("householder") is a name for a
person who owns a home.
A grhastha is a “householder” in the dharma literature,
which instructs on religious practice and obligations.
The grhastha, according to dharma literature, is the second
of four phases of life (ashramas) in the life of a man born into one of the
three twice-born classes in Indian society—brahmin, kshatriya, or vaishya—who
hold the highest religious and social prestige.
The brahmacharin or celibate student comes before the
householder stage, which is followed by the vanaprastha or woodland dweller,
and the sanyasi or wandering ascetic.
In practical terms, the householder stage is the end stage
of life for most men since they do not choose to go beyond it.
Marriage initiates the householder stage, which leads to the
upbringing and maintenance of a family.
This is a busy and productive period of life, and the
householder is essential to society since his labors and resources sustain
people in the other three phases.
Because the overall fruitfulness of this stage of life is
manifested via procreation, it is also the only stage of life in which sexual
intercourse is not officially outlawed.
A householder may pursue three conventional life goals
(purushartha): money (artha), desire (kama), and religious obligation
(purushartha) (dharma).
Given the complexity and richness of the householder's life,
it's understandable that many men are hesitant to go to the other two phases.
The term given to works that define proper procedures for domestic religious ceremonies, in particular the daily rituals related with the home holy fire and the life-cycle rites known as the samskaras.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.
