19 ||
anuṣṭheyam—Ought to be gone through; bādarāyaṇaḥ—Badarayana; sāmyaśruteḥ—for the scriptural text refers equally to all the four Asramas.
19. Badarayana (thinks that Sannyasa or monastic life) also must be gone through, for the scriptural text (cited) refers equally; to all the four Asramas (stages of life).
In the text cited, sacrifice etc. refer to the householder’s life, penance to Vanaprastha, studentship to Brahmacharya and ‘one who is firmly established in Brahman’ to Sannyasa. So the text equally refers to all the four stages of life. The text relating to the first three stages refers to what is enjoined elsewhere. So also does the text relating to Sannyasa. Hence Sannyasa also is enjoined and must be gone through by all.