This lifestyle system was common in the beginning years of A'nanda Ma'rga and grhi a'ca'rays were directly trained and appointed by Shrii Shrii A'nandamu'rti. However, this changed with the introduction of the sannyasi order in 1962/63. From then until the year 1990, only four persons were able to become family a'ca'ryas. Criteria for grihii a'ca'ryas given in the 1970s are as follows:

The following shall be the minimum and essential qualities of a grhii trainee for undergoing ácárya/á-ship / táttvika-ship training:


1. He/she must have immense social reputation for strict adherence to Sixteen Points as prescribed for grhiis.

2. He/she must earn his/her livelihood by physical or intellectual labour.

3. Local Márgiis must unanimously say that he/she is a sadvipra.

4. He/she must spend at least five per cent as avashya dánam.

5. He/she must be a married man/lady and the marriage must have been as revolutionary as possible.

6. He/she must have reputation in feeding others without incurring any loan.

7. He/she must always be neat, clean, well-dressed, avoiding unnecessary ostentation.

8. He/she must pass C-Part, B-Part and A-Part training before being declared as an ácárya/á.

9. He/she must have undergone much suffering for the cause of Bhágavata dharma.

10. Syllabi and other course of training shall be just like WT ácárya/ás, and training shall be imparted in a particular training centre started especially for this purpose.

11. He/she must not be impotent or sterilized, and should have a sufficient number of children.

12. If having more than three children, he/she should be mentally ready to spare one for missionary work. (The final selection, however, depends on the mood and qualification of the child and not on its parents, because the child may or may not like the hard and adventurous life of a missionary worker.)

The above-quoted twelve (12) essential qualities shall never be slackened or waived, nor shall there be any special case for any particular individual.

Excerpts from Carya’carya Part 1:

TA'TTVIKA, A'CA'RYA/A' AND PURODHA'

(1) Only those persons who are sincere, spirited and endowed with sharp intellect; and who understand and can make others understand the philosophy; will be considered eligible to become a'ca'rya/a's.

(2) A'ca'rya/a's who have a minimum of five hundred initiates and are adept in the difficult Vishes'a Yoga will be eligible for purodha' training.

(3) Those who can inspire at least twenty persons (five persons in special cases) onto the path of spirituality may be imparted ta'ttvika training.

(4) As far as possible, only purodha's will be elected or nominated for any responsible post of the Marga.

Keeping in view that the ideals of the Marga are to be propagated universally, these rules may at times be relaxed with the consent of the Central Committee and with the approval of the purodha' pramukha.